When Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, His followers learn how to resist the devil by following Christ's example. The key to every temptation is that Jesus wields the Word of God. As followers of Christ, we must also learn how to wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

How ought believers to walk in such a hostile world? The answer can be found in Jesus' baptism, where He came to John to be baptized so that he would be identified with sinners. Moreover, at His coronation, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the Son of God by the Father. Thus, the entire Trinity is active in Jesus' baptism.

When the Pharisees and Sadducees come to evaluate John the Baptist's ministry, they come in their pride rather than in humility. We live in a pride obsessed culture, and God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. In order to come to Jesus, therefore, we must come in humility and not in the pride of our accomplishments.

John the Baptist bursts onto the scene in preparation for the coming Messiah. Not only does he come preaching, but he comes with the same message the coming Messiah will also bring, which is, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Repentance, therefore, is at the heart of the Gospel proclamation.

From before the birth of Jesus, Satan has tried to prevent Jesus' birth. Once Mary gave birth to Jesus, Satan worked through Herod to destroy the child, Jesus. Those who become followers of Jesus will be hated by Satan and the world he currently rules.

The four possible responses to Jesus are found in this section and are the prototype for all humanity. Herod, the people of Jerusalem, the religious elite, and the Magi all demonstrate these possible responses. May we all respond like the Magi and worship our King!

When Joseph discovered that his betrothed, Mary, was pregnant, he was placed in a difficult position. Would he divorce Mary, or was there any other way forward? We can learn a lot from Joseph's process and follow his example of humble obedience to the Lord.

The New Testament begins with a genealogy showing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. The genealogy also demonstrates that Jesus is the Savior of the World, as Matthew includes four gentile women who are providentially included into Jesus' family tree.

To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, Paul explains that you must know His will, be strengthened by His power, and be delivered by His Son.

Why does holiness matter to God and His people? God is holy and therefore requires His people to be separate from the nations and to live worthy of His calling.