For unto us a CHILD IS BORN, Unto us a SON IS GIVEN (Isaiah 9:6 NKJ)

• The whole theology of Christmas hinges upon that one scripture

OPENING SCRIPTURE: Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was BETROTHED to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, BEING A JUST MAN, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  (Which means she was social distancing in the basement 😊) ²⁰ But while he thought about these things,

• Matthew the author here does not start his account of the announcement of the birth of Jesus like Luke.
• Matthew here gives us a little bit more insight into what was going on in Joseph’s mind.
• “But while he thought about these things” You might be wondering what sort of things.
• Like the sort of things a man would think when he finds out that his wife is pregnant and he is not the father.
• The Bible does not give us any details here, but you can certainly use your imagination.
• The 1^st thing that jump out from the account here is the fact that Joseph was BETROTHED to Mary.
• In context of the Jewish culture, it carries a much deeper meaning. A BETROTHAL was just as binding as an actual marriage. As a matter of fact, the only way to break a betrothal was through divorce.
• Contrary to what you might think? Joseph was not stuck in this deal. Given Mary’s situation, he certainly had a legal way out, and that was divorce. According to the law, he would be without blame to divorce Mary and move on with his life.
• Here’s the 2nd thing that jumps out from this account: Joseph was a JUST MAN. The word JUST means UPRIGHT, BLAMELESS, CONFORMING TO GOD’S STANDARDS.
• I believe Joseph knew there was something above the law here and that was GRACE.

GRACE ALWAYS ALLOWS YOU TO SEE BEYOND THE LAW

• Because of that grace, and also his unconditional love for Mary, Joseph “WAS MINDED TO PUT HER AWAY SECRETLY” so that she will not be shamed publicly.

What did Joseph do while he waited? How did he processed all that information that did not make any sense. The Bible does not give us any details but remember Joseph was simply a man.

• I believe after that conversation with Mary, Joseph was reminded by the Holy Spirit of this thing: The prophecy concerning his family
• I am sure Joseph went to the synagogue and opened up the scroll of Isaiah and read a prophecy that was written 740 years before his time.

This is what he must have read- Isaiah 7:13-14

Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David!

• Right there that got his attention. You see you can trace Joseph’s genealogy (family tree) all the way to King 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’). (Isaiah 7:13-14 NLT)

• That was the confirmation that Joseph needed.
• And here whatever Joseph heard from Mary lined up perfectly with God’s Word
• I believe because of his willingness to search for the truth, God sends him another confirmation. This time through an angel: verse 20

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²² So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ “Behold, the VIRGIN shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name IMMANUEL,” which is translated, “God with us.”

• Now that made a little more sense to Joseph. He just read about it the other day in the synagogue.
• Remember we are dealing with Joseph, a man. And generally speaking, men tend to think more on a practical and even mechanical level. How is that going to work out?
• That’s why the angel said “do not be afraid” because what I’m about to tell you will defy any human sense. Now listen up Joseph: 2 things!
  1. The seed will not come from you. The seed will come from Holy Spirit.
  2. The egg will come from Mary because she will carry the child.

Why did the seed have to come from the Holy Spirit? Why did the egg have to come from Mary?

1. WHY DID THE SEED HAVE TO COME FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT?

•  GOD BECAME HUMAN TO EXPRESS HIS DIETY.
• Jesus was born of a woman, but the seed did not come from a man.
• The seed could not come from Joseph. His seed was corrupted by sin from the fall
• Remember verse 21:

“²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

• Jesus could not save His people from their sin if the seed came from Joseph.
• The seed had to be incorruptible or without sin.
• The seed had to come from The Father in the form of the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. It is called the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. It means He was conceived PURELY by the Holy Spirit

Did you know that when you have been BORN AGAIN, YOU WERE BORN OF INCORRUPTIBLE SEED? 1 Peter 1:23

“having been born again, not of corruptible seed but INCORRUPTIBLE, through the word of God which LIVES and ABIDES forever (1 Peter 1:23 NKJ)

• When you born again, the same incorruptible seed of the Holy Spirit that impregnated Mary came inside of you and made you a new person- Born of the Spirit of the living God.

2. WHY DID THE EGG HAVE TO COME FROM MARY?

 GOD BECAME HUMAN TO IDENTIFY WITH HUMANITY!

• Jesus had to be born as you and I were born.
• The creator became the creation

¹⁴ And the WORD (Jesus) became flesh and DWELT AMONG US, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NKJ)

• He live a life as a human and yet He was without sin.
• How do we know that? 1 John 3:5 – And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

²⁴ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, DID AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD COMMANDED HIM and took to him his wife, ²⁵ and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24 NKJ)

• By simply believing and obeying, Joseph set the stage for a 740 year old prophecy to be fulfilled in his life that affected the rest of humanity
• That’s how important the role of Joseph was!

For unto us a CHILD IS BORN, Unto us a SON IS GIVEN (Isaiah 9:6 NKJ)

• Remember what I said about it? The whole theology of Christmas hinges upon that one scripture? GOD BECAME HUMAN
• God came as a Man and He also came as the Son of God. Fully Man and Fully God.

Why is that important?

• So that you and I can never say to Him: “you don’t know what it’s like”. He knows what it’s like to be tempted, to be tired, to be under attack.
• If Jesus did not come to us a human, He could not die to pay for our sins
• Jesus did not just pay for your sins with His life. He also gave you access to eternal life by rising up from the grave.

CONCLUSION

• What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?