Behold the King

Behold the King
“The King is Born”
Matthew 1:18-25

   The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove to the Jews that Jesus was, in fact, the Messiah, the Savior sent from God to redeem His people from their sins.

• To accomplish that goal, Matthew established the royal lineage of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph.
• Matthew proved that Jesus was not only the son of Abraham, but the only son of Abraham who was also the son of David, and therefore, the rightful heir to the throne of David.
• According to the genealogical chart on the next page, God supernaturally intervened in the lineage of Jesus, crossing His holy heritage at David, to make Him:
  • The “seed of promise” given to Eve
  • The “seed of blessing” given to Abraham
  • The “seed of government” given to David

• As Jesus’ legal father, Joseph, the husband of Mary, was the end of the “paternal’ lineage of Jesus.
• As Jesus’ birth mother, Mary was the end of the “maternal” lineage of Jesus, giving Jesus the royal blood necessary to be accepted as the King of Israel.
• While Mary was Jesus’ mother, the Holy Spirit was Jesus’ father.
  • Jesus was fully “man,” so He could die like a man.
  • Jesus was fully “God,” so His death would pay for the sins of all men.

The chief doctrine of the Christian Faith is called the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.

• The actual birth of Jesus was no different from any other birth, but His conception was exceptional.
• The term “Immaculate Conception” is incorrect because it implies that Mary was preserved from the effects of the original sin so she could give birth to the sinless Son of God when she was, in fact, a sinner in need of God’s grace.
• The term that fully describes the main doctrine of the Christian Faith is Jesus’ “Miraculous Conception” – He is the only person to be born of the Holy Spirit.
• Four-thousand years before Mary was born, God determined to use her womb to implant the “Seed of the Savior.” (Genesis 3:15)
• Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, God revealed His plan through His prophet Isaiah, that a “virgin would conceive.” (Isaiah 7:14)
• In the fullness of time, God kept His Word and “sent forth His Son, born of a woman.” (Galatians 4:4)

If Jesus was the seed of a human father, the whole Bible is a lie, and we are still dead in our trespasses and sins. If every other facet of Jesus’ ministry was true, if He was born of human parents, He is not our Savior. Matthew affirms Jesus’ miraculous birth by pointing out five major characteristics:

1. His Miraculous Birth Conceived – Vs. 18 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

• Verse 1-17 – shows the genealogy of Jesus from the human side – the son of David, the son of Abraham.
• Verse 18-25 – shows the genealogy of Jesus from the divine side – the Son of God – conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary.
• Mary – a righteous girl, no more than 12 years of age, pure, chaste, poor, humble, and hard-working. After doubting her own worthiness to be so blessed of God, she submitted unto His will, not considering the shame and consequences of her choices, and said, “Let it be unto me, according to Thy word.” (Luke 1:38)
• Joseph – a righteous boy, no more than 17 years of age, a humble man of honor and integrity; a carpenter who built houses and furniture, who knew what the law said and that it must be applied justly.
• Espoused – Joseph and Mary were to be married once the betrothal or engagement period was over. During this time, usually about a year, there was no physical contact as they tested their love for each other.
• Matthew made it clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus. He said Mary was found to be “with child by the Holy Spirit” – it was a miraculous conception.
• As the Holy Spirit acted in the beginning – creating something out of nothing – so He had acted in Mary’s womb, fulfilling God’s decree in Genesis 3:15.

2. The Miraculous Birth Confronted – Vs. 19 – “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.”

• As a righteous man who believed in the Old Testament Law, Joseph could charge Mary with adultery, bring her to trial where she would be shamed, convicted, and perhaps stoned to death.
• As a just man, who did not want Mary to be used as an example of what happens to girls who have sex outside of marriage, Joseph had two options:
  • To divorce her privately – no trial and no disgrace
  • To marry her personally – to evidence his love

3. The Miraculous Birth Clarified – Vs. 20 – “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.”

• The angel actually appeared before Joseph, just as he had appeared before Mary – angels were the channels through which God spoke to human beings.
• The angel referred to Joseph as the “son of David” – recognizing his place in the genealogy of Jesus.
• The angel assured Joseph that Mary had not been unfaithful to him, for that which had been conceived in her womb was “of the Holy Spirit.”
• The angel assured Joseph that he should take Mary to be his wife, for even though SHE would bring forth A SON (not Joseph’s), he (Joseph) would call that Son’s name, Jesus, “for He shall save His people from their sins.”

4. The Miraculous Birth Connected – Vs. 22-23 –
“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

• The angel connected what was happening to Mary with the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, which was written 700 years earlier, which was God’s promise to Israel that a Savior would come by a miraculous conception.
• It was God’s promise that even if Judah was destroyed, the kingly line of David would not be broken.
• While the angel said they would call Him “Emmanuel,” meaning “God with us,” that was not just a “name,” but rather it was a description of His character.
• “Emmanu” – means “with us,” and “el” – means “God!”

5. The Miraculous Birth Consummated – Verse 24-25 –
“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.”

• Once Joseph was convinced all this was God’s will, he married Mary with gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of what God was doing through her.
• They completed the wedding ceremony, but so there would never be a question of her virginity, Joseph never “touched” Mary until after Jesus was born.
• Just as God graced Mary to be the mother of His Son, He also graced Joseph to be her husband and the earthly father of His only begotten Son. What an assignment!!
• A supernatural birth is the only way to account for the life Jesus lived, the ministry He conducted, the suffering and death He endured, and His resurrection from the grave.