Bible Study - Do Over - Christmas Courage - Matthew 1 and 2 - December 22, 2013

Bible Study – Do Over – Christmas Courage – December 22, 2013

This is lesson four and it is a special lesson focused on the birth of CHRIST, which Christians celebrate as Christmas. Christians must keep in mind that we do not know when JESUS was born, it was not December 25. It was likely either early spring or fall. But the important matter for people to know is that HE was born just as GOD had revealed through the prophets of the Old Testament scriptures.

Our scripture Matthew 1:18-25; 2:19-23.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! CHRIST IS BORN!!!

Why is the birth of CHRIST so vital? The people of the world and all of nature have waited, since the moment Adam and Eve sinned, for the day of redemption. Redeemed from what? Redeemed from the consequence of sin, which is death and decay. Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. GOD told Adam if he ate the fruit from that tree, he would die. Eve was enticed by Satan to take a bite of the forbidden fruit and she, in turn, encouraged Adam to take a bite. The instant he did, their eyes were opened. They had sinned which placed a barrier between them and GOD. GOD in HIS foreknowledge already had a redemptive plan.

GOD stated in Genesis 3:15 - I will put hostility between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your • seed and her seed (JESUS). He will strike your head, and you will strike his (JESUS) heel.

Notice – “Her seed” = Virgin Birth.

When Adam and Eve sinned, not only did they receive the death penalty but all of nature was condemned as well. Sickness, death, evil and decay came into the world. CHRIST redeemed all humans who will place their faith in HIM but HE also redeemed nature as well. All of nature waits to be redeemed as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:19-22:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation (nature) eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation (nature) was subjected to futility —not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it —in the hope 21 that the creation (nature) itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation (nature) has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the • firstfruits —we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the •redemption of our bodies. 24 Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

When people look around the universe, all of nature reveals the handiwork of GOD. Most people acknowledge that GOD must exist or at least a Master Designer was involved with all they see. When people attempt to define GOD, they come up with all sorts of ideas about GOD. GOD revealed various characteristics about Himself in the Old Testament. GOD in HIS wisdom and according to HIS plan was to reveal Himself in the form of flesh and blood. This was for all people to get to know HIM and have a personal relationship with HIM. HE came among the people of earth in the flesh and was born as a baby from the seed of woman empowered by the Holy Spirit. CHRIST is GOD in the flesh.

Keep the Trinity in mind – GOD - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit – yet ONE. HE experienced temptations and the things human’s experience – HE got hungry, thirsty, tired, sleepy, suffered pain, suffered loss, HE wept and the list goes on. HE knew that the shed blood of animals nor the very best in any human could live up to HIS standard of righteousness. Yes, HE gave the law but there was the letter of the law and the Spirit of the Law. No human can live up to the spirit of the law, thus the need for redemption.

So HE left HIS Glory in heaven and He came to earth, at just the right moment, to live as a human and experience life as a human. If HE lived a sinless life, HE would be the perfect sacrifice to pay, in full, the penalty for sin. Why? It was because HE made mankind and loves mankind. This is mankind’s opportunity to get it right.

Just as Adam and Eve chose to disobey GOD’S restriction thus receiving the death penalty, each person must choose whether or not to accept GOD’S redemption from sin and death by placing his or her faith in CHRIST. CHRIST is GOD’S provision for redemption, righteousness, forgiveness, mercy and grace.

JESUS left HIS Glory in heaven but all the power of heaven was on alert to come to HIS aid, if He called out. If HE had used that power then HIS redemptive plan would have failed but HE didn’t.

Just imagine, the tremendous temptation of knowing you have all that power at your fingertips and when you were being humiliated and abused resisting the tremendous urge to prove yourself. The human response, generally, is to prove who you are but JESUS did not respond in retaliation because HE knew if HE had taken matters into HIS own hands, mankind would be lost for all eternity. HE remained faithful to HIS calling.

Up to this point in world history, no one could put a face on GOD. The Apostle Philip asked JESUS to show him GOD and JESUS response is found in John 14:19-22:

Jesus Reveals the Father

7 “If you know Me, you will also know (m) My Father. (n) From now on you do know Him (o) and have seen Him.”

8 “Lord,” said Philip, (p) “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. (q) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? (r) The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. (s) The Father who lives in Me does His works. (t) 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe (u) because of the works themselves. (v)

GOD had given the message of HIS redemptive plan to HIS prophets over the years, as recorded in the Old Testament scriptures. Now, the appointed time had arrived for The Word to be born as a human. It was the moment in history for JESUS to be born. That Glorious moment had arrived. JESUS, The Promised Messiah, was not born in a palace but HE was born in a stable. Humble shepherds were the first to first witness HIS presence.

