Sunday, December 24, 2017

Love: When God Became a Man - Matthew 1:18-25

Love: When God Became a Man
Matthew 1:18-25
Introduction: This year our daughter and family plan to come up here for Christmas. One way or the other, to get here from there, they need to cross over a bridge in the New York area. To avoid NYC Mary Ann and I will often take the Tappan Zee Bridge. If you’ve been down that way in the last couple of years, you know that they’ve been building a new bridge which, on our last trip, was partly in service. The old one was, well, old, and considered to be failing (though not yet falling!). Christmas is all about bridge building. Since the Fall, there was an insurmountable gulf between humans and God. Sin separated us from Holy God. God sent the Son to undo the Fall, building a bridge between humans and God. Jesus willingly came into the world to make a way for sinners to be reconciled to God, to open the way to experience the abundant life for which we were created! Martin Luther said,
When I am told that God became man, I can follow the idea, but I just don’t understand what it means. For what man, if left to his natural promptings, if he were God, would humble himself to lie in the feedbox of a donkey or to hang on a cross? God laid upon Christ the iniquities of us all. This is the ineffable and infinite mercy of God which the slender capacity of man’s heart cannot comprehend, much less utter—the unfathomable depth and burning zeal of God’s love toward us... Who can sufficiently declare this exceeding great goodness of God?”
John reflected on the same idea when He said in His first letter, In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins…” (I John 4:10). He built a bridge shaped like an old, rugged cross! That is love.
Context: We started our Advent celebration looking at the “Hope” expressed in the first coming of Jesus. His birth had been foretold by the prophets in ages past, and then finally, in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son. We were reminded that He came make a way to make it possible for fallen humans to be reconciled with God, to experience the peace (shalom) for which we were created. Last week we looked at Luke 2 and the angel’s announcement to the Shepherds… the Good News of Christmas brings joy to those who receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith. Today we’ll be reminded of the love that guided the story of the birth of Christ. As John said in his first letter, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him…” (I John 4:9). Today we’ll turn to the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew established the connection between the story of Jesus and His chosen people by beginning with a genealogy... specifically tying Jesus’ birth to Abraham, to David, and to the Babylonian captivity. The promised seed of Abraham, the ideal Son of David, the Rescuer and Restorer of those who trust in God had come! On the foundation of His love a bridge to life was being opened!
The Maine Idea: The miracle of the virgin birth proves who Jesus is, and it was a prelude to what He came to accomplish: the salvation of a people for Himself.
I. A Miraculous Birth: Jesus would be a born as a human baby, but in the most profound sense, this birth would be like no other (18-20). There were other miraculous births in Scripture. Abraham and Sarah in their old age had Isaac. Elizabeth, the wife of Zachariah gave birth to John. But this was unique...
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.  20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 1:18-20). 
       Matthew began his gospel tracing the lineage of the Messiah. Abraham and David were a part of it, men who believed God and followed Him, but men who also desperately needed forgiveness and grace in their lives. The family tree also mentioned four women (which was highly unusual in ancient genealogies). Even more surprising these were foreign women, and 3 of the 4 were guilty of immoral behavior while the other a foreigner from an accursed nation! By grace they were included in the messianic line. We are reminded that grace would extend to the nations, and that grace is greater than all our sin. By the way, remember that the call to make disciples of all the nations is given in the Great Commission at the end of this Gospel (Mt 28:18-20). If you think you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, that there is no way you could be forgiven, take a look at the characters in the genealogy of Jesus. Finally, the genealogy comes down to Joseph, a carpenter, who would be the step-father of Christ, and a young woman named Mary.
       Verse 18 summarizes that situation. Joseph and Mary were “betrothed,” they were engaged. More than engagement today, betrothal was a commitment to marriage that actually required a certificate of divorce to dissolve. They had not yet “come together.” There had been no physical, marital intimacy between them. They were both faithful Jews... And then Joseph got the heart-breaking, what must have been shocking news: Mary was pregnant! Her encounter with the angel is not described by Matthew. We have that only in Luke 1:30-38…
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High… 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"  35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy- the Son of God… 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
       Mary’s struggle to understand makes sense—what the angel was describing was contrary to nature, it was unlike any human birth before. But she believed this message came from God, and she believed that God could do anything. So she was available, and willing, “Behold the servant of the Lord...” In Mt 1:18, we are simply told, “...she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit...” Apparently, she told Joseph what had happened, but who could believe such a story?
