In this section Jesus is introduced to the believer by the choice of his name (1.21, 23). The first name we are introduced to is Jesus which means Jehovah saves. He came to do what his name means. In doing so, he brought to himself a people which Matthew identifies in two ways: my church (16.18), and a people (21.43). More will be discovered by you when we address these parts of Matthew.

The second name we are introduced to is the name Immanuel (v. 23). This name means God with us. The last words of Jesus recorded in Matthew (28.20) indicate this very idea. God, in Jesus, will never leave you.

Pardon me for breaking into my own blog, but I just couldn’t help myself. A friend of mine sent me the following audio clips. I think you will enjoy them. When you press on the link your mp3 player should activate. Listen to Concerned Pastor first and then Concerned Pastor Mix. The order will make sense after you have listened. Laughter is good for all of us. Enjoy.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

The following verses (1.18-25) function as an extended footnote for verse 16. At the conclusion of the genealogy we are informed of the characters involved in the birth of Jesus. There are three aspects which you should focus your attention toward.

The Holy Spirit Creates Newness
Wherever there is creation, you will find the Holy Spirit. He was at work in the creation of the physical world (Gen. 1.2). He was there at the creation of man (Gen. 1.26; Job 33.4). He was there in the re-creation of man spiritually (Ezek. 27.14; John 3.5). He was there at the creation of the miracle of virgin birth (Matt. 1.18). He was there when you were created into a new person. (more…)

Matthew breaks his book into five purposeful, smaller sections, each beginning with a phrase similar to, “When Jesus had finished saying these things.” (7.28, 11.1, 1053, 19.1, 26.1). Each of Matthew’s books are made up of a narrative section and an instruction section.

Birth and Infancy 1.1-2.23
It is important to have roots. Matthew provided rooting for his readers. He showed the genealogy of Jesus as a display of the history of salvation for the Jewish nation. It had its peaks and valleys and Jesus was the highest pinnacle of the nation.

He compared Jesus and Moses. He provided some information that Luke does not provide like the account of the Virgin Birth which is one of the five great events which made up the life of Jesus. For Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses for the new Israel. He arranges his material to demonstrate how Jesus is the replacement for Moses.

Book One

Narrative: Invitation to Kingdom Life 3.1-4.25
The Kingdom of God (his rule in your life) calls one to make a commitment. Matthew’s first narrative shows Jesus proclaiming the rule of God in the lives of people through his teaching, preaching, and healing ministry.

Instruction: The Kingdom Way of Life The Sermon on the Mount - 5-7
These are three of the most powerful teaching chapters in Scripture. In them Jesus confirms for those new to the faith that there is a fundamental change in life when a decision to follow him is made. He confirms how his words and works fulfill and update the Law of the Old Testament (see Matthew 5.17.48). He taught about giving, prayer, fasting, planning for the future, worry, judging, and the difference between being wise or foolish.

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During the first years after the resurrection of Jesus there were thousands of new believers who were born into the church and many new churches started. One of these was the church at Antioch in Syria (Acts 1.19). The result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit there was that many new believers came to faith (Acts 11.21). Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem when news arrived about the move of God in the church at Antioch. By himself, he was not able to handle the influx of all these new believers. He sought out Saul in his hometown of Tarsus and brought him back to Antioch to help with the task of training these new believers.

During the following years the Church at Antioch kept bringing new people to faith in Jesus. Two decades after the birth of the church, Matthew wrote his book to provide material for the ongoing stream of new believers. He wanted these people to understand about Jesus, the new Moses for the new Israel, the church. (more…)

Can you believe another year has past. Here we are counting the days left till Christmas again. It seems like earlier and earlier the business community is beginning the Christmas rush. Hussle ‘n bussle. Darting here and there. Hearing all those carols in all kinds of musical arrangements. Yep! It’s Christmas.

What better way to end the year than look at Matthew, one of the two books that talks about the early life of Jesus, the other being Luke. Both have their specific audience to which they write their material. Their birth stories are different because they have different purposes in mind. Matthew’s major purpose was to produce a training manual for all those new converts which were entering the church at Antioch.

To Provide a Training Manual
One of the most important facts for a believer to understand is that the New Testament is literature which was written to answer problems. One of the most interesting things about Matthew’s Gospel is that he was struggling with many of the same problems that the Church is struggling with today. The first century church was experiencing a basic shift in her existence. She had largely existed in Jerusalem where she was Jewish. Now she was faced with surviving in an arena with both Jews and Gentiles. The Church, then and now, has to adapt her sacred traditions to meet new times. Up to Antioch, the Church had been almost stringently Jewish in origin and makeup. By the time Matthew writes his Gospel, the Jerusalem church (Jewish) was on her last leg, if not already destroyed (depends on dating: near the end equals ‘60s; destroyed equals ‘70s-‘80s). The influx of Gentiles raised many problems for Matthew and his church. Questions needed answers. How does one adapt the past to the present? How does one wean the Church away from legalism without slipping into license? These ideas had to be reflected upon and discussed. Believers, new and seasoned, have a need to deepen their understanding of who Christ is and how he works in their lives. (more…)