Three Temptations Today’s passage is Matthew 4:1-11. Fasting is not a common practice in America today, outside of certain Christian circles during the season of Lent. Ever “given up” something for Lent? That’s a form of fasting. But what Jesus is doing here is much bigger. He went without eating anything for forty days. Warning:...Read More

Baptized  Read Matthew chapter 3 (17 verses total). Remember, John the Baptist a relative of Jesus. His mother, Elizabeth, is the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We know from Scripture that he is about six months old than Jesus (Luke 1:24-33). There is obviously a jump in time since Matthew chapter 2, which was...Read More

Read Matthew 2 (the whole chapter, but it’s just 23 verses long). You probably recognize this from accounts of the birth of Jesus, but I want to challenge you on how you read it from now on. First of all, make a note of all of the major players in this narrative. Jesus, obviously. The...Read More

GOD WITH US Read Matthew 1:18-25. This is one of the Biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus, though perhaps not the one you find most familiar. Let’s dig into this unique narrative: Joseph and Mary are engaged, which is a bit more involved than what we understand today. Being “betrothed” in Biblical was a...Read More

IN THE FAMILY OF GOD Read through Matthew 1:1-17. I get it – it’s a huge long list of names. Start noting every name that is familiar to you from previous Bible studies, Sunday school, etc. You can underline them in your Bible, highlight them online, or make a list of the familiar names. Genealogy...Read More