       Joseph is described as a “a righteous man.” Not that he was perfect, but that he believed God and sought to obey His word. He knew God and loved Him. He also loved Mary. And we see him extending grace, not wanting to “…subject her to public humiliation...” he decides to quietly “divorce” her. But God had a plan.  Joseph would raise this child... “That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit... This was a pregnancy like no other! The Messiah would come in human form, but, like the first Adam, with a nature unaffected by sin.  Conceived by the Holy Spirit. The miracle of the virgin birth proves who He is, and it was a prelude to what He came to accomplish: the salvation of a people for Himself... It was a miraculous birth, and...

II. A Merciful Plan: This Child would do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves (21).
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins."
       This verse makes it clear that God was in control of this unfolding story. “She will bear a son...” There were no ultra-sounds in those days, but there was no doubt: it would be a son. Who was this Son? David was promised a Son who would have an eternal kingdom. The Seed of Abraham was prophesied to one day be a blessing to the nations. The Seed of the Woman would come who would crush the serpent’s head. This deliverer would be the Son of God, who one day will rule the nations with a rod of iron. His conception and His birth would be like no other, and He would do what we could not do for ourselves (see 21b).
       Joseph was given the name of the Son who would be born, and he was told what He came to do. Names are given to children for all kinds of reasons. It may be a family name. Maybe it’s a name that is taken from a character in literature or film or history. Maybe it’s a name that a parent likes the sound of. Occasionally a name might say something about the faith of the parents or their hopes for the child (perhaps why we sometimes see Bible names in Christian families). Within the Bible we see names often telling us something about people. Abraham, “father of a multitude”; Isaac, “laughter” (recall Sarah laughing at the idea that she would have a son, and then the couple laughing with joy when he is born!). Jacob, “heal grabber,” or “supplanter,” born holding onto Esau’s heal, and later slyly taking his birthright and blessing. Barnabas, “Son of Encouragement,” so named by the apostles.  The name “Jesus” was related in Hebrew to the verb yasha, “he saves,” and the word “Yeshua,” meant “salvation.” The angel’s words would have immediately been understood by Joseph,  “...for he will save his people from their sins."
       Now this pronouncement would have been shocking in the historical context, not only in terms of the miracle that was being explained, but also what this messianic figure would accomplish. Recall the history: David had been a military leader who led the army of Israel to victories over their pagan enemies. This was a new focus. This child would save His people “...from their sins...”
       We tend to criticize the Jewish nation of Jesus’ day for having lost sight of the miracle of grace that was at the heart of His mission. You remember when Jesus fed the multitude, a few verses later they wanted to come and make him king by force. A king that fed them, that was a king they could deal with! Then there were those loathsome Romans, marching around like the land was theirs, disrespecting the Jews and the promises of their God. But when Jesus Christ came in humility, as a suffering servant, the people hastened his execution by proclaiming, “We’ll not have THIS MAN to be our king!” They lost sight of what was most necessary! 
       But here we are, 2,000 years later. What do we look to God for? When do we usually acknowledge that “God is good”? We pray for healing. We pray for help with our finances. We pray for work so that we can feed our families. We pray about decisions we need to make that will affect us today. We look to Him for a lot of our needs, and all of that is good, after all, every good thing comes from above. But what about the Christian father in Sudan who is barely feeding his family, or the Syrian Christian who has a sword put to his neck but refuses to deny Christ? What about the Hassidic Jew who puts His trust in Jesus as Messiah? Let me say it plainly: There is no promise of health and prosperity in this life (in fact, he assures us that “In the world you will have tribulation...”!). One day, sin will be eradicated... But not today. Today we are pilgrims living in a fallen world.
