Confirmation of Jesus Being the King – the Messiah by Birth

GRACE THROUGH FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH


TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25
THEME: Confirmation of Jesus Being the King – the Messiah by Birth
TITLE: The Virgin Birth – Incarnation of the God – Man Jesus
PROPOSTIONAL STATEMENT: The Benefits of Understanding Virgin Birth

I. INTRODUCTION
Matthew wrote this presentation of Gospel in apologetic and polemic way (defense and offense). He defended the claims of Jesus to be Son of God, the Eternal King, the Promised Messiah the Christ, the Great Savior, and God. At the same time He attacked those who are looking for loopholes against Jesus. One of these was the Virgin Birth:

A. The Intention of the Writer – To answer the hearsays about Jesus

1). The Question During the Time of Jesus
• Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ? But we know where this man is from; wen the Christ comes , no one will know where he is from. (John 7:26)
• How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scriptuare say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Betlehem the town where David lived? (John 7:41-42)
• What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? (Matthew 22:41-43)

The Genealogy affirms that Jesus came in the Royal Line.
The Book of Matthew and Luke affirm that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 16:16 ; Luke 1:35)

2) The Question Today

Many sects today accept the humanity of Jesus Christ and His being Son of God because it is directly stated in the Bible.
• Is Jesus Christ God?

a) Iglesia ni Cristo does not believe that Jesus Christ is human only before the incarnation
b) Jehova’s Witnesses does not believe that Jesus Christ is God before incarnation but an angel (Michael the Archangel
c) Other cults does not believe Jesus Christ as God but little god or became God only during the resurrection

3) The Danger of Denying that Jesus Christ as God
In 2 John 7 says that “ many deceivers who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

4) The Verses that Tells Jesus as God
• Isaiah 40:3 Matthew 3:3
• Isaiah 41:4 Revelation 2:8
• Isaiah 43:3 Mark 1:24/Ephesians 5:23
• Isaiah 24:16 1John 2:1

II. BODY
The 4 Divisions of the Passage
A. CONCEPTION
1) The Focus of Conception
Conception focuses on the process and ownership by which the Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb
2) The Description of Conception
Conception was done not by natural process but supernatural process
The power of the Most High through the Holy Spirit – will come upon you, and overshadow you (Luke 1:35)
3) The Mother and Child Relationship – Mary His Mother
There are lot of verses that tell about Jesus as Son of Mary. But this statement must be properly interpreted or else, it will create a wrong perception about the two. Mary will be promoted or Jesus will be demoted.
Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, Mary's son, the brother of James and Joses, Jude and Simon? And do not his sisters live here among us?" So they turned angrily away

Matthew 2:11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 13:55 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

Luke 2:34 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

• Roman Catholic View - Since Jesus is sinless therefore Mary was also sinless
• Iglesia ni Cristo - Since Mary was human therefore Jesus is only human
• Christian View - Jesus is fully God and fully man
a) The Contribution of Mary to Jesus Humanity
Three Questions:
• Where did Jesus get His body? Created by God
• Did Mary has any contribution to Jesus humanity? None
• Adam and Eve did not feel any suffering and pain like any other human before they fall. How come that the body of Christ which has no sin (original sin) experienced the curse of sin (pain sufferings, tired)?
- the answer will be found in Genesis 3:20 - Sin is being passed through Adam and the curse through Eve.
- the reason why the Bible tells us that Jesus is son of Mary through Virgin Birth Jesus will live like a sinner (Romans 8:3)

Conception is supernatural (there is no union of cells) the way God created Adam not Eve.
- Adam was created without sin ; Jesus was created without sin
The Development is natural (they wait for 9 months)

Principle : Virgin Birth is supernatural in conception to protect the body from original sin

b) The Duration of Relationship as Mother and Son
In Roman Catholic, Mary and Jesus as mother and son relationship still exists in heaven.
• In the wedding in Cana (John 2:4)
• In the crucifixion (John 19:26-27
• Relationship in heaven does not exist anymore (Luke 20:35)

4) The Troubled Husband

a) Marriage of Joseph and Mary
• Kiddushin – Bethrotal Period – paying of mohar
• Huppa – Wedding – will be celebrated for almost 7 days like in Cana.
The relationship of Joseph and Mary are still in bethrotal period.

b) The Secret Plan – Divorce

Joseph did not understand what is happening during that time.
• He was shocked when he saw the condition of Mary whom he was bethroted

Why did Joseph plan to divorce Mary secretly?

