Tag: The King and His Kingdom

  • The Royal Mandate, Matthew Part 6 of 7

    The Royal Mandate, Matthew Part 6 of 7

    The Royal Mandate

    Welcome back to The King and His Kingdom. We have journeyed from Jesus’ royal identity to His fulfilment of Scripture, His global rescue, His formation of a new family, and His unfailing presence with His people. Each part has carried us forward — not toward an ending, but toward a beginning.

    Now we arrive at the sixth movement: the risen King sends His people. Matthew closes his Gospel with a royal command that defines the church’s identity and purpose. The King does not only call people into His Kingdom — He sends them into the world under His authority.

    This is the heart of Part 6: the church is sent — making disciples is our mission and purpose.

    What Matthew Teaches

    Matthew shows that the risen Jesus gathers His disciples on a mountain — a familiar place where God reveals His purposes. The One who once walked to the cross now stands alive. His authority spans heaven and earth. Nothing lies outside His rule.

    On that foundation, He gives His disciples their task. They are to go, baptise, and teach — not merely spreading ideas but forming disciples who live under His commands. This is not a suggestion. It is a royal commission.

    To baptise in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is to bring people into a new identity. Their lives now belong to God Himself. They are drawn into the life of the Trinity — welcomed into fellowship with the Father through the work of the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

    To teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded is to nurture a new way of life. Discipleship is not momentary; it is lifelong. It forms whole lives under the gracious rule of the King.

    This mission is global. The disciples are sent to “all nations.” Jesus does not limit the scope to one people or place. The grace of the King extends across every boundary. Matthew began his Gospel by naming Jesus as the One who would save His people from their sins. He ends it by sending His followers with that same message into the world.

    Matthew notes that some of the disciples worshipped while others hesitated. Their uncertainty did not disqualify them. Jesus did not send them away or replace them. Instead, He grounded them in His authority and entrusted His mission to them. The weight of the mission does not rest on their inner strength; it rests on Him.

    At the heart of this mission lies a great promise: Jesus will be with His people until the end of the age. The command and the promise belong together. The church goes because the King leads. The church speaks because the King empowers. His authority sends, and His presence sustains.

    The Spirit Who Enables

    Matthew shows that the mission Jesus entrusts to His people is not carried out in human power alone. Earlier, when He first sent His disciples out, He told them they need not worry about what to say when they were brought before authorities. In that moment, what they needed would be given to them. They would speak yet not speak alone. The Spirit of their Father would speak through them (Matthew 10:19–20).

    This reveals something vital. The King who commands His people to go also gives them divine help. The Holy Spirit upholds their mission. The disciples are not left to invent strategies to make their words effective. The Holy Spirit Himself enables their witness. False confidence is emptied; God supplies what is needed.

    When Jesus later commands baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, He makes this truth unmistakable. The mission is rooted in the life of God. The Spirit’s work is not an optional influence but God’s gracious provision. He strengthens, guides, and gives courage to fearful hearts so that they may bear witness with truth and love.

    The King sends, and the Spirit enables.

    Why This Matters

    Matthew teaches that discipleship is not private. The risen King does not call His people into a quiet corner to reflect privately on what He has done. He sends them into the world to make disciples — beginning in their homes and cities and stretching to every land.

    This outward movement is not driven by guilt or pressure, but by the authority of Jesus and the enabling power of the Spirit. The One who commands is the One who remains. His rule is not distant; His presence is active.

    This matters because it aligns us with God’s purpose. From the opening chapters, Matthew has shown that Jesus came to save. Now, at the end, Jesus sends His followers to share that salvation. The church’s mission arises not from human creativity but from the King Himself.

    Discipleship touches every part of life. To be baptised is to belong to God. To be taught to obey is to live under the King. Jesus’ commands are not burdensome; they reveal the way of life we were made for. Discipleship is not simply learning about Jesus but learning to walk with Him.

    This mission also matters because it is global. The Gospel carries dignity across cultures. It does not erase them but welcomes them into the Kingdom. Every person is invited; no nation is too distant.

