Homer’s Odyssey is a poem believed to have been written near the end of the 8th Century B.C.  The Odyssey is the sequel to Homer’s poem “The Iliad,” which chronicled a few weeks of the Trojan War.  The Odyssey centers on the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. His journey takes ten years to reach Ithaca (his home) after the ten-year Trojan War.  Throughout the story, the hero encounters many dangers, pitfalls, and mythological creatures.  One story that stands out to me is Odysseus’s encounter with the Sirens.  
 
On his journey, Odysseus is warned by Circe (a minor goddess of magic) about encountering the Sirens, these are mythological creatures that are half female and half bird who are “enchanters of all mankind and whoever comes their way; and that man who unsuspecting approaches them, and listens to the Sirens singing, has no prospect of coming home and delighting his wife and little children as they stand about him in greeting, but the Sirens by the melody of their singing enchant him.”  They are known for their enticing song that lures men on ships passing by as they are engrossed with these creatures.  In their enchanted state, men either plunge to their death trying to reach them or their song so tempts them they forget about everything such as eating, drinking, and manning the ship.  Ultimately, in Greek mythology, if one faces the Sirens, one is almost certain of death.
 
Circe instructs him to get beeswax for all the shipmates and plug their ears so they cannot hear the luring voices.  She then tells Odysseus to have the men bind his hands and feet so as the ship approaches, he cannot be physically tempted away.  As the ship draws near, the bound Odysseus screams to his men to set him free so he can go to these beautiful creatures, but they only reinforce his ropes the more he screams, thus overcoming the tempting song of the Sirens and continuing his journey home.
 
The story of temptation is age-old and one that, I believe, resonates with us all.  We see this in today’s passage that even the Messiah, Jesus Christ, faced temptation and he was victorious, thus giving us a great model for us today in facing temptation.
 
Matthew 4:1 – 11
In the Desert
After the Jesus’ baptism, we read that the Spirit of God led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. It is in the desert where Jesus begins his earthly ministry and is the place of the first showdown between competing rulers of two very different kingdoms, but both are vying for the hearts and souls of humanity.  This was not a meeting of happenstance but one orchestrated by God. The Spirit leads Jesus to the wilderness, and we will see throughout his public ministry Jesus will get away from the masses to be alone with God and prepare for a momentous event. It was here that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights, and naturally, Jesus was hungry. Fasting was a routine to focus on prayer and discipline by uniting the body and soul.  It was a time of connecting with God and preparing for something significant. In this instance, Jesus is readying himself for his public ministry. However, Matthew informs us that Jesus is not only going to the desert to fast and prepare for his ministry but also to engage the enemy.
 
Now, in this account, Matthew gives us some insights as to what is going on in the first two verses.

1. Jesus is Spirit-led.  The Spirit came upon him at his baptism, and now the Spirit leads him to the desert.
2. The devil is the real adversary. In this encounter, even though God is leading Jesus to the wilderness through the Holy Spirit to be tempted, it is the devil, not God, who is doing the tempting. The real enemy is the devil. The enemy is slick and crafty and he will try to sidetrack Jesus through a variety of temptations. This is usually how temptation works. 

 
It is important, now, for us to distinguish between a test and a temptation. A temptation is an enticement to get someone to go against God’s will, and this is what the devil tries to do.  On the other hand, a “test” is a means to get a person to prove one’s faithfulness to God and his will. It is very important for us to understand that God does not tempt anyone to sin. James writes in his epistle that when one is confronted with temptation, one must understand that God is not the source of temptation. He writes in 1:13, “God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.”  He does allow tests and trials that could lead to someone being tempted to sin, but he is never the source of temptation to sin.  According to Bible scholar and commentator Douglas Moo, “For every trial brings temptation.  Financial difficulty can tempt us to question God’s providence in our lives.  The death of a loved one can tempt us to question God’s love for us.  The suffering of the righteous poor and the ease of the wicked rich can tempt us to question God’s justice or even his existence.  Thus, testing always includes temptation, and temptation itself is a test… But while God may test or prove his servants in order to strengthen their faith, he never seeks to induce sin and destroy their faith.”[1] Tempting and testing are flip sides of the same coin.  In this instance, the devil is tempting Jesus to go against the Father’s will, but in the same regard, the Father uses or allows Satan’s temptation for a good thing in strengthening Jesus for his messianic role. So, at the end of the day, Satan does not act independently of God. God is in control of both the tempter (the devil) and the circumstances (temptations). Thus, the temptation is intended by the devil to cause Jesus to go against the Father, but instead, God uses the temptation to establish Jesus in the Father’s will.
 
