Matthew 1:1 (NASB)

1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

It was very common in Ancient biographies that they would typically begin by rehearsing the noble lineage of their subject”   – B. B. C.

A. And this is what Matthew is doing here

1. He is showing the ROYAL LINEAGE of Jesus Christ

“Jesus” (v.1)

“Joshua” or ‘YESHUA’ – HEBREW for “Jesus”

“Jesus” is the GREEK name for “Joshua”

“Jesus” / “Joshua”; means -  “the Lord is salvation.”

“Messiah” (v.1)

“Messiah” – HEBREW for “CHRIST”

“Christ is GREEK for “Messiah”

“MESSIAH” or “CHRIST”, means – “anointed one”

In GREEK:

“Jesus Christ” means – “The Lord is salvation; Anointed One”

In HEBREW:

“YESHUA the MESSIAH” means – “The Lord is salvation, Anointed One”

“Son of David” (v. 1)

Was a highly popular messianic title of the times. In fact when a person would call Jesus Christ the “Son of David”, what they were really doing was declaring their faith.

“I believe that thou art the ‘Christ’ the “Messiah” the “Son of the Living God”

B. We see an example of this in –

Matthew 9:27-29 (NASB)

27 …two blind men followed [Jesus] Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said* to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said* to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”

C. By calling Jesus, “The Son of David”

1. They were PROFESSING their FAITH in Him as the MESSIAH

D. In vv. 2-16

1. Matthew then traces out the genealogy of Jesus Christ through Joseph

a. Joseph was Jesus’ legal (though not natural) father

E. This genealogy that Matthew lists –

1. Establishes Christ’s RIGHT TO THE THRONE of David

F. By TRACING His linage, in VERSE 17 we see that -

Matthew 1:17 (NASB)

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

G. So from ABRAHAM to CHRIST

1. There were 42 GENERATIONS

2. OR — 3 SETS of 14

H. Then we come to the THRUST of OUR TEXT this morning – v. 18 –

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

 A. Jesus Christ was SUPERNATURALLY CONCEIVED by the Holy Spirit

The birth of Jesus Christ was the result of the ONLY SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION to ever take place

Bible Background Commentary:

“Ancient biographers sometimes praised the miraculous births of their subjects (especially prominent in the Old Testament), but there are no close parallels to the virgin birth. Greeks told stories of gods (small g) impregnating women, but the text indicates that Mary’s conception was not sexual; nor does the Old Testament (or Jewish tradition) ascribe sexual characteristics to God. Many miraculous birth stories in the ancient world (including Jewish accounts) are heavily embroidered with mythical imagery (e.g., babies filling houses with light), in contrast with the straight forward narrative style of this passage.”

‘Betrothal’ (V. 18)

“This was a legally binding agreement, and was normally accompanied by the grooms’ payment of at least part of the bride price. Betrothal, which commonly lasted a year, meant that the bride and the groom were officially pledged to each other but hand not yet consummated the marriage. Advances toward anyone else during the betrothal period, were thus regarded as adulterous

Deuteronomy 22:23-24

“If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

B. So for a man to lie with a BETROTHED woman, it was considered adultery

1. And they were BOTH TO BE STONED

“In ancient Israel, betrothal was considered a binding promise prior to the consummation of marriage. Though betrothed couples were not granted the rights of marriage, they were considered as good as married. The breakdown of a betrothal was thus viewed with the greatest seriousness.”     - Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words

C. Betrothal is a beautiful picture of the BELIEVER’S MARRIAGE to God:

The marriage between God and Israel is the Old Covenant parallel and developed in the New Covenant through the powerful metaphor of Christ and His bride, the church.

D. As the CHURCH, we are BETROTHED to CHRIST;

1. Though our WEDDING FEAST is coming, it’s as good as being MARRIED right now!

BETROTHAL AGREEMENT

Two witnesses, mutual consent (normally) and the groom’s declaration were necessary to establish Jewish betrothals. In Roman Betrothals, consent alone sufficed.

ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Although (engagement) rings were used in the Roman world, it is not clear [historically] whether Palestinian Jews used them in this early period.

Mary’s Age

Mary would have probably been between the ages of 12 and 14 (16 at the oldest), Joseph perhaps between 18-20; and their parents would have mostly likely arranged their marriage, with Mary and Joseph’s consent.

E. So Mary was BETROTHED to JOSEPH

1. Under the LAW, considered ‘AS GOOD AS MARRIED’

2. Yet without having CONSUMMATED their marriage

F. And it was DURING THIS TIME of MARY’S BETROTHAL that-

“She was FOUND to be with Child – BY THE HOLY SPIRIT”

G. Luke describes how this took place in his Gospel (turn w/ me)

Luke 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

30 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 name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

H. In V. 35, Luke, as a PHYSICIAN uses this phrase to describe the CONCEPTION:

1. He says: “The Holy Spirit Will Come Upon You”

“The Incarnation was accomplished by this creative act of the Holy Spirit in the body of Mary. The Virgin Birth was a special miracle performed by the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, whereby the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God, took to Himself a genuine, though sinless, human nature and was born as a man, with surrendering any aspect of His Deity!”       -The Ryrie Study Bible

GOD the FATHER, through GOD the HOLY SPIRIT; conceived GOD THE SON!!!!