    The promise of Jesus’ presence gives unshakable hope. He does not send His people alone. He walks with them, opening hearts as they speak. Their confidence does not rest on what they can accomplish but on who He is. Even when opposition arises, the Spirit of the Father speaks through His people. He enables what He commands.

    This truth frees us from self-reliance. The mission is not carried by human charisma, planning, or strength. It is carried by the King and empowered by His Spirit. Our role is obedience; His presence gives power.

    Hope and Challenge

    The Great Commission lifts our eyes beyond ourselves. For believers, it brings dignity and clarity. Whether speaking to a neighbour, encouraging another believer, or quietly serving, every act offered to Christ participates in this mission. Nothing is wasted.

    The challenge is real. Some feel hesitant or fearful. Yet Matthew records that even among those who bowed in worship, some doubted. Jesus sent them anyway — and promised to be with them. Our frailty does not cancel His calling.

    For seekers, this is an invitation. The King who sends His people is the same King who invites all to follow Him. To become a disciple is to receive forgiveness, to learn His ways, and to walk with Him. The Spirit does not simply help those already strong; He strengthens those who come weak.

    The mission is vast, but no one is sent alone. The King goes with His people. The Spirit speaks through them. The Father holds them fast.

    Conclusion

    Matthew does not end with a farewell. He ends with a command and a promise. The risen Jesus, with all authority, sends His followers to make disciples among all nations, baptising in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to live under His gracious instruction.

    The church is therefore not merely gathered — it is sent. Its mission is not rooted in human cleverness but in the authority of the King. Its power does not rise from within but from the Spirit of the Father who speaks through His people. Its hope does not rest on circumstance but on the promise of Jesus’ unshakeable presence.

    The mission is global.
    The power is divine.
    The King is with His people — always.

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  • The Unseen Presence That Holds Us Together. Matthew 5 of 7

    The Unseen Presence That Holds Us Together. Matthew 5 of 7

    Welcome back to The King and His Kingdom, our journey through the Gospel of Matthew. In Part 4, we saw that Jesus gathers His people into a new spiritual family. Today, we ask a vital question: what keeps this family together?

    History is filled with movements that began with passion and purpose, only to fade. Human communities fracture under pressure. Success often seems to depend on gifted leaders, organisation, and resources. If the church were merely human, it would be no different.

    Matthew gives the answer: the church endures because Jesus Himself remains present with His people. He does not simply found His church — He continues to build, sustain, guide, and protect it.

    This is the heart of Part 5: the King who calls His people also stays with His people.

    The Builder Who Stays

    When Jesus first speaks of His church, He declares that He will build it and nothing — not death, spiritual opposition, or human weakness — will overthrow it. The emphasis is not on what His followers can achieve but on what He will do.

    This means the church is not a memorial to what Jesus did long ago. It is His living work today. Its foundation, growth, and endurance depend on His ongoing activity.

    This truth protects us from a subtle misunderstanding: that belonging to Christ depends on formal enrolment in an institution. Many faithful believers are sometimes treated as “outsiders” simply because they have not signed a membership form — yet Scripture teaches that union with Christ is what joins a person to His church. He builds His people, not bureaucracy. Because Jesus Himself is the builder, the church does not ultimately rest on human strength. Strategies and structures may help, but they are not the foundation. Christ is. This gives relief to weary believers and offers seekers a surprising invitation: the church is sustained, not by human skill, but by a living King.

    Where Two or Three Gather

    How does Jesus stay with His people now that He has ascended?
    Matthew records His promise that wherever even a few gather in His name, He is there.

    He does not require impressive crowds, grand buildings, or formal structures. His presence rests upon people united in His name — even two or three. A small group praying; friends encouraging each other; believers sharing a meal — Christ Himself is there.

    His presence is not symbolic. He actively strengthens, teaches, convicts, comforts, and leads by His Spirit. The same Jesus who walked among His disciples now walks among His gathered people.

    This transforms our understanding of church. We do not gather to honour an absent founder. We gather to meet with a present King. Every act of worship is shaped by His nearness. For seekers, this is an invitation: the church is not merely a historical remembrance. It is a living space where Jesus continues to make Himself known.

