Introduction A. Compared to the other gospels, none places greater emphasis on the Old Testament Scriptures than does Matthew. B. When Jesus taught ideas that seemed radical to the Jews, some accused Him of trying to destroy what was sacred (Matthew 26:61). C. Matthew helps us to see that, far from trying to abolish God’s Word, Jesus fulfilled it in every aspect of His life. Discussion I. Jesus fulfilled Scripture in His...
Who Is This Jesus?
Introduction A. John portrays Jesus as One Who was both fully man and fully God. B. Matthew approaches the task of chronicling Jesus’ life from a uniquely Jewish perspective with a strong emphasis on the kingdom of heaven that Jesus came to establish. C. Matthew portrays Jesus as the One anointed by God. I. Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One. A. Jesus is a prophet (John 4:19; 9:17; Matthew 21:46; 13:57). B. Jesus...
A Different Kind of Kingdom
Introduction A. When Jesus came into this world, He found a people expecting the kingdom to appear at any moment. B. The kingdom Jesus ushered in was very different from the one they had been expecting and from any other they had ever seen. I. This kingdom has a different kind of king. A. When offered earthly dominions, this King refused them (Matthew 4:8-10; John 6:15). B. When this King entered the capital...
What Do You See in Jesus?
Introduction A. Throughout Jesus’ public life, people had different perceptions about Him which varied dramatically. B. What do you see when you think of Jesus? I. The people who met Jesus saw Him in very different ways. A. Some saw Him as a great teacher and as a prophet (John 3:2; 14:19; 6:14; 7:40-41; 9:17). B. Some saw Him as an impostor (John 7:12; 9:16; 12:47-49). C. Some saw Him as a serious...
Matthew 1: The Women in Jesus’ Family Tree
Matthew wrote his gospel to persuade the Jewish community to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the awaited Messiah. With this aim, he started his writing by recording the genealogy of Jesus that proved that He was a legal heir of David’s throne through His perceived father, Joseph. Although Jewish custom on writing genealogies rarely included female names, Matthew went out of his way to include five women in his...
Witnesses of Jesus
Introduction A. Considering that Jesus did not parade Himself as the Messiah, how is it that Peter (Matthew 16:16) and so many others—even today—have arrived at the same conclusion about this man of Galilee? B. Let’s listen to the witnesses that testified before Peter and the rest of the world that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God. I. Jesus first calls John the Baptizer to the stand (John 5:32-35). A. This...