LESSONS FROM CHRISTMAS

 

Lessons From Christmas

 

Intro:  Here we are again another year has almost come and gone and we are again on the Eve of one of one the two most important dates of the year.  Christmas and Easter,  Today we are going to spend a few moments in Matt 1:18-25

 

 I want to thank all of you coming tonight and trust that you have enjoyed our service so far.  Tonight we are looking at the lessons we can learn from Joseph about

Obedience to the will of God in spite how it looks like from outward appearance.

 

Vs 18-19

 

1.  We see that Joseph was engaged or pledge to Mary.  Before their wedding he found

     out that she was with child from the Holy Spirit.  Now we learned how that happened

     in Luke 1, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary.  In Matthew’s gospel we see

     Joseph’s side of the story.  I love the gospels because they give a good picture of

     All the participants.

2.  Joseph was a righteous man, so he did not want to disgrace Mary publicly so he

     thinking about divorcing her quietly.  His dilemma was, did he believe her story.

     In the natural it was unbelievable.  Our first lesson here is that things are not always

     As they seem.  God works in people’s lives differently.  My story is not your story.

     The will of God, His plans, destiny and dreams for me is different than yours.  Don’t

     Judge my story and analyze my story until you walk in my shoes.  Talk about

     Kechican walking in another mocassions.

3..Joseph was facing a decision.  Doing the will of God is not always easy.  It can is

     Often uncomfortable and hard.  Talk about Corrie Ten Boone and the Fleas

 

Vs 20-21

 

1.  As Joseph is considering what to do.  An angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream

     And told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  He then verified Mary’s story.

     It was clear the motivation behind Joseph’s decision was his reputation and

     Appearance in the community.  He was worried about what people would think of

     Him and Mary. 

2.  The angel then made it clear that this child was unusual.  First, He was virgin born,

     A fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.  Secondly, He was to be called Jesus, who name means

     Saviour.  Thirdly, right from the beginning His mission, calling and destiny are clear.

     He came to save His people from their sins.  Sin separates mankind from God and

     This child about to be born to Mary was God’s answer.  Talk about the Global poll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vs 22

 

1.  As we learned yesterday, Matthew wrote his gospel to a Jewish audience so his

     Account would show Joseph’s involvement, dilemma and God’s answer.  That is

     Why Matthew included so many O.T. scriptures.  To prove to His audience by

     Scripture how Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecy. 

2.  Matthew quotes Is 7:14, and says that Jesus was the fulfillment of this prophecy

     From Isaiah.  A little note.  Isaiah talks about the Messiah more than any other

     O.T. prophet. 

3.  Matthew supports and clarifies two basic doctrines of the church.  The virgin

    Birth and the incarnation or as Matthew put it, “Immanuel, God with us.”  Gordon

    Franklin, professor of Johanine studies at Vanguard College calls, Jesus, God with

    A face. 

4.  Matthew by this account puts to rest any controversy about who Jesus is or His

     mission.  Matthew believe in Jesus Christ so much he would later go to Ethiopia

     to help the church started by the Eunuch Philip met that he would be martyred there.

    Frank Thompson calls Matthews account a sure word. 

 

Vs 24

 

1.  Joseph woke up and he took Mary as his wife.  He obeyed.  There is nothing like

     Doing the will of God.  Obedience separates the hearers from the doers.  It is the

     Mark of the true child of God.  That is why James says, “Be ye doers of the word

     And not hearers.”  People who do the will of God get rewarded.  Hearers are useless

     To the Kingdom.  Hearers never get saved and if they do, they never do anything

     With what they have.

2.  Joseph had no union with her until after Jesus was born and he did name Him Jesus.

     Joseph is such an example.  Righteous, able to hear God and obedient to the will of

     God no matter what.  My prayer for this year and the next is God, gives us more

     Joseph’s. 

3.  As I close this message.  My prayer that you have caught the meaning of what

     Christmas is about.  That you will make Him the centre of your Christmas and

     Through the year.