The King Has Come (Matthew 1–4)
We didn’t have a sermon this past Sunday, so instead of a new message, here’s something a little different: a look back at where we’ve been. We’re roughly halfway through our study of Matthew’s Gospel, and over the next five posts we want to walk back through the ground we’ve covered — the themes, the ideas, and the lessons that have shaped us so far.
It all begins with a genealogy. Not the most gripping way to open a book, at first glance, but Matthew is making a point before he’s even told a story. Jesus is the promised King, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. He belongs to a real family, a real history, and a real promise that stretches all the way back to Genesis.
From there, Matthew moves quickly: a virgin birth, wise men from the East, a jealous king, a flight to Egypt, a return to Nazareth. Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, calling Israel to repentance and pointing to Someone greater. Jesus is baptised, and God the Father speaks: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Then comes the wilderness — forty days of testing, driven by the Holy Spirit, where Jesus, unlike Israel of old, answers every temptation with the Word of God and does not fail.
By the end of chapter 4, the King has arrived, been affirmed, been tested, and begun to call His first disciples. The stage is set.
Missed a week, or want to go deeper? Catch up on the full sermon series here: Matthew Sermon Series Playlist