Christ the Savior is Born

Review: Last week looked at the pre-incarnate Christ. Christ existed before the world being coeternal with the Father, showed himself in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord, and Promised he would come as the Savior. We were challenged to worship God for his wonder wisdom in redemption’s plan.

My sister sent a photo of her three year old admiring their nativity as he exclaimed, Look, there’s God. He is certainly grasping the truth that God became a baby.

This week in our series Christ throughout eternity we are look at the birth of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God in human flesh.

CHARLES SPURGEON said, “His name is Emmanuel, God with us: not only God from before all worlds, but God with us in our nature. The Word was made flesh: Jesus was born at Bethlehem, and there he was nursed at the breast of a woman. He lived among our race, bearing our infirmities, and tempted in all points like as we are, though without sin.”

The miracle of the incarnation is incomprehensible in mystery. The infinite God in a finite human body. The Creator becoming one of his Creatures and allowing himself to be totally dependent on parents for his needs. He had to be nursed and have his diaper changed. He had to learn to walk and talk. How can that be? It is the mystery of godliness. (1 Timothy 3:16)

While there are some that might doubt the reality of the incarnation, I want to give you ammo for confirming your faith ever stronger in the reality of the miracle of Christmas, God the Son becoming a helpless baby. We will look at Matthew and Luke’s accounts of the Christmas story as we look at the truth of Jesus incarnation.

1. Matthew’s take as the promised King of Israel.

The Gospel of Matthew, the first book in your NT, was written primarily to a Jewish audience. It was written with the intent to convince the Jewish nation that their promised and long awaited Messiah indeed had come.

Chapter 1 sets the record straight giving the legal line of King David to the throne and showing clearly through Joseph’s line there was legitimacy to the claim that Jesus was the Son of David and his miraculous birth. Chapter 2 of Matthew’s Christmas account witnesses of the recognition by wise men of the East as being the King of Israel and God’s divine protection of his Son.

However, to the reader the Christmas story is so familiar that we often lose our awe at what actually happened: God became human flesh. is easy to see, because it is written history before our eyes. place yourself in Joseph’s shoes. He is a just man who fears God, engaged to be married a young virgin, named Mary of the house of David. His wife to be comes to him and tells him she is pregnant of the Holy Ghost. After he had not seen her for three months because she was visiting her Aunt and Uncle in Judea.

Joseph is overwhelmed with the feeling of betrayal and heartbreak. How can he believe such a tale. Perhaps some Roman soldier molested while she was gone enroute to her Aunts and Uncle’s house. Or he had misjudged Mary’s chaste character. What was he to do? He seriously contemplates talking to the elders of Nazareth and having her put away privately, instead of the stoning God’s Law required for unfaithfulness in the betrothal period.

He is not sleeping well that night and finally dozes off into a restless sleep. While he slumbers an angel appears to him in a dream and tells him. Matthew 1:20–21 “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Matthew connects the dots that this isn’t some random occurence that happened on a whim of the Holy Spirit, but the fulfillment of Divine prophecy. Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.” Jewish girls all dreamt of being the girl who would give birth to Immanuel, God with us.

Joseph did as the angel of the Lord instructs and marries Mary, but does not know her until after she brings forth her first born son, JESUS.

We have seen the account unfold thus far with Mary telling Jesus she is expecting.

Behold an angel 1:20

Behold a virgin 1:23 a fulfillment of an over 700 year prophecy

Behold wise men 2:1 The wisemen probably came from Medo Persia and would have been men who were interested in the stars and Jewish books. Perhaps, Balaam’s prophecy in Numbers 24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite the corners of Moab, And destroy all the children of Sheth.”

Lo the star went before them. God led the wisemen to the exact house where Jesus, now a young child was with his mother.

They worshipped the child. Matthew 2:11 “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

We also ought to worship Jesus as God and sacrificially give to Him. Is not that the best way to show our gratitude to the Savior.

2. Luke’s take on on Christ as the perfect man.

Hail thou art highly favoured, fear not Luke 1:29–30 “And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”

Behold thou shalt conceive.

How can this be. I am not married.

Elisabeth your cousin is with child six months.

Mary: If Elisabeth can have a child in her old age what is it for God to do what is humanly impossible to me.

Lo as soon Luke 1:44 “For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”

Elisabeth recognizes the divinity of Jesus yet unborn.

Mary recognizes Jesus is God her Saviour. Luke 1:47

Luke 1:47 KJV 1900

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

The appearance of angels to the shepherds. Luke 2:9–14 “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.”

fourth of seven angelic interactions, now with a group of poor, despised shepherds outside Bethlehem.

The shepherds see the child and made him known abroad.

The confirmation of Simeon

The Holy Spirit reveals to Simeon that Jesus is the Messiah Luke 1:29-30

Luke 1:29–30 KJV 1900

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Can you imagine the wonder of Joseph and Mary. They know who Jesus is but they haven’t been broadcasting it everywhere. Now Shepherds now and a godly older man glorifies Jesus being yet eight days old. And Anna will follow and witness to all who wanted redemption

God became a man.

He was sinless.

While my nephew said, There’s God. Mary and Joseph got to look in the face of God.

The world for once chooses to say with us, “Christ is come.” Those who do not ordinarily come to the light do not refuse to advance some steps towards the risen day. Is this good, or is this evil? Shall we refuse to let them bear a part with us in our Christian joy? Shall we drive them back again into their worldliness? Shall we forbid them because they do not feel and do not think and do not speak as we do?… Shall we not rather say to them, “Come and rejoice with us—advance and stand in the ranks of God’s people—listen to what He has done for His Church and for the world?” Which of the two plans is the more likely to win souls for Christ and to glorify God?

HENRY ALFORD (1810–1871)*

Let us be proclaiming the message Christ came to seek and save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)