    The Presence That Holds Us Together

    Jesus’ presence is not only comfort — it is power. It is how the church endures in a broken world.

    Matthew shows this in Jesus’ instructions for dealing with relational conflict among believers. If someone sins, Jesus gives a process for pursuing restoration: private conversation, then witnesses if needed, and ultimately the church. He affirms that what His church binds or releases on earth is recognised in heaven — and He immediately reminds them of His presence.

    This is crucial. Jesus is present even in difficult moments — not only in worship but in messy situations where sin, hurt, and misunderstanding threaten to tear relationships apart. His presence gives wisdom, conviction, and grace so that reconciliation is possible.

    Human communities often fracture because we cannot fully heal wounds or overcome deep hurt. But Jesus sustains His church with a power we do not possess on our own. Because He is present, forgiveness, healing, and unity become possible.

    For believers wounded by church conflict, this offers hope: Christ has not abandoned His people. He remains at work, even when relationships feel strained.
    For seekers, it is honesty: the church is imperfect, yet it endures because a perfect King keeps it.

    Even here, Matthew shows that Jesus’ presence among His people is not merely comforting; it is empowering. Earlier, when He sent His disciples out, He assured them that they would not speak on their own when they faced pressure or opposition. In those moments, the Spirit of their Father would speak through them (Matthew 10:19–20). His presence therefore comes to His people by the Holy Spirit — giving wisdom, courage, and the words they need. The King does not merely stay near; He actively strengthens His church from within.

    The Presence That Carries the Mission

    Matthew ends with Jesus commissioning His disciples to make disciples among all nations — baptising and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded. It is an enormous task. They were few, ordinary, and about to face significant opposition.

    But Jesus closes Matthew’s Gospel with a promise: He will be with His people until the end of the age.

    This promise is not occasional or conditional. His presence is constant and lasting — for as long as His mission continues.

    This is what makes the mission possible. The church does not go into the world relying on human innovation or relevance. It goes with the authority and presence of the risen King. He opens hearts, builds His church in every culture, and sustains His people across generations.

    This is why the church has endured opposition, persecution, and cultural upheaval for two millennia. The church survives because Jesus is with His people, always.

    For believers, this brings relief: the weight of the mission does not fall on personal ability. We obey, but Jesus builds.
    For seekers, the endurance of the global church is itself evidence — despite countless attempts to destroy it, it stands because Christ holds it.

    What This Means for Us

    Because Jesus is present with His people:

    • The church is not a human organisation trying to preserve a memory.
    • When we gather, we truly meet with Him.
    • When conflict arises, He guides, convicts, and restores.
    • When we go on mission, we go with a King who never leaves.

    This gives profound security. The church will not fail because its King cannot fail.
    It also offers a clear invitation. The God who rules heaven and earth is not distant. He is near, active, and inviting people into His family.

    The King Who Never Leaves

    Jesus is the King who does not save from a distance.
    He saves — and He stays.

    • He builds His church
    • He is present wherever His people gather
    • He sustains His people through every struggle
    • He guarantees the future of His mission

    What holds the church together is not human strength, creativity, or organisation.
    It is the unseen presence of Jesus — the living King who never leaves His people.

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  • More Than a Crowd. Matthew 4 of 7

    More Than a Crowd. Matthew 4 of 7

    Jesus’s Call to a New Community.

    Welcome back to “The King and His Kingdom,” our seven-part journey through the Gospel of Matthew. In the first three parts, we have encountered Jesus as the promised King—the fulfilment of ancient hopes, the One who extends God’s rescue from Israel to all nations.

    Now a deeply personal question emerges: What happens when we respond to His invitation?

    We live in an age of unprecedented connection, yet profound isolation. The human heart aches for belonging, for community, for family. We were not made to be alone.

    Many imagine faith as something private and individual—a quiet arrangement between the soul and God. But Matthew reveals something far richer. When Jesus calls people to Himself, He does not gather scattered individuals. He forms a family.

    This is the heart of Part 4: To follow Jesus is to belong—to Him, and to His people.

