As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. (Matthew 9:9) In Matthew 9:9, we meet the author of this gospel – the man Matthew. Mark 2:14 says that this man was also known…
Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added…
Blessed are the… (Matthew 5:3) The first portion of the Sermon on the Mount is known as the Beatitudes, which means “The Blessings.” In the Beatitudes, Jesus sets forth both the nature and the aspirations of citizens of His kingdom. His disciples have and are learning the kind of character Jesus described. Jesus began these famous…
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1) At the end of Matthew chapter 3, Jesus identified with sinners by being baptized – even when He didn’t need to be baptized for His own sake. Now, in Matthew 4, the sinless Savior will again…
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1-2) Matthew introduced one of the most fascinating characters of the New Testament: John the Baptist. Luke 1 tells how John was born by a miracle to Zacharias and Elisabeth,…
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23) This verse refers to the boyhood of Jesus, explaining that after Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Egypt to escape the murderous jealousy of Herod, Joseph…
And you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) “Are you saved?” I suppose this question is asked thousands of times each day, and often both the questioner and the questioned don’t think about what it means. To be “saved” tells us there is some danger,…
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. (Genesis 50:20) After their father Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers were afraid he would use his power and prestige in Egypt to get revenge against the…
But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you (Genesis 49:24-25a) Genesis 49 records…
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.” (Genesis 48:21) When Israel (Jacob) told Joseph, Behold, I am dying, he understood a transition was underway. The torch Israel held for so long was now given to Joseph and…
So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” (Genesis 47:25) Because God moved through the wisdom and bold action of Joseph, the Pharaoh of Egypt had lots of grain through seven years of terrible famine. In first few years,…
So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your…