Highlight Joseph’s role as “father” to Jesus was to protect his family. After the visit from the wise men, an angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt in order to protect Jesus from King Herod. Joseph’s immediate action is to safeguard his family and specifically Jesus. “So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt” (v14). Scholars note that this phrasing of “the child” first is not typical. But it highlights the choice Joseph made to trust in God’s plan and protection of their - God’s and Joseph’s - son.  Read More

Highlight Luke was a doctor, a close friend of Paul, and a Gentile Christian. While writing his letters, he focused on an audience that was like him - a gentile. Luke is the only Gospel writer to include world history events in his account. By doing so he authenticated the events that happened.  Read More

Highlight Out of the four Gospels, Matthew and Luke are the only two to give accounts of the birth of Jesus. Mark and John jump right into the action of Jesus’ ministry. But Matthew and Luke take the time to set the stage for their audiences. Matthew focuses on Joseph and Luke focuses on Mary, because they were writing to two different audiences.  Read More

Welcome to Week Five of the Dark Horses: Overlooked Heroes Reading Plan! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which you can find information about right here. A unique, and perhaps unexpected theme of the historical accounts compiled in the Bible is what appears to be God’s particular affinity for the underdog. Throughout Scripture we see God choose unlikely people to become His primary tool to impact the outcomes of seismic events in Israel’s history, and in turn the history of our world.  Read More

Highlight “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (45:7). Where did Joseph get this perspective? Where did he get the strength to forgive his brothers?   Read More

Highlight Have you ever experienced one of those moments when something does not go quite to plan and you wonder if it is because of that one thing that happened years ago? Joseph’s brothers felt that in these chapters, because “They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother.’ (42:21).” Their task was simple - go to Egypt and buy grain  Read More