Matthew 3:7-10

Matthew 3:7-10

And behold!  While many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to his baptism he said to them, “Offspring of vipers!  Who demonstrated to you all the need to flee from the wrath that is about to come?  Therefore make fruit worthy of repentance and do not presume to say in yourselves, ‘We have Father Abraham.’  For I say to you that God is powerful enough to raise up children of Abraham out of these stones.  And already the ax is being laid before the root of the tree.  Therefore every tree that does not make good fruit is being cut down and thrown into fire.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Make sure you understand this passage.  There were some Pharisees and Sadducees coming to John to be baptized.  But that doesn’t mean that John didn’t drive home his point.  Either there was something about them coming that made John suspicious – or more likely John wanted to make sure they heard the warning because they would have a difficult time living up to their testimony through baptism.  The lesson we can get at through John is that motives always need to be checked.  These Pharisees and Sadducees were welcomed, but they needed to make sure they were in it for the right reasons.  John took the time to make sure that they were serious before even getting involved with them!  John risked losing them at the beginning to make sure that their motivation was pure.

Do you see church people today being willing to risk losing someone because they feel the need to stop and even challenge the motivation of a newcomer?  Why is this risky?  what is the reward to this approach?  Why do you think we only hear John doing this with the Pharisees and the Sadducees and not with the general public?

Second Thought:

Now let’s get to the actual message that John tells these Pharisees and Sadducees.  He tells them to stop saying, “We have Abraham.”  He tells them to get ready to bear fruit worthy of their repentance – or change.  This is huge on at least two levels.  First, let’s look at why it is that Jesus gets crucified in the end from a human perspective.  The religious leaders crucify Jesus because He is trying to pull them away from their meaningless ritualistic dependence upon the Law for salvation.  They hate Jesus because Jesus is talking about spiritual change.  Isn’t that precisely what John warns them about here?  John cautions the Pharisees and the Sadducees on precisely what they will be guilty of doing in the end!  Second, this is huge because once more in God’s Word we hear the stress on not just believe but on obedience.  John doesn’t just accept their words of change.  John tells them to bear fruit.  He tells them to actually change.  He tells them to walk the walk.  Then he warns them that those who do not walk the walk should be prepared to be cut away.

Are you bearing fruit in line with your repentance?  Are you willing to examine yourself and change what needs to be changed?  How dependant are you upon things like tradition, feeling “safe,” and doings things “like we’ve always done?”

Third Thought:

I love John’s analogy of the stones becoming children of Abraham.  John clearly understood God’s perspective.  Being God’s child is not about lineage.  It’s not about genetics.  It’s not about attending the right place on Sunday.  It’s not about doing things in a precisely correct manner.  God’s children can come from anywhere!  They can look like anything!  God’s children are those who get their identity from God.  God’s children are those who are obedient to God.  As we hear in Romans 8:9, God’s children are those who have received God’s gracious offer of the Holy Spirit and who walk with God’s Spirit every moment of every day.

Are you a child of God?  How do you know?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 3:11-12

Matthew 3:4-6

Matthew 3:4-6

And John himself was having his clothing from hair of a camel and a belt made of leather around his waist.  And the food of his was locusts and wild honey.  Then Jerusalem and all of Judea and all of the neighboring place of the Jordan were going out to him.  And they were being baptized in the Jordan River by him while confessing their sins.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

You may wonder why it is that Matthew tells us about John’s clothing.  The answer is really simple.  Turn in your Bible to 2 Kings 1:8.  There you will find a reference to Elijah the Tishbite, whom the Jews consider the greatest prophet to have ever lived.  It was said that Elijah would precede the coming of God’s Messiah.  See Luke 1:16-17 for Luke’s greater explanation on this point and see Malachi 4:5 for the Old Testament teaching upon which this teaching is largely founded.  Matthew tells us about John’s clothing when he doesn’t ever tell us about other people’s clothing because he is making a theological point here.  He is telling us that John is the Elijah who will come before the day of the Lord.  Jesus can be the Messiah because Elijah preceded Him.

Have you ever thought about the description of John’s clothing as being evidence of a greater fulfillment of the Old Testament?  How does the fact that Matthew is likely writing to a largely Jewish audience help us understand the significance of this detail?

Second Thought:

We get the idea that John drew quite a crowd.  People from all over came to see him.  He was a spectacle to behold.  Not only did his appearance seem a bit strange, but as we’ll see over the next few days his teaching was also firm and pointed.  He would no doubt attract a crowd.  People would want to come and hear and judge for themselves what John was all about.  He was certainly a catalyst among the people.  No doubt he cause the religious leaders in Jerusalem a fair bit of concern.

Would you have gone out to see John and to see what all the commotion is about?  What might be the advantages of playing it safe and not going out to see John?  What are the advantages of participating in the spectacle and going out to see and hear John?

Third Thought:

As people came, they were baptized.  As they were being baptized, they confessed their sins.  Both of these are the natural consequences of the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy spirit gets a hold on us, we should desire to be obedient and be baptized as we are commanded.  When the Holy Spirit gets a hold of us, we should desire to confess our sin so that we can work against its influence in our life.