       He came to save his people from their sins. “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God.” That is reason to worship Him, to love Him whole heartedly, and to spread His fame to those around us!  Christmas is not about jolly red-suited elves and reindeer! It is about God entering history to lay down His life for us. The miracle of the virgin birth proves who Jesus is, and it was a prelude to what He came to accomplish: the salvation of a people for Himself. A miraculous birth, a merciful plan, and…
III.  A Magnificent Savior: This child would be like no other: the promised savior, the great I AM, who took on a human nature: God became a Man!  (read 22-25).
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
       This child was the fulfillment of the promises of God (22-23a).  One of the results of seeing the many prophecies that were fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is realizing and understanding that God was in control, the life of Christ unfolded in every detail exactly as the father had planned it. It also serves as evidence that Jesus is the promised Messiah. If the Christ was to be born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, exiled to Egypt, raised in Nazareth, rejected by his own people, and ultimately crucified and resurrected, all those things, in precise detail happened in the life of only one man: Jesus! Over 300 predictions were fulfilled in Jesus’ life and death. That is beyond any imaginable mathematical probability. There is only one explanation: God sent forth His Son as He had promised! He was guiding every detail of His Story.
       This child would be God, incarnate (23b).  Like Luther said, “...the idea that God became a man, I can follow the idea...” but in truth it is a difficult concept to grasp! Like Paul said of Him in Philippians 2, “...who, though He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant...” God became man, “...the Word was God… and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...”
       This child would be human, born of a woman. One of my favorite Christmas quotes comes from Augustine, who described the wonder of the incarnation…
The Word of the Father, by whom all time was created, was made flesh and was born in time for us. He, without whose divine permission no day completes its course, wished to have one day for his human birth. In the bosom of the Father He existed before all the cycles of the ages; born of an earthly mother, he entered upon the course of the years on this day.
     The Maker of men became man that He, the ruler of the stars, might be nourished at the breast; that He the Bread, might be hungry; that He, the fountain, might thirst; that He the Light, might sleep; that He the Way, might be wearied on the journey; that He the Truth, might be accused by false witnesses; that He the Judge of the living and the dead might be brought to trial by a mortal judge; that He Justice, might be condemned by the unjust; that He, Discipline, might be scourged  by whips; that He, the Foundation, might be suspended on a Cross; that Courage might be weakened; that security might be wounded; that Life might die. To endure these and similar indignities for us, to free us, unworthy creatures, He who existed as the Son of God before all ages, without a beginning, deigned to become the Son of Man in these recent years. He did this, although He who submitted to such great evils for our sake had done no evil, and although we, who were the recipients of so much good at His hands had done nothing to merit these benefits... (from Sermons on Liturgical Seasons).
What an eloquent statement of the demonstration of love when God became a man to save us by sacrificing himself! He did all of that willingly, for us. He came to take our sins in His own body on the Cross—to be “...made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him...”  God became a man to make a way for sinners to be declared righteous. He would be the sacrifice, the propitiation, for our sins. Isaiah spoke of our justification when He said in Isaiah 53:10,11…
10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.  
       This child would be Jesus Christ, the One and only Savior. Notice the obedience of Joseph. “He did not know her until she gave birth to a Son...” There would be no questions, no doubt about the virgin birth, at least not between Mary and Joseph. They obeyed the Word of the Lord, and named Him “Jesus.” They believed God, and they obeyed Him.
What is God saying to me in this passage? The miracle of the virgin birth proves who Jesus is, and it was a prelude to what He came to accomplish: the salvation of a people for Himself. Come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Christmas is not primarily about exchanging gifts and having parties. It is a story about “bridge building”: God came, as a human baby, into this fallen world, to be our substitute, to live a sinless life, and then to take the punishment that we each deserved. He built a bridge between this fallen creation—including fallen humanity—and Holy God. He is the only Way to get from here to there. Tonight is Christmas Eve. As we remember why He came, please consider how God loved us so much that He spared not the Son, but delivered Him up for us all—He gave His only begotten Son so that all who believe could live! That is truly the first and greatest Christmas gift, and it demonstrates His love for us (Rom 5:8). We love, because He first loved us. Let us remember who He is and what He did. Christmas should stir our hearts to love Him more.  Come, let us adore Him!  Christ, the Lord!   AMEN.

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