Last week I begin a message about the Advent of Christ and spoke of the promise of the Lord and how He spoke through his prophets of the coming of his Son.
In 2 Samuel 7, David who was at that time the King was given a word from the Lord from Nathan the Prophet after David had expressed his concern that he was troubled that he lived in a nice house of cedar but that the ark of God was still living in a tent….
But that night Nathan was given a word from the Lord to tell David, Recap :See Notes from last week:
Now after all the prophesy foretold from the old testament now I want to go to New Testament Advent of the Birth of Jesus! And into the Birth of Jesus Christ!
1. Now many years later, Israel had come under the powers of the Roman Empire. The Empire ruled the Jews and made them pay heavy taxes and took siege of their land and possessions. So, the Jews still longed for a Savior to rescues them and restore their nation which had been divided.
At that time God seen that it was the Right time to fulfill his promise and send the Messiah. But once again God seen fit to try to prepare his people and God sent a special messenger to announce Jesus’ coming and get the people ready to accept a savior. That messenger would be John the son of the priest Zechariah and His wife Elizabeth
• let’s look at the Birth of John the Baptist was foretold:
• Luke 1:5-25 See Scripture Notes:
2. When Zechariahs wife Elizabeth was six month pregnant, her young cousin Mary had a very special visitor. An angel visited her and told Mary that she had been chosen to give birth to a special child, the Son of the Most High! At that time Mary was already engaged to a man named Joseph, who was from the family line of none other than King David!
• The Birth of Jesus Foretold to the Virgin Mary : Luke 1:26-56: See Scripture notes:
a.) Mary was now Blessed because of the fruit of her womb. Vs. 42 greek word 2127 eulogeo of the common word used to “speak well of”
Ex. when we bless God we are speaking well of Him which is equal to praising God or thanking God…
b.) However. in vs. 45 Elizabeth says 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” this word translates totally different as 3107 which means Makarios this is now what Elizabeth calls her cousin Mary when she saw her and realized after being filled with the Holly Spirit and her baby (John) leaped in her womb that this was something totally different than the first greeting of blessed! This was some extra ordinary and not of this world!
This was the word Makarios which means “indwelt by God! “ that she (Mary) was now blessed because she was indwelt by God! God now was living inside of her! “9
c.) The last thing to look at is that Mary in her song proclaims also that in vs. 48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His [q]bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
Only used 2 times in the bible here and in James 5:11 James the oldest half-brother of Jesus uses this word in the form of blessed! 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the [a]endurance of Job and have seen the [b]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
Now Mary just as Paul states of the Prophets who endured to the end realizes the truth of the Savior who lived inside of her now!
The true meaning of the indwelling presence of the Son of the Almighty that was spoken of by the prophet Nathan to King David in 2 Samuel 7; that God himself would build His house through a Son and that Son would ultimately come to all believers who would receive Him unto themself and dwell among them!
That He would establish a kingdom far greater than even that of David and that HE would be established it with those who believed forever!!!!
Mary now knew that just as the prophet Isaiah had spoken a child would be born, and that she was the virgin that would bring forth a Savior and would be called Immanuel,
His name would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace!! Now God’s promise was living inside of her and that she was a BLESSED woman!!
3. Joseph had a dream
Mary not only was overwhelmed with excitement but also had to face her betrothed or fiancée Joseph: turn to Matt. 1:18-25 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
a.) What do you think that was the first thing that popped into Joseph’s mind?
Maybe, of himself? , Maybe what would other people think?
who knows but it says that it was Mary and he wanted to keep her from public disgrace he had in mind to divorce her quietly…
At that very time it wasn’t anything mentioned about the Child…
b.) Sometimes it takes the word of the Lord to convince us of the truth! Vs. 20
c.) Sometimes it doesn’t always make since to us what the Lord is trying to do!
d.) Sometimes we just have to wake up and wait upon the Lord and trust and have faith….
4. Gods promises will be fulfilled:
God had a promise to His people of Israel that a Savior would come and what HE would do. He told them through the prophets. All the things the prophets said came to pass! Mary gave birth in a little town of Bethlehem, a ordinary, and quiet place… Luke 2:1-7
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
In that moment all Humanity was changed. The Gospel of John tells us 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it or (extinguish it)!
Christ is the living expression of God’s presence with His people.
Jesus was born of a Virgin into this world now through Him and the ultimate sacrifice of the cross that all of humanity through faith by grace could have a home for God Himself to live in and dwell in.
That mankind would no longer have to have the priest to intercede for all there sin through blood sacrifice of an animal!
That His Son who was brought into this world to save it would become that sacrificial Lamb of God!
That He would be much more than a prophet!
That he would be all that we would need to now reach to a loving God whose promise would live forever more and through that we can celebrate what the birth of Christ really means!
Through that we can Celebrate and have Joy and peace in knowing that despite all the Bad and all the destruction of evil in this world.
HE WILL deliver His people out of the darkness and bless those who really know Him as JESUS, Immanuel!!! Know that HE is forevermore with us!!
That He came to Earth but yet a child born of a virgin who knew no sin but in all ways fulfilled all that was spoken of the prophets! That He is God and even greater than the Angels! That He is the fulfillment as the redeemer, the Prince of Peace, Almighty most High God, Forever and you and I and this world would never be the same!!
Halleluiah!! Glory Be to God!!
Closing!
Paul states it this way in Colossians 1:15-20 15 [a]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For [b]by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [c]is before all things, and in Him all things [d]hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For [e]it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the [f]fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in [g]heaven.
This is what true Peace on Earth means and the truth of Christmas is found only in HIM!!
Glory be to God and His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit ….AMEN!!!