How is the Holy Spirit at work in your life?  Where do you feel its conviction upon you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 3:7-10

Matthew 3:1-3

Matthew 3:1-3

And in those days, John – the one who baptizes – came while preaching in the wilderness of Judea and while saying, “Repent!  For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”  For this is the word that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “A voice – while calling out in the wilderness!  Prepare the way of the Lord!  Make His paths straight!”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Take a look at where John, the one who baptizes, is preaching.  He is preaching in the wilderness.  This is both a literal and a figurative message to us from Matthew.  John is literally preaching in the wilderness.  He is not living in a city.  The crowds have to come out to him.  He is baptizing people in the Jordan River.  You don’t get much more wilderness than that.  But Matthew is also speaking in a metaphorical sense.  There is a reason John is speaking in the physical wilderness: he wouldn’t have been welcome in the cities!  The nation of Israel was spiritually bankrupt.  It wouldn’t have mattered where John taught, he would have been in the midst of a spiritual wilderness.

Have you ever felt like you were in a spiritual wilderness?  What does that feel like?  How do you think John felt knowing that he was preaching in and against a spiritual wilderness?

Second Thought:

I marvel at the fact that God chose this time for Jesus to come into the world.  Jerusalem and the surrounding areas were a spiritual wasteland.  It couldn’t have been easy.  He certainly wasn’t welcomed in any place for all that long.  People came to hear Jesus preach and marvel at His miracles but as soon as the excitement left many of them went along their way.  It was into this spiritual wilderness that God sent His Son.

If God sends His own Son into a spiritual wilderness, what does that say about us and our condition?  Will God send you into a spiritual wilderness, too?  Where is a spiritual wilderness into which you can work?

Third Thought:

I love saving this point last.  Note the verb tense when John says, “The kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”  This is a perfect verb.  What this means is that the action of the kingdom of God drawing near has been completed in the past.  However, the effects of the coming of the kingdom of God remain with us.  Quite literally, John is encapsulating several millennia of human history for us in a single word.  From the fall of Adam, God planned the kingdom of heaven to come on earth.  Beginning with Abraham, God’s kingdom started to come.  Through Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Samuel, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many more faithful people the kingdom of heaven was still being unfolded by God.  Then Jesus was born.  Then we not only heard about the kingdom of heaven but saw it in the flesh.  That was when the kingdom of heaven truly came.  But the effects of that act were still present in John’s day and are still present in our day.  Jesus came.  Jesus taught.  Jesus lived a godly life among sinful beings.  He brought righteousness.  We have tasted of God’s goodness.  We have the promise of eternal life.  God’s kingdom finally came in the person of Christ.  But the effects of His coming continue to linger with us even to this day!

What is the kingdom of heaven to you?  What are the effects of the coming of the kingdom of God that can be seen in your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 3:4-6

Matthew 2:19-23

Matthew 2:19-23

And after Herod died, behold!  An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph according to a dream in Egypt while saying, “After being raised up, take the young child and His mother and journey into the land of Israel.  For the ones who seek the life of the child have died.”  And the one who was being raised up took the child and His mother and entered into the land of Israel.  And after hearing that Archelaus rules over Israel in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go from there.  And after hearing in a divine revelation according to a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee.  And after coming he established his household in a city of Nazareth, in order that the words spoken through the prophets should be fulfilled that he will be called a Nazarene.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Once more God provides.  Herod is dead and God gets a message back to Joseph via an angel that comes in a dream.  Once more God’s hand directs Joseph.  But Joseph and Mary are patient in their waiting upon the Lord.  I can only imagine what Joseph would have really been thinking living in a foreign land, wondering if the move was permanent or only temporary.  But God provides.  God directs.  If we are patient and willing to listen, God will guide us into His will for our lives.

Are you good at waiting?  Are you good at listening to God?

Second Thought:

We get a final glance at Herod’s anger and wrath through this chapter.  Listen to the words of the angel.  “The ones who seek the life of the child.”  Herod was not just angry.  Herod was not just a person looking for his own will.  Herod was willing to kill the Son of God.  Yesterday we saw that he was willing to kill innocent children.  It is scary when anger and wrath meet power and the checks and balances of things like culture and a personal ethic are not present.

Have you ever experienced unbridled anger and wrath?  Why is this a scary thing?  What do you use to help control the anger and wrath that is within you?

Third Thought:

Here again we have a story of obedience.  Joseph is bringing his family out of Egypt.  But he is warned in a dream to not return to Bethlehem.  So they go to Nazareth.  If we can trust Nathaniel’s reaction to Jesus in John 1:46, Nazareth did not have a great reputation.  Out of obedience to God Joseph relocates his family from the area of Bethlehem into the area of Nazareth.  Joseph and Mary had nothing in Nazareth, but they knew that by relocating to a place where they had no connection they would also be keeping Jesus safe.  Joseph puts God’s agenda ahead of any worldly thinking he might have had.

