Matthew: The King Unveiled (Randy)

We continue our study of Matthew with chapter 17, The King Unveiled. In three short scenes, Matthew shows us a king whose glory leads to a cross rather than a throne, whose power flows to the desperate and empty-handed rather than the trained and capable, and who pays a debt he doesn't owe rather than claim the rights he has. Each scene corrects the picture we naturally bring to Jesus and asks whether we can follow a king who looks nothing like the one we expected.

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Matthew: The King at Work (Chris)

Chapters 15 and 16 of Matthew’s Gospel find Jesus actively engaged with a variety of people, from religious leaders to the crowds following him everywhere. The key event is when Jesus confirms to his disciples that He is the Messiah and then upends their expectations of what His kingdom will be like. We will continue to explore the central questions in Matthew: who is Jesus, and what does it mean to live as a citizen of His kingdom?

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Handout

Matthew: A Tale of Two Kings (Randy)

This week we return to Matthew with chapter 14 — A Tale of Two Kings. Herod and Jesus appear side by side in the same chapter, and the contrast is stark: one king kills an innocent man to save face at a dinner party, while the other feeds thousands from nothing and walks on water through a storm. The question Matthew puts to us is not whether power corrupts, but whether there is a King who is different — and what that means for us.

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Matthew: Explaining the Kingdom (Chris)

In Matthew 13, Jesus explains the nature of the kingdom of heaven using parables. For us, these teachings reveal hidden truths about faith and following Christ. They also explain the purpose of the church in this age before the full kingdom appears. Come and explore your place in Christ's kingdom.

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Handout

Matthew: Mystery of the Kingdom (Randy)

We turn to Matthew 13 and the mystery of the Kingdom. Why does Jesus suddenly start teaching in parables? Why do some people hear Him and lean in, while others hear the same words and walk away unbothered? We'll work through the Parable of the Sower, the parable that unlocks all the others, and finish with the treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price. The question underneath all of it: the Kingdom is here, but do we recognize what we're looking at?

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Matthew: Reactions to the King (Chris)

In this lesson, we will study “Reactions to the King” from Matthew 11–12. In these two chapters, the evidence for Jesus as the Messiah is clear, yet the responses are strikingly different. From John the Baptist’s honest doubt, to the crowds’ indifference, to the growing opposition of the religious leaders, these chapters show that the key issue of faith is not the lack of evidence, but the condition of the human heart. We will also see Christ’s gracious invitation to come to Him and what it means to live as citizens of His kingdom. Join us as we consider how we are responding to the King.

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Handout

Matthew: The King's Mission (Randy)

In this lesson, we explore Matthew 10 and the Mission of the King’s People. What does it mean to be sent by Jesus into our everyday lives? We’ll look at how mission flows from identity, why faithfulness may involve real cost, and how we can trust God even when obedience feels risky.

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