Day 68: Zechariah 11:1-Matthew 4:25 - 90 Day Challenge

A Journey through the New Testament

Just twenty days left in the Challenge, can you believe it?! (It is only an 88 day challenge, after all.) So today we finished up the Old Testament with Zechariah and Malachi and began the New Testament in Matthew. 

The end of Zechariah and all of Malachi are specifically geared towards the end of days. The downfall, the judgement, and the coming of the Lord. You can read all about it in those chapters--they're very brief, because I'd really like to focus on Matthew today. 

Matthew begins with Jesus's family tree--he came from such great names as David, Solomon, and Hezekiah. It then (very briefly) touches on Jesus's birth. Now, I was expecting this to be a much longer story (like the many Christmas sermons most of us have heard) but it was super short. What this tells me, personally, is that it doesn't matter where you came from, or what your circumstances are. What matters is what you do with your life. So Jesus, and Mary and Joseph, travel to Egypt to escape King Herod, who was planning on killing Jesus (instead he kills all the male children under the age of two... it's safe to say he was a bit paranoid). And his family eventually settles in Nazareth. 

Jesus gets baptized by John the Baptist, who was sort of the precursor to Jesus. He prepared the way for Jesus's coming. At first, John's like, "Seriously, you want me to baptize you? You should be the one baptizing me! I'm not worthy!" And Jesus responds with a: "Well someone's gotta do it." So John baptized Jesus. I can only imagine what an awesome and righteous moment that was. 

Then we get to the temptation of Jesus--that famous story where he fasts for 40 days and nights and Satan bugs him the entire time. Satan says, "Man, you have got to be hungry by now. Here, take these rocks and turn them to bread. God gave you the power to do that, right?" And Jesus throws some good old Bible Verses his way (see Deuteronomy 8:3 for Jesus's response, or Matthew 4:4). And these temptations continue, Satan even promises Jesus the entire earth, if only Jesus would bow down to him. And Jesus sends Satan away, and throws in a little bit of Deuteronomy 6:13 for good measure. (This whole interaction reminds me of the Bible Verse Lady video, feel free to watch it if you want a decent laugh!) 

Then, Jesus begins his ministry. (I know, this is all happening much quicker than I had been led to believe). Jesus stumbles across some fishermen and thinks Hey, they would be some pretty good disciples! "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." And at once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:19-20). 

At once they left their nets. AT ONCE. That's crazy! Can you image someone coming up to you, saying, "Hey! Follow me!" And then immediately dropping everything. Leaving your job, your livelihood, everything you've worked for, to follow some guy? That would be insane. But clearly, Jesus knew what he was doing, because he got two more on his team right after. Jesus's ministry begins with healing the sick, the injured, and the diseased. That's a pretty good way to spread a message if I've ever heard of one! 

And that's how the New Testament begins! With a birth story, a baptism, a spiritual challenge, and the formation of a ministry that has, 2,000 years later, continued to touch 83% of Americans and over one-third of the world. Keep on with the challenge if you want to see how. 

Tomorrow's reading: Matthew 5:1-Matthew 15:39

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Jill Jafarace

Director of Student Ministries

New Leaf UMC