“At once they left their nets and followed him.” -Matthew 4:20 “Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum.” Capernaum was a busy city with a large population. It is probable that Jesus moved to Capernaum as the many there needed His ministering. It was in Capernaum that [...]
We are fingers pointing out the way to Jesus for others. “Look, there is the lamb of God!” John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, as the Chosen One of God. This was his mission: A finger pointing to Jesus. His finger is always pointing, ‘There is the lamb of God, follow him.’ Where is our [...]
“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” We are fingers pointing out the way to Jesus for others. “Look, there is the lamb of God!” John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, as the Chosen One of God. This was his mission: A finger pointing to Jesus. His finger is [...]
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” -Mattthew 3:47 The readings from the prophet Isaiah prophesied the coming of one who would bring justice to the nations - One whom God will make as a covenant to His people, and as a light to the nations; To open eyes that do not see, to free captives [...]
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” -Matthew 2:10-11 While the Magi were traditionally numbered and named as three, the Bible does not in fact say how many there actually were, or whether they were kings. The number 3 is [...]
“So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.” -Matthew 2: 21 “Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you [...]
“So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Matthew 24: 44 Be watchful. Be prepared. Be ready. These are instructions for us as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Stay awake so that you may be ready. Matthew 24:37 tells us, “As it was in Noah’s [...]
Be watchful. Be prepared. Be ready. These are instructions for us as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Stay awake so that you may be ready. Matthew 24:37 tells us, “As it was in Noah’s day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, [...]
We sometimes fail to recognise Jesus as our Redeemer. He is not the kind of king that we envision - marching in with an army and riding on a horse with a sword in hand - not at all. He didn't attract attention to himself - His actual self was hidden from most of his contemporaries but only those with [...]
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” - Matthew 3:3 During the time of John the Baptist, ceremonial washings were a regular Jewish practice. Immersions were largely reserved for the baptism of Gentiles into the Jewish faith. John’s use of this ceremony would have been a radical one, essentially communicating to the Jews that they were as [...]