MATTHEW SERIES 1:18-25 (2)

INTRODUCTION:

A. WELCOME

Quick encouragement.

Funny Joke:

Char Les Ton. extra Syllable.

We have fun in Charleston, We love Trebor and Molly and the whole crew. Lets continue to pray for our family in Charleston.

Stand for the reading of the word

B. SCRIPTURE

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

C. PRAYER

D. INTRODUCTION

i. Warming up the Congregation

You’ve probably use to hearing a message about this specific passage only on Christmas. but I love it that we’re walking through the Gospel of Matthew together so it kind give us the excuse to throw in a Christmas message in the middle of January.

The truth of this passages centers around God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises and that is a truth not reserved for month, but a truth for every season for every moment and the response for us is to trust and obey Him in the unexpected.”

ii. Brief Overview: Matthew’s Focus on Royalty of Jesus as the True King

Recap the importance of covering Matthew 1:1-17

Genealogies to us can seem tedious and boring.

Joke: Have you ever had that moment when you’re daily devotion lands you on an entire chapter on genealogies.

And you have to pretend to pronounce names you can’t even pronounced and you try to play it off, like you don’t want to say you hate it because it’s God’s word so you’re like not a fan of this.

Matthew’s genealogy is structured to emphasize Jesus’ legal right and prophetic fulfillment as the Messiah and True King who is both the son of David and the son of Abraham is the True heir to the promises to Abraham and David.

“Remember God’s covenantal promises to our Father Abraham… Yeah Jesus is the fulfillment of that

“And David, who God walked in the extension of God’s Covenantal promises. and Promised Him some cool stuff like a son who will reign forever. Yeah Jesus fulfills that”

iii. Thesis:

Our passage today is a continuation of this prologue and can sum up into this thought.

Good Faithfulness

God’s promises are secure because of His faithfulness, and our participation through obedience often determines how we experience those promises.

2. Mans Obedience

Obedience does not make God faithful; rather, it positions us to walk in the fullness of His faithfulness

Transition: With this in mind, we pick up here in our passage, Matthew 1:18

MESSAGE:

Let looks at this first section.

i. Exposition : God’s faithfulness

Matthew 1:18 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Joseph is caught in a seemingly impossible situation

Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant, and not by him.

Joke:

This is like classic content for the Maury Show.

- Any one familiar with Maury Povich?

In the case of blue eye baby Jesus, Joseph, you are not the father.

Betrothal is not modern engagement.

it’s anachronistic to equate betrothal to modern engagement

(anachronistic, is a fun cool guy word)

For us, we can walk through engagement one day happy the next day like. i’m just not vibing with you anymore.

Not anyone here at kings.

Betrothal in ancient times was is legally binding, the first stage in marriage before whole birds and the bees yet.

How would you respond if God’s promise disrupted your plans?”

Have you ever thought about what this initial conversation would have been like for Joseph and Mary?

I can’t help but constant try to play the what if, imagining bible stories in my head because i’m such a visiual person. Guilty. am I the only one.

JOKE:

There is a funny video on the Tube, Lord forgive of this an animated of what this conservation with stick figures. and it goes like this

Joseph: Here you are baby, fresh baked pie, just for you

Mary: um where did you get this,

Joseph: I made it, from scratch.

Mary: we don’t have an oven

Joseph: God helped me

Mary sighs Joseph please

Joseph: Yells “Do you see how that sounds Mary”

But What if Jordan Peterson was Joseph. how would he had reacted?

"Well, Mary, this is quite the archetypal conundrum, isn’t it? You’ve introduced a chaotic element into my otherwise orderly existence. A virginal conception, you say? Hmm. That’s a pretty lofty claim, but life is suffering, and perhaps I need to shoulder this divine burden to find meaning in it. I’ll clean my room and think it over."

Point:

The truth is, yes Stick figure Joseph this does sound ridiculously and yes, black Jordan Peterson (Me), this is an archetypal conundrum that we can’t fully wrap our minds around.