How are you affected by Joseph’s continued obedience?  Is there any doubt as to why God found Joseph a great candidate for His own Son?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 3:1-3

Matthew 2:16-18

Matthew 2:16-18

Then after Herod saw that he was being tricked by the magi, he was being extremely angry.  After sending people out he executed all the young children in Bethlehem and in all of that region who were two years old and under – according to the time that he was able to determine precisely from the magi.  Then the words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah were being fulfilled: “A voice was being heard in Rama – weeping and great lamentation.  While Rachel weeps for her children she was not desiring to be encouraged because they are no more.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I think that this is one of the saddest stories in the whole of the Gospel of Matthew.  Even the death of Christ is not as sad as this story because there is so much purpose and hope granted through the cross.  But in this passage we have a senseless execution of innocent children unable to defend themselves.  I’d just like to stop a moment and let that sink in.  The Bible tells us that many young children in Bethlehem and the surrounding region senselessly lost their lives.  This is tragedy at its worst.

What does it say to you that the Bible records this event?  Do you think it was wise of Matthew to write this story in?  How might the inclusion of this story add credibility to the Gospel account?

Second Thought:

These innocent children die because of Herod.  Herod is angry because he is tricked.  He is angry because the magi outsmart him.  He is angry because he cannot execute his plan to remove the rival king.  Here in this story we can see the violently short-sighted nature of humanity.  Herod is angry because he did not get his way.  Many children die because Herod did not get his way.  What is the truly tragic thing?  Herod the Great – the Herod of this story – likely dies within a few years of Jesus’ birth.  Herod kills all of these babies because his reign is threatened.  Yet Herod won’t live long enough to see Jesus’ fifth birthday.  Herod violently kills scores of young children because in his anger he is vastly short-sighted.

How do you feel about Herod after reading the Biblical record that remembers him?  Do you think Herod was so great?  Do you know why Herod is called Herod the Great?  On a completely different note, has your anger ever blinded you from thinking logically?

Third Thought:

This passage shows the self-serving nature of the human heart, especially among those in power.  Herod doesn’t seem to be bothered by killing innocent babies.  He justifies the action completely because it is what he wants.  In the end, though, Herod isn’t conceptually different than the rest of us.  Sure, most of us won’t go to these lengths to get our way.  But most of us are in the habit of justifying and rationalizing our sinfulness because our heart desires our sin in the moment.  I’m not trying to justify Herod’s action.  Nor am I trying to say that from a human perspective we sin in as egregious manner as Herod does here.  I am simply lifting up the fact that we should all know what it is like to want something so bad that we don’t mind bending and breaking the rules in order to get it.

Where are you self-serving?  When have you been willing to compromise your belief and ethics for the sake of something that you want?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:19-23

Matthew 2:13-15

Matthew 2:13-15

And after they went away, behold!  An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph according to a dream while saying, “After being raised up, take the young child and His mother and flee to Egypt and be there until I should tell you.  For Herod is about to search for the young child to destroy Him.”  And the one who was being raised up took the young child and His mother by night and departed into Egypt.  And he was there until the death of Herod – in order that the words that were being spoken of the Lord through the prophet should be fulfilled: out of Egypt I called my Son.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

God protects His people.  The magi were following His leading yesterday and He sent them home a different way.  Herod is about to try and kill Jesus and God protects Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.  God is a God of protection.  He does indeed look out for us and want the best for us.

Where have you felt the protection of God in your life?  Do you rely upon God’s protection?

Second Thought:

Joseph obeys.  Let’s make this short and sweet.  Joseph was asked to abandon his home, his extended family, and the carpentry career that he had no doubt spent a lifetime building.  And he obeys.  This is the one thing we can universally say is true about Joseph.  We don’t have much about him in the Bible, but he is one obedient man of God.  No wonder God chose Joseph to be the surrogate father for His own Son.

Do you think it was tough for Joseph to obey?  Could you give up everything if God asked it of you?

Third Thought:

I love the fact that God tells Joseph to run away.  God could have killed Herod on the spot.  God could have intervened in some manner.  But that wasn’t what was going to happen.  Rather than tell Joseph, “Remain strong and stable and I will protect you,” He tells Joseph, “Get out quickly!”  Here’s what I’m getting at.  Sometimes God asks us to run away.  Sometimes God asks us to get out of the way of evil so that the evil can expose itself and God will be shown righteous in His judgment of evil.  We like to think it is always our job to stand and fight.  Don’t get me wrong; sometimes the right course of action is to stand and fight.  But sometimes God wants us to get out of the way so that the true face of evil can be seen and judged and He doesn’t want us to be collateral damage.

