Page 8 - May 2015 Catalyst

Iam a Jesus pusher!!!
Matthew is a Jesus pusher!!! His writing has a basic theme that we cannot disre- gard. Every passage must be interpreted in light of this thrust. The Gospel of Matthew is a focus on the Jews. Mat- thew desperately wants to convince them that Jesus is the Kingly Messiah. This ex- plains the opening genealogy of his book (Matthew 1:1-17). Jesus is in the lineage of King David; He fulfills God’s prom- ise to King David! Matthew presents the birth of Jesus as a declaration of His Kingship. Jesus is conceived of the Holy Spirit; He is born of a virgin (Matthew 1:20). The wise men seek the new King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). The arrival of the new King creates incredible inse- curity in Herod. He calls for the murder of all baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem and the surrounding districts (Matthew 2:16).
John the Baptist heralds this new King (Matthew 3:1). The anointing of the Holy Spirit takes place as God, the Fa- ther, places His approval on His Son, the new King (Matthew 3:16-17). This new King battles Satan, and wins through the sourcing of the Spirit (Matthew 4:1-11). This King leads the Kingdom of Heaven as it conquers demonic territory (Mat- thew 4:23). The introductory language of the Sermon on the Mount empha- sizes this reality. Jesus was seated on a mountain (Matthew 5:1). He sits like a king on his throne. His disciples came to Him (Matthew 5:1). They approach Him like subjects in a royal court. Then He opened His mouth and taught them (Matthew 5:2). He is the King deliver- ing his inaugural address. It is the great “Manifesto of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
As a Jesus pusher, I am honoring this King!!!
8 CityLight.org
May 2015