matthew 2

Psalm 148; Jeremiah 31:15-17; Matthew 2:13-18. From the TRNG Room;

• Jesus' Hometown
• What Was Jesus' Real Name?

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This has been Brother Logan M. Isaac; semper familia

Thank you for falling in to First Formation. If you like what you’ve heard, you can participate in one of the three following ways;

1. Support the podcast or subscribing to First Forward.
2. Become a co-host by recording a lectionary reading.
3. Record and send prayer requests of a minute or less.

Semper Familia!

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:12
an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. Matthew 2:13-15

In reading Matthew 2 today, we see wonderful examples of obedience. 

As AW Tozer says of the Magi:
The story of the wise men says two things and says them loudly.
One is that a longing soul with scanty theological knowledge is in a better position to meet God than a self-satisfied soul, however deeply instructed in the Scriptures.
The wise men were Gentiles, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Yet they saw the star and left all to make the long, dangerous journey to lay worthy gifts at the feet of Jesus. They acted on small knowledge and found the Messiah. That is to their everlasting credit. 

The Magi defied the king, Herod, because they had met the true King! They followed the instructions seen in their dream and went home a different way! Also demonstrating incredible obedience, Joseph didn't debate with the angel, instead, he got Mary and Jesus up and fled to Egypt that very night! 

Join me in reading Matthew 2 and be encouraged!

Just a Guy and His World

Listen as Pastor Doug preaches a sermon called Unwise Wisemen from Matthew 2:1-15.

What is the meaning of Matthew 2:1-12?  Why did the Magi come to visit Jesus?  Who were the Magi?  We learn so much from them as they walk into the presence of Jesus as a toddler.  They fall on their face before Him and worship Him. That is the only appropriate response from us as well.

About two years after the birth of Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh, wise men came from Persia to announce Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh as the promised king who would be born and who sat on the throne of Hazrat Dawood (AS). 

This story shows that the Persian people were among the first to accept Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh. Today, many Persians are hearing this amazing story and choosing to follow Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh, just as their forefathers did.

When the wise men came from Persia, they came to announce Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh as king, bring Him gifts worthy of a king, and to worship Him.

Some Muslim leaders, such as Dr. Zakir Naik have demanded, "Where does Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh say, 'I am God, worship me?'" In this passage, we find the answer to Dr. Naik's question. Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh received worship many times in the Gospel of Matthew. Once Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh stopped a storm, and His disciples worshipped Him (Matthew 14:33). After He rose from the dead, two women worshipped him (Matthew 28:9). Then the closest disciples of Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh worshipped him when they say He had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:17). Indeed, Hazrat Isa al-Maseeh is greater than any prophet!

Today is January 6th, also known as the Epiphany! On this day, we commemorate the visit of the wise men to the Christ Child. There are four readings for the Epiphany, in the usual manner of prophet (Isaiah 60:1-6), psalm (72), epistle (Ephesians 3:1-12), and gospel (Matthew 2:1-12). 

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Have you ever received a Christmas gift that turned out to be far better that you first thought? In part 5 of our Christmas series, Fulfilled: His Promise Kept, Our Longing Met, we'll discover how the coming of Jesus exceeds our expectations! We'll see in Matthew 2, how God kept His promise to His people and continues to do so even today! Listen as Pastor Rob Bentz gives our Christmas Eve message, Jesus the Branch, to see how Jesus is the Promised King!

Pastor Dean Yoder discusses the Magi, a group of wise men seeking to celebrate the king born of the Jews--not a king, but The King of Kings.  

Did your know? You can watch Awaken Church McMinnville's Sunday morning service live on our Facebook page.

Have you ever felt trapped? Stuck in a difficult situation? Ever feel as though there is no way out? In part 3 of our Christmas series, Fulfilled: His Promise Kept, Our Longing Met, we'll discover how Matthew takes great care to help us see how Jesus’ birth fulfilled the promises of God by bringing deliverance to God’s people. Listen as Pastor Rob Bentz shares our latest message, A New Exodus, and find security in knowing that through Jesus, God offers deliverance!

In part 2 of our Christmas series, Fulfilled: His Promise Kept, Our Longing Met, we turn to Matthew 2 to examine another way that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people. As we consider the story of the wise men who follow a start to come and find Jesus born in Bethlehem. Listen to Pastor Rob Bentz as he shares our latest message, A King from Bethlehem?, as he helps us see how the least can become the greatest!

Saint Athanasius Church

Contra Mundum Swagger

Video Version

Rev. Erik Khoobyarian

Reading:  Matthew 2:1-12

The wise travelers found a baby in the arms of his mother. The star led them to Jesus - a light breaking through. What are our lights? Where do we find Jesus?

A Gift for All #3

Ronnie Phillips is the Lead Pastor at Abba's House in Chattanooga, TN and founder of Ronnie Phillips Ministries International.

ronniephillips.org