Have you ever thought of running away as the godly move?  Would you call Joseph a coward here – after all, isn’t he obedient to God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:16-18

Matthew 2:7-12

Matthew 2:7-12

Then, after Herod had secretly called the magi, he ascertained from them the precise timing of the star that appeared.  And after sending them to Bethlehem he said, “After being on your way, inquire diligently regarding the young child.  As soon as you should find him, report to me in order that after I also come I should worship Him.”  And the ones who listened to the king went on their way and behold!  A star – which they saw in the east – was leading them until it came to stand over the place where the child was.  And after seeing the star they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And after coming into the house they saw the young child with Mary His mother.  And after falling down before Him they worshipped Him and after opening the boxes that contained their treasures they presented the gifts to Him: gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And after being warned according to a dream to not return to Herod, they went back through another way into their own land.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here we have a great insight into one side of the human heart.  In Herod we see a man who is only thinking of himself.  He wants to remain in control.  He doesn’t want to lose his kingdom.  He doesn’t want to share.  He doesn’t want a rival.  He doesn’t want the general populace to get wind of any idea that God’s Messiah might have come.  So he lies in order to help get his way.  Herod lies and tells the magi that he wants to come and worship.  Tomorrow we’ll get confirmation of Herod’s murderous intent in this lie.  What is the shadow side of the human heart?  Jealousy, envy, greed, and self-service.  In Herod we see the dark side of the human heart.  Herod will do anything – moral or immoral – to keep what he already has.

Where have you experienced the dark side of a human being that was willing to do anything to remain in power and control?  Where have you been willing to do anything immoral to keep the life you knew?

Second Thought:

On the other hand, we see the bright side of humanity in the magi.  They listen to Herod.  They go on their way.  They listen to the warning to not go back to Herod.  But most importantly they come before this young child and worship.  These Gentiles are innocent in their coming and leave blessed, having seen God’s Messiah.  They are content to come into the presence of God and worship Him.  There is no sense of self-gain.  The magi don’t try and use Jesus for their own means.  They simply come and worship.  They give gifts to Jesus – gifts that had truly already been given to them by God.  In the magi we find Gentiles who come before God in a far superior manner than God’s own chosen people.

When have you experienced people living in God’s own image like the magi?  When have you been able to live in this manner?

Third Thought:

Perhaps you’ve already heard what I’m going to talk about in this third point.  But in case you haven’t, I want to talk about the gifts that these magi bring.  (Oh, and as I was reminded in a commentary as I was studying this passage, remember that these are magi – wise men – not kings.)

• Gold: a gift for one who is to be king.  Gold identifies Jesus’ royal nature.
• Frankincense: a gift for one who is to be priest.  Frankincense was the spice usually burned as incense in temples.
• Myrrh: a gift for one who is to die.  Myrrh was one of the chief spices that were used when burying a dead body as it would help embalm the body and help cover over the smell of decomposition.

Jesus was born to be king.  He was born to be our priest.  And He was born to die.  This message is clear from the time when Jesus was still a young child crawling and beginning to walk around his mother’s feet.

Why are these three gifts important to the whole story?  How does this show the omnipotence of God to even be able to speak His purpose for Christ through the gifts of men who couldn’t possibly know the symbolism?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:13-15

Matthew 2:5-6

Matthew 2:5-6

And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judah.  For this has been written through the prophets: ‘And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the preeminent rulers of Judah.  For out of you the one who rules preeminently will come, who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here is an interesting continuation to the point that I was making in yesterday’s blog post.  Do you hear how easily the scribes and religious elite answer Herod?  They know the scripture.  They are not taken by surprise by Herod’s question.  They knew where to look.  Yet they still missed what God was doing.  The magi caught on to God’s hand at work by paying attention in spite of not having any reason; the religious leaders of the Jews missed it in spite of knowing exactly where God’s Messiah would come.  This is proof that simple academic of knowledge is no proof of relationship with God.

Are you surprised that Jesus was able to be born without catching the interest of the religious elite and the scribes?  What do you think is the difference between academic knowledge alone and a genuine relationship with God?

Second Thought:

Catch a deeper hidden message here.  God actually uses these scribe and religious elite to actually lead other people – the magi – to Jesus!  God uses these people who have no desire to find Jesus to direct others into the worship of Jesus!  This is how great God is.  Whether we are obedient or disobedient does not change God’s ability to use us in the accomplishment of His will. 

If God is going to use us and work through us whether we humble ourselves to Him or not, why would we not be willing to open ourselves up to His presence?  Do you think of God as a being who is willing and capable of using those who do not desire to humble themselves to His will and seek Him out?

Third Thought:

Matthew paraphrases Micah 5:2 in his telling of this story.  However, Matthew strengthens the wording as he writes it.  Micah tells us that a ruler will come from Bethlehem.  Matthew tells us that a preeminent ruler will come.  God’s Messiah is not just a king.  God’s Messiah is the king of kings.  He is the ruler of all rulers.  He is the one who can change the whole world, not just a little kingdom here or there.

