Sermon # 2 Series:
Matthew
Title: "The Birth of Jesus Christ"
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Subject: The Incarnation
and Virgin Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Date: Tuesday Evening - May 24, 1994
Tape: #G-13
Introduction:
The subject of this passage is "The Birth of
Jesus Christ", the Messiah, the King, our Savior. In these verses
Matthew, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, declares the deepest, most profound
truths of sacred theology in simple, unmistakable terms. He tells us that Jesus
Christ; the man who was born at Bethlehem, reared in Nazareth, and crucified at
Calvary two thousand years ago is God. He tells us that this One who is God
assumed our nature and became a man in a most remarkable way, by a miraculous,
supernatural birth. His mother was a virgin!
These are holy, mysterious things, noble objects of
holy, reverent faith and adoration; but they are things that can only be
defiled by speculative curiosity. Those who deny either the deity of Jesus
Christ or his miraculous virgin birth do not know God and cannot be persuaded
by human reason to believe that which they will not receive as a matter of
divine revelation. Consequently, nothing can be gained by the feeble, though
well intended, efforts of men to prove this glorious and essential truth of
Holy Scripture. We believe it. We adore it. We rejoice in it. We proclaim it.
And we sing about it. But, we will not try to prove it. No man knows the way of
the Spirit in the formation of any ordinary human being in the womb (Eccles.
11:5). How then can we expect to understand and explain the virgin birth of
Jesus Christ? It is enough for the believing heart to know that nothing is
impossible with our God. It is enough for us to simply be informed that we may
admire the wonderful works of our God. Like Moses of old, as he stood before
the burning bush, when we read Matthew 1:18-25, we have entered upon holy
ground. Let us put off the shoes of carnal curiosity and seek to hear what God
the Lord will say.
Proposition:
Here the Holy Spirit tells us how Christ came into
this world and why: He came by divine incarnation through the womb of the
virgin Mary, to save his people from their sins.
Divisions:
Every word in these verses needs to be carefully studied. Each line is worthy of detailed explanation. But, I want us to simply observe what the text says and grasp the spiritual lessons conveyed to us by it.
1.
Mary's Pregnancy (v. 18)
2.
Joseph's Behavior (v. 19)
3.
The Angel's Message (vv. 20-21)
4.
The Fulfillment of Prophecy (vv. 22-23)
5.
The Obedience of Joseph (vv. 24-25)
I. Mary's
Pregnancy (v. 18)
The Holy Spirit prepared in the womb of the virgin
Mary a body for the Son of God (Heb. 10:5). His human nature was conceived in
the womb of the chosen virgin by the Holy Spirit, without the aid of a man.
(Luke 1:35). There was no other way for the Christ to come into this world. He
must be born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Had he been conceived
by the seed of a fallen, sinful father, he could not have been a sinless substitute
of sinners. "He was born of a woman that he might be human; but not by
man, that he might not be sinful" (C.H. Spurgeon).
Our Lord Jesus was born of a virgin that he might be
brought into this world as one "made of a woman" (Gal. 4:4), but of an
espoused, or lawfully betrothed virgin, so that he might both show the sanctity
of marriage and protect the honor of his mother's name. "Marriage is
honorable in all and the bed undefiled." (Heb. 13:4). Only those whose
doctrine is the doctrine of devils prohibit men from marriage (I Tim. 4:1-4).
At the same time, he took care to protect Mary's name. Though he was born of a
virgin, she was a married virgin. Mary's Son was also her Savior and he took
care to protect her reputation, justifying her pregnancy in the eyes of the
world. Matthew Henry. has suggested that three lessons are to be drawn
from this verse.
A.
"Those in whom Christ is formed will show it; and it will be found
to be a work of God which he will own" (Col. 1:27; Eph. 2:8-10).
Illustration: "Daddy, How big is
Jesus?"
B. "After
great and high advancements, lest we be puffed up with them, we must expect
something or other to humble us, some reproach, as a thorn in the flesh."
C. "Those who take care to keep a good conscience may cheerfully trust God with the keeping of their good names, and have reason to hope that he will clear up, not only their integrity, but their honor, as the sun at noon day."
You can imagine what a problem Mary's pregnancy
presented to Joseph. Here he was engaged to a woman who showed up pregnant; and
he knew with certainty that he was not the father of her child. What will he
do?
II. Joseph's
Behavior (v. 19).
Joseph's behavior exemplifies godliness, wisdom, and
compassion. He saw in Mary what appeared to be an horribly evil thing. But he
did not behave rashly. He patiently weighed his options as a man who sought to
glorify God and do his will in all things. According to the law he could do any
of three things: 1. He could privately give her a bill of divorcement before
two or three witnesses (Deut. 24:1); 2. He could make a public example of her
and have her stoned to death (Deut. 22:23-24); or 3. He could go ahead with his
plans and marry her. No doubt, Joseph weighed the matter carefully with much
prayer before the Lord. "Being a just man," a man who sought always
to do what was right, Joseph chose not to expose what he thought to be sin in
his espoused wife. Though he felt he could not marry her, he chose to put her
away quietly. C.H. Spurgeon wrote, "When we have to do a severe
thing, let us choose the tenderest manner. Maybe we shall not have to do it at
all."
What an example Joseph is to us in his behavior.
Having been forgiven, he was willing to forgive. Having reason to suspect the
worst of Mary, he suspected the best he could (that she had been raped in the
field and had screamed for help). His love for her compelled him to cover and
refuse to expose what he thought to be sin in her.
A.
In all things, be as lenient as possible with one another.
B.
In all things, be forgiving. (Matt. 6:14).
C.
In all things, seek what is best for the fallen, erring brother or sister.
D.
