God’s Messiah Is Born

 God’s Messiah Is Born 

(Christmas) 

Lesson Text: Matthew 1:18-25 

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-16; John 1:1-14; I John 4:9-14 

TIME: 6 or 5 B.C. PLACE: Nazareth 

GOLDEN TEXT—“She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). 

Introduction 

When Zacharias’s ability to speak returned to him following the birth of his son, John, he broke into a hymn of praise. In that hymn, he expressed joy over the fact that God was finally bringing deliverance to His people. While he might have considered this in the context of political deliverance of Israel from Roman domination, Zacharias also recognized the salvific and atoning work that would soon come (Luke 1:77). 

The predominant expectation among the Jews was political, which caused many of them to miss the greater meaning of the coming of Jesus. 

God cannot lie and will accomplish everything He has promised. When Joseph became confused about what was happening, he needed instruction from God to help him understand. Not only did the angel explain his situation to him, but he revealed Jesus’ identity and mission. He did this in part by alluding to Isaiah 7:14. 

LESSON OUTLINE 

FACING AN UNEXPECTED SITUATION—Matt. 1:18-21 

UNDERSTANDING THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE—Matt. 1:22-25 

Exposition: Verse by Verse 

FACING AN UNEXPECTED SITUATION 

MATT. 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 

19 Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately. 

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 

Mary’s condition (Matt. 1:18). Marriage between two Jewish people was sometimes preceded by an agreement between the parents of the couple. This agreement could occur many years before they were actually old enough to get married. 

{There were two phases involved in the formalization of the marriage contract. First was a public announcement concerning the upcoming union. From that time on, the union was considered to be indissoluble except through death or divorce. 

This arrangement usually lasted for a year, during which each was to be faithful to the other. The purity of the bride and the faithfulness of her husband were proved during this separation in which they continued to live with their parents. (They were, however, referred to as husband and wife throughout this time.) 

It was after this waiting period that the final phase of the marriage took place. The husband, in a special entourage, went to the home of his bride and took her back to his own place. 

Three important facts in Matthew 1:18 set the stage for what happened next. First, we are told that Mary was espoused to Joseph. They were in the engagement period when they were still living with their own parents but were considered to be husband and wife. Second, we are told that it was “before they came together;” that is, they were not living together and did not have a physical relationship.}Q1 {Third, Mary was found to be pregnant and had been made so by a work of the Holy Spirit. 

We can understand what occurred. At that time, however, Joseph had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit’s role in Mary’s pregnancy. 

Joseph’s uncertainty (Matt. 1:19). The only conclusion Joseph could arrive at after hearing of Mary’s condition was that she had been immoral and unfaithful to him during their betrothal period.}Q2 We cannot begin to imagine the pain and sorrow Joseph experienced upon hearing this information. Neither can we begin to imagine how traumatic this was for Mary as she realized she had to break the news of her condition to Joseph. 

How could Mary expect Joseph to understand that she was expecting a baby without ever having had a physical relationship with a man? Her only recourse was to leave everything in God’s hands and trust that His will would be accomplished. This would certainly test the character of Joseph, for he would have to rely on spiritual guidance during the uncertainty he faced. If he reacted out of human understanding alone, he would prove to be spiritually shallow. It was a time of intense testing. 

{Deuteronomy 22:23-24 says that if a betrothed woman (called a “wife”) was immoral with another man, she was to be stoned to death. In his day, Joseph had the option of publicly humiliating Mary and taking her before the judges. Joseph, however, was godly enough not to be vindictive; so he intended to divorce her as quietly as possible. To continue as planned would have pointed to his being a participant in the immoral act.}Q3 

The angel’s reassurance (Matt. 1:20). Joseph apparently did not come to important conclusions without intense consideration. {It was while he was giving deep thought to the whole situation that an angel came to him with a message from God. The angel appeared in a dream.}Q4 We recognize some spiritual maturity in Joseph because of the way he had handled the situation so far. The natural tendency is to act quickly when we hear distressing news. At such times, it is difficult to keep our spirits quiet and simply wait upon God for His direction. 

That appears, however, to be exactly what Joseph was doing. As he took time to deliberate, he gave God time to supply the guidance needed to enable him to fulfill His will. When God’s will was made known to Joseph, it was unmistakably clear. He was to go ahead with the wedding plans with no fear of what repercussions might follow. If he had been concerned about his own reputation, he was to put that aside and trust God to take care of things for him. If he had to bear reproach, at least he knew he would be right with God. 

{The angel then explained that Mary’s condition was due to a work of the Holy Spirit.}Q5 This was why Joseph could pursue the wedding without being concerned about what people might think; God was directly involved in this matter and was directing the entire situation. That does not always mean it is easy to continue to follow the Lord. There will be times when we know God is leading us in a certain direction that will be misunderstood by others. The important thing is to do His will. 

God’s provision (Matt. 1:21). The angel specified that Mary was going to give birth to a son, but that son was going to be a son unlike any ever born. {He was to be named Jesus, the Greek equivalent to the Old Testament name Joshua. The name means “the Lord saves,” and in this case it was meant to communicate to the world that salvation was being made available to the inhabitants of earth. For Jesus would “save his people from their sins.”}Q6 

Romans 5:18-19 says, “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” This is a clear description of the fact that because of Adam’s sin, all people are condemned for eternity unless some provision can be made to save them. Condemnation came through just one man and affected all of us. 