Do you think the world sees Jesus as a preeminent ruler?  Do you classify Jesus as a preeminent ruler?  Why?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:7-12

Matthew 2:3-4

Matthew 2:3-4

And after King Herod heard, he was distressed – and all Jerusalem with him.  And after calling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people he was inquiring from them where Christ is being born.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Isn’t this an interesting opening passage?  The magi see a star and come a long way to worship.  But King Herod has Jesus born underneath his nose and he doesn’t even notice.  What is worse is that when Herod does notice he is distressed!  Herod’s reaction to the birth of Jesus isn’t worship.  Herod doesn’t want a Messiah.  Herod is only worried about himself and his life.  He’s focused completely internally.  he misses what God is doing in his midst because he is only concerned about himself.

Do you ever miss what God is doing in your midst because you are too focused on your own desires?  Are you ever distressed when God doesn’t something cool in your presence but it doesn’t involve you?

Second Thought:

What does Herod do in his distress?  He turns to the chief priests and the scribes.  But here is the interesting thing – and we’ll talk about it more tomorrow.   They don’t seem to know Jesus was born, either!  Herod turns to the priests and the scribes not looking for a spiritual assessment but simply for an academic pursuit.  It should say something to us that the people weren’t turning to the priests and scribes for a spiritual understand but rather for an academic understanding.

Do you ever fall into the trap of pursuing God academically rather than spiritually?  Why is it easier to know facts and figures about Jesus than to actually know Jesus?

Third Thought:

Let’s look more deeply into this.  Herod turns to the chief priests and the scribes.  The chief priests were the aristocracy.  The scribes were the experts in the written law.  What do we see?  Neither of these groups of people really have any interest in Jesus.  Now, of course, this is a very generic statement and shouldn’t be taken to the extreme.  But what it shows us is that relationship with God does not come from one’s place at birth nor one’s academic reasoning.  Relationship with God comes from Him and our willingness to receive Him.

What do you think of this point?  Is it still true today?  Do you think this point plays out in the rest of the story of Jesus as well?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:5-6

Matthew 2:1-2

Matthew 2:1-2

And after Jesus was being born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, magi from the east came into Jerusalem while saying, “Where is the one who was being born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and we came to worship Him.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Notice what is missing from Matthew?  There are no shepherds.  In fact, there is no real birth story even!  We go straight from an angelic visit to Joseph to some unknown time after Jesus was born.  We actually think that this visit from the magi was likely up to two years after Jesus’ birth considering that in a few verses we’ll learn of Herod’s despicable behavior regarding the children of Bethlehem.  We have no story of the birth, no story of Joseph’s and Mary’s trip to Bethlehem, no story about the room at the inn.  The reality is that lie Mark and John, the birth of Jesus is less significant than the ministry that happens around and through His coming.  I’m not saying that the birth of our savior is in any way insignificant.  But what I am saying is that chapters in the Gospels are dedicated to the death and resurrection of Jesus whereas only one Gospel really even talks about Jesus’ birth.  Perhaps we as people should learn from the Gospel writers and allow Easter to be our preeminent holiday.

Have you ever thought about how only one Gospel has a birth narrative?  Do you personally live with more emphasis upon Easter than Christmas?  What am I really getting at in this point?

Second Thought:

Now let’s talk about these wise men.  The technical term is magi (magus is the singular, not mage).  The word as it is used really just means “a person of unusual understanding especially about the study of the heavens.”  These were astrologers, and pretty skilled ones at that.  They likely came out of the area of the world formerly dominated by Persia – namely Iraq and Iran.  Darius, the Persian King, speaks about having magi in his court in archaeological references that we have been able to find.  We should note that these people are not magicians.  In the context in which it was used it would be more appropriate to call them priests than magicians.  They weren’t people who had any special power.  They were people who possessed an uncommon wisdom and insight.  This is supported by the Bible.  After all, it should say something that Gentiles come to seek the Jewish Messiah while the Jews themselves don’t know that anything happened at all!  It should say something to us about the mission and agenda of Jesus to know that excluding a few shepherds Jesus was worshipped by Gentiles well before He was even known to the Hebrew people.

What does it mean to you to hear that some of the first worshippers of Jesus were actually Gentiles?  How does this actually help us understand the whole point of Jesus in that He came to save the whole world?

Third Thought:

These magi come to worship.  They don’t come to investigate.  They don’t come to judge.  They don’t come to evaluate.  They come to worship.  What a great example.  When these magi approach God, worship is the first thing on their mind!

How can these Gentile magi be a great example to us?  When you come before God, do you come to worship first?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:3-4


Extra Note: William Barclay writes the following in his commentary on Matthew 2:1-2: 

"We do not know what brilliant star those ancient Magi saw. Many suggestions have been made. About 11 BC, Halley’s comet was visible shooting brilliantly across the skies. About 7 BC, there was a brilliant conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. In the years 5–2 BC, there was an unusual astronomical phenomenon. In those years, on the first day of the Egyptian month Mesori, Sirius, the dog star, rose heliacally, that is at sunrise, and shone with extraordinary brilliance. Now the name Mesori means the birth of a prince, and to those ancient astrologers such a star would undoubtedly mean the birth of some great king. We cannot tell what star the Magi saw; but it was their profession to watch the heavens, and some heavenly brilliance spoke to them of the entry of a king into the world."