This temptation encounter establishes two accomplishments of Jesus over the devil.

1. This encounter sees Jesus fulfilling what Adam failed to do.  Adam succumbed to temptation, and this led to death. Jesus’ overcoming temptation led to him being enabled to make an atonement for his people and give life.
2. This encounter confirms Jesus’ identity and mission as the Son of God.  Satan tries to interfere and ruin God’s plan of redemption by disqualifying Jesus as the sinless and victorious Savior but fails to accomplish this plan.
   
   

The Temptation of Jesus
The devil approaches Jesus three times, and all three times he thwarts those temptations. We should note when and how the devil tempts Jesus.  We see the devil approaching Jesus after forty days.  Jesus was tired, hungry, and vulnerable, but the Spirit was upon him. This is how the devil works.  The devil utilizes situations where individuals are at their lowest point. Giving in to temptation often happens when one is either tired, vulnerable, hungry, or feeling worthless or useless. He capitalizes on these situations. Think about this in your life. When are you most susceptible to sin? Yet, the key to all of this is the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus. This is important for us as well.  We need to be Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered people in order to resist temptation.
 
Temptation 1
 “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
At Jesus’ baptism God spoke and confirmed the identity of Jesus Christ as “My son…”. The devil does not doubt Jesus’ identity, nor is he necessarily trying to get Jesus to doubt it, instead he is tempting Jesus to misuse his privilege as God’s Son.  Jesus has the power to perform this miracle, because he does such a miracle in multiplying the fishes and the loaves, but it’s not God’s will that he should perform this miracle.  The temptation is to try to get Jesus to go contrary to God’s will. 
Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 where Moses reminds the people of Israel that God had led them to the desert to humble and test them.  One test was through hunger.  The people complained of hunger and God provided manna.  The point of the test was to teach them the importance of God’s promises and provision. In this temptation of the devil Jesus speaks that he will trust what the Father has willed for him. He maintains the essence of life is God’s Word (promises).
 
Temptation 2
“If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ ”
Again, Jesus can do as the devil says, because later in Matthew Jesus informs his accusers that he can call on the Father to rescue him by sending angels (Matthew 26:53).  Yet, the O.T. (and the N.T. for that matter) does not imply that God will send protecting care during harmful situations. Here the Devil is trying to get Jesus to test his Father by putting himself in harm’s way. Ultimately, the Devil is tempting Jesus to prove that the Father really does love Him. As stated already, the Father has declared His love for the Son so no further confirmation is needed. Once again, Jesus refutes the temptation by quoting from Deuteronomy (6:16) “You must not test the Lord your God.”
 
Temptation 3
“I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
The kingdoms that the devil speaks about to Jesus are the very ones he laid aside his glory and came to gather the nations into the Kingdom of God. However, before he can be enthroned as king, He must face Calvary and here the devil is offering Jesus an easier solution.  This would require Jesus giving up the will of God and worshiping the devil. The will of God is the cross of Calvary and the devil tries to distract him from this mission. Jesus vigorously proclaims, “Get out of here, Satan,” “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” (Deut. 6:13). This is the key point of Jesus; God alone is worthy of worship.
 
The Outcome

1. Immediately the devil went away.  This was the first of many attacks and it establishes the standard for his and all spiritual warfare.
2. The angels came and took care of Jesus. The angels came and attended to Jesus’ physical needs after his fasting.

 
Conclusion
The temptation of Jesus shows that Jesus succeeded where Adam and Eve failed, and his example can show us how we can succeed in our temptations.

1. Resist the devil.  When faced with temptation the victory starts with saying, “No!”
2. In the power of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot resist the devil in our own strength, our power must come from the Holy Spirit.
3. Through the Word of God. The Bible shows us the truth in life in contrast to the lies of the world, flesh, and the devil.
4. Knowing the will of God. When we know God’s Word then we will be able to discern his will for our lives and not be tempted to deviate from his will.

