I'm not sure how long this will take .  Matthew has 7 more chapters than John.  I am sure I won't be able to tackle a chapter a week like we did in Ecclesiastes, so prepare yourselves Calvary listeners...we are in for the long haul.  The book of Matthew has so many Old Testament quotes and allusions that we will be "all over the place" during this study.  As some of you know, the theme of this record is slightly different than the other three gospel accounts.  John presented Jesus as the "Son of God."  Mark presented Jesus as the "Servant of God."  Luke presented Jesus as the "Man of God."  Matthew presents Jesus as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  Jesus is simply too "big" to comprehend from one perspective.  Because Jesus is the infinite and invisible God in finite and visible flesh a full understanding of His purpose and mission is complex.  If we were going to study the "Life of Christ", we would lean heavily on what is called "the Harmony of the Gospels."  But, we are going to (as much as possible), stick with Matthew's presentation of the King and His Kingdom.  Who is this Great King, this King of Glory?  Where is His reign?  Who are His citizens?  If this Kingdom is among us, what would it look like to live as a part of this Kingdom?  These are the kinds of questions we will ask and then answer with the text.  We are not trying to give the text meaning...we are looking for the meaning of the text.  God has intentions for us, they are not hard to find.  What is required?  Repentance.  We're going to have to change the way we think about kings, kingdoms and what it looks like to live in one without a visible throne.  We're not the first ones to try this.  I hope and pray we do better than the people of Samuel's day!  Join us Sunday as we begin our study of "The King of all the Earth."

I know this is late...Saturday night submissions are not my practice but wow I have had a full week.  I am sitting outside tonight having a small "bon-fire" on my deck, sipping some de-caf and watching Diane read a book--and contemplating "liminality."  I just learned this word so don't be impressed...here's the Wiki-pedia definition, liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold") is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. During a ritual's liminal stage, participants "stand at the threshold" between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way, which the ritual establishes."  Why I am I thinking about this?  Breakfast with a friend this morning.  My parents recent move.  The birthday party the neighbors are having.  Another wedding this afternoon.  Our own anniversary coming up this week.  Baptisms tomorrow.  There are many rituals we experience and yet in the middle of them we are quite uncertain what the future will hold.  Looking back on 31 years of marriage, we were clueless on our wedding day where we would go, what we would do, who we would become.  I'm thinking of and praying for the ten people who will be baptized tomorrow.  This is their "official" profession of faith.  They are crossing a threshold of identification with Christ.  The symbol is powerful and meaningful.  After tomorrow they will no longer have the status they once had yet the fulness of what their new status will be is yet to be determined.  Thank You Father for knowing our past, present and future and for being with us every step of the way.  Have mercy on us.  Bless Your people.  Help us to faithfully walk in the new ways of Christ our Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us.  Amen.