Matthew 1:20-25

Matthew 1:20-25

And after he was giving consideration to these things, behold, an angel of the Lord was being made to appear to him during a dream while saying, “Joseph, Son of David, you should not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  For the one who is being begotten within her is out of the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a Son and you will call His name Jesus – for He will save His people from their sins.  And this whole this has become in order that this which was being spoken by the Lord through the prophets should be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will have in the womb and she will give birth to a son.  And they will call His name Emmanuel.”  This is being translated as “God with us.”  And after Joseph was being raised up from the sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and he took his wife and he was not knowing her until she gave birth to a son.  And he called his name Jesus.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Joseph is visited by an angel.  Look at the first words that the angel says.  “Don’t be afraid.”  We as modern Christians – who think being visited by an angel would be the coolest thing on earth – forget that when angels appear they always (or almost always) say, “Don’t be afraid.”  In other words, when God sends a message something about our life is about to change.  When God sends a message to us our natural reaction is to be afraid.  The angels need to caution Joseph.  What God is about to ask Joseph to do is going to take courage.  It’s going to take resilience.  God is going to ask Joseph to marry Mary, to take her Son as his own, and to live in a community that will know Jesus wasn’t Joseph’s natural son.  This is a mighty undertaking indeed, with much cultural reason to fear indeed!

Have you ever considered that angels always tell people to not be afraid?  What has God done in your life that might bring fear?

Second Thought:

Joseph was obedient.  Joseph was visited by an angel, given a message, and he obeyed.  Here we get a close view of why God would choose Joseph to be the human male parent of His own Son.  Not only is Joseph righteous and compassionate as we learned yesterday but he is also obedient.  What another great witness to godly character!

Do you think obedience would have been easy for Joseph?  What would make it easy?  What might complicate things for Joseph because he was visited by an angel?

Third Thought:

Let’s look at the names attributed to Mary’s Son. 

• He is to be called Jesus.  Jesus is derived from the word “savior” as this word indicates.  In fact, Jesus (Iesus in Greek) is the Aramaic form of Joshua (Yeshua).  In Hebrew, Joshua means “God is salvation.”  Therefore, anyone named Joshua is technically named not only after the Old Testament hero but also after Jesus.
• The other name that Jesus is given in this passage is Emmanuel.  This means God with us.  This name describes how God will save.  In other words, “Emmanuel” explains “Joshua.”  How woes God save?  God saves because God came among us.  God saves because Jesus came and died for our sake.

But now I’m jumping about 25 chapters ahead of myself.

What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is God’s salvation?  What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is also God dwelling among us?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 2:1-2

Matthew 1:18-19

Matthew 1:18-19

And the birth of Jesus Christ was in this manner.  After His mother, Mary, was promised in marriage to Joseph – before they came together – she was being found while having in the womb a child out of the Holy Spirit.  And her husband, Joseph, while being righteous and not desiring to put her to shame, devised a plan to divorce her privately.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Let’s set this story up properly.  In the ancient world, marriages were often arranged – in their mind far too important a thing to leave to the whims of the human heart.  Often a young woman (mid teens) would be bethrothed to an older man (late twenties or early thirties).  This might seem very strange to us, but it allowed the woman’s family to know that the woman would be cared for because by this point a man would have had enough opportunity to establish a business and a name for himself in his trade.  It meant that the woman could be certain about what kind of family she was going into and what kind of life she would lead.  This time of betrothal would last one year – enough time to prove that the woman did or didn’t enter the marriage pregnant and thus offspring would belong to the man.  The man and woman would be known as husband and wife, but they would not have sexual relations until after this betrothal period was over.  It is in this time that we find Mary and Joseph.  They are to be married.  In fact, they are already socially known as husband and wife.  But being only betrothed, no sexual relations would have taken place.  This is why Joseph has to officially divorce Mary even though they had not yet consummated the marriage.  The marriage was legal and binding, simply unconsummated.  This is why Matthew tells us “before they came together.”

Does this arrangement sound strange to you?  What are the obvious drawbacks to such an arrangement?  What are the social, economic, and communal benefits to such an arrangement?

Second Thought:

When it comes to the Holy Spirit of God, the Jewish people largely connected it to the concept of creation.  After all, in no place in the Old Testament is the Spirit of God more present than in Genesis 1:1!  Sure, the Holy Spirit is present elsewhere.  But the Holy Spirit takes a much more subdued role among the prophets and stories of the kings.  But this is a rather neat reflection on what is going on here.  In Genesis 1:1, God’s Spirit was clearly present in the creation of the world.  Here in Matthew, we see that the Holy Spirit is once more actively involved in a creation story.  The Holy Spirit is involved in the creation of God’s plan of salvation.  God is creating His Son on earth.  God is creating a manner through which we can have our relationship made whole.  The birth of Jesus is very much a creation story, as seen in the clear and overt presence of the Holy Spirit.  For the record, the same is also true about the creation of the “church” – a time we largely call Pentecost.

What does the coming of Christ mean for you?  What has the Holy Spirit created within you through the work of God’ hand?