​So, when faced with temptation it would serve us well to start with these questions, “Is this what God wants for me? Can I do this and truly love God and delight in him?” If the answer is “no” then it is imperative to resist the temptation to go against God’s will and plan for you.  The honest truth is, that not all temptations are inherently evil but rather something that is good but used for the wrong reasons. The nature of temptation is that it can be subtly a good thing but perverting it for bad use. Thus, the final consideration for us all is determining what God wants for you in the situation you are in? Remember when facing temptation to use 1 Corinthians 10:13 as a guideline, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” In this we can draw on all of God’s resources to gain victory over temptation in our lives. Being tempted is not a sin. Yielding to temptation is when it becomes a sin. Consider this for your life today: temptation in the hands of Satan can become a test in the hands of God. He can and will use temptation as a test and strength to our character and relationship with him.


[1] Moo, Douglas: The Letter of James. Grand Rapids, MI/Cambridge UK:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000, p. 72, 73

In the Summer of 2004, my family and I witnessed a presidential motorcade in the City of Erie, PA.  I remember it quite well, as the amount of preparation and security that went into this short visit was extreme but necessary.  Security measures were put in place months in advance, and a plan for the motorcade’s route was put together.  The arrival of the most powerful man in America was a big deal.  The president of the United States of America was coming, and the city needed to make the necessary preparations for this visit.  We waited in anticipation as a sea of flashing lights from police vehicles came over the horizon, lines of busses, and dozens of black SUVs approached. We stood on the side of the road waiting for the coming of the man of the hour. It was quite a sight, as dozens of black SUVs with secret service agents armed with semi-automatic rifles, guns, earpieces, and helicopters hovering overhead. It was truly awe-inspiring.  I remember thinking, “This is all for one man.”
 
I share this memory with you because when God incarnate came to earth there was not even close to this amount of preparation for his arrival.  This account is a good reminder of the importance of preparing for the arrival of THE King, not only for his earthly visit, but for when He comes into our lives as well.
 
Prepare the Way
Matthew 3:1 – 17
It has been about 25 years since Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went to Nazareth, and now the time has come for John, referred to as “the Baptist,” to appear and fulfill his purpose. Interestingly, John the Baptist appears at the beginning of all four gospels, thus making him an important historical figure in the biblical account because he is the link between God’s saving activity in the Old Testament and Jesus’ saving activity through his ministry, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. 
 
John the Baptist – So, who is this John the Baptist? We don’t know much about Him, but we do know this.

1. John was of priestly descent.  His father was a priest, and his mother was in the line of Aaron (Moses’ brother).  Both were righteous before God.  (Luke 1:5,6)
2. He lived in the desert (or wilderness) for most of his adult life until his public ministry began. The desert was an essential place in the history of Israel. The law was given in the desert, the prophets often went to the desert to connect with God, and the war of the Maccabees happened in the desert.
3. His appearance was out of sorts; he was clothed in camel hair and a belt and ate locusts and wild honey. His appearance stirred up recollections of Elijah and the prophecies of his return to make preparations for God’s judgment.
4. In his public ministry, his primary message was calling people to repent and turn to God because the Kingdom of Heaven/God was near.
5. He had disciples.
6. He prepared the way (or was a witness) for the coming Messiah.  
7. All four gospel writers declare that he is the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3, “I am the voice crying out in the wilderness, ‘make straight the way of the Lord.’” 
8. John declares that He was the one who was heralding the Coming One whom all of Israel has been awaiting… The Messiah.  

 
John preached about the coming Kingdom of God, or as Matthew calls it, the Kingdom of Heaven, and preached baptism for the repentance of sins.  The religious leaders of this time didn’t understand what John’s purpose was and who he was. Today, we will look at five aspects of Matthew 3:1 – 17 that I want to discuss to help us better understand what is happening in the passage and how it speaks to us today.
 

1. Prepare the way (the road) – John proclaims that the King is coming.  The coming Messiah has been prophesied for centuries.  The religious leaders knew this, but they were not ready.  The nation of Israel was not prepared.  John declares that he is there to warn the people that the way of the Lord needs to be ready.  He is calling the people to clear the obstacles out of their lives that might hinder their reception of the Lord. He calls for the people to prepare themselves and their hearts and lives for the coming One. All preparations should have been made, but they weren’t.  So, they better get their act together. 
   
