Peace In The Unexpected

 MATTHEW: PEACE IN THE UNEXPECTED

Read Matthew 9.9, 1.1-17

Have you ever seen a movie that doesn't make sense until the end? Maybe it wasn't until the last few minutes that the foreshadowing and build-up came together for a mind-blowing finale. Those final explanations often reveal the director's craft and intention in piecing the plot together. Similarly, God used the authors of the New Testament the way some movies use their final scenes. Through them, He shows us all that's been happening behind the scenes.

Today, we learn about one of those authors, Matthew, who shows us how Jesus is the fulfilment of a promise God made to the Jewish people. In this way, Matthew encourages us to have peace in the face of our failed expectations because our God is in control of history, always working behind the scenes to bring about His plan of redemption through Jesus.

Meet Matthew

Matthew, the author of this book, is one of Jesus's twelve disciples. He knows firsthand who Jesus really is and how important He is for the world. Though he is Jewish, Matthew works as a Roman tax collector before meeting Jesus. In his day, this was a profession looked down upon by most other Jews and called sinful by Jewish leaders. But we see Matthew's life utterly change when he encounters Jesus for the first time (Matthew 9.9).

In Matthew 9, Matthew is at work, collecting taxes from the people, when Jesus approaches him. All we're told of this interaction is that Jesus tells him to get up and follow Him, and Matthew does just that! Something about Jesus compels Matthew to follow Him, and after Jesus's death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit compels Matthew to write down the events of Jesus's life in what we call a Gospel.

Why Matthew Wrote His Gospel

There are four accounts of Jesus's life in the Bible. These are the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. "Gospel" means "good news," and it became shorthand for the message of Jesus Christ's life and mission. Each Gospel writer tells the same story of Jesus, but each focuses on specific aspects of Jesus's life and mission. Matthew focuses on the fact that Jesus is the Messiah - that He is the fulfilment of all the Old Testament prophecies and promises.

The Significance of Matthew's Genealogy

Matthew's Gospel begins with a genealogy, or a family history. This may appear to be merely a repetitive and boring list of hard-to-pronounce names, but in reality, Matthew's genealogy is designed to alert his readers to God's actions throughout history, all of which led to Jesus's birth.

As you read Matthew's genealogy, you likely notice some familiar names. Last week, we learned about some figures from the Old Testament, two of whom Matthew references in the first verse of his Gospel, Abraham and David. These are two of the most important men in Israel's history, representing God's promise to bring salvation and redemption to and through Israel (Genesis 12.2-3, 2 Samuel 7.12-16).

The genealogy shows that God was faithful to Israel, remaining with His people through the generations from Abraham to David and then again through the generations from David to Israel's Exile-the time when they lost their land and their rule as a result of their sin and rebellion against God.

After the Exile and before Jesus's arrival, many Jews, maybe even Matthew himself-likely felt abandoned by God. Israel was supposed to have a kingdom that would last forever, but they had no king or power. Yet Matthew shows that God continued to work through history and through the people in Israel in the generations between the Exile and Jesus. At last, Jesus, the Messiah, the promised King of Israel, has come!

But we read in Matthew that this King did not come to earth as a mighty war leader, as most Jews expected. He came as a baby born not into royalty or power but into an average, first-century Jewish family. Matthew shows that even though Jesus's coming was not what most people expected, this was always God's plan, and He had always been at work in the details of history to bring it about.

What Does This Mean for Me?

Like Matthew and the other Israelites of his day, you may feel like things haven't gone according to your expectations. Maybe you're struggling with grades or facing challenges with friends and classmates. Maybe your family has been through difficulties-maybe you've seen someone close to you face an illness or have lost a loved one.

When these things happen, we may worry and feel like all hope is lost. But the same God at work in history before Jesus's birth continues to work in our lives today. Therefore, we can have peace, knowing that He is in control of all things. And even when life doesn't go according to plan, we can remember that nothing is outside of God's sovereign plans.

Romans 8.28 tells us, 

"All things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." 

Jesus, the true King, came to earth to show us that this is true. Though humans fail again and again, Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose from the grave to show us that He is working all things together for good, and He will one day return, bringing with Him everlasting peace.

Application Questions

In what specific areas of your life have you faced disappointment? How might you trust God with those areas?

How does knowing that God was at work in history before Jesus's birth give you peace about His work in your own life?

Pray and ask God to reveal how Jesus's coming might offer you peace in the midst of any disappointment you may be experiencing.