Jesus Christ’s Birth Announced, Dec 12, 2021

1. I am not going to read the Ancestry of Jesus this morning, I would recommend that you do at home though. Last week I closed my message with a question:

What is Joseph going to think about all of this baby news with Mary. Let’s see what scripture says about believing and faith:

A. Note the titles given to our promised Savior:

1. Son of God—He existed before creation.

2. Son of Abraham—He existed before the Ten Commandments were given.

3. Son of David—He existed before and after the Prophets.

4. Son of Man—Christ came in the form of man.

B.The first promise of Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of man. In Isaiah 7:13-14 we read:

“13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Are you picking up on the repetition? These things are the things that God wants us to get:

C. Christ was born of a virgin

D. What about the Power that God is going to give Jesus Christ the Ruler? Some day He shall rule, and we His children shall rule with Him.

Isaiah 9:6 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1:18–19 “18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.”

II. THE ANGEL’S ASSURANCE TO JOSEPH

A. What a Surprise to Joseph and Mary, if you wanna’ call it that. Both Mary and Joseph was not willing to make Mary a public example, so he planned to put her away. What a secret? Sounds like our world today doesn't it? Brush that under the carpet!

Verses 20-21 tell us:

Matthew 1:20–21 “20 As he considered this, (Joseph) an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

C. Holy Spirit—v. 20. The child of the Holy Ghost. The child was not born by the will of man, but of God!

D. This child, Jesus is our Savior—v. 21. Note the name—Jesus! He would save men from their sins. All who called upon this name would have salvation

Romans 10:13 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Note the power in this name.

In Philippians 2:9–11 Paul tells us: “9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

His name is above all names. So during Joseph’s sleep, he was convinced, his great faith in his heart believed the Angel.

Then we read again in Matthew 1:23 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

III. THE ACCEPTANCE OF JOSEPH.

Matthew 1:24–25 “24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.”

Joseph had no marital relations with Mary until after they were married. The Bible forbids premarital sex relationships. The Bible calls it fornication. Well, that’s another sermon another day.

AMEN