Matthew 2:13-23 Fooled by the magi, King Herod immediately sets out to kill the child-king, who is the true King of All. Jesus turns into a refugee as the family flees to Egypt as instructed by God. In Egypt, Jesus embodies a second exodus where God’s...
Matthew 2:1-12 Surprise! Foreigners (magi) come into the nativity story to affirm the kingship of Jesus for the nations by the gifts these Gentiles brought—gifts that shout, “King!” They followed the star, which had kingly connotations. The magi came across 2...
Matthew 1:18-25 From what should be a picture perfect courtship, there is trouble in paradise—Mary the engaged is pregnant. Joseph, the husband to be, is told in a dream by God that this is not a nightmare but the moving of God to be near people by the birth of His...
Matthew 1:1-17 Matthew writes that Jesus shot out of the finest heritage that any Jew could have. An offspring of Abraham, whose line was to be a blessing to the nations—and an offspring of David, whose line was to be king of Israel and the nations. And along the way,...
Matthew 9:1-8 Are we willing to suffer and sacrifice for principles that get into our imagination and change us? Always learning and always growing is the longing the church should have. This moves the church to engage with those who are searching, showing how...