GOD’S desire was for all, from the poorest to the richest, to find redemption and salvation through faith in HIM. But that redemption was not in the fact that HE was born but in the fact that HE lived a sinless life and gave HIS sinless life to pay the debt for sin, in full. When HIS blood was shed and HE gave HIS life upon the cross. The proof is not that HE died but in the fact that GOD raised HIM from the dead on the third day as proof that HE had accomplished GOD’S plan and purpose for mankind. CHRIST died for all but a person must choose whether or not to place his or her faith in HIM and accept HIM as his or her Savior.

When a person receives CHRIST, as his or her Savior, how much of GOD does he or she have? He or she has all of HIM!!! Then why don’t we do the things that CHRIST did when HE was upon earth? It is all about yielding the human will to GOD by building a trustworthy relationship with HIM through relationship with CHRIST. GOD’S desire is for each Christian to be made into the image of CHRIST through the process of sanctification.

GOD sent HIS Only Son to live among humans not only to be their Savior but to be the example for all who place their faith in CHRIST. Let’s explore, the birth of JESUS, The CHRIST!

The Apostle Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew to appeal to the Jews.

Let’s read Matthew 1:18-25; 2:19-23.

18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been • engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

Joseph’s plan versus GOD’S plan.

We see the love, trust and respect that Joseph had for his betrothed wife, Mary. He could have had her disgraced and ultimately stoned to death for her apparent sexual unfaithfulness to him but he didn’t. When a couple, during that day, was engaged, they remained celibate until they were actually married. The engagement period would be for a year. Matthew gave us the reason that Joseph treated Mary the way he did, “Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.” That was his 

solution but it was not GOD’S solution. Let’s continue:

20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her 25 but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. And he named Him Jesus.

GOD intervened in Joseph’s plan by sending an angel to Joseph while he was sleeping. The angel revealed GOD’S solution to the situation. As you read this account, you quickly see the sense of urgency. To me, it seems as soon as Joseph came to this conclusion, he went to sleep and had this dream. Mary was special and she was carrying a very important package. Joseph was given the name and purpose of JESUS. The unnamed angel quoted scripture to Joseph. This gives us a clue how to be assured of a message from GOD, it will not run contrary to scripture.  

Joseph got the message and responded by marring Mary but did not have sex with her until after JESUS was born. Yes, Mary and Joseph had subsequent children produced the way children are produced. I think this was to show that she was a normal female, chosen by GOD to birth HIS only SON: JESUS.  

Let’s read Matthew 2:1-18: Wise Men Seek the King

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King • Herod, •wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the •chief priests and • scribes of the people and asked them where the • Messiah would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah: because out of you will come a leader who will shepherd My people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was —the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

The Flight into Egypt:

13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called My Son.

The Massacre of the Innocents

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.

This scripture reveals that the wise men were not present when JESUS was born. When the wise men found JESUS, HE was in a house. Some Bible scholars speculate that JESUS was about 2 years old. Once the wise men honored JESUS and presented their gifts, they departed. Herod had requested them to come back to him and tell him where “the King of the Jews” was located. GOD intervened and warned them not to return to Herod. When the wise men departed an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream instructing him to take his family to Egypt. Again, Joseph was obedient and responded. How long was Joseph to remain in Egypt? He was to remain in Egypt until the angel brought him word that they could return to Israel. Notice that all of these maneuvers were part of Biblical prophesies.

King Herod died and Joseph received word to return to Israel. Circumstances guided Joseph to the right hometown where JESUS was to be raised, just as Bible prophesy had stated - Nazareth.

Let’s read Matthew 2:19-23:

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to 

Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, because those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and His mother, and entered the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a • Nazarene.

King Herod died and the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream that the time had come for them to return to Egypt. Joseph responded. When he entered the land of Israel, Joseph learned that King Herod’s son, Archelaus, had succeeded his dad as ruler. This news guided Joseph to Nazareth, which fulfilled prophesy.

GOD is still involved in guiding HIS children to just the right place at the right time to obediently serve HIM. When GOD leads are we willing to follow? It was critical for Joseph to be obedient to GOD’S command. He was.

The birth, life and death of JESUS was kept a mystery from the rulers of that period. GOD still keeps HIS plans a mystery to rulers of this world but HE is sovereign and in charge.

1 Corinthians 2:6-9:

6 However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a • mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind— God prepared this for those who love Him.

GOD’S ways are far above human thought. Because GOD loves you, HE allowed HIS only Son to come to earth and give HIS life just for you. Do you accept or reject JESUS as your Savior. Accept CHRIST as your Savior and receive HIS gift of Salvation and eternal life.

Merry Christmas to all and continued bountiful blessings!!!