Read This: Matthew 3:1-6; Mark 1:1-6; Luke 3:1-6 The story of Jesus has reached a turning point. All the prophecies, announcements, and marvels of His coming lead to this moment. The Promised Deliverer is about to go public. The King is coming! Arriving monarchs were always preceded by messengers — heralds who announced their arrival and […]

Read This: Luke 2:39-52  Most tales of heroism feature ordinary people thrust into crisis. They’re faced with a challenge and respond well. That’s not how it is with Jesus. His reason for coming is clear from the beginning. Israel’s Deliverer isn’t just another Abraham, Moses, or David. He’s not some person stumbling into a challenge […]

Read This: Matthew 2:19-23 Opposition to Jesus took two forms — threats and ridicule. As a child, the threat of being killed by Herod sent Him fleeing to Egypt in the middle of the night. Later, when it was safe to return home, Joseph didn’t bring the family back to Bethlehem. That would have put […]

Read This: Matthew 2:13-18  We see Herod, the priests, and the magi as characters in the Christmas story, but there’s more going on here. They were real men whose actions revealed what was in their hearts. The wise men came boldly and were spiritually discerning. Herod was insanely jealous and quick to rage. And the religious […]

Read This: Matthew 2:1-12 Local news is interesting, but international events grab everyone’s attention. Especially the birth of a king. The magi were waiting for a world ruler to come from Judea. When His star finally appeared they immediately set out to meet Him. To them — as to Simeon (see Day 17) — the […]