Let's Meet the King
For the first time in his preaching ministry, Chuck Swindoll presents a comprehensive verse-by-verse study through the Gospel According to Matthew. Follow the life of Christ, from His birth to His Great Commission.
For the first time in his preaching ministry, Chuck Swindoll presents a comprehensive verse-by-verse study through the Gospel According to Matthew. Follow the life of Christ, from His birth to His Great Commission.
We now begin the second phase of our safari through Scripture. Our desire is to see all 27 books as a whole—to see how they fit together, how they relate to us, and the value of each section to the person who reads and believes the Bible. Of special interest is the “flow” of thought carried through these books and letters of the New Testament.
Matthew, a tax collector by trade, wrote his book to emphasize Christ, the King. The book includes numerous facts and expressions, which would have appealed to the Jewish reader. The fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the presentation of Jesus as Messiah are clearly emphasized. When we understand the book of Matthew we bow before King Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel.
As Chuck Swindoll assures us in this message, God continues to walk into our lives when we least expect Him, and His surprises still bring relief. When we say yes to God’s will for our lives, God floods our hearts with relief. And, oh, the joy that God’s peace brings to our hearts!
Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and Herod all heard God’s message. So what accounted for their different reactions? Zacharias doubted, Mary and Joseph believed, and Herod rejected the message. And each of their responses had significant results.
God chose an upstanding couple to raise His only Son and nurture Him. But what a strain was initially placed on their relationship. You might say their romance was saved by a dream.
Sometimes cast aside as a minor player in the retelling of the Christmas story, Joseph’s story mirrored that of his wife in many ways. He sat with her marvelling at this baby. He wondered about the baby’s origin. And yet, Joseph was forced to make a choice that not even Mary had to make. Where Mary carried the baby within her, Joseph had to choose to stay, to involve himself in the baby’s life.
The first few pages in the New Testament contain a list of complicated names. Matthew’s account sounds more like a phone directory than the genealogy of Jesus!
Chuck Swindoll presents the storyline of Jesus’ birth in a manner you’ve likely never heard before. Although many of the specific details are familiar to us, Chuck will help us see the powerful backstory of the first Christmas that’s not as obvious or well known.
Reading through the Bible can be like taking a road trip. Each book has different scenes and along the way you meet interesting characters.