But isn’t this precisely the nature of God’s promises? In the dark and often obscure places we see God’s promise fulfilled.

The promises of God often unfold in unexpected ways and require a trust that goes beyond human reasoning.

Is this blind trust?

No, but think about it: The God who created everything—everything visible and invisible, the author of the laws of nature, time, space, and matter—isn’t confined by those things. Since He’s the one who created it all, He can absolutely work through creation in ways that go beyond the natural laws. That’s what a miracle is—it’s supernatural because it’s above and beyond the natural. Now, doesn’t that sound reasonable?

Application:

Have you been there?

God births a promise in the obscure places in your life.

It quite doesn’t make sense, but you recieved a word from God.

Examples: WHY AM I HERE IN THIS CITY?

I could be on a beach.

I came to this city for this one thing, but everything is crashing around me. things seem dark, but then God spoke a promise.

Isaiah paraphrase “Yes, My thoughts and ways are Higher than yours.”

STORY NEEDED

Here in this passage the promise was bigger than his plans.

Don’t be so caught up on the specificity of His promise that we lose the overarching generality of his promise.

We put more focus a specific will. “What am I suppose to do today”. That we lose sight of His General will, that is to be transformed into the image of His Son Jesus.

My friend Daniel, plans to be this actor. British guy from london moving to NYC for big dreams. ended up working the oddiest job and through Him. but through his obedience God’s promise of salvation. I an atheist rebellious toward God has an encounter with Him that change the trajectory of my life.

Biblical Precedent:

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

Noah and the Ark

God’s instruction to Noah to build an ark must have seemed absurd at the time. The scale of the project, the idea of a catastrophic flood—it was unprecedented. Yet Noah’s obedience allowed God’s promise to preserve humanity to be fulfilled.

Abraham’s Story

Reminiscent of God’s promises to Abraham

When God promised Abraham numerous descendants, he and Sarah were old and childless. It took 25 years for Isaac to be born

Genesis 12, 15, 17) - God promises Abraham numerous descendants at a time when Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and childless,

Long passage

Romans 4:16–24 ESV

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

"Isaac, in a way, typified the birth of Jesus in that both were the result of God’s supernatural intervention rather than human effort. Isaac’s birth came through the miraculous fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah, just as Jesus’ birth fulfilled God’s ultimate promise of salvation through divine intervention

PROMISE:

The promise is initiated by God and is fulfilled by God and

like Abraham Joseph and Mary are simply recipients of the promise.

Application: Stop striving to fulfill what God said He will fulfill.

Your role is to be a recipient of the promise not the fulfiller.

Get back to the basic, Do what He told you to do. faith and trust in God’s broader plan

Example: Story about faith

God is so trustworthy that His promises to Abraham

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

Hebrews 6:13–18 ESV

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

God swearing an oath upon Himself, and since it is impossible for God to lie, His promise, and oath is unchangeable.

APPLICATION: THE NATURE OF GOD’S PROMISES

PROMISES TO ABRAHAM Do you know how long it took for Abraham to receive the promised son? 25 years. But even then, Abraham didn’t see the full extent of God’s promise.

The Nation: Fulfilled over 400 years later, when Israel came out of Egypt (Exodus 12:40-41).

Kings from His Lineage: Fulfilled 1,000 years later with King David (2 Samuel 7:12).

Jesus Christ: Fulfilled 2,000 years later, bringing ultimate salvation (Matthew 1:1-17).

God’s promises often span generations, reminding us that His timing is perfect.

PROMISES TO DAVID David was anointed as king as a teenager but didn’t take the throne over Judah until his 30s (2 Samuel 2:4) and over all Israel even later (2 Samuel 5:3). God’s promises require patience and trust.

PROMISES AND JOSEPH Have you thought about this. that Joseph saw the birth of the promise. He held the promise in his arms and watched the promise grow. and like Abraham, Joseph didn’t see the full realization of the promise fulfillment:

He likely died before Jesus began His public ministry.