• Righteous – Old Testament Saint – What the law requires is what he followed.
• Loving – he does not want her be exposed to public disgrace
• He knew the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 22 and 24).
• He was afraid (v.20)

B. CONFIRMATION

1) The Revelation Through Dream

Many times in the Bible one way where God reveal His will is through dream.
• Joseph the dreamer, son of Jacob know the promise of God through dream
• God revealed His will to Pharao’s dream
• The Magi were warned by God through dream (Matthew 2:12)
• Joseph the husband of Mary had given by God a direct command (v.1:20,2:13,19)

2) The Comfort of the Troulbled Husband

Since Joseph was troubled and in his heart he did not want to divorce Mary but because of the law he must observe it in the way Mary will not be put into trouble. And the only way is to diorce her secretly.

The angel comforteed him not to be afraid to take Mary as His wife:
Comfort through Lineage - Joseph son of David
Comfort through Clarification of Conception - ..what is conceived is from the Holy Spirit
Comfort through the Hope of Salvation

C. CORRELATION

Since Matthew was doing the defense, one way of the confirmation to his audience to authenticate that Jesus Christ is the Annoionted One (Jews) is to use the Old Testament prophecy about the coming of the Savior. Isaiah 7:14 was the first Old Testament quote in this book.

1) The Sign of Coming Savior

The sign given by God about the coming of the Savior is “the virgin will be with the child”. There are other signs
Son of David
Birthplace will be Bethlehem–(Luke 2:4 –the registration) (Luke 2:15 – the visitation of shepherds) Even the Magi(2:7-8)

2) The Fulfillment of the Prophecy

The very complicated situation of Mary and Joseph is to accomplish the will of God.


D. CONSUMATION

The righteous man, Joseph listened to the voice of the Lord and did what the Lord has commanded him
1) The Wedding

Joseph cannot take Mary as his wife unless he married her. They get married before Jesus Christ was born.
• If Jesus Christ was born before they got married they committed fornication.
• If Jesus Christ was born before they got married, He is illegitimate son of Joseph
• They have enough time to pursue the wedding. (v.18 – knowing that she was pregnant)

The scenario was that, Joseph and Mary was about to be married. Maybe they had already plans, and the date maybe three to four months or five months when he found out that Mary was pregnant.

2) The Union

Joseph had no union with Mary until she gave birth. This is personal conviction of Joseph.
• Nuns, because of giving high reverence to Mary they have this theology that Mary is still virgin after giving birth.
• They believe also that after giving birth there was no union that happened to Mary and Joseph
• Therefore they do not believe that Mary and Joseph had no sons and daughters (opposed by: Mark 6:3)

3) The Giving of Name

Who gave the name Jesus, is it Mary or Joseph?
• The one who gave name Jesus was Joseph in Matthew and Mary was the one in Luke
• In Jewish tradition it is the Father who give name to their children
• The message of the Lord through angel/s was the same, they will name the child Jesus

JESUS (Joshua in Hebrew) means “the Lord saves” (v.21)
IMMANUEL means “God with us”

This also proved that Joseph was righteous in the sight of God and the evidences are:
• He feared God rather than man
• He loved God more than his name
• He obeyd God whatever be the cost


The Benefits of Understanding the Virgin Birth

1) Evidence that our Faith is not in Vain

Many of people during the early church tried to create rumors against the virgin birth of Christ and its legitimacy
If it is not true (virgin birth) the conception wass natural, and Jesus was also a sinner. Therefore all other claims of Jesus of
being the Messiah was nothing but lies.

2) Enablement to witness that Jesus Christ is God-Man

We can explain the full humanity of Christ and full deity of Christ. This is one of the duties of a Christian. Desire to know Him more and desire to proclaim Him more.


III. CONCLUSION
Our duty is not just to know that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin but to testify that He is God to those who do not believe that He is God. Virgin Birth explains the incarnation “and the Word became flesh”. It explains that Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God. Don’t just sit here and hear the message. Do the Lord’s command. Proclaim this wonderful truth about our Lord Jesus.


For God’s Glory
08/2210