Scripture to Read: Matthew 1:18
God used eight different men to write His Word, which we know as the New Testament. Matthew was one of those writers. God used these men to reveal all He wanted us to know about Him- self as Father, Son, and Spirit. The focus for this week is on Je- sus. Jesus was 100% human, being born of a woman, and 100% God because the seed planted in Mary was from the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for all sins, for all time, and for all mankind because He was 100% human. Jesus lived a sinless life; therefore, He was able to pay the full price for the sins of all. Jesus came for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil (1 Corinthians 15:26, 54–57; 1 John 3:5, 8) and to abolish sin and death (Ephesians 2:14–16). God also used Matthew to confirm that Mary was a virgin. God tells us in Matthew 1:18 that Mary and Joseph had not been together. It’s a reference to the fact that they had never had sexual relations. We’ll see another ref- erence later, but for now, we know that God is confirming for us that Mary was definitely a virgin. As we think about the miracle that took place—God choosing to come to earth as a baby, to live in an earthly shell, to face every temptation as we do yet never to sin—so that He could pay the price for our sin is over- whelmingly astounding! The fact that God loves us (Romans 5:8) that much is truly hard to comprehend.
Challenge & Application
• What was the most significant thing you learned from the devotion today?
• How much does God love you, and who will you share this truth with who also needs to know how much God loves them?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!