Encounter the Truth

John the Baptist heralds the Lord’s arrival. Many might have expected the arrival of the Lord’s salvation to be news of pure comfort, but his arrival will actually be uncomfortable for everyone: he will refine his people and judge his enemies. The right response to the arrival of Jesus’ Kingdom is to repent—for this kingdom will be made up of those who repent and show fruit.

After baby Jesus is born, God makes him the fulfilment and embodiment of his plans for his ‘son’ Israel, whom he previously called out of Egypt. As the story progresses, we will see how he is faithful in that calling where Israel was not. Ultimately, Matthew will show us that the salvation of God’s people rests entirely on the faithfulness of Jesus in his calling to be God’s true ‘son’.

After baby Jesus is born, God makes him the fulfilment and embodiment of his plans for his ‘son’ Israel, whom he previously called out of Egypt. As the story progresses, we will see how he is faithful in that calling where Israel was not. Ultimately, Matthew will show us that the salvation of God’s people rests entirely on the faithfulness of Jesus in his calling to be God’s true ‘son’.

There is no escaping it: we will all be disappointed at times by politicians, teachers, bosses, and community leaders—people who hold the responsibility of directing us and promoting our best interests, but who turn out to be unable to carry it through. This psalmist admonishes us not to put our trust in human leaders. And then he draws our hearts to put our hope in the right place—in the Lord himself.

There is no escaping it: we will all be disappointed at times by politicians, teachers, bosses, and community leaders—people who hold the responsibility of directing us and promoting our best interests, but who turn out to be unable to carry it through. This psalmist admonishes us not to put our trust in human leaders. And then he draws our hearts to put our hope in the right place—in the Lord himself.

The Psalms of ascents speak of the journey of the people of God as they go up to Jerusalem to enjoy the Lord’s presence in his temple. You and I are not on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, of course, but you and I today know what it is to be on a journey to the place of God’s presence—we know what it is to be pilgrims and travellers, longing for our final destination—weary from the journey, anxious to arrive.

The Psalms of ascents speak of the journey of the people of God as they go up to Jerusalem to enjoy the Lord’s presence in his temple. You and I are not on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, of course, but you and I today know what it is to be on a journey to the place of God’s presence—we know what it is to be pilgrims and travellers, longing for our final destination—weary from the journey, anxious to arrive.

In many ways, the prayer of Psalm 72 was fulfilled in the life of King Solomon. But like his father, David, Solomon did not live up to all the hopes invested in him. He was not the perfect king—he was not the ultimate hope of Israel. And because no Old Testament king ever fulfilled all the hopes and promises set out in God’s Word for that perfect king, the people of Israel continued to wait and look for their Messiah to come.

In many ways, the prayer of Psalm 72 was fulfilled in the life of King Solomon. But like his father, David, Solomon did not live up to all the hopes invested in him. He was not the perfect king—he was not the ultimate hope of Israel. And because no Old Testament king ever fulfilled all the hopes and promises set out in God’s Word for that perfect king, the people of Israel continued to wait and look for their Messiah to come.

The psalmist who wrote Psalm 42 is far from home—he feels far from the people and the Lord he loves—and he is facing opposition in a hostile land. He is homesick in every way—socially, geographically, spiritually. If we have our sights set on our heavenly home—if we are longing for the day when we will see the Lord face-to-face—if we are a people who know the pressures of this world and the opposition of the Lord’s enemies—each one of us will know a feeling of spiritual homesickness—a longing for heaven.