    The Open Invitation.

    Every family has a doorway. For the family of Jesus, that doorway is His invitation in Matthew 11:28:

    “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

    The only qualification is need.

    Jesus does not call the strong, the sorted, or the spiritually impressive. He invites the exhausted—those carrying burdens too heavy to bear, those who have reached the end of themselves. This is astonishing grace. To enter His rest, we do not first make ourselves worthy. We simply come.

    Notice the invitation is not to a system, a philosophy, or a set of rules, but to a Person: “Come to Me.” Jesus Himself is the source of rest. He offers what no religion, achievement, or human effort can provide.

    This new community begins not with accomplishment, but with welcome. Not with status, but with need. Not with perfection, but with honesty. Every member stands on the same ground: all come weary, all receive grace. This shatters our ideas of self-sufficiency. The family of God is built not on our strength, but on our shared need for His mercy.

    For anyone seeking, this is breathtaking news. You do not have to fix yourself to be welcomed. You are invited in your weariness.

    From Crowd to Called.

    Early in Matthew’s Gospel, large crowds follow Jesus. They listen, marvel, and press close. But as His ministry unfolds, something shifts. Jesus begins calling individuals to walk with Him—to learn, to leave old lives behind, to share life together.

    A gentle distinction forms: the crowd listens; the disciples belong.

    As these disciples follow Jesus from village to village, they are shaped together—not only by His words, but by shared experience. This prepares them for a moment when Jesus reveals the new reality He is bringing into existence.

    The Called-Out Ones.

    At Caesarea Philippi, after months of walking with Jesus, Peter makes the great confession: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

    Jesus responds with a profound promise in Matthew 16:18: “On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

    This is the first time the word “church” appears in Matthew’s Gospel. The word Jesus uses is ekklesia—a Greek term that does not describe a building or an event, but a people. A called-out assembly.

    We are the ekklesia: the called-out ones.

    This is the core idea. God is calling people out of isolation, out of the kingdoms of this world, and into a new spiritual family. This family is not defined by bloodline, nationality, or social standing. It is defined by one thing: faith in Christ. We are a family built on the shared confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

    Three truths emerge from Jesus’s promise:

    Jesus Builds. “I will build My church.” The church does not begin with human initiative. It is His work. He gathers, He forms, He sustains. This is an incredible comfort. The community we belong to is not held together by our feeble efforts but by the power of the King Himself.

    It Belongs to Him. “My church.” This family carries His name. Its identity is rooted in Christ—not in heritage, ability, or accomplishment.

    It Will Stand. “The gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Even the powers of death and darkness cannot destroy what Jesus establishes. This family has a divine guarantee.

    We belong not because we hold tightly, but because He does. This speaks directly to our need for belonging. We are not merely admirers of Jesus; we are members of His household. To be a Christian is to be part of a “we.”

    A Family with a Mission.

    This new community is not called to be an inward-only fellowship. Jesus gathers—and then He sends.

    After His resurrection, the King gives His family their purpose in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

    The invitation of Matthew 11 becomes the commission of Matthew 28. Those who have found rest now extend that rest to others. Those who have been welcomed now welcome.

    This connects everything. The new community of faith is the very instrument God uses to accomplish His global rescue plan. Following Jesus is not a solo activity, because the mission He gives us is not a solo mission. We are called to go together, to make disciples together, to baptise new members into this family together.

    This is not work for isolated believers. Jesus gives this commission to His gathered disciples. It is communal work—obeyed together, lived together, shared together. We grow by supporting one another. We persevere by encouraging one another. We reach the world by going together.

    The church is both the fruit of the mission—new people welcomed—and the instrument of the mission—disciples making disciples. Christ builds His family; His family carries His invitation to the world.

    Belonging in a Restless World.

    Loneliness wears many faces. It can settle in a crowded room. It can linger in a busy life.

    Jesus meets that ache with Himself—and with His people. He calls the weary to rest. He calls the lost into His household. He calls the alone into communion.

    This means we are not meant to carry our burdens alone. We are not meant to struggle alone, grow alone, or serve alone. Faith is never merely “me and Jesus.” It is “Jesus—and us with Him.”