Third Thought:

Joseph was a righteous man.  How does Joseph’s righteousness play out in this story?  It plays out two ways.  First, it plays out in that he wants nothing to do with a woman who appears to care so little for the sanctity of sexual relations between husband and wife.  After all, Mary is pregnant!  From his perspective, that is pretty clear proof that she had been having sex outside of marriage.  After all, conceptions like Mary actually experienced are very rare!  So Joseph comes to the first righteous conclusion: he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life with a woman who has sex with other men than her husband.  Tomorrow he’ll discover that his conclusion is wrong, but certainly understandable.  But what I think is even more significant with respect to the righteousness of Joseph is how he plans to deal with Mary.  He could have scandalized her publicly.  He could have dragged her name through the mud and made a public spectacle of it.  But he resolves to do it privately.  Joseph’s righteousness plays out in that he still cares for the person who has done him wrong.  He doesn’t want to impose any more shame upon her than she will already incur by being pregnant out of wedlock.  I think this is what impresses me about Joseph.  He could have really torn Mary’s life apart.  But he doesn’t.  He still demonstrates compassion towards her in spite of what appears to have taken place.

How does Joseph demonstrate the character of God in his actions?  Are you quick to protect even those who hurt you?  What does this say about Joseph’s relationship with God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 1:20-25

Matthew 1:1-17

Matthew 1:1-17

A book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.  Abraham begat Isaac.  And Isaac begat Jacob.  And Jacob begat Judah and his brothers.  And Judah begat Perez and Zerah out of Tamar.  And Perez begat Hezron.  And Hezron begat Aram.  And Ram begat Aminadab.  And Aminadab begat Nahshon.  And Nahshon begat Salmon.  And Salmon begat Boaz out of Rahab.  And Boaz begat Obed out of Ruth.  And Obed begat Jesse.  And Jesse begat David the king.  And David begat Solomon out of the woman of Uriah.  And Solomon begat Rehoboam.  And Rehoboam begat Abijah.  And Abijah begat Asaph.  And Asaph begat Jehoshaphat.  And Jehoshaphat begat Joram.  And Joram begat Uzziah.  And Uzziah begat Jotham.  And Jotham begat Ahaz.  And Ahaz begat Hezekiah.  And Hezekiah begat Manasseh.  And Manasseh begat Amos.  And Amon begat Josiah.  And Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brothers upon the deportation to Babylon.  And after the deportation to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel.  And Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel.  And Zerubbabel begat Abiud.  And Abiud begat Eliakim.  And Aliakim begat Azor.  And Azor begat Zadok.  And Zadok begat Achim.  And Achim begat Eliud.  And Eliud begat Eleazar.  And Eleazar begat Matthan.  And Matthan begat Jacob.  And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary – out of whom Jesus, the one who is being called Christ, was being born.  Therefore, every generation from Abraham until David was fourteen generations.  And from David until the Babylonian deportation was fourteen generations.  And from the Babylonian deportation until the Christ was fourteen generations.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I don’t know many people who really enjoy reading the parts of the Bible that are all genealogies.  But as I’ve studied God’s Word I’ve grown to have an appreciation for them.  After all, as we look through this genealogy we see God’s hand at work in a very large scale.  It all started with the calling of Abraham.  Remember all the stories of faith that come out of Abraham and his progeny?  Then we arrive at the familiar name of Boaz.  Remember Boaz and Ruth and the incredible story of love and faithfulness that we hear there?  Or what about David, the king after God’s own heart?  And then there is Solomon, whom God gave an incredible amount of wisdom.  What about Hezekiah, the king under whom most of our ancient Hebrew manuscripts are attributed as having been written?  Then there is Josiah, the great reformer king!  We have Zerubbabel, the king who helps lead the people out of Babylonian captivity and back into the land.  What starts out as a simple list of names suddenly becomes an incredible trip down the memory lane of God’s faithfulness.  Through this genealogy, we see God on display through person after person.

Have you ever thought about genealogies as a testimony to God’s faithfulness?  Is this true about your own genealogy?  How can you do your part to make it true going forward?

Second Thought:

Of course, we also see the human side of the genealogy.  There is Abraham, the man who tried to bring about God’s promise through Hagar and their offspring Ishmael.  And then there is Jacob, whose early stories indicate why it is that the name Jacob means deceiver!  What about Judah, who conceived a child through his own daughter-in-law?  Or what about David, who as the genealogy notes took another man’s wife?  What about Solomon, who took several hundred wives and several hundred more concubines in addition to being the king who brought the foreign gods back among God’s people?  Or what about Manasseh, who is the most evil king to ever rule over Judah – even if 2 Chronicles 33 does tell us of his repentance?  Genealogies also remind us of the human element.  We all have skeletons in the closet of our genealogy.  But God calls us to be more than the sum of our parts.  God calls us to rise up above the human sinfulness of our past.  Of course, we are will human and therefore we will still fall to sin occasionally.  But that’s my point.  God calls us to rise above the sin.

