THE ANGELS OF CHRISTMAS: Divine Messengers - Another Angel to Joseph (Matthew 2:1-23) 12-29-24

THE ANGELS  OF CHRISTMAS: Divine Messengers - Another Angel to Joseph (Matthew 2:1-23) 12-29-24

Video - “Witness His Majesty: Joseph” by the Skit Guys from Sermon Central

Christmas Angels - faith, mercy, hope, joy

Peace

Max Lucado has twenty-five questions that he wants to ask Mary the mother of Jesus, here are a few of my favorites.

What was it like watching him pray?

When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood?

Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world?

When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently?

Did you ever try to count the stars with him . . . and succeed?

Did he ever come home with a black eye?

Did he have any friends by the name of Judas?

Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof?

Did you ever accidentally call him father?

What did he and his cousin John talk about as kids?

Did you ever think, That’s God eating my soup?

Dean Guptill in “Mary, What a Mom” on www.sermoncentral.com, August 30, 2004.

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” 

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. 

Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭2:1-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I.  THE WORLD'S RESPONSE TO JESUS

During a worship service a man began to be moved. Out loud he said “Amen!” People around him were a little disturbed. Then louder he said, “Hallelujah!” A few more people were becoming disturbed. Louder still he shouted “Praise Jesus!”An usher moved quickly down the aisle. He bent over and whispered to the man, “Sir! Control yourself!” The man exclaimed, “I can’t help it. I got Jesus!!!” To which the usher responded, “Well you didn’t get Him here!”

David Huss, Sermon Central, November 16, 2014.

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

‭‭ 1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A.  Magi were worshipful.

B.  Herod was threatened.

C.  Herod murdered any child who could have been Jesus.

II.  GOD'S PROVISION FOR JESUS' FAMILY

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭29‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” 

Hudson Taylor

A.  Dreams for magi

B.  Dreams and angels for Joseph

C.  Protection of Jesus 

1.  In Egypt

2.  In Nazareth

III.  THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S WORD

A.  People’s chief priests and teachers of the law comment about birthplace of Messiah

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.””

‭‭ Micah‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

B.  Matthew's comment about going to Egypt

And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”   

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

‭‭ Hosea‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

C.  Matthew's comment about the killing of the children of Bethlehem

Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

“This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.””

‭‭ Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

D.  Matthew's comment about Jesus being from Nazareth

"So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”   

Matthew 2:23b

No direct quotation.  Could be like Acts 20:35 where Paul quotes Jesus but it is not in the Scripture.  Could be Isaiah 11:1 "branch" same root word "naser" meaning "branch."

The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 10 to the power of 17.

1. Place of birth (Micah 5:2)

2. Preceded by a messenger (Malachi 3:1).

3. He was to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

4. His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16).

5. Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).

6. That money to be thrown in God’s house and given for a potter’s field (Zechariah 11: 13).

7. Silent before his accusers (Isaiah 53:7).

8. Crucified (Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53:12)

That would be one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "We take 10 to the power of 17 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom."

Now these prophecies were either given by the inspiration of God or the prophets just wrote them as they thought they should be. In such a case the prophets had just 1 chance in 10 to the power of 17 of having them come true in any man, but they all came true in Christ.

He then went on to consider 48 prophecies and says, “We find the chance that one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10 to the power of 157.

Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Here's Life Publishers: CA. 1979, p. 166-167.

CONCLUSION

The world has responded to Jesus in many various ways.  God provided for Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus no matter how the world responded.  God brought about the fulfillment of all that He said about Jesus.

Mary Had a Little Lamb by Mary and Marbeth Rosenthal

Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth;

Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. (Micah 5:2)

Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall —

Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. (Isaiah 7:14)

Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God;

Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. (John 6:38)

Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree

The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. (1 Peter 1:18)

Mary had the little Lamb — men placed Him in the grave,

Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave! (Matthew 28:6)

Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He;

All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Mary had the little Lamb — mystery to behold!

From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold. (Revelation 5:5,6)

When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure:

It won’t be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion’s roar. (Ps. 2:12; Rev. 19:11-16)

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins     and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.