The Gospel Of Matthew
Advent 2022 | Chapters 1 - 2
The Perfect Gift
December 24, 2022 • Pastor Jeremy Isaak • Matthew 2:9–11
Have you ever received a gift you didn’t need and then later realized it was actually exactly what you needed? When the wisemen meet Jesus they joyfully worship him and give him gifts not suited for a baby, but perfectly fit for a king. How will you respond to God’s gift of his Son Jesus?
Seek And Hide
December 24, 2022 • Pastor Eldon Fehr • Matthew 2:9–11
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birthday – the day that God, out of His great love, sought us that He might save us. God promises that, just like the wise men long ago, all who seek Him will find Him, and that all who find Him will be hidden in Him.
Our Finest Gifts We Bring
December 24, 2022 • Matt Shantz • Matthew 2:9–11
Mysterious wise men from the east follow a star that eventually leads them to baby Jesus. Upon seeing Jesus they do two things: They bow down and worship Him and they present their finest gifts to Him. Christmas reminds us to do the same.
Searching For The Lord
December 18, 2022 • Dr. Jorge Salazar • Matthew 2:1–9
People have all kinds of reactions when it comes to the Christmas story; some people love it and look forward to it with anticipation, others can’t have enough of it and prolong the celebration as much as they can, other couldn’t care less about it, and yet some others feel offended by it. Even some Christians get very upset with Christmas, with what Christmas has become and they resent the consumerism, and the superficiality of everything that it has become... it's a holiday but it can provoke all these kinds of reactions. And what I want to tell you is that this is not something new. The passage we'll look at today gives us a very similar picture of the different responses we have to Christmas and the glorious truths that may help shape our thinking around it.
What's In A Name
December 11, 2022 • Pastor Eldon Fehr • Matthew 1:18–25
Most people’s names were picked because they hold some personal significance or meaning. Jesus’ name was picked for the same reason – a name chosen by God, significant for all people. This Christmas, focus afresh on the personal significance of the name of Jesus for your life.
We Three Kings?
December 18, 2022 • Pastor Chris Ross • Matthew 2:1–9
Synopsis: The story of the Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem is a story of a about a Saviour who came to save people from every background tribe, and tongue and nation. Jesus is Immanuel, Saviour and king, not just of Israel, but of all the peoples of the world. God reveals himself to people all around the world in ways they can understand. In the wise men we see a picture of the rich and powerful, the wise and learned elites, the spiritually Gentile world coming to worship to the newborn king and this tells us something important about God’s kingdom.
God Is With Us
December 11, 2022 • Pastor Jeremy Isaak • Matthew 1:18–25
Have you ever felt alone? Have you ever felt like everyone, God included, had forgotten you? Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth teaches us some deep theological truths about Jesus’ nature and how he alone is able to forgive sins. More than providing mere intellectual knowledge though, this text encourages us that God is with us in profound, personal ways.
God With Us
December 11, 2022 • Pastor Jonathan Neufeld • Matthew 1:18–25
The birth of Jesus is a famous story and for good reason. It is the first step in the salvation that God brings, but let us not mistake this first step as being insignificant. God stepped into humanity, to live among us, to save us and to call us to follow Him.
Who is Jesus?
December 11, 2022 • Pastor Kurtus Niessen • Acts 1:18–25
At Christmas, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness and excitement of the season. Who doesn’t love gifts, food, and time with family? But, do we slow down enough to take the time to remember and celebrate the “Who” that Christmas is truly about? It’s that question of “Who?” that makes all the difference. “Who is Jesus?” is the most important question you will ever answer; if you take the time, you’ll find that the answer is “Jesus is fully God and fully man, the Saviour of sinners, no less than God with us”.
A Genealogy Of Grace
December 4, 2022 • Pastor Jeremy Isaak • Matthew 1:1–17
Let’s be honest, biblical genealogies typically put us to sleep. They can be hard to follow and hard to see any point to them. But as we dig deeper, we realize that Matthew has a point. And a big one at that. He structures his text intentionally, highlights different stories deliberately and points us to the Christ while emphasizing God’s great grace.
One Family In Two Stories
December 4, 2022 • Pastor Jonathan Neufeld • Matthew 1:1–17
How well do you know your family history? Matthew begins his gospel by giving us an insight into Jesus’ family tree, both in the failures and the incredible faithfulness of God. He sets the stage for what Jesus is going to accomplish in redeeming sinners and fulfilling God’s promises.
The Quintessential Family Photo
December 4, 2022 • Pastor Eldon Fehr • Matthew 1:1–17
The genealogy of Jesus, as outlined by Matthew, is an eclectic, yet beautiful, portrait of God’s family – a broken, messy, forgiven and redeemed, family under God. This genealogy reveals Jesus’ identity and mission as the Son of David and Son of Abraham who came to rule in our hearts and bless us with salvation in Christ, making us His people forever.
Family Christmas Tree
December 4, 2022 • Pastor Matt Shantz • Matthew 1:1–17
Synopsis: There’s nothing quite like butchering a long list of Hebrew names when you get to a genealogy in your Bible Reading Plan. But genealogies in the Bible are never merely a list of names. Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy that proclaims God’s promises to Abraham and David are fulfilled in Jesus. Not only that, the scandalous names listed in the line that leads to Christ are there so we can know our names are included in the line that leads from Christ.