Who is this Jesus? -- Parables of the Kingdom (Matt 13)

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Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

As the tension in the narrative begins to ramp up between those who choose to follow Jesus and those who oppose Him, Matthew turns our attention to a set of parables that Jesus told His disciples. These parables serve both to explain the varying responses to Jesus' ministry and to reveal a few characteristics of the Kingdom.

Parable of the Sower

For me this first parable is something of a map, giving a heads up concerning the obstacles ahead in the life of a disciple. Rather than seeing four distinct categories here, I see four stages of growth.

Who is this Jesus? -- Our Rest (Matt 11-12)

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

Chapters 8-10 come to a conclusion with a question from John in chapter 11. "Are you the one?" Jesus responded by pointing to the evidence, citing prophecies from Isaiah that He was fulfilling^[1]. The works of Jesus testify--this is the Messiah.

After this, Jesus goes into a soliloquy, expounding on the role of John, denouncing those who had seen these works and rejected Him, and finally promising rest to those who choose to draw near to Him. Signs, judgement, and rest will be the themes of these two chapters.

Who is this Jesus? -- Kingdom Invasion (Matt 8-10)

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

As Jesus finished His sermon on the mount, the crowds were amazed. Matthew tells us that "great crowds followed him." Matthew then shifts to focus to one particular individual who seems to have connected with Jesus' invitation--a leper. This man has heard this Jesus speak of an upside down Kingdom where the outcast can find hope, and he responds: in worship ("Lord"), prayer ("If you will"), and faith ("you can make me clean"). Through this man's response, the Kingdom begins to come. In power.

Who is this Jesus? -- Kingdom Vision (Matt 5-7)

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

Matthew 5-7 are some of my favorite chapters. This is Jesus' first real meaty sermon. In this one section we have the encouragement of the beatitudes, the challenge to be a light, the heart of the Torah, the exhortation to seek God's Kingdom, the example of the Lord's prayer, the giving of the golden rule, and the parable of the house on the rock. That's quite a bit of material to unpack found in these 3 chapters. Far too much for a single blog post. So we will focus our attention by remembering our question: Who is this Jesus that speaks with such authority?

Who Is This Jesus? -- Kingdom Mission (Matt. 3-4)

Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

In the first few chapters of Matthew we saw where Jesus came from--His family history and where he fits in the story of Israel. You know, background. Now, in chapters 3 and 4, we will see Jesus enter the public scene for the first time. Here, we will begin to discover what Jesus came to do.

Who is this Jesus? -- King, Redeemer, Immanuel (Matt 1-4)

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.

The book of Matthew begins with a genealogy. Not exactly the riveting "hook" that they teach you to start with in creative writing class. In fact, the very first line of Matthew introduces the book as "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." What does this tell us about Jesus?

Still Small Voice (An Alternative View)

 

A few weeks ago, 1 Kings 19:12—the "still small voice" verse—came up in my reading. Though I'm quite familiar with the verse, I decided to take a second look at it and the surrounding passage. I wanted to know if that verse really meant what it's commonly taken to mean (as an exhortation to listen for God's whispers in prayer). Spoiler alert: I didn't find an answer to that particular question. But, I did find a whole other level of significance to the passage, including a much more specific understanding of what the "still small voice" might mean. What's more, this passage makes an excellent case study of how threads of meaning weave themselves throughout Scripture. So, I invite you to take a second look at 1 Kings 19 with me.

Contest of the gods

Let's start by setting the stage. 1 Kings 19 follows one of the most well known incidents in Elijah's ministry--the calling of fire from heaven. In chapter 18, Elijah calls the people together for a contest of gods: The LORD vs. Baal. The challenge: each side will set up an altar and sacrifice and call on their god to bring down fire from heaven.