He didn’t witness the crucifixion, resurrection, or the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph’s life reminds us that we may not see every promise fulfilled in our lifetime—but that doesn’t diminish God’s faithfulness. Joseph trusted God’s promises without seeing their ultimate fulfillment

APPLICATION TO US Perhaps the promise God has given you isn’t for today,

because you receive a prophetic word today doesn’t mean it will be fulfilled tomorrow.

perhaps not even for your lifetime. Can you trust God’s character anyway?

As my Bible professor once said: “Being faithful with the task today may be the determining factor of whether we pass a test tomorrow.”

Be diligent in today’s tasks, trusting that God’s promises are sure, even if their fulfillment is still to come. His character is unwavering, and His timing is perfect.

Matthew 1:20–22 ESV

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

Significance of names:

Joke:

Our culture doesn’t put much stock into names.

- People name their kids all sort of weird names and this coming from a guy name Sincere.

- When I was young, I hated my name. It’ didn’t seem like a cool guy name

I couldn’t be a tough guy. my name is Sincere and I wear glasses, was destine to walk a straight and narrow path lol.

Ancient Hebrew culture held far more importance to names, as they linked it with or pointing to the actual character and destiny of the individual (WBC)

Jesus Name:

The earlier audience would’ve made the connection to Joshua, Moses successor, who’s name means Yahweh saves.

Jesus, Immanuel, Tells us about his His nature, and His distinct role.

Application:

Reason to hold fast is in the abiding promise of Christ.

Jesus is saying ask for anything according to my character, will..

It begins with the proclamation of God's presence and concludes with a powerful affirmation of His nearness. Mirroring this, the epilogue of Matthew ends with Jesus's comforting assurance, "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

The beauty this kingdom reality, the bookend that reaffirms that God daily presence. In the valley, on the mountain, through the desert and wilderness of life. God you are with me.

ii. Exposition: Man’s Obedience

Matthew 1:23–24 ESV

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,

Scripture doesn’t tell us if Joseph thought about the outcome of doing what God has commanded him.

Ridiculed, mocked perhaps,

Example: of being the talk of the town

High school,

Work,

coming int the next day and all eyes are on you.

Mark 6:3 ESV

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Son of Mary was an insult, a label of Jesus being an illegitimate son to Joseph

John 8:41–42 ESV

You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

Do you remember when Jesus is has this debate some pharisee

If you were Abraham children you would be doing the works that Abraham did.

and they said to him we were not born of sexual immorality. we have Father.

Jesus clapped back, You are of your father the devil.

Application:

"Are you willing to say yes to God's call, even if it means facing public criticism or misunderstanding?"

What would people think?

I think sometimes these decisions reveal the underlying fear

Is it a fear of man or a fear of God?

Obedience does not make God faithful; rather, it positions us to walk in the fullness of His faithfulness,

EXAMPLE:

Story of kings church:

In hindsight, i don’t think PD saw fully the details of the individual lives that God would touch through this church.

Whether it fail to be what He thought it would, What God honors is His obedience.

Bible Prof

“Being faithful with task today may be the determining factor of whether we pass a test tomorrow” 

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

GOD DESIRES LOVINGLY OBEDIENCE

Legal obedience vs loving obedience

God always require faith and obedience. He is not asking something different from in the new covenant. He is always looking for the same thing. 

F. CLOSING THOUGHTS

Call worship team up

TAKEAWAY

Joseph obedience is crucial to the narrative. but what is the ultimate narrative. Jesus the Tru King has called you kings’ church to play a role in His Sovereign plan for NYC, for those watch online, to the places He places you. You are not insignificant, yes, you are not the arbiter or fulfiller of His plans but the beauty is God desires to you average people unknown who He calls into the family by faith in Jesus and commissions us by His grace.

I WANT TO SAY YES, TO EVERYTHING HE ASK OF ME EVEN IF I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

“Jesus’ kingship isn’t a the past event—it’s about His active reign in our lives today. He calls us into His kingdom, not just as subjects, but as sons and daughters who trust and obey Him.”

G. ENDING PRAYER