Jesus: Worthy of Total Surrender (Matthew 1:18-25)

know how to make God laugh???

tell Him your plans

so what happens when God’s plans and your plans collide?

pull up a chair because Joseph could tell us

Jesus: Worthy of Total Surrender

Matthew 1 page 959

God’s plans are to save the world

in light of 1:1-17

well how did this promised Jesus come to be?

what’s His origin (ἡ γένεσις) story?

1:18-25

focus on angel of the Lord’s message

Joseph, son of David (1:20)

reminder of Messiah’s lineage

Jesus would be Joseph’s legal son even though not biological

God would be His father but His royal right would come through the Davidic line

reminder of Joseph’s humble means

not at the palace

even though in the lineage of David, not the royalty David experienced

Israel had very turbulent history since David

glory days were in the past

exiled to Babylon

now ruled by Romans

not much hope, but that is all about to change

because HOPE is coming

for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit (1:20)

this Baby does not have a normal origin

Mary asks the obvious question in Luke 1

Luke 1:34–35 “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.”

blank screen

without sexual relations

by HS

fulfillment of 700 year old prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 (1:23)

Immanuel = God with us

C.R.A.Z.Y.

is that what you celebrate at Christmas???

like back in the Garden of Eden…well kinda

people didn’t hate and want to crucify God the Son

in Jesus, this is realized in unthinkable terms (John 1:14)

theology of virgin birth

seed of the woman (Gen 3:15)

how the offspring can be attributed to Mary

because no earthly father

Incarnation = God became man

NOT God the Son was created

NOT God the Son was born

for he will save his people from their sins (1:21)

αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.

John 3:16–17 ““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.”

Incarnation

virgin conception allows Jesus to be fully human and fully divine

only fully human able to represent us as the substitutionary sacrifice

you can die for your sin

I can die for my sin

but I cannot die for your sin,

and you cannot die for my sin

only fully divine able to pay the eternal penalty of our sins

greatest enemy = sin

not loneliness

not fear

not the government

not anything else

save from sin

Jesus = Yahweh saves

power of sin

slaves to sin

penalty of sin

eternal punishment

through perfect life

and atoning death

available to all (whole world)

applied only to those who repent and believe

know how to make God laugh???

tell Him your plans

graphic

your plan

vs. God’s plan

Joseph’s plans collide with God’s plans

ever had that happen to you?

CPA —> pastor not on radar

1. [Marry Mary] (1:18a)

paint pretty picture

wanted to be like other Jewish men

have wife, family, and job to provide

found future wife = Mary

want to see Amanda light up?

ask her our dating and engagement story

Joseph was engaged/betrothed to Mary

Jewish custom

betrothal signified more than an engagement in modern sense

Hebrew marriage had 2 stages

betrothal (vows exchanged before witnesses)

marriage ceremony

even in betrothal/engagement

man and woman considered legally married

sometimes referred as spouse even before married (1:19)

marriage ceremony and consummation usually did not occur for a year

betrothal period served as time of probation and testing of fidelity

did not live together or have sexual relations until after married

if pregnant, then it would be obvious

saving himself for Mary and she is doing the same

decision made: Marry Mary

2. obvious that she was unfaithful because she was with child (1:18a-19)

one thing he knew

this child was not his

Joseph is about to be on a roller coaster of a ride

all along the way, he is left with a decision: choose God’s plan or his own plan?

recalculating on GPS

everything in this world will be telling him to turn left while God says turn right

not the way he planned

he had remained sexually pure

Mary said she was too

come to a crossroad

his trust in Mary was obliterated

baby not Joseph’s because he was a just man

sexual purity has always been highly regarded in OT and NT

God places great value on sexual abstinence outside of marriage

and sexual fidelity within marriage

sexual relations and living together under same roof were not permitted

until after marriage ceremony

this is counter cultural BUT still God’s standard for His people

Joseph’s righteousness puts him in a bind

his moral standards would not allow him to go through with the marriage

because of Mary’s pregnancy

obvious she was unfaithful

his love and kindness did not allow him to divorce her publicly

but they were not married??? why divorce???

engagement was legally binding

required divorce to be broken

it was a common practice to shame the adulterer and call for life (Lev. 20:10)

could have been a messy divorce if Joseph demanded his rights

file a lawsuit against her

unwilling to put her to shame

he felt shame but was more concerned with Mary’s shame

in pregnancy, the man can withdraw but not the woman

she must carry the baby to term

we want to be a church that celebrates life

even if sinful circumstances for conception

planned to give Mary a certificate of divorce

spare Mary public disgrace of a messy divorce

decision made: divorce Mary privately

all that changed when an angel appeared

3. Angel appeared (1:20-23)

look at the agony over this decision (1:20)

But as he considered these things

he loved Mary and did not want either option to actually take place

one thing to say something and another thing to do it

had Mary a certificate of divorce

the angel brings comfort, do not fear to take Mary as your wife (1:20)

implies that something was troubling Joseph

Mary had not been unfaithful

baby is of the HS

Mary is still a virgin

it would take an angel to deliver this message

believe this baby had no father???

now, Joseph was not only commanded not to divorce her but even directed to marry her

this child would be the legal and rightful Son of David

think of the emotions

very startling — virgin birth???

never in a million years would Joseph have thought this would explain Mary’s pregnancy

4. [Embrace Mary and Jesus] (1:24-25)

embrace a child that was not his

carry the shame of pregnancy but at no fault of his own

become Mary’s defender from malicious slander

believe that Mary was not unfaithful but carrying the Son of God

Joseph was at a crossroad

believe that this was all too crazy to be true

believe the angel

still could marry Mary

not able to consummate marriage on wedding night

his desires and needs are put on hold

would be given care of God’s own Son

tells something of Joseph because God would not entrust to just anyone

never thought he would make this decision

decision made: embrace Mary and the Messiah

Joseph could have been bummed about the whole situation

not what dreamed (not his plans)

OR embrace God’s plan

opportunity to trust God and raise Jesus

if your plans have never changed when they collide with God’s plans,

then I question whether you have surrendered to Jesus

our plans vs. God’s plans

know how to make God laugh, let Him know your plans

planned to be accountant and get CPA

embarrassing: going back to school

what is God’s plan for your life?

salvation

surrender (Jesus is worthy of total surrender)

life completely altered

what does Jesus want?