The passage also makes it clear that salvation has been made available through one man, Jesus Christ. Any of us can be made righteous because He obediently went to the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. The Bible teaches that when we accept Him, believing He is the Son of God who came to be our Savior, we will have our sins forgiven. We can then be certain of going to heaven when we leave this earth. 

UNDERSTANDING THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE 

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 

25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. 

Matthew’s explanation (Matt. 1:22). God is concerned about details. Matthew wrote that “all this was done” in order to completely fulfill what God had said. Every detail was necessary in the provision for man’s salvation. Mary had to become pregnant before she had a relationship with Joseph because this was going to be a birth unlike any in the history of the world. Joseph had to accept her condition because God was accomplishing His eternal purposes through her. The Holy Spirit had to be involved for the same reasons. 

The result of this virgin conception would be the birth of the perfect God-Man. We do not have minds capable of fully understanding this, but we know this means Jesus is both undiminished deity and perfect humanity at the same time. Proof of His deity can be found in biblical statements that refer to His eternality and preexistence and in His claims to be God. John 1:1-2 gives us an example: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” 

On the other hand, we read in the Gospels about a Person who was born just as any human baby is and who grew up to experience hunger and thirst, disappointment, sorrow, joy, and other things that all humans experience. He grew as humans grow and became tired just as we do. All these things provide the proof we need that He was a man similar to any other. The inevitable conclusion is that He is both deity and human, perfectly combined for all eternity. 

Isaiah’s prophecy (Matt. 1:23). One of the characteristics of the book of Matthew is the use of numerous quotes from the Old Testament. {Matthew was appealing to the Jews by presenting Jesus as the King and Messiah of Israel.}While the nation officially rejected Him and had Him crucified, individuals still could accept Him as the Messiah and as personal Savior. Matthew wanted to prove that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah. 

{The prophet referred to in Matthew 1:22 is Isaiah, and the quote in verse 23 is from Isaiah 7:14. This is the primary prophecy of Jesus’ virgin birth.}Q8 The name Emmanuel, which means “God with us,” was another title indicating the deity of Jesus. Together the names Jesus and Emmanuel gave a complete picture of this son to be born to Mary. Upon the birth of Jesus, God Himself was going to be in the midst of His people. And the reason He was coming into their midst was to provide salvation from their sins. 

{We cannot overemphasize the importance of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. It was prophesied in the Old Testament, fulfilled in the New, and accomplished through a direct work of God’s Holy Spirit. Since humanity had become tainted with sin because of Adam’s Fall, resulting in the lost condition of mankind, a pure and holy sacrifice was needed for the payment of sin. Only one born like Jesus could provide the pure sacrifice that would accomplish such a payment.}Q9 We should thank God for this miraculous provision. 

Joseph’s obedience (Matt. 1:24). Perhaps we have forgotten that all this was being communicated to Joseph through a dream as he slept. It was after the angel had completed his message that Joseph awoke with full knowledge of what God wanted him to do. {As we have noted before, Joseph gave evidence of being a very godly man. That is confirmed by the statement in this verse that he did exactly what God had said after he awoke.}Q10 He wed Mary and gave no further thought to how others might view the situation. 

Can you imagine the relief and joy Mary felt when Joseph told her what he planned to do? It is true that she was trusting God with the situation, but she probably had her moments of doubt and concern about it. After all, she was not supernatural! Joseph would also have experienced the joy that comes from being obedient to God. What an outstanding example he is of obedience to God! As soon as God’s will is known, it should be obeyed. 

We must realize that Joseph and Mary so willingly did as God wanted because they were godly people before being tested. Since they lived in fellowship with Him on a daily basis, they were able to follow His perfect will when the time of testing came. What we should learn from this is the importance of our daily relationship with God. Only a consistent walk with Him will prepare us for those unexpected situations that often arise. 

God’s Son (Matt. 1:25). Joseph and Mary did not have a sexual relationship until after the birth of Jesus. Matthew was not just publicizing personal information that is none of our business; rather, he was confirming that even their marriage did nothing to call into question the virgin birth. Jesus is referred to here as their “firstborn son,” so we know that there was a physical relationship afterward and that they had other children (cf. 12:46). So important is the virgin birth that God protected it in such a way that it should never be doubted. 

Joseph and Mary named the boy Jesus as they had been instructed. This was a popular name in biblical days, but what separated this Jesus from all others is the truth given in Matthew 1:16. Here Matthew wrote, “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Messiah.” The title means anointed, and it separated Jesus from all others as the Anointed One from God. 

Our world continues in a desperately sinful condition, and the need for a Savior has never diminished. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus once again, let us thank God from the depths of our hearts for providing salvation for us through Him. Emphasize the true meaning of the season this year as never before. Without His coming, we all would be hopelessly lost in sin and bound for eternal separation from God. —Keith E. Eggert

Union Gospel Press, Union Gospel Press. Bible Expositor and Illuminator (pp. 96-104). Union Gospel Press. Kindle Edition.