   
2. Baptism – John preached and performed a baptism of repentance. One of the ways the people could get right with God was through repentance and baptism.  However, the leaders questioned his authority to baptize.  Theologian D.A. Carson writes in his commentary on John, “Their interest is in what authorizes John’s baptismal practices.  It is not that baptism is unknown.  Some Jewish groups practiced ‘proselyte baptism,’ i.e., proselytes were baptized in the process of converting to Judaism… Candidates baptized themselves.  One of the things that characterized the baptism of John the Baptist is that he administered it.”  He continues, “They want to discover by what authority John is baptizing Jewish people as part of the preparation for the Kingdom of God he is announcing.  Looking around for an adequate authority to sanction so extraordinary a practice, they wonder if he is an (end times) figure.”  John declares that the people need to repent as they confess their sins and are baptized, showing God by their actions and words that they are indeed putting away their old sinful ways and preparing for the Kingdom's arrival. This baptism was similar to other forms of baptism at the time, but it ultimately was symbolic of purification and was a one-time baptism. His baptism called for personal commitment to God’s new activity in Israel.
   
   
3. The warning – The religious leaders joined together (usually at odds with one another) to inquire about his ministry. They had ulterior motives as they sought to find fault in his ministry as he was undoubtedly outside their religious circles. He warns the leaders of what will happen if they do not repent.
   1. It will bring God’s wrath on all who do not repent.
   2. His Kingdom will be inaugurated with the arrival of the Coming One, with his baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire.
   3. Those who respond to Joh’s message and repent will escape God’s wrath.
      
      
4. The ax – The trees represented the religious leaders, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees.  These men were coming to be baptized but living hypocritical lives.  John scoffs at them and warns them that if they do not change their ways and live differently, then judgment is impending.  The only way to avoid judgment is to show they are a fruit-bearing tree.
   
   
5. The Fire – They will face judgment and destruction if they do not change.

 
Jesus’ Baptism
Since Jesus is God incarnate, the Holy One of Israel, the King, and the Messiah, he did not need to be baptized for the remission of sin since he is sinless. He did not need to be converted, and there was no need for repentance since His Kingdom was coming. So, why does Jesus get baptized? Jesus’ baptism has far more significance than we think. Jesus tells John, “It should be done, for we must carry out all God requires.” Or the NIV states, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” The word “fulfill” continues a theme that started at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus’ conception, birth, and infancy all fulfilled specific and general prophecies. Jesus says he must be baptized to “fulfill all righteousness.” This most likely means that God’s saving activity in the Old Testament is now being fulfilled with the inauguration of Jesus’ ministry through the death on the cross of Calvary. It is Jesus’ expression of his obedience to God and his plan of salvation revealed in the Scriptures. Thus, this public baptism is an endorsement of John’s ministry and message and links Jesus’ cause to John’s. So, as Jesus goes down into the waters of baptism, he identifies with his people in their need; ultimately, he identifies with the sinful humanity he came to save and, at this point, with the believing remnant of Israel who came to be baptized. Jesus now brings fulfillment to the ministry John began. When Jesus comes up from the water, three things happen…
​

1. The heavens were opened – This is a common expression that indicates God himself is opening the communication gates of heaven to reveal something significant to his people.
2. The Spirit of God descends like a dove and settles on him. The Spirit does not take on the form of a dove but, instead, some visible manifestation that indicates the Spirit on Jesus. The dove expresses characteristics often associated with a dove, like gentleness and peace. The descent of the Spirit points to the anointing of the servant of the Lord by the Spirit (Isaiah 42:1). This is the coronation of the Messiah and the commissioning of God’s righteous servant for the work he will now carry out the messianic age of salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit and who is now anointed by the Spirit for his public ministry.
3. The voice from heaven – The presence of Jesus the Messiah brings with him the direct voice of God with all its authority.
   1. “This is my dearly loved son” - Jesus is the son, the voice is from the Father, and love is at the heart of their relationship. This is not the language of adoption but the confirmation of an existing relationship between the heavenly Father and his Son.
   2. “Who brings me great joy” - It is likely that part of what is involved here is an endorsement of the attitude of mind reflected in Jesus’ decision to seek baptism from John.[1]

Conclusion
John the Baptist’s whole ministry (and life, for that matter) was devoted to pointing people to Jesus. He knew his place in life.  He had a humble (and vital) spirit to him.  He was not about self-promotion; he was about Christ's promotion.  He did not have a personal agenda; he had God’s agenda.  His purpose was to be the voice calling out in the wilderness that the Messiah had come, and he desired that people be right with God by preaching a message of baptism, repentance, and forgiveness of sins.  He wanted to show people a new way of life and an authentic relationship with God through the Messiah (Jesus Christ). May we be like John in this manner.
 
