poolsandpastures
Thoughts on the Gospel, Life, and Ministry
The NT365 Experiment: Matthew 1
Matthew wrote his Gospel to present Jesus to us as the true Heaven sent king of kings and to challenge us to give our lives for this king, His kingdom, and His glory. Chapter 1 has two main sections. The first 17 verses deal with Jesus’ genealogy and verses 18-25 tell of Joseph’s visit from the angel and Jesus’ birth.
Come (How does this passage bid me to come to Jesus?)
Jesus has two names. One, Jesus, means “God will save,” and the other, Immanuel, means “God with us” (21,23). This means that Jesus came to be with me and to save me from my sins. What an amazing truth that is! I couldn’t get to him, so he came to be with me. And, he came to be with me personally, to build a relationship with me, to know me. I am compelled to come to him because he came to me.
Experience (How does this passage help me to experience life with Jesus?)
God’s faithfulness is written all over chapter 1. Jesus is presented as the “son of David” and “the son of Abraham” (1). He is the fulfillment of the promises God made to His people in the Old Testament. Because God was faithful to fulfill his promises, I know He will be faithful to keep all the promises he has made to me. That’s comforting to my soul. It encourages my rest in Him. He’s a covenant keeper. All God’s promises are “Yes and Amen in Christ” (1 Cor. 1:20).
Follow (How does this passage challenge me to practically follow Jesus?)
God fulfilled His promises with the impossible. Jesus was born of a virgin. That is impossible, but yet it happened. My challenge today is to look for the impossible ways in which God shows up in my life — Where is He? What has he done? What are the new and startling ways in which he is fulfilling his promises by his wonderful love and grace? When I see the evidence of God at work in my life, I’m going to write it down. Then, I’ll make a special point to thank God for his miraculous grace in my life.
poolsandpastures 