How Did Jesus Christ Come? | Matthew 1:18-25
Series: The Sovereign King Arrives
Title: “How did Jesus Christ come?”
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25; Gen 3:15
(Commentary helps listed at the end)
Bottom line:
How did Jesus come?
Personally, motivated by love
By the Holy Spirit,
Humbly as a human baby boy.
INTRODUCTION
Opening story:
“Douglas Osbourne (?) was having opportunity bear witness to the incarnation was sitting across the table from a group of Muslim men in the Middle East during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. They were finishing a meal late one night (they just broke in their fast), and they asked me to share with him what I believe about God.
Knowing that Muslims believe Jesus was a good man, but certainly not God in the flesh (such a claim is blasphemous in Islam), I began to share about who Jesus is.
I told him that when I decided to ask my wife to marry me, I did not send someone else to do it for me; I went myself. Why? Because in matters of love, one must go him/herself. That’s a picture of the incarnation.” Page 27
OUTLINE
I. The scandal (1:18 - 19) surrounding Christ’s conception.
A. read verses 18–19 first without the phrase, “from the Holy Spirit.“ Then add it later.
Two facts:
Mary is “with child“
Joseph doesn’t want to stay with her
“Now, if this scenario is still scandalous in our anything goes, play by your own rules culture, imagine how it would have been in there anything does not go, abide by gods rules culture”
B. explain cultural context
Fathers first arrange the marriage
They become “betrothed“ for a year. Married but not living together nor sleeping together.
How does Joseph feel? Angry? Jealous? Humiliated? He’s resolve to do what is best for both of them: divorce her quietly.
A. Obey the law by exposing her sin and letting punishment occur
B. Compassion/mercy equals do it quietly
C. Shows the justice and mercy of God
II. The spirits (20–21) significant role in Christ’s conception. “From the Holy Spirit“ compared to Luke 1:35
A. it was the work of the Holy Spirit to genesis Jesus.
Not that he was born to become gods son. He was and always has been the pre-existent son of God.
The Holy Spirit took the preexistent son of God informed him into a human man. (Psalm 139:13–14)
III. The surrogate (22–25) referring to Jesus his surrogate, earthly father, Joseph.
A. If the Holy Spirit is the shy member of the Trinity, Joseph is the shy (or quiet) member of the holy family. We have no recorded words of Joseph. Yet, his actions speak loudly of obedience rooted and 1) love, and 2) Faith.
Read versus 19–25 to list all Joseph did
He obeyed
A. Quickly
B. Completely
B. Why is Joseph so important to Jesus?
He functions as a competent and reliable witness to Mary’s virginity. (Isaiah 7:14)
“Joseph, son of David” (1:20). Joseph adopts Jesus into the house of David fulfilling prophecy. Joseph is legally and biologically from the line of David. The only one (besides Jesus) called a “son of David“ in the gospels is Joseph.
Jesus becomes legal for two reasons:
A. Because he married Mary, believing her and the angel.
B. Because he named Jesus as his legal father.
How did Joseph make Mary‘S son his?
A. The first 17 verses confirm Jesus is the promised one (genealogy)
B. The last eight verses confirm Jesus is truly from the light of David.
CONCLUSION
Bottom line:
How did Jesus come?
Personally, motivated by love,
By the Holy Spirit,
Humbly as a human baby boy.
Therefore, we
Fear God,
Walk in the Spirit,
In prompt and complete obedience.
Martin Luther…
In the 16th century, Martin Luther said, ‘Scripture is the manger in which the Christ lies.’ As a parent goes to a crib to find their baby, so the Christian goes to the Bible to find Jesus.
Don’t inspect the crib and forget to gladly submit to (obey) the baby.
Transition:
One of the things Jesus commanded us to do was to remember the cross through the Lord’s supper.
Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIV
MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:
Exalting Jesus in Matthew by David Platt
Preaching the Word: Matthew commentary by Douglas Sean Osbourne
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Gospel Transformation Bible
NIV Study Bible