Christmas 2005
Bible Study Time 12-25-05
Church links:
Bible Study Time 12-25-05
This morning I am going to start by simply reading Matthew’s account of the birth of Christ. I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation, and I’ll start with verse 18 of Matthew, Chapter 1.
Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)
18 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.
20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
22 All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
23 "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife,
25 but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Matthew 2:1-23 (NLT)
1 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him."
3 Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem.
4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them.
5 "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:
6'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star.
8 Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
11 They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child."
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother,
15 and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."
16 Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier.
17 Herod's brutal action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:
18 "A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah — weeping and mourning unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted — for they are dead."
The Return to Nazareth
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him,
20 "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."
21 So Joseph returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother.
22 But when he learned that the new ruler was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid. Then, in another dream, he was warned to go to Galilee.
23 So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: "He will be called a Nazarene."
Matthew 3:1-6 (NLT)
1 In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was,
2 "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
3 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!' "
4 John's clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 People from Jerusalem and from every section of Judea and from all over the Jordan Valley went out to the wilderness to hear him preach.
6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Well, as the Apostle Paul said, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He was sent by the Father to save the world from the guilt and penalty of sin. Matthew gives us a beautiful description of the means by which the Lord Jesus entered into the world. Paul said that,
Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJ)
4 . . . when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Indeed, He was born under Israel’s Old Covenant Law. He fulfilled every aspect of the Law, the ceremonial aspects, the moral aspects and the prophetic aspects. Then He shed His blood to atone for sin and usher in Israel’s New Covenant of peace and grace.
As we read Matthew’s account of the events surrounding Christ’s birth, we can not help but notice his emphasis upon the fulfillment of prophecy. All of the Old Testament prophecies had to be fulfilled in every detail for Jesus to be the promised Messiah. The prophets provide the confirmation, for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. By the same token, Jesus Christ is the proof that the prophets were the true prophets of God. Peter said:
2 Peter 1:16-21 (NKJ)
16 . . . we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Peter said that when he heard the voice from heaven as he stood with Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration, he knew that this was the fulfillment of prophecy, and that it confirmed in his mind that Jesus was the Christ. Then he said that we would do well to heed this confirmation as a light that shines in a dark place.
It seems that Matthew was driving home that same point as he wrote about the many events which took place which were a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. First, he mentioned that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin just as Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah, Chapter 7. Then Matthew reminded us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah had predicted.
Herod’s slaughter of the boys who were two years of age and younger was also a fulfillment of prophecy for Jeremiah had said:
Jeremiah 31:15 (NKJ)
15 Thus says the LORD: "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more."
Matthew then showed how the Old Testament pictures of Christ were in a sense prophecies concerning Christ. Matthew wrote about Jesus coming up out of Egypt after Herod’s death. This is pictured in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In fact, when Moses was on his way to Egypt to deliver his people, God instructed Moses to speak these words to Pharaoh:
Exodus 4:22-23 (NKJ)
22 . . . 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 "So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me . . . "'"
Finally, Matthew pointed to the vow of the Nazarite in the Old Testament as a picture of Christ. Adam Clarke said that the vow of the Nazarite was the greatest picture in the Old Testament of purity and perfection. Certainly, it was no coincidence that Joseph was instructed to go to Galilee or that he finally settled in Nazareth so that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
Obviously, the life of Jesus Christ from the stable in Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary was directed in every detail by our heavenly Father. He worked out every detail of every event even before the creation, and then He revealed those details to the holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
In Isaiah 44 the Lord reprimanded the nation of Israel for their idolatry and exposed the foolishness of worshiping man-made idols. The Lord said that idolaters cut down a tree and then use half of it for fuel, while they use the other half to make an idol. Then He said that the idolaters never even stop to think how foolish it is to worship that which they have created with their own hands. In verse 6 of Isaiah 44, the Lord said:
Isaiah 44:6-8 (NKJ)
6 . . . "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.
7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me . . . And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.
8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'"
Only the true and the living God can declare beforehand the things that will come to pass. No idol can do that. When Matthew wrote about Jesus being born of a virgin, he knew he would need proof to substantiate such a claim. The proof for Matthew was in the fulfillment of prophecy. God had declared beforehand that all of these things would come to pass.
Matthew went immediately from the birth of Jesus to the ministry of John the Baptist who, in accordance with prophecy, went preparing the way of the Lord. Matthew said:
Matthew 3:3 (NKJ)
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.' "
The Spirit of the Lord was upon John as he spoke for “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” People came from far and near to give their hearts to God.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ today, let us think not only of the birth of Christ, but let us rejoice in the fact that if we believe that Christ died for our sins and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day, we can be saved. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and all those who come to Him in faith, confessing their sins, will find the peace that comes with forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life.
If you feel the Holy Spirit drawing you to Jesus Christ this morning, do not wait another minute to respond to His prompting. Confess your sins to God and open your heart to Jesus Christ. Jesus said:
John 6:37-38 (NKJ)
37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
It’s God will for all people to be saved. God wants you and me to enjoy the glorious fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:
Revelation 3:20 (NKJ)
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
If you want to experience the peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable, if you want to know Jesus Christ in a person way, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that there are many ways to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” There is no other God besides the God of the Bible. He’s the God who tells about things before they come to pass.
