Matthew 1:18-25

In our home we usually tell of the girl’s birth stories once a year. We tell Keelie of our my nervousness and the God-given calmness of Niki right before Keelie came into the world.

We tell her of moms many sleepless nights because of being uncomfortable and plus, she just couldn’t wait to welcome her baby into the world.

We speak of the newness of everything that she experienced and that she was crawling all over the house and how she’s not stopped moving since.

Just so, Matthew features the story of Jesus’ birth, but more, for His birth is merely the beginning.

THESE verses begin by telling us two great truths.

Ryle, J. C. (1860). Expository Thoughts on Matthew (p. 5). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.

They tell us how the Lord Jesus Christ took our nature upon Him, and became man.

They tell us also that His birth was miraculous. His mother Mary was a virgin.

Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus’ life so that it foreshadows much of the rest of his life. Two very mysterious subjects.

The text begins, — The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.

Our attention is drawn to the conception of Jesus, as the eternal Son of God becomes a man.

God’s Spirit forms the human baby in the womb of a virgin.

His angel tells Joseph and Mary all they need to know to care for this child who was, months later, born into their family.

Matthew’s account describes more than a birth.

In fact, the Greek word translated “birth” in 1:18 is not the ordinary word for birth at all.

To translate literally, Matthew says, “The origin of Jesus Christ was like this.”

Matthew wrote his account so all may know the origin and conception of this virgin-born child named Jesus.

Look at the conduct of Joseph described in these verses. — So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

Doriani, D. M. (2008). Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 15). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

Doriani, D. M. (2008). Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 14). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

He sees the appearance of evil in her who was his espoused wife to be.

But he did nothing rashly. Verse 20 says, “But after he had considered these things...” This patience is greatly rewarded.

He received a direct message from God upon the subject of his anxiety, and was at once relieved from all his fears.

How good it is to wait upon God!

Who ever cast his cares upon God in hearty prayer, and found God to fail?

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (.)

The story is told from the perspective of Joseph and that makes sense.

Through Joseph, his adopting father, Jesus receives credentials for his mission.

Doriani, D. M. (2008). Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 15). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

Through Joseph, he is counted the Son of David.

This fulfills the promise made long ago that Israel would have a David-like king, to rule the people with justice ().

The Lord promised this to Jeremiah: — “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration— “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. This is the name he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

The Israelites endured many an evil king while awaiting this Davidic deliverer.

Sadly, they could have endured a thousand generations of disappointment unless something changed.

But there were hints that God was orchestrating events, leading them to a climax.

By the time of Mary and Joseph, the line of David had shown its sinfulness, its hopelessness.

Indeed, in its calling to rule Israel, it was exhausted and all but invisible.

For this reason, Matthew reveals that Jesus is from the line of David, but not from the flesh of David.

The promises to David’s line showed that Israel needed a

mighty deliverer,

a great and fearless king,

a warrior to battle foes, and

a man who loved God and His people more than life itself.

Yet the history of Israel had been a sad tale of failed king following failed king.

Human flesh could not deliver God’s people.

They needed something different.

This lesson is universal:

No king or prophet can deliver us,

for flesh and blood, by itself, cannot save.

No politician or physician,

no teacher or preacher, no

father or mother,

can deliver mankind.

Matthew says God has been orchestrating the needed deliverance.

Since the Lord often uses names to reveal His purposes, He gives baby Jesus more than one name;

no single name could describe all that He is.

The baby is called both Jesus and Immanuel (v21,23).

Jesus means “God saves”; the name is given “because He [might?] will save His people from their sins” ().

We want to zero in on seven thoughts. I want to set before you seven plain items in our text.

DIVINE ORIGIN. The name of Jesus is divinely ordered and expounded.

According to the text (in v20) an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph bringing a message from heaven.

Then in v21 the angel tells him what to call the baby. “you are to name him Jesus”.

It’s a name like him who bore the message, has come down from heaven.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1878). Jesus. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 24, p. 519). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

The name is the highest, brightest, and noblest of names; it is the glory of our Lord to be a Savior.

The Father chose the perfect name.

He knows more about the Lord Christ than all saints and angels put together.

“No one knows the Son but the Father” Scripture says.

AND, neither will God refuse to accept the work which He has done,

since by the giving of that name he has commissioned Him to save sinners.

When we plead the name of Jesus before God, we are bringing God back His own word,

and appeal to Him by His own act and deed.

Is not the name of Jesus to be viewed with reverential delight by each one of us,

when we consider from where the name came from?

He is not a Savior of our own setting up,

but God, the everlasting Father has set Him forth for our deliverer and Savior, saying, “You shall call His name Jesus.”

2. Although the name was chosen by God, our Lord was actually called by the name of Jesus by man.

— She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you [Joseph] are to name him Jesus...”

The God of heaven by his angel appoints the child’s name, but his reputed father must announce it.

Both Joseph and Mary, according to the divine command, united in calling the child by the appointed name.

See, then, that the name which is chosen of God is fully accepted by all who are given instruction.

Those who are taught of God joyfully recognize that Christ is salvation, and without a question give Him the well-beloved name of Jesus, the Savior.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1878). Jesus. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 24, p. 521). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

3. This name belonged to another but is now reserved for Him alone.

There had been a Jesus before our Jesus. I allude to Joshua.

Joshua is the Hebrew form and Jesus the Greek form, but Jesus and Joshua are the same word.

There was one, then, of old, who bore this famous name of Jesus, or Joshua, and was a type of our Jesus.

What did Joshua do?

When Moses could not lead the people into Canaan, Joshua did it; and

so our Jesus accomplishes what the law never could have done.

Joshua overcame the enemies of God’s people:

though they were very many and very strong, and

had cities walled to heaven and chariots of iron, yet

in the name of Yahweh, as captain of the Lord’s host,

Joshua smote them.

Even so does our glorious Joshua

smite our sins and

all the powers of darkness, and

utterly destroy our spiritual enemies.

Before him

Amalek is smitten,

Jericho falls, and

Canaanites are put to rout,

while He gives us to triumph in every place.

Jesus, Savior, is His name!

Jesus shall, by Himself, purge away sin.

He shall do all the work, and leave none undone:

He shall

begin it,

carry it on, and

complete it, and

therefore is His name called Jesus,

because He shall completely and perfectly save His people from their sins.

The name has been, in a minor sense, applied to others aforetime,

but now none else may wear it,

since there is no other Savior, and

none other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved.

4. The name identifies our Lord with His people.

“you are to name Him Jesus”. This name declares how He relates to us, His people.

Mark how this works: He wouldn’t be Jesus if He didn’t have a people. He could not be, because there could be no Savior if there were none to be saved.

And there could be no Savior from sin if there were no sinners.

Notice that. Apart from His people, His proper and personal name has no meaning.

“Name Him Jesus because He will save His people”

“His people!!!” —those who are his own, and personally belong to Him.

These are evidently a

very peculiar people, a

people set apart as Christ’s own treasure;

they are a people that belong to God incarnate—Immanuel’s people.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1878). Jesus. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 24, p. 524). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

These He saves.

Who are they but His elect, whom His Father gave Him before the foundation of the world.

5. The name of “Jesus” is on which indicates His main work.

5. The name of “Jesus” is on which indicates His main work.

“you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save...”. He isn’t called Jesus so that He could be our example.

Although, we long for and desire to tread in His footsteps, but His name is called Jesus because He is Christ Jesus.

He’s the Savior. He is God’s anointed!

6. The name of Jesus is one which is completely justified by facts.

7. The is Christ’s personal name forever.