Matthew 9:9-13

Matthew identifies himself as a former tax collector who is now a disciple of Jesus.

Matthew desired no make-believe holiness.

His aim was to strengthen the faith of the Jewish Christians and to reach the Jews who were not Christians.

Just as we have a promise of Jesus’ second coming and reign, the Jews had a prophetic promise of a coming Messiah.

Both comings are predicted in the Old Testament, but the Jews saw them as one. They missed the two works of the Messiah:

• As Savior, paying the price for mankind’s sin
• As King and Lord

Matthew starts with what they knew. The Messiah would come as one of their own from the lineage of David.

• Matthew 1:1
• Matthew 1:16

His defense of Jesus as the Messiah continues inMatthew 1:19-21.

InMatthew 2:5-6 he continues to affirm Jesus as meeting the criteria to be the Messiah by telling the story of Jesus and how He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. He then points to John the Baptist as fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah.

• Matthew 3:3
• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Matthew 3:16-17

Matthew declares the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus as Israel’s King and Messiah.

All of this is a piece-by-piece apologetic that Jesus is the Messiah.

Matthew quotes Old Testament prophetic passages more than sixty times, emphasizing how Christ is the fulfillment of those promises. This was all aimed at awakening the Jewish people to who Jesus was, what He came to do, and to build future generations of followers of Jesus the Christ.

Matthew is building on the foundational pillars of our faith.

• The prophesies of the Bible
• The life, testimonies, and death of the apostles
• The evidence of creation
• The life-glorifying testimony of the wisdom of the Word
• The destructive testimony of a life that rejects the Word
• The voice of eternity in our souls
• All leaving man without excuse for when we answer to God

After being tempted, Jesus withdrew into Galilee.Matthew 4:13-17

From here, the theme of Jesus’ teachings is given to us.  “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The good news of the Gospel starts off as bad news. We are the fallen creation of God. Then it moves to the good news. Jesus the Messiah offers us eternal life with the Father.

Has the work of salvation changed your life?

How dedicated are you to allowing the transforming work of Jesus to take place in your life?

How concerned are you for people who don’t know Jesus?

Is there evidence in your life of salvation?