He Would be Called a Nazarene

Intro

Merry Christmas, and welcome to our Christmas Eve service!

Introduce myself, welcome GFC and SBF

Christmas Eve can be a time of many family traditions

Thank you for making room in your traditions to be here!

I have had some… different experiences on Christmas Eve

Travelling from Texas to MB (snowstorms, cheese-filled hot dogs), Grandma proving to her doctors she was fit to come home after surgery; busyness of 2 services at NLC; small gathering in the SBF Ministry Centre; being here tonight

Our focus this evening is on Jesus, and the hope that He brings into all our life situations

At SBF we have been following the gospel of Matthew, highlighting the times when the author specifically tells us that prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus

Jesus was born of a virgin and called Emmanuel, God with us

Jesus was born in Bethlehem as a ruler; the Messiah and king from the line of David

Jesus connects us to the Exodus story and provides us deliverance from the slavery of sin

Jesus provides light in darkness, comfort in mourning and hope for the future in our lament

Tonight we will learn from the final fulfillment listed by Matthew in the story of Jesus’ birth and early life

Read Matthew 2:19-23 and pray

The Story

The threat to the life of Jesus ends when Herod the Great dies

Herod was bloodthirsty for power

Killed his own wife and children; tried to trick the magi; killed children 2 and under in the Bethlehem region

He did these things because he felt threatened by a “king of the Jews” from the line of David

He did not have a true claim to be king; even if people merely believed the Messiah had arrived it could spell disaster

Once again, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to go home

He had taken his family and fled to Egypt under the cover of darkness (as commanded)

Now Joseph obeys once more, and brings his family home

They originally try to go back to Bethlehem in Judea

When the magi visited, they were living in a house; Jesus was approx. 2; they had likely settled with some of Joseph’s family after the census

But Archelaus was reigning over Judea, and that was a problem

When Herod died, he split his kingdom into 3 parts, giving some regions to his son Archelaus, some to his son Antipas, and some to his son Philip

By all accounts, Archelaus was equally as cruel and evil as his father, and could still have been a danger to Jesus

In fact, Joseph was (once again) warned in a dream NOT to go back to that area

So the logical conclusion is that they would return to Nazareth, where they had lived before the census

Matthew doesn’t give you this detail, but Luke does

Nazareth was a small, unimportant town in the small, unimportant northern region of Galilee

Yet Matthew finds significance as he teaches that Jesus grew up in Nazareth as another fulfillment of prophecy

Re-read Matthew 2:23.

Here’s the rub: There is NO known prophecy about the Messiah being called a Nazarene

So we speculate!

Some say Matthew was using a pun in the original languages to refer to Jesus as the “root” of Jesse

Others believe Matthew meant “Nazarite” instead of “Nazarene”

Nazarite vow = consecrated to God; Jesus never took this vow

Third option I like best: Matthew speaks generally about “the prophets,” so he likely is pointing to a pattern that is true in Jesus (as opposed to a specific prophecy)

That pattern is the fact that the Messiah would come in humility and without outward glory and splendor

Cf. Isaiah 53:2-3.

The prophets even go further in stating that the Messiah will be despised and rejected; a lowliness that is unexpected

But what does this have to do with being a Nazarene?

Nazareth was small, unimportant and lowly in stature

Not only that, but it was even looked down upon and joked about

Cf. John 1:45-46.

Start poking fun of Grunthal… then pretend to stop

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Matthew tells us that this has always been part of God’s plan, and it tells us about the nature of the king, the nature of the kingdom and the nature of its citizens

A Humble King

As God-made-flesh, Jesus could have arrived on the scene in full glory and splendor

You could have stepped into creation With fire for all to see Brought every tribe and nation to their knees Arriving with the host of heaven In royal robe and crown The rulers of the earth all bowing down

But You chose meekness over majesty Wrapped Your power in humanity

You could have marched in all Your glory Into the heart of Rome Showed them splendor like they'd never known But You wrote a better story In humble Bethlehem Creator in the arms of common men

Manger Throne (Phil Wickham)

Jesus arrived as the true eternal king, the Son of God, worthy of worship

Yet he was born in a manger (food trough) in a stable (with animals)

Jesus is a humble king

From his birth in Bethlehem to his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus came humble to do His Father’s will and humble to love others

This humility found its completion on the cross, as Jesus laid aside His own life so that we may receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life

A Humble Kingdom

Since Jesus is a humble king, the kingdom of God is one of humility as well

It should stand out from the power and politics of the world

Look at the difference between Herod and Jesus, Rome, and what His followers expected Him to do

Christmas is the beginning of a story that helps us redefine what true conquering power looks like

World tells us power for those who take it for themselves

Jesus shows us that true power comes from self-sacrifice

By laying down His life, Jesus defeated sin and death; what other king has done this?

Humble Citizens

If it is true that Jesus is a humble king of a humble kingdom, then how we ought to live as citizens of this kingdom becomes clear

Cf. Philippians 2:3-8.

We follow the example of Jesus by considering others more significant than yourselves

Talk about trying to get Silas to think this way in buying presents for his brothers

We follow the example of Jesus by changing the world from the bottom-up

Don’t get caught in traditional power games! This isn’t about changing all of our laws, it is about laying down our lives for all of those around us, and seeing what change comes about

This is how the church began, and how it is designed to change the world

Conclusion

The picture of Jesus in the manger, or growing up in Nazareth is true and helpful, but not the end of the story, either

Cf. Philippians 2:9-11.

Jesus IS the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

And when He returns again as He has promised, it will be in full glory and splendour, to wipe away every tear and be with His people forever

THIS is why we can say, “Merry Christmas”