    To follow Christ is to step into a shared life. A life of encouragement, prayer, learning, forgiveness, patience, and mission. In this family, every believer receives a place. No one is unnecessary. No one is forgotten.

    For seekers, this family welcomes you. The Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for all who know they are weary and burdened. It is a place to belong.

    For believers, this is a vital reminder. Do not try to live this life alone. You were not meant to. You have been brought into a new spiritual family. The fellowship of the ekklesia is not optional; it is the God-designed context for your faith, your rest, and your mission.

    More Than a Crowd.

    Jesus calls us into something deeper than interest or admiration. He forms a spiritual household.

    A family that begins with invitation: “Come to Me.”

    A family built on confession: “You are the Messiah.”

    A family held secure by the One who builds it: “I will build My church.”

    A family sent with purpose: “Go and make disciples.”

    What an astonishing King—who not only saves us, but adopts us, gathers us, and calls us His very own family.

    Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

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  • The Great Unfolding: Matthew Part 2 of 7.

    The Great Unfolding: Matthew Part 2 of 7.

    The Great Unfolding: How Jesus Fulfils God’s Ancient Promises.

    Have you ever picked up a book and felt like you started in the middle? The characters have histories you don’t know, and events are unfolding based on a backstory you missed. For many, opening the New Testament can feel like this. A man named Jesus of Nazareth appears, and the world is never the same. But where did He come from? Was His arrival a sudden, unexpected event, or was it the long-awaited climax of a story that began thousands of years before?

    The Gospel of Matthew answers this with a resounding declaration: Jesus did not appear in a vacuum. He is the stunning fulfilment of a story God began telling in the very first pages of the Old Testament. This post, the second in the series “The King and His Kingdom,” explores how Matthew builds a powerful bridge between the Old and New Testaments. We will see that Jesus is the ultimate answer to the hopes, the laws, and the prophecies of God’s ancient people. He is not the start of a new story, but the glorious chapter for which the entire world had been waiting.

    A Royal Tapestry Woven Through Time.

    Matthew begins his Gospel not with a miracle or a sermon, but with a list of names. The genealogy in Matthew 1:1–17 can seem dense, perhaps even skippable. Yet, in this careful tracing of ancestry, Matthew is making one of the most profound claims in history. He opens with, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” In one sentence, he connects Jesus to the two most significant figures in Israel’s history.

    This is not just a family tree; it is a royal and covenantal lineage. By linking Jesus to Abraham, Matthew asserts that Jesus is the ultimate heir to the covenant promise God made to Abraham—that through his offspring, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. By linking Jesus to David, Matthew declares that Jesus is the long-awaited King, the rightful heir to the throne of Israel, the Messiah who would reign forever.

    The forty-two generations listed are a testament to God’s faithfulness through centuries of victory, failure, exile, and silence. Each name is a stitch in a divine tapestry, a story of God preserving a specific lineage for a singular purpose. This list demonstrates that Jesus’s arrival wasn’t an accident of history. It was a divine appointment, meticulously planned and sovereignly guided from the very beginning. This unbroken line is the first and most foundational plank in the bridge between the Testaments, establishing Jesus not as a rogue teacher, but as the legitimate, long-promised King.

    Whispers of Prophecy, Now a Resounding Voice.

    If the genealogy is the structural foundation of the bridge, the fulfilment of prophecy is its unbreakable support. Throughout the opening chapters of his Gospel, Matthew repeatedly uses a powerful phrase: “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.” He is showing his readers that the key events of Jesus’s birth and early life were not random. They were, in fact, the echoes of ancient prophetic words coming to pass with breathtaking accuracy.

    Consider the evidence Matthew presents. The miraculous conception of Jesus is shown to be the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (Matthew 1:22–23). When the wise men seek the newborn king, the scribes know exactly where to direct them, quoting the prophet Micah: “in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet” (Matthew 2:4–5).