In all things, seek restoration, not retribution. (Gal. 6:1-12).
E.
In all things, show love and grace, not judgment and condemnation.
III.
The Angel's Message (vv. 20-21).
Joseph's patience was abundantly rewarded. He sought
God's will and found it. It sought divine direction and he received it. The
angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and gave him a message directly from God
regarding the thing that troubled him. Blessed are they who wait on the Lord,
who cast their cares upon him in the prayer of faith, and wait for him to
direct their paths. (Pro. 3:5-6). God sent his angel to speak to his servant in
a dream. The angel of the Lord assured Joseph that Mary had not sinned, but had
been highly favored of God and reminded him of his royal descent as a "son
of David."
A. The
angel's message was a message of comfort to Joseph and for Mary when she heard
it. (V.20).
What comfort the angel's words must have brought to
Joseph. The Lord's "fear not" was a matter of great relief to him. He
was a man appointed by God to be the foster-father of the Son of God who as the
Son of Man would come into this world through the womb of Mary. Thus, it became
his privilege and honor, as well as his duty, to take Mary into his home and
lovingly care for her.
No doubt, Mary had great apprehensions. Would her
story of the angelic visitation be believed? It certainly seemed improbable. No
doubt, her faith sustained her. But she had a great trial for her faith. How
relieved she must have been when Joseph told her of the angel's message to him.
B. More
importantly, the angel's message to Joseph was a message of grace, redemption,
and salvation to sinners. (V. 21).
The Lord of glory came into this world as the Son of
Man. As the Son of God he was not born but given. As the Son of Man he was born
through the womb of a chosen virgin (Isa. 9:6). By God's command he was named,
"JESUS", the Savior, because he was sent of God to save his people
from their sins. What his is called, that he is--Jesus, our Savior.
1. There are some people in this world, an elect multitude, chosen in him before the world began, who are peculiarly and distinctively his people.
a. Chosen in Him unto Salvation (Eph. 1:2-6; II
Thess. 2:13).
b. Given to Him as Sheep to the Shepherd (John 6:39).
2.
It is the office work and responsibility of Christ, the Son of God, to save all
who were given to him in the covenant of grace (John 10:16-18).
3.
The Lord Jesus Christ is an almighty, effectual Savior. The angel said to
Joseph, "He shall save his people from their sins!" And save them, he
most assuredly will. Jesus Christ saves his people...
a. From the
Penalty of their Sins by His Blood Atonement (Rom. 3:24-26).
b. From the Dominion of their Sins by His Regenerating Spirit (John 3:5-8; Rom. 6:18).
c. From the Being of their Sins when He Takes them
Out of This World (John 14:1-3; Rom. 7:25).
d. From all the Consequences of their Sins in Resurrection Glory (I Cor. 15:51-56).
4. "Jesus"
is our Savior's Mediatorial name.
It is the same as Joshua in the old Testament. Jesus
is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Deliverer, our Salvation. "Neither is
there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The name
of Jesus is so sweet,
I
love its music to repeat;
It
makes my joys full and complete,
The
precious name of Jesus!
'Jesus',
O how sweet the name,
'Jesus',
everyday the same;
'Jesus', let all saints proclaim
Its
worthy praise forever?'
a. "JESUS" is the name of encouragement and hope for guilty, heavy-laden sinners. Sinners may draw near and come to God, with confident hope of finding mercy, grace, and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).
b. "JESUS"
is the name of him who is peculiarly sweet and precious to believers (I
Pet. 2:7).
"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's
ear!
It
soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And
drives away his fear!"
"Thy name is as ointment poured forth"
(Song. 1:3). We breathe our Savior's name in prayer, trusting his blood, his
righteousness, his grace, his power, his intercession, trusting him! and have
peace with God. Calling on his name we are saved, justified, forgiven of all
sin, and forever accepted with God.
IV. The Fulfillment of Prophecy (VV. 22-23).
Who would ever have thought that the prophecy found
in Isaiah 7:14 could have referred to the Lord Jesus Christ? We are so
spiritually dull in this body of flesh that, before we are capable of
understanding prophecy, we must see it fulfilled. When we know even as we are
known, we will see how that all the Scriptures speak of him whose name is
Emmanuel (Luke 24:27, 44).
This name, "Emmanuel" is only found three times
in the word of God (Isa. 7:14; 8:8; and Matt. 1:23). But it is a
name full of instruction and comfort to believing hearts. Emmanuel is God with
us. Emmanuel declares the union of two makers in the Person of our Savior. He
is both God and man in one glorious Person, as perfectly God as though he were
not man, and as completely man as though he were not God. We must never lose
sight of this great, foundation truth of the gospel.
A.
Jesus Christ is a man, just like us, only without sin.
B.
Yet, he "is over all, God blessed forever" (Rom. 9:5), "God
manifest in the flesh" (I Tim. 3:16).
C.
He must be both God and man, or he could not be our Savior.
Someone said, "God could not suffer, and man
could not satisfy; but the God-man both suffered and satisfied." Our
Savior is a man. Therefore he is sympathetic with us. But he is not at all
limited by his humanity. "In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily" (Col. 2:9). Therefore he is able to save all who trust him.
V. The Obedience of Joseph (V.V. 24-25).
Having received instruction from the Lord, Joseph was
immediately obedient. He took Mary into his home as his wife, but refrained
himself from all the privileges of the conjugal relationship until after
"she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name
JESUS." Thus the Son of God came into this world and became one of us,
that he might be our Savior. "The word was made flesh and dwelt among
us" (John 1:14). He became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross that he might redeem us. Now, he has again ascended up to heaven again
and is seated upon the throne of grace that he might "save his people from
their sins."
Application:
II Corinthians 9:15