JesusX30 Challenge—Scene 1: THE BIRTH OF THE KING
1. Key Texts
• Luke 1:5–80
• Matthew 1:1–25
• John 1:1–18
2. Outline / Notes
Date & Place
• ~3 BC.
• Rural villages: Nazareth (Galilee), small and politically charged.
• Judean hill country, where Elizabeth and Zechariah live.
• Fringe places—far from the centers of empire or Temple power.
Main Account
• Two miraculous pregnancies: Mary in Nazareth, Elizabeth in Judea.
• Angel Gabriel announces Jesus’ birth; Mary says yes in quiet faith.
• Zechariah doubts and is struck silent until John is born.
• Mary visits Elizabeth—two women overlooked by society at the center of God’s plan.
• John is born to prepare the way; Jesus’ genealogy (Matt 1) highlights outsiders and scandal.
Meanwhile
• Revolts against Rome often began in Galilee—“messiahs” who all failed.
• John’s Gospel opens with the cosmic Word becoming flesh.
• John the Baptist, though from a priestly family, will grow up in the wilderness—outside the system.
Main Point
• God’s revolution begins quietly and unexpectedly.
• The Messiah’s movement starts among the marginalized, not the powerful.
• Silence, hiddenness, and “fringe” people/places are not accidents—they’re strategy.
Exegetical Insight
• John 1:14: ho logos sarx egeneto—“the Word became flesh.” Cosmic power enters human weakness.
• Matthew’s genealogy deliberately includes Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary—outsiders and scandal woven into Jesus’ identity.
3. Devotional / Reflection Questions
• Why do you think God chose quiet, overlooked places and people to begin the Messiah’s story?
• Where in your life do you feel “off the radar”—and how might that be the very place God is at work?
• What does Jesus’ messy genealogy teach us about who belongs in God’s movement?
• How does Mary’s simple yes (“Okay. I’m in.”) challenge you to respond to God’s call in your own life?
4. Action Step / Challenge
• This week, identify one area of your life that feels hidden, small, or unimportant. Ask God to show you how it might be the starting point for something bigger in his kingdom.
5. Share & Join the Movement
• Share your reflection with #JesusX30Challenge, #JX30Challenge, or #JX30.
• Invite someone to journey through the 30 days with you.
• Subscribe on YouTube / follow the podcast to stay on track.
Lekh Ulmad—Go and learn. Come back for Scene 2 of the JesusX30 – 30-day Discipleship Challenge.
Important note:
This 30-day challenge is based on my book trilogy entitled Jesus: The Strategic Life and Mission of the Messiah and His Movement (3 Volumes, Hekhal Publishing Co., 2025).
• The Challenge follows the same “scene-by-scene” structure: historical, strategic, exegetical, devotional.
• Designed to bring together scholarship + discipleship in a way that’s both accessible and transformational.
You can buy or borrow the trilogy at:
• Hekhal Publishing Co. (look for free samples of each book as well)
• Amazon (print or ebook)
• Barnes & Noble (print or ebook)
• Hoopla (borrow)
• Many more booksellers worldwide!
