John the Baptist’s opening words are not what we would expect from someone starting a ministry. Calling people a “brood of vipers” is not exactly a church growth strategy. But John was not interested in popularity; he was interested in preparation....
Some of the most important turning points in life happen while we’re sleeping. Joseph went to bed a refugee in Egypt and woke to a divine call to return home. But the greatest example of overnight transformation is the resurrection itself. The disciples went to...
Nazareth. A tiny agricultural community of perhaps 500 people. When Nathanael heard that Jesus was from there, he asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). This wasn’t snobbery; it was a common assumption. Nazareth was the punchline...
Joseph obeyed God and returned to Israel, only to discover that Herod’s son Archelaus now ruled Judea. One oppressor had fallen, but another had risen in his place. The threat continued. This is often how life works. We overcome one challenge only to face...
This is the fourth time in Matthew’s Gospel that we read of Joseph rising and taking the child and his mother in response to divine instruction. The angel gives a command; Joseph obeys. There’s no hesitation. No negotiation. No “Let me think about...
