Reading 30
The Light of Faithfulness—Conclusion

I am a lover of Scripture. I find great comfort in knowing that the hope and guidance found in Scripture will never expire or be exhausted. The entrance of the word of God brings light and that light will never be extinguished. No expiration, no exhausting, no extinguishing.

In the study of Matthew, we find a great light shining on the faithfulness of God, and we find the fulfillment of promise and prophecy. Matthew writes to a specific audience, but because God inspires his words, he also writes beyond that audience and reaches us. As we read the Gospel of Matthew in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, we are blessed to see just how transcendent the light of Scripture is.

The believers of Jewish heritage to whom Matthew primarily wrote would be familiar with the customs, traditions, and prophecies of God found in the Old Testament. Matthew’s Gospel resonates with those who have a deep knowledge of what God had already spoken, with those who have already heard the promises of God. The evangelist sheds a great light on Old Testament promises that come into fulfillment through Jesus, beginning with an account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Mt. 1). The Abrahamic and Davidic covenants are the first places we see the light shine in Matthew, as the writer illuminates God’s faithfulness to the covenants made with Abraham and David. The radiance and suffering of the promised Messiah are displayed throughout the Gospel of Matthew, and God’s faithfulness is continued through the new covenant.

As we journey through the Gospel of Matthew, we find a faithful creator. So, let us remember and unveil the faithfulness of God in our own lives. In Matthew we see Jesus, the promised Messiah and our glorious king. It is He who commissions us to go into all the world. We are not commissioned according to our ability or sinlessness, but according to the grace and faithfulness of God. The faithfulness of God shines bright still.

To Consider:

• Where is the faithfulness of God shining in your life?
• What scriptures in Matthew have assured you of the faithfulness of God?

God of all creation, we give you thanks for Your steadfast love. We entrust ourselves to You as a faithful creator. Help us to grasp the hope and assurance Your faithfulness brings. Amen.

Dr. Shanitria Cuthbertson serves as the Mission Developer of Emmaus, West Charlotte.