[After learning that the king of the Jews was to be born in Bethlehem,] Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come …
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard [about the newborn king of the Jews from the wise men], as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this …
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” —Matthew 2:1-2 NLT Key Thought God does …
[The angel’s assurance to Joseph that he should marry Mary] occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of …
[Jesus continued:] “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —Matthew 5:4 NLT Key Thought Paul told Christians in Rome, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Disciples face sadness for many reasons. Discipleship is not about always being happy. It’s about following the path of Jesus who was “a man of sorrows, …
A little farther up the shore [after calling Peter and Andrew, Jesus] saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind. —Matthew 4:21-22 NLT Key Thought Most of …
Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. —Matthew 4:23 NLT Key Thought Preaching, teaching, and healing. Three key elements of authentic ministry are: Proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Teaching people how to …
News about [Jesus] spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed — he healed them all. —Matthew 4:24 NLT Key Thought Jesus healed them all! He could handle any kind of …
Large crowds followed [Jesus] wherever he went — people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River. —Matthew 4:25 NLT Key Thought In many of our minds, this list of towns is just a collection of Jewish hamlets. However, this list of towns — along with …
One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them. —Matthew 5:1-2 NLT Key Thought A certain characteristic can define a family. Many members of the family can be distinguished by this special characteristic. It may be …