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Intro; Last week we looked at the family tree of Jesus and saw a lot of shady characters in it.
We also talked about our on family trees, our DNA and are we in the Jesus’ family tree ‘The Lambs Book of Life.”
So when we come to Christmas we realize its a lot more than just presents, its about family.
Mary and Joseph are probably the two most privileged people that have ever lived on earth.
They were selected by God to be the earthly parents of Christ while He was here on earth.
What a family!
This morning I want us to look at this family, Mary, Joseph and Jesus, and see “The Purpose of Christmas!”
Text; Mt. 1:18-25
I want us to focus this morning on one verse, [v.21].
In this one verse we find “The Purpose of Christmas”
Christmas- [Christ-mass] “Christ” means “Anointed One” and “mass” means “celebration/worship”.
Christmas is the celebration/worship of the “Anointed One”, Jesus Christ!
1. Mary; 21a
The scriptures don’t reveal a whole lot about Mary except what we find here in the gospels.
We know that she was probably from Nazareth as that’s where her and Joseph lived before they came to Bethlehem for the census [Lk.
2:4-5]
We also learn that she had a sister named Salome, the mother of James and John who are the cousins of Jesus [Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40, John 19:25]
In Luke 3, we see the genealogy of Jesus through Mary.
She’s in the Davidic linage.
We know from [Luke 1:36] that Elizabeth was her relative, probably a cousin, who we know as the wife of Zacharias and the mother of John the Baptist.
Besides this, all we know about Mary was that she was betrothed to Joseph and that she was a “virgin”
The betrothal [engagement/marriage] of a Jewish couple is a lot different than today.
First, the two families would agree to the union and negotiate the betrothal, including a price for the bride that would be paid to the bride’s father.
Next, a public announcement would be made.
At this point, the couple was “pledged/betrothed.”
This is similar to engagement today, except that it was much more binding.
At this point, even though the couple was not officially married, their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce.
Sexual relations were not yet permitted.
This second step lasted for a year.
During that time, the couple would live separately, with their parents.
This waiting period would demonstrate the bride’s purity.
If she were found to be unchaste/pregnant during that time, the marriage could be annulled.
Otherwise, the couple would be married and begin living together.
Barton, B. B. (1996).
Matthew (pp.
13–14).
Tyndale House Publishers.
Virgin- [almah] a woman of marriageable age, who has never engaged in sexual intimacy with a man.
Mary was highly favored in the eyes of the Lord.
She is from the royal linage of David, she has kept herself pure, she is of a humble spirit, and God chose her to bring forth a Son, who is the Christ Child, the Savior of the world!
Joseph knew if there ever was a girl you would want to marry, it would be Mary!
2. Joseph; 21b
If you think we know little about Mary, we know a lot less about Joseph.
His fathers name is Jacob found in the genealogy of Jesus
He was a carpenter
He is betrothed to Mary [Mt.
1:18]
The rest of what we know of Joseph is found in our text this morning.
Joseph had a surprise coming from Mary as he found out that she was pregnant before they came together intimately.
Joseph had a tough decision to make.
According to the Law of Moses, he could call her out and have her stoned, he could write her a certificate of divorce, or he could marry her which would be an admission of guilt of which he wasn’t guilty.
[v.19]
Joseph was a “just man” [righteous, wanting to do the right thing with compassion] was going to give her a private divorce, not to harm his reputation and still show compassion towards Mary.
[v.20-23]
While Joseph was thinking about these things, God spoke to Joseph by in a dream.
Don’t be afraid that Mary has cheated on you, because she hasn’t.
That child that she is carrying is the Son of God.
She is conceived of the Holy Spirit!
I have chosen you to be his earthly father and I want you to call His name Jesus [Joshua, Hoshea, Jehovah is salvation]
I want you to raise Him as your own.
Provide for Him, teach him, care for him as your own son, but understand that He is also your Savior, He is God!
Because you are a just man, and fear God, you are now favored as Mary is to be a part of the fulfillment of the promises of the coming Messiah [v.22-23]
[24-25] So Joseph was obedient to what God commanded him and he took Mary as his wife but he did not have intimacy with her until after Jesus was born.
Joseph named the baby Jesus as commanded by God.
Now we have the picture of the perfect family at christmas.
Mary and Joseph were both favored by God, just, humble and obedient.
They have a beautiful baby boy who is the fulfillment of scripture, this is the best Christmas story ever!
Not quite!
3. The Purpose of Christmas; 21c
“For He will save His people from their sins”, that is “The Purpose of Christmas”
That christmas story of that perfect family I just told you is a true story, a wonderful story, but a story that is not of a perfect family.
As good and just as Mary and Joseph were, they are still sinners, lost in need of being saved!
“Jesus came to save” - the word save means to deliver.
What did Jesus come to deliver them from?
Jesus did not come to save the Jewish people from the Romans
He didn’t come to save them from the trials of life.
Nor did He come to make them happy.
Jesus didn’t come to help them save themselves
Jesus came to save His people from their sins!
What does that mean?
He came to seek and save the lost.
Man is pictured as wandering about in the wilderness of life trying to go someplace, but unable to find his way.
Luke 19:10 (NKJV)
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
He came to save from sin.
A genetic disorder that man has no cure for.
A master that enslaves a person and will not let go.
A burden that is to heavy to carry.
He came to break the devil’s power
1 John 3:8 (NKJV)
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
He came to bring eternal life
John 10:10 (NKJV)
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
He came to give access to God
He came to restore fallen humanity
He came to give perfect peace
He came to claim victory
His people- His people clarifies that not all people are saved and are going to heaven.
John 10:26–27 (NKJV)
26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
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