Matthew 2:17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

Matthew is far and away the most Jewish of the Gospels. There is good literary evidence that it was originally written in Aramaic, and only later translated into Greek. Matthew goes to the most trouble to indicate how Jesus fulfilled assorted Old Testament prophecies, and I have heard that even today it is the most effective book to use in evangelizing Jews. Many are shocked that it is so Jewish! Americans don’t have much framework to understand the difference between Hebrew and Aramaic, but a fairly close analogy would be calling Hebrew “King James English,” and Aramaic, normal, every-day conversation. With all his references to fulfilled prophecy, Matthew wasn’t trying to appear erudite, he was just trying to show people that Jesus was the promised Messiah for whom they had been waiting. It’s interesting that Matthew was so well read in the Old Testament, because he was never a scribe, but rather a tax collector. That occupation would certainly not produce many Bible scholars! I think Matthew had a lot in common with John Newton, who famously wrote Amazing Grace. They both were in occupations that were considered deeply sinful by most people, but God met them where they were and overwhelmed them with His acceptance, grace, and love. It is a blessed thing indeed when we grasp the character of God without going off the deep end in the other direction first!

I have experienced God’s grace on a very personal level. I keep coming back to this, because it was a defining experience in my life. As I have said, I grew up steeped in the Bible, knowing a great deal about it even as a child, and I allowed that to lure me into spiritual pride. I thought any church I walked into was blessed! It was after I got out of the army, with a wife and one daughter at that point, that the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and, when I turned, showed me a mirror, so that for just a moment I could see the blackness of my soul. I think that’s much like what Matthew experienced when the Lord called him to follow Him, right from the outdoor tax office. I know that when it happened to me, I fell to my knees and cried out, My Lord and my God! The experience obviously transformed Matthew, and I trust it has transformed me. My task now is to draw others into the Family of God as well, not from any point of pride but with the desire that they also discover the grace and love of their Creator, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting us through the Eve candlelight service last night, and that today is Christmas day. Thank You that physically, I feel pretty miserable at the moment. Thank You for enabling me not only to lead the service last night but also to sing, which I was concerned about. Thank You that today is a relaxed schedule. Help me not waste the day, but rather do precisely what You want me to do, when and how You want me to do it, whether it’s resting or anything else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!