Birth of Jesus ChristPart 1 of 2

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Introduction:

1. For the last two Sundays, I have presented Jesus Christ as Lord. Today I present Him as your glorious Saviour.
2. Our first parents defied the LORD and brought upon the entire human race just condemnation and eternal death.
3. Imperfection, depravity, sickness, trouble, death, judgment, and hopelessness all flow from sin and its effects.
4. Rome has stolen the birth of Jesus Christ from God’s saints, for she has crudely corrupted it at least four ways.
   1. She combines its memory with pagan superstition from sun worship in a single holiday called a Mass.
   2. She idolizes Mary as a sinless and translated mediatrix, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of God.
   3. She limits Jesus falsely to either a pitiful manger scene or crucifixion scene, forgetting He is now Lord.
   4. She promotes a heretical Sonship as originating in eternity by a mysterious process of Divine generation.
5. We are going to take our Lord’s birth back to honor it; Rome can celebrate the birth of their popes with the sun.
6. Women who have conceived, carried a child, and given birth should relate to this section of Scripture closely.
7. Our religion is based on a Relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and without Him we are and have nothing.
8. The great drama of human existence revolves around the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and coming judgment.
9. No matter what glory you see in His natural creation, I hope you see worlds of glory in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I. JOSEPH (Matthew 1:1-25)

1. Consider well how great the New Covenant is – it begins with the origin of Jesus Christ.
2. Joseph, of the tribe of Judah, of the city of Nazareth, was son of David and Abraham.
   1. He was the legal, official son of David by descent from Solomon of Bathsheba.
   2. He also descended from Zerubbabel at the time of the rebuilding of the temple.
3. He was espoused, or engaged, to Mary, a daughter of David by Nathan (Luke 3:23-38).
4. Mary was discovered pregnant before she and Joseph had consummated their marriage.
   1. Surely Mary told Joseph the message the angel had given her (Luke 1:26-38).
   2. Joseph was a just and fair man; therefore he chose not to publicly ruin her.
   3. The Lord sends him a dream explaining the nature of her pregnancy and son.
   4. Joseph wakes from this dream and marries Mary to cover the birth (Matt 13:55).
   5. And he did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus had been born.
   6. Mary was not a perpetual virgin (Matt 1:25 cp 13:53-58 cp Ps 69:8 cp Gal 1:19).
5. Are the young men of this assembly noble as Joseph and worthy of a virgin like Mary?
6. Are you thankful for a Holy Ghost conception 4000 years after our Fall for a Saviour?

II. MARY (Luke 1:26-56)

1. Mary was an engaged virgin, of the city of Nazareth, in the region of Galilee (26-27).
   1. She was a virgin for prophecy and righteousness (Deut 22:13-21; I Thess 4:1-8).
   2. She was biologically the daughter of David through Nathan (Luke 3:23-38).
   3. She was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph also from Nazareth (Matt 13:55).
   4. Did Mary know Isaiah 7:14? Did she know the seventy weeks? Or just virtuous?
2. Consider well the glorious salutation Gabriel gives this young virgin of Israel (28-30).
   1. This was an exceptional salutation; but Mary was also an exceptional virgin girl.
   2. She was more perplexed by the words of his salutation than his surprise visit.
   3. Gabriel comforts her directly by pointing out the favour of God upon her.
3. Her Son would be the greatest of Jews, the greatest of men, and the Son of God (31-33).
   1. Never doubt the true nature of this conception and pregnancy and childbirth.
   2. Her male Child, the male Seed of the woman, was to be named JESUS.
   3. He would be the great Son of the Highest and the Perpetual King from David.
4. She doesn’t deny God’s power or ability, but asks how conception could occur (34-35).
   1.  She was confident in her virginity and resolve to remain a virgin. What a girl!
   2. Gabriel explains that the supernatural conception would make Him God’s Son.
5. Gabriel, to kindly confirm Mary’s faith, announces Elisabeth’s pregnancy (36-40).
   1. Another contemporary miracle would confirm Mary’s heart about the matter.
   2. Gabriel states the absolute power of the Living God to do anything He chooses.
   3. Mary is very gracious with faith greater than Zacharias (1:38 cp 1:45 cp 1:20).
   4. She takes advantage of this Divine comfort, and makes haste to Elisabeth.
   5. Sometime after meeting Elisabeth in her home, Mary conceives our Lord Jesus.
6. Elisabeth, filled with the Holy Ghost, blesses her for God’s favour and her faith (41-45).
   1. With John Baptist leaping for joy, Elisabeth blessed Mary and her glorious Son.
   2. It is sad that few Baptists either leap in heart or body over the Lord Jesus Christ.
   3. She comforted and encouraged Mary for believing God more than her husband.
7. Mary, showing a noble and gracious soul in all submission, magnifies her God (46-55).
   1. Her blessing and prayer is very like that of Hannah for Samuel (I Sam 2:1-10).
   2. She praised God in all respects for His goodness and power, ignoring her merits.
   3. She praised God from her soul and spirit rather than just from lips and mouth.
   4. She praised God for sovereign dispensing of blessings and powerful judgments.
   5. She praised God for the spiritual hope of His mercy in the plan of redemption.
   6. She would absolutely reject all the fables and perversions of the Catholics.
8. Mary stayed for Elisabeth to give birth, then returned home three months pregnant (56).
9. Joseph takes Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, being exceedingly pregnant (2:5-6).
10. She was a doting and loving mother, keeping and pondering all these things in her heart.
11. She followed her Son’s ministry, was at the cross, and with the disciples at Pentecost.
12. Are the young women of this assembly as virtuous and pure as this wonderful woman?
13. Are you thankful for the glorious miracle in Mary’s womb that created the Lord Jesus?

III. JESUS (Luke 2:1-52)

1. Mary gave birth to Jesus in a barn and laid Him, in swaddling clothes, in a manger (7).
2. Angels announce the glorious birth to shepherds abiding in a nearby field (8-20).
   1. The birth of Jesus Christ should be “good tidings of great joy” to His people.
   2. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the Christ. But the Lord Jesus Christ is our Saviour!
   3. God is to be glorified for sending peace and good will for His people.
   4. Mary, like many good mothers, kept all these things and pondered them.
3. He is named JESUS, by the angelic messages given to both Mary and Joseph (21-24).
4. Simeon, a devout man with the Holy Ghost waiting for the Christ, blesses Him (25-35).
   1. He blesses and praises the High God for seeing the Saviour, Jesus at forty days.
   2. Joseph (not His father) and Mary (His mother) marvelled at Simeon’s blessing.
   3. He told further of the blessing of this Son and the division and pain coming.
5. Anna, a faithful widow of eighty-four, praised God for His great redemption (36-39).
6. Wise men from the east come to worship Him with kingly gifts (Matthew 2:1-23).
7. Jesus grew strong in spirit and filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him (40).
8. He manifests great wisdom in hearing and asking the Jewish doctors of the law (41-50).
9. Mary kept all these sayings of her submissive and obedient Son in her heart (51).
10. Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man – perfect (52).
11. He lives in utter obscurity for thirty years before entering upon His ministry for us.

Conclusion:

1. Did this truly happen? A young, virtuous virgin from the little town of Nazareth conceived Jesus in her womb?
2. Everyone hearing the Word of God and keeping it are the true brethren of Jesus (Matt 12:46-50; Luke 11:27-28).
3. If we do not love the Lord Jesus Christ this morning, we have nothing, we are nothing. Jesus Christ is all in all.