I see our time is gone. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you this morning. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at the same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)
18 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.
20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
22 All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
23 "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife,
25 but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Matthew 2:1-23 (NLT)
1 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him."
3 Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem.
4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them.
5 "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:
6'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star.
8 Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
11 They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child."
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother,
15 and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."
16 Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier.
17 Herod's brutal action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:
18 "A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah — weeping and mourning unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted — for they are dead."
The Return to Nazareth
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him,
20 "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."
21 So Joseph returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother.
22 But when he learned that the new ruler was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid. Then, in another dream, he was warned to go to Galilee.
23 So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: "He will be called a Nazarene."
Matthew 3:1-6 (NLT)
1 In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was,
2 "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
3 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!' "
4 John's clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 People from Jerusalem and from every section of Judea and from all over the Jordan Valley went out to the wilderness to hear him preach.
6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Well, as the Apostle Paul said, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He was sent by the Father to save the world from the guilt and penalty of sin. Matthew gives us a beautiful description of the means by which the Lord Jesus entered into the world. Paul said that,
Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJ)
4 . . . when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Indeed, He was born under Israel’s Old Covenant Law. He fulfilled every aspect of the Law, the ceremonial aspects, the moral aspects and the prophetic aspects. Then He shed His blood to atone for sin and usher in Israel’s New Covenant of peace and grace.
As we read Matthew’s account of the events surrounding Christ’s birth, we can not help but notice his emphasis upon the fulfillment of prophecy. All of the Old Testament prophecies had to be fulfilled in every detail for Jesus to be the promised Messiah. The prophets provide the confirmation, for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. By the same token, Jesus Christ is the proof that the prophets were the true prophets of God. Peter said:
2 Peter 1:16-21 (NKJ)
16 . . . we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Peter said that when he heard the voice from heaven as he stood with Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration, he knew that this was the fulfillment of prophecy, and that it confirmed in his mind that Jesus was the Christ. Then he said that we would do well to heed this confirmation as a light that shines in a dark place.
It seems that Matthew was driving home that same point as he wrote about the many events which took place which were a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. First, he mentioned that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin just as Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah, Chapter 7. Then Matthew reminded us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah had predicted.
Herod’s slaughter of the boys who were two years of age and younger was also a fulfillment of prophecy for Jeremiah had said:
Jeremiah 31:15 (NKJ)
15 Thus says the LORD: "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more."
Matthew then showed how the Old Testament pictures of Christ were in a sense prophecies concerning Christ. Matthew wrote about Jesus coming up out of Egypt after Herod’s death. This is pictured in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In fact, when Moses was on his way to Egypt to deliver his people, God instructed Moses to speak these words to Pharaoh:
Exodus 4:22-23 (NKJ)
22 . . . 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 "So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me . . . "'"
Finally, Matthew pointed to the vow of the Nazarite in the Old Testament as a picture of Christ. Adam Clarke said that the vow of the Nazarite was the greatest picture in the Old Testament of purity and perfection. Certainly, it was no coincidence that Joseph was instructed to go to Galilee or that he finally settled in Nazareth so that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
Obviously, the life of Jesus Christ from the stable in Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary was directed in every detail by our heavenly Father. He worked out every detail of every event even before the creation, and then He revealed those details to the holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
In Isaiah 44 the Lord reprimanded the nation of Israel for their idolatry and exposed the foolishness of worshiping man-made idols. The Lord said that idolaters cut down a tree and then use half of it for fuel, while they use the other half to make an idol. Then He said that the idolaters never even stop to think how foolish it is to worship that which they have created with their own hands. In verse 6 of Isaiah 44, the Lord said:
Isaiah 44:6-8 (NKJ)
6 . . . "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.
7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me . . . And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.
8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'"
Only the true and the living God can declare beforehand the things that will come to pass. No idol can do that. When Matthew wrote about Jesus being born of a virgin, he knew he would need proof to substantiate such a claim. The proof for Matthew was in the fulfillment of prophecy. God had declared beforehand that all of these things would come to pass.
Matthew went immediately from the birth of Jesus to the ministry of John the Baptist who, in accordance with prophecy, went preparing the way of the Lord. Matthew said:
Matthew 3:3 (NKJ)
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.' "
The Spirit of the Lord was upon John as he spoke for “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” People came from far and near to give their hearts to God.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ today, let us think not only of the birth of Christ, but let us rejoice in the fact that if we believe that Christ died for our sins and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day, we can be saved. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and all those who come to Him in faith, confessing their sins, will find the peace that comes with forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life.
If you feel the Holy Spirit drawing you to Jesus Christ this morning, do not wait another minute to respond to His prompting. Confess your sins to God and open your heart to Jesus Christ. Jesus said:
John 6:37-38 (NKJ)
37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
It’s God will for all people to be saved. God wants you and me to enjoy the glorious fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:
Revelation 3:20 (NKJ)
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
If you want to experience the peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable, if you want to know Jesus Christ in a person way, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that there are many ways to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” There is no other God besides the God of the Bible. He’s the God who tells about things before they come to pass.
I see our time is gone. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you this morning. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at the same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Church links:
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