In our advent series this year, we will be looking at how each of the four gospels (or four ‘Evangelists’) deal with Jesus’ coming; how they emphasise different things and encourage us with his mission. We start this week with Matthew and how he writes to persecuted Christian Jews for their reassurance. He emphasises Christ’s fulfilment of prophecy, so his readers will know that Jesus is the Messiah and King – the Promised One. The purpose of this reassurance is so they will share the good news with the whole world, and so they will be comforted in times of suffering and opposition. We need this reassurance just as much as the original recipients did, so we can spread the gospel further and have confidence in the hardships that come.
