Tag Archives: the book of Matthew

January 10
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“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11, NIV)

According to the liturgical calendar, we are in the season known as Epiphany.  The significance of Epiphany is the revelation or the manifestation of the Jewish messiah, Jesus, to the gentiles.  Most of us recognize this event as the time when the infant Jesus was visited by the three wise men — non-Jews from a place East of the holy land — who presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh as tokens of His lordship.

As the disciples of Jesus, we need to guard against keeping Jesus — the Savior of the world — for ourselves only.  It was never God’s intention in sending His only begotten Son into this world that Jesus should be only for one group of people, or for one kind of people.  The scripture tells us: “God so loved the world. . . ”

We do well to ponder the great love of God in not only coming through the house and lineage of David, but in also coming to us: Gentiles, exiles, foreigners, and strangers.  – Luther

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January 6
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“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44, NIV)

It is typical of God that He first gives us the answers before giving us the test.

In these final chapters of Matthew’s Gospel (chapters 24-25), Jesus is emphatic in His teaching about the nature of the kingdom of heaven; and He is equally emphatic in His teaching about the final judgment of God, and what is required of you and me.  You see, Jesus wants everyone to pass; but everyone must pass on his or her own work.  No cheating.

The key to successfully facing any crisis — whether financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual — is readiness.  The time to get ready is now.  The adage is never more true: “You cannot give what you do not have.”

Are you ready?  – Luther

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December 27
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“So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” (Matthew 2:14-15a, NASB)

Egypt.

Time and again in the Bible, Egypt becomes the place of exile and pain. Joseph (of many-colored coat fame; please see Genesis 37 for details) found himself in Egypt after being sold by his brothers. The Children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt in what is known as the Exodus. And now, the Christ child is taken to Egypt by His parents to escape Herod’s slaughter of children.

Exile may have its purposes, but it, nevertheless, also had its own proximate difficulties: Loneliness, unfamiliarity, suffering.

Have you ever been exiled to your own “Egypt”?  Are you there today?

If you are, be resolute in the knowledge that God is in “Egypt” with you; that God will never forsake you; and that God will, in the fullness of time, deliver you.  – Luther

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