    The pattern continues with astonishing consistency. The family’s flight to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath is not merely a desperate act of survival; it is the fulfilment of Hosea’s words, “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Matthew 2:15). Even the horrific tragedy of the slaughter of innocent children in Bethlehem was foreseen, as Matthew notes, “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet” (Matthew 2:17). Finally, the family’s decision to settle in the obscure town of Nazareth brings to pass what was “spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:23).

    These are not isolated coincidences. Matthew is building an irrefutable case. He is demonstrating that God was so intimately involved in the details of the Messiah’s arrival that He announced the specifics centuries in advance through His chosen messengers. The entire Old Testament, in this light, becomes a map pointing to one specific person, in one specific place, at one specific time.

    Not to Abolish, but to Complete.

    Lest anyone misunderstand His purpose, Jesus Himself addresses His relationship to the Old Testament in one of the most important passages in all of Scripture. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declares, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17).

    This statement is the key that unlocks the unity of the entire Bible. Jesus did not come to discard the Old Testament as something outdated or irrelevant. He came to be its very substance and goal. The moral law given to Moses revealed God’s holy character and the perfect standard of righteousness—a standard no one could perfectly keep. Jesus came and lived that perfect, sinless life, fulfilling the law’s demands in His own person. The sacrificial system, with its intricate rituals, pointed to the need for atonement for sin. Jesus became the ultimate and final sacrifice, fulfilling the purpose of every animal ever offered on the altar.

    The Prophets spoke of a coming King, a suffering servant, a righteous judge, and a merciful saviour. Jesus embodies all of these roles. He is the true and better King David, the prophet greater than Moses, the priest in the order of Melchizedek. He doesn’t erase the old story; He is its intended meaning. He makes sense of it all. He goes on to say that true righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20), a righteousness that is impossible on our own but is made possible through Him—the very fulfilment of the Law.

    One Story, One King.

    From the first verse of his Gospel, Matthew masterfully demonstrates that the story of Jesus is the story of God’s faithfulness. The genealogy establishes His legal right to the throne. The fulfilled prophecies confirm His divine identity. His own words proclaim His ultimate purpose. Jesus is the bridge that connects God’s ancient promises with their glorious reality.

    For the believer, this truth provides an unshakable foundation for faith. Our hope is not in a recently invented philosophy, but in a God who makes promises and keeps them across the span of human history. It allows us to see the Bible not as a collection of disconnected books, but as one beautiful, cohesive, and perfect story of redemption, culminating in Christ.

    For the seeker, this presents a compelling truth. The Christian faith is deeply rooted in history and prophecy. The claims about Jesus are not made in a vacuum; they are presented as the intentional, sovereignly orchestrated climax of a story God set in motion at the dawn of time. He is the answer to the questions the Old Testament raises, the hope it looks forward to, and the King it promises. He is the great unfolding of God’s perfect plan.

    Coming Soon.

    Part 3: The Global Rescue Plan.

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  • The Royal Portrait. Matthew Part 1 of 7

    The Royal Portrait. Matthew Part 1 of 7

    Welcome to the first part of my new series, The King, and His Kingdom: A 7-Part Journey into the Heart of the Gospel. Over the next seven posts, we will walk through the Gospel of Matthew, exploring its central, breathtaking theme: the identity of Jesus as the true King and the nature of His heavenly kingdom. There is no more fundamental question a person can ask than, “Who is Jesus?” Our culture offers many answers: a good teacher, a moral example, a prophet, a revolutionary. But the author Matthew, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has a singular, unambiguous purpose. He presents us with a royal portrait, meticulously crafted to demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is none other than the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the rightful King with all authority over heaven and earth.

    For those of you who are exploring Christianity, this post seeks to answer that foundational question directly from the historical record. For those who are already followers of Christ, this is a call to return to the heart of our faith—to stand in awe once more and to worship Jesus not just as Saviour, but as the reigning King of every aspect of our lives. Let us begin this journey by looking at the very first strokes of Matthew’s masterpiece.

    The King’s Royal Lineage.