Third Thought:

Finally, I want to examine how Matthew talks about Joseph and Mary.  Because Matthew has done a great amount of historical research to have Joseph’s family tree present here.  But Matthew knows what we also know: none of Joseph’s genetics were involved in the conception of Jesus.  So look at what he says.  Joseph was the husband of Mary, out of whom came Jesus.  Matthew makes it quite clear that Joseph did not have a part of Jesus’ conception.  Jesus was the husband, but Jesus came out of Mary.  This says two things to us.  First, it asserts the divinity of Christ as God truly was the father, not Joseph.  But even more subtly, it asserts the validity of adoption.  Jesus wasn’t biologically related to Joseph; but Jesus does still have the right to Joseph’s genealogy.  The reason that this is cool is because this is exactly what God does to us, too.  We have no right to be children of God.  But God adopts us into the family.  Just as His own Son was adopted into the line of David, so we can be adopted into the line of Christ.  Amen.

Have you ever considered that Jesus was technically adopted into the great lineage of David through Joseph?  How does that bring meaning to your own relationship with God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 1:18-19

3 John 13-15

3 John 13-15

I was having much to write to you, but I do not desire to write to you through ink and reed.  And I hope to see you immediately, and we will talk face to face.  Peace to you.  The friends greet you.  Greet the friends according to their name.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

John tells us that he has much to say to Gaius, but he doesn’t want to say it in ink.  John knows a very subtle truth.  Spiritual discussion is much easier to have in person where it can benefit from intonation, body language, speed of discourse, and the natural give and take between participants.  John could spend hours writing something that could be discussed properly in minutes.  So John tells Gaius that he has more to say but that it can wait until they are face to face.  We should learn this lesson.  As important as writing can be, most spiritual conversation is done best in person.  Even as I write these blogs I am aware of this truth.

How do you use written truth?  How do you use spoken truth in conversation?  Which is more accessible to you?  Why?

Second Thought:

John then tells Gaius that he hopes to see him immediately.  John is telling Gaius that he is a priority in his life.  John does not want Gaius to feel that he is being pushed away by only receiving a short letter.  John desires Gaius to feel important enough for John to come to him and talk face to face.  It is important that we let the spiritual people around us feel important in our lives.

Whom do you make important?  In whose lives do you feel important?  How do you know?

Third Thought:

Finally, John ends with a greeting.  The people around John think fondly of Gaius.  John wants Gaius to tell the people around him that John thinks fondly of them.  In some ways this is a platitude.  But in other ways it is reassurance.  John wants the people to be affirmed that they have his blessing.  John wants to affirm with them where they stand with him.

When is affirmation helpful?  When are platitudes still beneficial?  Are you quick to gloss over platitudes or do you think of them as affirmation of what you believe to be true in relationship?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 1:1-17

3 John 11-12

3 John 11-12

Beloved, do not imitate evil but rather good.  The one who does good is out of God.  The one who does evil has not seen God.  Demetrius has been testified well by all – and also from truth itself.  And we also testify – and you have known that out testimony is true.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

John gives us a really neat thought here.  We are to imitate good.  I think this is actually a concept that is becoming more and more foreign to the modern mindset, although human beings imitate naturally.  As our society progresses and we as a culture stress independence and freedom more and more, we undermine the value of imitation.  We should be in the habit of imitating good.  We should be in the habit of imitating Christ, obviously.  And we should be in the habit of imitating those who are imitating Christ.  There is nothing wrong with imitating, regardless of how much emphasis our culture places on being independent and being a free thinker.  The two need not be diametrically opposed.

Do you value imitation?  Why is it an easy thing to undervalue?  What are the things you imitate in your life?

Second Thought:

It is likely that Demetrius is the messenger from John who is delivering this letter to Gaius.  It is also likely that he is one of the wandering evangelists about whom John speaks in verses 5-8.  If we can assume that this is true, then this letter from John truly is a recommendation letter for Demetrius and it takes on that tone.  John wants to make sure that as Demetrius heads out in mission that he has a means of finding support in the world.  This letter becomes less of a theological assertion and more of a symbol of hospitality and extending one’s influence for the sake of another. 

Have you ever leaned upon the influence extended by another?  How does that feel?  Have you ever tried to extend your influence for the benefit of another?  How does that feel?

Third Thought:

In the end, what we really have here is a letter from John – a powerful influence in the church – to Gaius – a caring but perhaps somewhat timid leader in the local congregation.  It is certain that Gaius is less timid than Diotrephes, who is kicking people out of the church!  What John is trying to show Gaius is that strength and love must go hand in hand.  If we love but show no strength, we will end up letting the people like Diotrephes walk all over us.  If we show strength but no love, we end up being like Diotrephes.  What John wants Gaius to see is that he should display love to Demetrius and others like him while standing up for their legitimacy in God’s kingdom.

Do you find it difficult to balance strength and love?  Which is easier for you?  Why is it important for you to remember to balance these two dynamics – especially as you interact with a gathering of fellow believers?

Passage for Tomorrow: 3 John 13-15