Gospels by Category

Feeling profound sorrow, terror, or intense guilt due to recognizing one's sin, often stemming from the preaching of the Law, and prompting a desperate need for confession and absolution. This recognizes the sinner's existence before God.

¹ In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
⁴ Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
⁶ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
⁸ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. (ESV)

Prayer

Almighty God, I confess that I am a poor sinner and have offended You. Relieve my anxious conscience. I believe there is forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus. Grant me Your mercy, according to Your word. Amen.

The need for absolute confidence in the gifts Christ gives, particularly the certainty of forgiveness, which is a step away from comfortlessness and doubt. This includes reliance on the external Word rather than fluctuating internal feelings.

⁴⁴ Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
⁴⁷ and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (ESV)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, grant me faith to trust not in my own feelings but in Your changeless heart and word of grace. Strengthen my assurance that I am Your baptized child and have eternal life through You. Amen.

Facing pain, distress, or affliction, whether physical, mental (like depression or anxiety), or external calamity, needing support and strength in the midst of trouble.

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.
³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. (ESV)

Prayer

O Holy Spirit, strengthen and keep Your servant in the Word of truth and life, and support me in every time of trouble and distress. Turn my lament into praise. Be my Comfort, King, and Strength in this affliction. Amen.

Lamenting loss, death, or sorrow. The emotional aspect of human nature is acknowledged in suffering, requiring pastoral and biblical understanding.

⁵⁷ When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud
⁶⁰ and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.
⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. (ESV)

Prayer

Merciful Lord, in the valley of tears, sustain me with the hope of the resurrection. Be my Life in death. Give me rest in You until the dawn of salvation. Amen.

Struggling with worry, acute anxiety, or fear for the future, whether temporal or eternal. This feeling requires the removal of perturbation and a return to serenity of mind through faith.

⁴⁷ And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.
⁴⁸ And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,
⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,
⁵⁰ for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
⁵¹ And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,
⁵² for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (ESV)

Prayer

O God, make speed to save me: O Lord, make haste to help me. Quiet my troubled soul and grant me the peace which surpasses all understanding, knowing that You care for us. Amen.

A desire for clear guidance or answers to current life issues, recognizing the insufficiency of secular wisdom and the primary need to consult God's Word for sound advice.

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
²⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (ESV)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for Your Holy Spirit to lead me into the land of uprightness and teach me what I ought to say. Order my steps in Your word, that I may follow the path of true wisdom. Amen.

Feeling abandoned, alone, or lacking community, needing to be recalled inwardly to the love of God and the fellowship of the Church.

²⁹ But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
³³ But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
³⁴ He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
³⁵ And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (ESV)

Prayer

Lord, make me mindful that I live by faith in Christ, free for serving others in love. Draw me after You, and grant me fellowship with Your people, so that I may never feel utterly alone. Amen.

Battling temptations, spiritual attacks, or specific vices (like covetousness or pride), needing divine assistance to stand firm against sin and the schemes of the evil one.

⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
⁷ “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! (ESV)

Prayer

Lord, lead us not into temptation, lest we be deprived of Your help. Deliver me from evil. Shield me from the plots of the enemy, and grant me vigilance to resist temptation. Amen.

Acknowledging personal weakness, inadequacy, or inability to perform tasks perfectly, and realizing that human limits reflect God's design, seeking strength and sufficiency from Christ.

²⁴ Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
²⁶ Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
²⁷ But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (ESV)

Prayer

My Strength is in You, O Christ. I confess my weakness, but grant that Your grace may be sufficient for me. Let my faith rest not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Amen.

Struggling with lack of fervor, listlessness, or neglecting the pursuit of holiness and diligence in good works, needing encouragement toward spiritual alertness and perseverance.

⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. (ESV)

Prayer

Lord, rouse me from my deep slumber. Inflame my heart with longing for You. Grant me diligence in pursuing the knowledge of Your law and doing good works. Amen.

The necessity of focusing on future glory, the resurrection, and eternal joys rather than being consumed by temporary worldly matters, recognizing that true life transcends the temporal.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (ESV)

Prayer

Your kingdom come. Lift my wing of contemplation. May I pursue the one pearl and look forward to the everlasting kingdom of Your holy city, where I shall reign with You forever. Amen.

The realization that following Christ involves resistance and conflict from the world, requiring resilience and prayer when attacked or persecuted for righteousness' sake.

⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
⁵ But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
⁷ Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (ESV)

Prayer

Sustain me, O Lord, in tribulation, knowing that the world hated You first. Grant me patience and fortitude, and wisdom in speech when I am delivered up, trusting that the Holy Ghost shall teach me what I ought to say. Amen.