Delve deeper into the Gospel of Matthew by exploring the historical reliability of the biblical accounts, particularly through the “criterion of embarrassment.” Meet John the Baptist, the camel-haired prophet whose simple life and piercing message of “repent” savaged the false security of the religious establishment. This sermon uncovers the profound theme of the “New Exodus,” showing how Matthew portrays Jesus’s life as the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s story. Finally, wrestle with the question of why a sinless Jesus was baptized, and discover a powerful picture of a God who fully identifies with humanity, meeting us in our “muddy waters” to be both “God with us and for us.”