Jesus’ connection with sinners, demonstrated through His baptism and crucifixion, is a model for His followers. We are called to follow His example by standing in harmony with the less fortunate and being the light in the world, just as He illuminated the world. Like Jesus, who shouldered His cross, we are also tasked with carrying our own. By following Jesus, we adopt a more profound unity with His body, the church. Despite having no entitlement, Jesus imparted upon us boundless gifts. Similarly, we are called to selflessly offer everything, even our lives, for His sake, without expecting anything in return from the world.


[1] John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 158.

Introduction
When someone comes to saving faith in Jesus Christ, inevitably the first questions asked are, “How do I learn more about Jesus?” and “Where do I start reading in my Bible?”  Some encourage, and I believe wrongly, to start at the beginning, Genesis, and read chronologically to the end, Revelation. Few point them to the writings of Paul and his epistles. Even fewer direct new believers to applicable books like James, Psalms, and Corinthians. Dreadfully some push new believers into the deep end starting with the apocalyptic books like Daniel or Revelation. However, the majority point people to the Gospels and I believe this is the best place to start. Why?  Because it is in the Gospels, we can grow in our understanding of Jesus’s life, ministry, and message. Now, today will serve as a general introduction of Matthew’s Gospel. If you are one who is a listener then you are encouraged to either sit back and take in all that I talk about or if you are a note taker, then write away as there will be plenty to write down.  But ultimately, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you, challenge you, and transform you to become more like our Lord, savior, and King, Jesus.
 
The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament and all four are accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry through his death There are two-types of Gospel accounts, both are canonical (authoritative) they just have different structure.
​

1. The Synoptic Gospels – These include the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They are called synoptic because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical wording.
2. The Gospel of John - John’s Gospel differs from the Synoptic Gospels in several ways: it covers a different time span than the others; it locates much of Jesus’ ministry in Judaea; and it portrays Jesus speaking at length on theological matters. The major difference, however, lies in John’s overall purpose. John wrote his gospel to convince people that Jesus is the Messiah, but his gospel also strengthens the faith of those who already know that Jesus is the Messiah.
   
   

Today is the first Sunday of 2024 and I cannot think of a better way than to embark on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew. This account was one of the most widely read and frequently used Gospels in the foundational years of the early church. One of the main reasons why this Gospel is so attractive to so many is because of the verification that Jesus Christ is, in fact, the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, who has brought salvation to Israel and to all nations.

Authorship
None of the gospel writers states their name explicitly within the text of their Gospel accounts. All the evangelists were compiling stories of Jesus for churches of which they were active participants. So, naturally there is debate among scholars as to the true author of Matthew that I will not discuss.
Nevertheless, the authors of the Gospels likely stood in the assembly of believers to read their Gospel accounts themselves, so to attach their names to their account as authors would be unnecessary.  So, it is wise to look back at church history to determine the authorship of the Gospels. Regarding Matthew’s Gospel the earliest church traditions undeniably ascribe the first Gospel to Matthew the Tax collector, and it is commonly believed he wrote this Gospel in Hebrew. Early Greek Apostolic Father Bishop Papias of Hierapolis (60 Ad to 130 AD) is believed to be the one who is the earliest to mention Matthew as author, he writes, “Matthew wrote down the sayings in the Hebrew dialect, and each man translated as he was able.”
 
Matthew
The disciple Matthew was a tax collector called by Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:9). He was also known as Levi the tax collector (Luke 5:27).  As a tax collector he would have been trained in secular scribal techniques, and as a Jewish Christian he would have been able to interpret the life of Jesus from the Old Testament expectations.
 
