Jesus and the Devil Matthew 4:1–11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 From the temptations of Jesus and how he overcame them, there is direct application for our lives when we are tempted and must stand against Satan’s wiles. Let me summarize…

The Baptism of Jesus Matthew 3:1–17 Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Matthew 3:13 Since John’s baptism was a baptism unto repentance and Jesus had no sin of which to repent, how is it that he sought baptism by John? And why did he seek this, as…

The Gifts of Faith Matthew 2:1–12 Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 It is easy to see why gold is an appropriate gift for Jesus Christ. Gold is the metal of kings. When gold was presented to Jesus, it acknowledged his right to rule. In presenting the…

Name of All Names Matthew 1:18–25 You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 What a name this was! Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jehoshua, Jeshua, or Joshua, and it means literally “Jehovah is Salvation.” So the message to Joseph centered primarily…

The Unchanging God Malachi 3:13–18 I the Lord do not change. Malachi 3:6 A reminder of these concluding verses is this. Just as the situation among the people had remained unchanged, so too God was unchanged. The Lord had stated this explicitly earlier: “I the Lord do not change” (v. 6). But verses 14–18 make…

God’s Challenge Malachi 3:6–12 “Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:10 (NIV throughout) Not merely our money or time, but our whole selves—body, soul, and spirit— are God’s, and therefore we are to honor God wholly with all we are. Paul wrote, “You are not your own; you were bought at a…

Holy to the Lord Zechariah 14:20–21 On that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” Zechariah 14:20 “And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ And the pots in the house of the Lord shall be as…

The Shepherd-King Zechariah 9:9–10:12 Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation. Zechariah 9:9 Zechariah tells of four things the Shepherd-King does. 1. The Shepherd saves his people (9:14–17): “On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people” (v. 16). 2. The Shepherd provides for…

No Shortcuts Zechariah 4:6–10 Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 This message to Zerubbabel has several parts: first, a general principle: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts”; second, a reference to obstacles: “Who are you,…

A Day to Remember Haggai 1:1–15 All the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God. Haggai 1:12 From time to time the preaching of the Word of God strikes home, and a life is genuinely changed. When that happens in large numbers, you have a revival. This happened under Haggai’s…