Author: Ron

This author has written 102 articles

6.  Escape to Egypt

Starting a Journey with Jesus, Day 6  (Matthew 2:13-18)

When [the Magi] had gone, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  “Get up and take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you. 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 departed for Egypt.  He stayed there until the death of Herod, and this fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the Magi, he was enraged and gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and the villages around it who were two years old and under, in line with the time he had learned from the Magi.  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  (Matthew 2:13-18)

When traveling how do you stay on track?  How do you avoid danger?  Prayer and communication with God is the best way I know to do both.  (more…)

Continue Reading6.  Escape to Egypt

5. Worship and Warning

Starting a Journey with Jesus, Day 5  (Matthew 2:7-12)

What gift do you have that you bring to worship Jesus?

Then Herod secretly called the Magi and found out from them the time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go search and inquire about the child.  When you find him, report it to me, so that I may also go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and there was star which they had seen in the east, and it went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.   When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.   When they came to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him and they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.   Warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they withdrew and returned to their country by another way. (Matthew 2:7-12)

Notice the contrasts between King Herod and the Magi. (more…)

Continue Reading5. Worship and Warning

4. Worship the True King

Starting a Journey with Jesus, Day 4  (Matthew 2:1-6)

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea at the time of King Herod. That’s when Magi from the east showed up in Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was upset (and all Jerusalem with him).  He called together all the chief priests and teachers of the Jewish people, and he questioned them about where the Messiah was to be born.   They said, “In Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;  for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.‘”  (Matthew 2:1-6)

Bethlehem was just a short distance south of Jerusalem,

(more…)

Continue Reading4. Worship the True King

3.  Misgivings, Grace and Name-giving

Starting a Journey with Jesus, Day 3  (Matthew 1:18-25)

Jesus’ birth took place like this.  His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.  Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, being righteous, did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he planned to put her aside quietly.

While he was thinking it out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Marry as your wife. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus–‘God saves’–because he will save his people from their sins.”  This would bring to fulfillment the prophet’s message given by the Lord:

Watch–a virgin will become pregnant and bear a son;
 They will call his name Immanuel (it means in Hebrew “God is with us”).

Joseph woke up from his sleep and did just as the Lord’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary.  But he did not know her intimately until she had the son.  He named the baby Jesus.  (Matthew 1:18-25)

(more…)

Continue Reading3.  Misgivings, Grace and Name-giving