Week 42 Reading Guide
The Arrival of the King
Matthew 1-21
Big Idea: This week, we begin the Gospel of Matthew and encounter Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and King. Matthew presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the true Son of David, and the embodiment of God’s presence with His people. From His miraculous birth to His authoritative teaching and powerful miracles, Jesus inaugurates the Kingdom of Heaven, calling people to follow Him in faith and obedience.
Reading Plan
Monday: Matthew 1–3 (Genealogy; Birth of Jesus; the Beginning of His Ministry)
Tuesday: Matthew 4–6 (Temptation in the Wilderness; Sermon on the Mount, Pt. 1)
Wednesday: Matthew 7–9 (Sermon on the Mount, Pt. 2; Early Miracles)
Thursday: Matthew 10–12 (The Mission of the Twelve; Growing Opposition)
Friday: Matthew 13–16 (Parables of the Kingdom; Peter’s Confession)
Saturday: Matthew 17–21 (The Transfiguration; the Kingdom; the Triumphal Entry)
Weekly DNA Questions
Discover
How does Matthew show that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promises and prophecies?
What stands out to you about Jesus’ teaching and authority in these chapters?
Nurture
Where do you see yourself resisting Jesus’ kingship in your life right now?
Jesus calls His followers to live differently. Which part of the Sermon on the Mount challenges you the most?
Act
Take one teaching of Jesus from this week’s reading and practice it intentionally.
Share with someone how Jesus has been reshaping your heart and priorities through His words and actions.
Key Verse: Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Reflection for the Week
Matthew opens his Gospel with the bold claim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham. In these chapters, we see the unfolding of God’s plan through the life and ministry of Jesus — a King not seeking political power, but hearts transformed by love, truth, and sacrifice. Jesus’ teachings challenge the status quo and invite us to live in step with the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. His miracles demonstrate the power and compassion of God breaking into the world. As we follow Jesus through the early part of His ministry, we’re invited not just to admire Him, but to surrender to Him as King.
Bible Project Resources
Guide to the Book of Matthew: Jesus’ last words to his disciples are “I will be with you.” Jesus’ personal presence will be with his followers until he finally returns to rejoin Heaven and Earth and usher in the fullness of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus and Genealogies: God uses all types of people to move his plan forward. Genealogies are a portrait of an inclusive and expanding kingdom that will continue to appear throughout Matthew’s gospel.
Jesus as the New Moses: Jesus is the new prophet who establishes the new covenant not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with his own blood.
