Life of Christ From Birth to Baptism

Matthew 2:13-15 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.””

Jesus is in danger

Joseph is warned in a dream

He is told to flee to Egypt

Matthew tells us this is a fulfillment of prophecy

Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Jesus in Exile

Matthew 2:16-18 “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.””

Herod massacres the infants of a small town

Bethlehem was a small town in a rural region

May have been only a few infants

Matthew once again parallels the events surrounding Jesus with Israels’s history

Jeremiah 31:15 “Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.””

Jesus is in exile

The children of Bethlehem are murdered

But there is hope for a return

Jeremiah 31:17 “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.”

Matthew sets the stage for future fulfillment

Matthew 2:23 “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew uses the plural “prophets” this time

not referencing a single prophecy

probably a collection of prophecies

Like Israel:

Jesus was brought out of Egypt

Jesus was sent into exile

The horrible events surrounding his birth allowed Him to fulfill these prophecies.

Jesus as a teen

Jesus is lost

Luke 2:41-45 “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.”

Every Jewish male had three feasts to attend every year

Passover was probably the most important

People traveled in large groups for safety and companionship

Jesus the good pupil Luke 2:46-47 “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”

Jesus wasn’t teaching

Jewish training employed questions as teaching points

At the age 13, Jesus would become a “son of the Covenant” or bar mitzvah

He was God in the flesh and still subjected himself to earthly teaching

Jesus was a good sonLuke 2:48-52 “And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Jesus was a good son to His heavenly Father

He must be in His father’s house

He had to fulfill His calling

But Jesus also was a good son to His earthly parents

He was submissive to His parents

He increased in age and reputation

Jesus was God in the flesh and still submitted Himself to biblical authority

Jesus as an Adult

Jesus is baptized by John

Matthew 3:13-15 “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.”

Jesus still submitted Himself to be baptized

Jesus was baptized purely for His ministry

Though Jesus was perfect, He still submitted to the qualifications He would implement

Jesus’ ministry beginsMatthew 3:16-17 “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””

Everything leading up to this point was a in preparation for the ministry of Jesus

He went to Egypt to fulfill prophecy

He submitted to His parents and John to fulfill righteousness

He was able to recognize the plan and purpose for His life

Conclusion

You can look at your life in two ways:

Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

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