Jesus Arrives

Tonight's Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-23

Last week we explored the origins of Christmas and what it has become today. This week we look at the special gift we received in Jesus. Christmas celebrates the unique birth of Jesus, Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” Tonight we look into scripture for the real Christmas story.

Who was Jesus’ Father?:

Jesus was unlike any baby ever born. He was born of a virgin. Who is the true Father of Jesus? The Bible explains that at Jesus’ birth Gabriel, an angel of God, told the virgin Mary:

“‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’

“And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ 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’” (Luke 1:26-35)

Jesus existed eternally in the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), yet God the Father sent the Son to earth to become the perfect God-Man. Jesus is fully God and fully human in one Person:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

1 John 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

When Jesus was 12, He recognized God was His true Father. One day, Mary and Joseph couldn’t find Jesus anywhere. They found Him in the Temple, He was amazing the teachers with His wisdom of the Scriptures. When Mary scolded Jesus for causing them to worry, He replied:

"Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)

Jesus knew that God was his true father. The most commonly known scripture reflecting that God is Jesus’ father is John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God”

Where Was Jesus Born?:

Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” 500 years before His birth.

God promised to send the Messiah to the village of Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary, lived in Nazareth. Luke 2:1-20 shows how this prophecy was fulfilled.

Why didn’t God send the promised King into a royal family? His parents were peasants. His birth town insignificant. His bed a manger. God was pleased to give His Son to the humble who recognized their need for a Savior. Do you recognize your need for a Savior?

Why Was Jesus Born?:

Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Ever since Adam and Eve sin has reigned, bringing hardship and death. Sin separates us from God. Even when God was punishing Adam and Eve, He promised to send a Savior to save believing sinners.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus was prophesied hundreds of times throughout history. Reading the prophecies, many people expected Him. Some of the first to discover the Messiah after His birth were not from Israel. They were from the East (probably Persians from what is now Iran):

Read Matthew 2:1-23

Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of the prophecies. Jesus is the promised Savior. He came to save us from sin, all who trust in Him. The true meaning of Christmas. A day to remember the humble, innocent, life of our Lord and Savior. Gods’ entry into the world as an infant. The final sacrifice for our sins. Our gift of eternal life. A day to give thanks to God for the most precious gift ever given. This Christmas morning take time to reflect on the precious gift God has given us and give Him thanks.