Author: timmacbride

Summer series: Out of Egypt (Matt 2:13-16)

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During the summer, we’re doing what any good TV network does and playing mostly reruns. If you joined Coffee with the King part-way through 2015, this will give you the opportunity to catch up on some previous series. Either search the archives, or binge-read through previous notes on Matthew’s Gospel in chronological order, which will be freshly re-posted each day. (There will also be a few never-before-read episodes starting tomorrow, when we get to chapter 4, so look out for them.)

Earlier this week, we saw one example of how Matthew takes time out from telling the story of Jesus to draw out parallels with events in the Old Testament. “That reminds me of the time when…” There’s often an immediate surface connection between the New Testament story and the Old Testament reference – for example, place names, or key words. But the primary connection is big-picture. It’s in the continuity between the way God worked in the history of Israel, and in the life of Jesus.

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Summer series: Epiphany (Matt 2:1-12)

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During the summer, we’re doing what any good TV network does and playing mostly reruns. If you joined Coffee with the King part-way through 2015, this will give you the opportunity to catch up on some previous series. Either search the archives, or binge-read through previous notes on Matthew’s Gospel in chronological order, which will be freshly re-posted each day. (There will also be a few never-before-read episodes starting Friday, when we get to chapter 4, so look out for them.) 

Today, we look at the story of the wise men, right on January 6 (traditionally celebrated as the day they turned up). You’d think I planned it that way. Read Matt 2:1-12 before we begin.

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Summer series: The Sign of Immanuel – Part 2 (Matt 1:18-25)

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During the summer, we’re doing what any good TV network does and playing mostly reruns. If you joined Coffee with the King part-way through 2015, this will give you the opportunity to catch up on some previous series. Either search the archives, or binge-read through previous notes on Matthew’s Gospel in chronological order, which will be freshly re-posted each day. (There will also be a few never-before-read episodes starting Friday, when we get to chapter 4, so look out for them.)

Yesterday, we saw the Old Testament background to the famous “sign of Immanuel” in Matthew 1:22-23. You need to read that post for today to make sense. Because in it, we saw that just like God was with Ahaz for his good, so God is with us in Jesus for our good. And yet, there’s another side to this sign.

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Summer series: The Sign of Immanuel – Part 1 (Matt 1:18-25)

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Welcome back for 2016! During the summer, we’re doing what any good TV network does and playing mostly reruns. If you joined Coffee with the King part-way through 2015, this will give you the opportunity to catch up on some previous series. Either search the archives, or binge-read through previous notes on Matthew’s Gospel in chronological order, which will be freshly re-posted each day. (There will also be a few never-before-read episodes starting Friday, when we get to chapter 4, so look out for them.)

Before we begin, read Matt 1:18-25.

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New App for Coffee with the King

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For 2016 we launch a new free app for Coffee with the King, hosted by AppMakr.com. It works on all Android devices and on iPhones. (It’s not compatible with iPads, but the website should display OK on them anyway.)

How do you download it? The easiest way is to follow these links on your device:

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appmakr.coffeewiththeking

iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/coffee-with-the-king-app/id1057255938?mt=8

Or you can search for it by using:

Android: “coffeewiththeking” no spaces, don’t ask why.

iPhone: “coffee with the king” with spaces.

A Very Coffee Christmas

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Coffee with the King is taking an early Christmas break. (According to the website stats, many of you have been, too!) A trip to a conference in the USA, followed by a quick bout of man ‘flu, made it a little harder to keep up with the writing schedule than I’d anticipated.

We’ll return after the new year with some reposts through Matthew’s Gospel during the summer, as I have a manuscript to finalise for a new book coming out next year. Brand new Coffee with the King will return Wednesday January 27 (just after Australia Day).

Wishing you and yours all the best for Christmas as you persist in swimming against the cultural current in order to make it all about Jesus.

Enduring in Ministry – Part Two (2 Tim 4:9-22)

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We’ve come to our final day looking at 2 Timothy. Yesterday, we saw that our endurance in ministry shouldn’t be left up to other Christians. Because they’ll often let us down. They let Paul down, so why should we expect it to be any different with us?

But today, we look at the flip-side to this: how other Christians can often be a great support in ministry, helping us to endure.

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Enduring in Ministry – Part One (2 Tim 4:9-22)

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The last part of Paul’s second letter to Timothy is what’s often called the personalia section of a letter. I like to call it “epistolary shrapnel.” It’s the bit you don’t want to have to preach on because most of it seems very specific to the first-century situation, there’s often little in the way of a unifying theme, and it’s full of foreign names you have to pronounce like you know what you’re doing. And that’s where we’re at today.

But take heart: I think there is a unifying theme. It’s just a bit of a depressing one, in one sense, in that it shows Paul being let down by his fellow Christians. But it also reminds us not to allow the behaviour of other people in our church or in our ministry team to determine how we minister, or how we evaluate our ministry, or whether in fact we endure in ministry.

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Ministry is Sacrifice (2 Tim 4:6-8)

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Over the last two days we’ve seen Paul warn Timothy that if he fulfils his commission to be a faithful teacher, he’ll face opposition. He’ll need to endure. And so, at the end of this charge to Timothy, he reflects on his own life. His endurance. And the sacrifice that is Christian ministry.

Ministry is sacrifice

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

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Faithful teaching – Part Four (2 Tim 4:3-5)

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We ended last week with Paul’s charge to Timothy, encouraging him to follow Paul’s example in being a faithful teacher. As well as teaching by example, teaching confidence in the truth, and teaching behaviour (not just knowledge), we saw that faithful teachers continue teaching even when the teaching isn’t received well. We proclaim the message “in season and out of season” – but, we were reminded, with “great patience and careful instruction.”

Today, we see Paul telling Timothy why the season for God’s word may be unfavourable:

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