    Matthew does not begin his account with a miracle or a sermon. He begins with a list of names, a genealogy. He opens with these momentous words: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). In these first few words, Matthew lays his royal cards on the table. The title “son of David” is not merely a statement of ancestry; it is a profound theological and royal claim. It was to King David that God had made an everlasting promise of a descendant who would sit on his throne forever. For centuries, Israel had waited for this promised King, this Messiah who would restore all things. By starting here, Matthew is declaring from the outset that the wait is over. Jesus is not an unexpected character in history; He is the culmination of it, the legal heir to the throne of Israel. This is His birthright.

    The King’s Royal Birth.

    A king’s arrival is never an ordinary event, and the birth of Jesus was prophesied and heralded in a way that confirms His unique royal status. Matthew draws our attention to the ancient prophecy of Isaiah, stating, “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23). Consider the weight of this title. This child would not just be a great human king; He would be the very presence of God dwelling among His people. He is a King of an entirely different order. His authority is not derived from human power but from His divine nature. He is God, come to rule and to save.

    This royal identity was not only understood through prophecy but was also recognized by those seeking Him. Shortly after His birth, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem with a startling question: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). It is a remarkable scene. These Gentile scholars, outsiders to the covenant promises of Israel, were guided by the heavens themselves to find and worship a newborn King. They did not come to see a baby, but to pay homage to royalty. Their quest, their gifts, and their worship all serve as a powerful testimony. From the moment of His birth, the identity of Jesus as King was being declared, not in a palace, but in a humble stable, recognized by seekers from afar.

    The King’s Royal Identity Confessed.

    As Jesus began His public ministry, the evidence of His authority became undeniable, leading those around Him to moments of stunning recognition. After witnessing Jesus walk on the turbulent sea and calm the storm with a word, His disciples, battered by the wind and waves, fell before Him in reverence. Their response was not one of mere amazement but of worship. They declared, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). They saw in that moment an authority that did not belong to a mere man. They saw a power over creation itself, a power that belongs only to the Creator, the King of all. Their fear was transformed into awe as they realized they were in the presence of divine royalty.

    This private recognition culminates in the most pivotal confession in Matthew’s Gospel. When Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was, it was Peter who gave the definitive answer: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The title “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” which means “Anointed One.” In ancient Israel, priests, prophets, and especially kings were anointed with oil as a sign of being set apart and empowered by God for their task. Peter’s declaration was a thunderclap. He was saying, “You are the one. You are the long-prophesied, God-anointed King.” This was the secret now being revealed, the truth upon which Christ would build His entire church. It is the core confession of a believer: Jesus is the rightful, anointed King.

    The King’s Royal Presence and Proclamation.

    The kingship of Jesus is not a distant, abstract concept. It is a present reality. He Himself promised an intimacy unknown with earthly rulers: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). The King is present with His people. He presides over every gathering, no matter how small. His authority and presence are not confined to a temple or a throne room; they are accessible to all who come together under His name. This is the nature of His rule—it is personal, relational, and ever-present.

    Finally, near the end of His earthly ministry, the King who was declared at birth and confessed in private receives His public welcome into the royal city, Jerusalem. This event, known as the Triumphal Entry, was a direct and deliberate fulfilment of prophecy. Matthew records, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden’” (Matthew 21:5). He does not come on a warhorse as a worldly conqueror, but in humility on a donkey, a symbol of peace. And the people understand. They lay their cloaks and branches on the road, a traditional welcome for a king, and they cry out with the royal psalm: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). “Hosanna” is a plea, “Save us now!” and they direct it to the “Son of David,” the royal heir. In this moment, all the threads of Matthew’s portrait come together in a public proclamation. The King has come to His city.

    From the first verse to this climactic entry, Matthew’s purpose is clear: to present Jesus as the King. His lineage gives Him the legal right, His birth marks Him as divine, His followers confess Him as the Anointed One, and the crowds welcome Him as their prophesied ruler. The evidence is laid before us. The question that remains is not about His identity, but about our response. Will we, like the wise men, seek Him and worship Him? Will we, like Peter, confess Him as the King, the Christ? Will we make Him the King, not just in theory, but of our very lives? This is the invitation of Matthew’s royal portrait.

    Coming soon.

    Part 2: The Story That Never Ended.

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