Now, we read in Marks Gospel that there were among Jesus’ followers many tax collectors and sinners (Mark 2:15 – 15). Jesus was criticized for his association with tax collectors and sinners.  But in this account Jesus not only associates with tax collectors but he calls one Matthew to follow Him as a disciple.  In response to the criticism he faced, Jesus informs the religious leaders it is not the healthy who need healing, but the sick (Mark 2:16 -17). When Jesus called Matthew, he rose and immediately followed him and leaving his life behind to follow the savior.
 
We do not know much more about Matthew.  We can make some strong assumptions about him.

1. He was a faithful follower/learner of Jesus Christ.  He is always mentioned among the 12 disciples throughout the Gospels and Acts.
2. He was present at Pentecost (Acts 1:13)
3. He was an eye-witness account in his Gospel.

 
Themes/Overview/Distinctions
Matthew does not write this gospel to have people engage with his theology, but rather to engage with Jesus[1] He tells his story of the fresh and decisive action of God in and through Jesus. In his genealogy Jesus is introduced from the beginning as the Messiah, the heir to the promises of Israel’s throne through King David and the promises of blessings through Abraham.  His gospel becomes a manual, of sorts, on discipleship, as both Jews and Gentiles begin to follow Jesus and learn to obey all his commands.
 
Key Distinctions

1. Matthews Gospel provides a natural bridge between the Old and New Testament.  He shows repeatedly that the Old Testament hopes, prophecies, and promises are filled through the person and ministry of Jesus.  The early church probably placed Matthew as the first Gospel because it was a bridge between Testaments.
   
   
2. Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes the promises of salvation to the particular people of Israel and the fulfillment of the universal promise of salvation to all peoples of the world (Gentile). Matthew points to Jesus’ intention to go first to the lost sheep of Israel and he also points to the promises made to Abraham that he would be a blessing to all nations as Jesus extends salvation to the Gentiles.
   
   
3. Matthews Gospel gives a focused perspective on Jesus being the promised king of Israel and came to inaugurate the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom did not look like the Kingdoms of the time nor what we would imagine it would look like today.  Jesus centers on establishing the Kingdom of God that has come through his first advent but will not come to full fruition until his second advent when He comes to rule and reign for all of eternity as Lord, Savior, and King. Jesus proclaims the imminent arrival of the kingdom of heaven. God now intends to establish afresh his rule among his people. If people are to be ready for this development, then repentance is urgent and necessary.[2]
   
   
4. Matthew’s Gospel shows a new community of faith in the pagan Roman world.  This community has a large membership of Jewish Christians who are familiar with Jewish customs, activities, and temple practices. But it also has a large group of Gentile Christians, who are discovering their faith through God’s promise of salvation. This new community of faith goes beyond the borders of ethnic, and religious barriers and finds unity in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ.
   
   
5. Matthew’s Gospel places Jesus Christ as the head of this community of faith and continues with his ongoing presence.  Matthew is the only Gospel writer to use the term ekklesia, which means, gathering, and eventually becomes the term designated for the Church. Matthew establishes Jesus as the one who builds, grows, and sustains the church.
   
   
6. Matthew inaugurates the commission of Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations”. This commission is unique to Matthew’s Gospel as it establishes the model and call to discipleship. The “great commission” has been the heart of discipleship and missionary effort throughout church history.
   
   
7. Lastly, Matthew’s Gospel discloses the five discourses to discipleship found in chapters 5 – 7 (Sermon the mount), 10 (mission-driven disciples), 13 (Parables), 18 (The Kingdom), and 24 – 25 (Olivet Discourse/ Jesus’ return).

Conclusion
This morning has served as a general introduction to our series and to the Gospel of Matthew. I am excited for this journey we will take together as we look at the life of Jesus Christ through the writings of the disciple Matthew. This will not be a verse-by-verse series, but more of a detailed overview of Gospel account. My encouragement to everyone today, me included, is that we take on the attitude of worship during this new series and new year. This worship is not just the mindset of singing worship, but the posture of giving worship to our King, our Lord, and our Savior, Jesus Christ as we honor him, obey him, and proclaim him Lord and Savior of our lives.  As we journey through the Gospel, we will skip past the nativity story and start with Jesus’ earthly ministry from his early ministry to his death, resurrection, and ascension and circle back to the beginning during Advent and Christmas to conclude from the beginning.


[1] John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 38.

[2] John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 39.