The reason that Christ was BORN with a SINLESS NATURE; is because the SEED came from God who is SINLESS.

The reason we are BORN with a SINFUL NATURE is because we were BORN from the SEED of our FATHER- and the SIN NATURE is PASSED DOWN through the SEED of the FATHER.

I. JESUS CHRIST was FULLY GOD and FULLY MAN!

1. He was NOT PARTIAL MAN and PARTIAL GOD

2. Or a Man who was elevated to become God

J. When JESUS CHRIST was BORN;

1. He was BORN FULLY GOD & FULLY MAN!!!

a. The INCARNATION of God

“God HIMSELF! Manifest in the flesh!”

K. Wouldn’t you have LOVED to have gone up to Him in that STABLE?!!!!

1. I would KISSED and KISSED and KISSED all over His sweet little HEAD/NECK!!

2. I’d have never PUT HIM DOWN!

L. Concerning the BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST;

1. Paul wrote:

Philippians 2:5-11 (NASB)

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

JESUS CHRIST WAS / IS / ALWAYS WILL BE——-GOD!!!

John 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

Christ is GOD; and HE has ALWAYS EXISTED -

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

N. In order for the WORD TO BECOME FLESH;

1. The WORD had to EXIST BEFORE IT BECAME FLESH

O. The WORD ETERNALLY EXISTED;

1. Then at a set time to a SET COUPLE (Mary & Joseph)

2. JESUS CHRIST became FLESH

P. So Mary was Betrothed to Joseph—-

18 …And before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit….19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

A. Notice here that Joseph is called her ‘HUSBAND’!

1. Although they were not married yet…

2. The year of engagement / betrothal was so SACRED, that

“They were by custom considered as if married”

Consequently, Joseph’s only recourse seemed to be to:

‘Send Her Away’

“Meaning to give her a bill of divorce, a certificate saying, in effect, “This woman in not my wife; I am not her husband”

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus [Yeshua], for [because] He will save His people from their sins.”

“JESUS” / “YESHUA” = ‘ADONAI SAVES’!

A. The ENTIRE PURPOSE for JESUS CHRIST to come to this earth is this verse:

“Jesus is salvation, for He will save His people from their sins!”

Romans 10:12-13

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

ANYBODY and EVERYBODY who CALLS upon the NAME of the LORD…SHALL BE SAVED!

God did not give any stipulations regarding sin. No matter how TERRIBLE a man’s sin might be, if he will TURN to JESUS CHRIST; REPENT OF HIS SIN and BELIEVE…Jesus Christ WILL SAVE HIM out of his sin!

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the [ADONAI] Lord through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin [Mary was a virgin, never had physical relations with a man] shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

‘Immanuel’ in Hebrew is spelled:

‘IMMANU – EL’

IMMANU – means ‘WITH US’

‘EL’ means ‘GOD’

In the Greek Majority text, it is actually:  ‘WITH US-GOD’

But for clarity we say ‘GOD WITH US’

This comes out of the O.T. prophecy of ISAIAH –

Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

‘EL’ – God Himself will come to this EARTH and be born of a VIRGIN and DWELL AMONG US!!!

The PROMISE of God was ALWAYS that HE WOULD PROVIDE HIMSELF for our SINS

God didn’t send a SUBORDINATE or an ANGEL to come to PAY for our SINS – HE, HIMSELF CAME, because ONLY HE could REDEEM US!!!

You look at every SATANIC CULT from MORMONISM to J.W.’s and the ALL DENY the DEITY of JESUS CHRIST—

John 8:23-24

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.  “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Believe that JESUS CHRIST is WHO? -

IMMANUEL – GOD HIMSELF, dwell among us!!!

24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

A. So Joseph proved himself to be a godly man

1. He acted like the O.T. men & women who

2. Obeyed the call of God

3. Even when it went against all human common sense

B. Sometimes what GOD CALLS us to DO;

1. DOESN’T make any sense

2. But it DOES require an ACT of FAITH

‘Marriage consisted of covenant (at the betrothal; the marital contract also involved a monetary transaction between families), a ceremony and consummation, which ratified the marriage, normally on the first night of the seven-day wedding.’ – IVP Background

C. Joseph here officially marries Mary [Miryam]

1. But he ABSTAINS from consummating the marriage –

a. Until after Jesus is born!

D. What a godly man Joseph was!

1. He took Mary to be his WIFE

2. But he exercised self-control until after the birth of JESUS!

CONCLUSION:

1. And so the LIFE OF CHRIST began

2. There in that LOWLY STABLE in BETHLEHEM

3. Out of sight, out of mind to most the World

4. The quietness of that night

a. The cattle chewing their cuds

b. The sheep resting

‘SILENT NIGHT, oh HOLY NIGHT!’

5. And YESHUA MESSIAH, GOD HIMSELF came for one reason

(v. 21) “To save His people from their sin”

6. My question to is:

a. Are you ONE OF HIS PEOPLE?

b. Have you had your SINS CLEANSED YET?

7. If you were to die tonight, do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re saved?

a. That’s the MOST IMPORTANT question you will ever answer

“JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON”

And ———“It is the SEASON FOR SALVATION”

“Behold today, is the day of salvation!”

8. Prayer -