The Christmas season would be over next week.... “AFTER THE ADVENT SEASON... NOW WHAT?” Let’s follow the footsteps of the Family as they continue their trek to God’s plans and purposes.... for His Glory.... It is also in great relation and realization for everyone of us here as we enter 2019.... let this preaching be our protection for the rest of the coming year.
I- PROTECTION BY PREDICTION: vv.5, 15, 17, 23
Four prophecies of more than 700 years Old Testament fulfilled in one chapter of the New Testament! The keyword in Matthew 2 was FULFILLED! God works His will despite the opposition of sinful people. Earthly kings like Herod may try to circumvent the divine purpose, but in the end they are always defeated. What was true in the first advent of Jesus will also hold true to us as we enter 2019 and definitely in Jesus’ 2nd advent.
”Matthew chapter 2 is a prophecy indicating the progression of the new history. It quickly reveals the condition of things which will occur around this King from the period following His first advent, until His second advent. It is a microcosm of the Christian age, revealing principles that abide unto this hour.” (from: abideinChrist.com).
1- Micah 5:2 fulfilled in Matthew 2:5-6
Which we have studied last Sunday and for the last 2 weeks. Here in Matthew, the apostle points out that Bethlehem was insignificant among the thousands of Judah, but from this town came the Mighty Ruler of Israel. He is specific that it is Bethlehem of Judea, not Bethlehem in Zebulon. This Ruler will “Shepherd”His people like David. Just as youthful David had been an insignificant shepherd in this small village and God exalted him to be a king of Israel, so this insignificant village the Messiah would be born and crowned with glory. God raised him from being a shepherd of lambs to the shepherd of the nation. The Ruler proceeding from Bethlehem is the Messiah. The Shepherd of all shepherds...
The Almighty Shepherd of our souls...
2- Hosea 11:1 fulfilled in Matthew 2:15
"When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son" (Hosea 11:1, NASB)
3- Jeremiah 31:15 fulfilled in Matthew 2:17-18
"Thus says the Lord, 'A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more" (Jeremiah 31:15, NASB)
4- "He shall be called a Nazarene" (Matthew 2:23)
Matthew found another fulfilment of prophecy in this choice of residence. The apostle obviously takes it as a fulfilment of prophecy that Jesus moved to Nazareth. The only problem for us is that Matthew does not explain how he came to that conclusion. Perhaps the best explanation is found in the suggestion a "shoot," or "branch" (Isa. 11:1). Jesus was not a Nazirite. The expression "Jesus the Nazarene" carried with it overtones of contempt. Jesus was despised and rejected. A. T. Robertson says, "It may be that this term of contempt (John 1:46; 7:52) is what is meant, and that several prophecies are to be combined like Psa. 22:6, 8; 69:11, 19; Isa. 53:2, 3, 4. The name Nazareth means a shoot or branch, but it is by no means certain that Matthew has this in mind. It is best to confess that we do not know." Matthew introduces the statement as having been "spoken by the prophets" may be an indication that he was pointing out a truth in general terms that is true from what the prophets had taught. Matthew seems to have in mind a number of the prophets when he speaks of the Nazarene. (abideinChrist.com)
I gave a distinctive background on these predictions, because the first family after Advent had followed unknowingly, these prophecies to the letter for their protection on the coming days ahead....for us, it would also lay down our foundation for 2019....as it is written; Ecc. 1:9 “What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world
10 "Look," they say, "here is something new!" But no, it has all happened before, long before we were born.
11 No one remembers what has happened in the past, and no one in days to come will remember what happens between now and then.
That is why we should dig deep into the Word... Never been a time in the history that the Bible had been this easy to get from the bookstore to the cybernet... truly, “...shut up the Words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
The events are happening too fast. Imagine this: Four prophecies of 700years plus vintage all happening in one chapter of Matthew! And that was 3 A.D. more or less! We are now entering 2019 A.D.! Events are happening too fast, the love of many for God is growing cold.... the worst became worsts... the knowledge is increasing by the seconds and “...people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (2 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT)
To comprehend God’s doing is to look at ourselves by submission to God. For therein alone can we be protected from the onslaught of this evil generation!
II- PROTECTION BY SUBMISSION:
Matthew 2
13- Now after they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Get up! [Tenderly] take unto you the young Child and His mother and flee to Egypt; and remain there till I tell you [otherwise], for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.
14- And having risen, he took the Child and His mother by night and withdrew to Egypt
15- And remained there until Herod’s death. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called My Son.
A seeming detour into Egypt is actually a prophetic call; even Jesus' hometown reverberates with prophetic resonance. But let us be reminded that God can accomplish His plan through obedient men and women.... even Joseph don’t know the exact details. He obeyed the dream. Potential doom looms over these early chapters of Matthew. It is of extreme importance of Joseph’s obedience in the growing life of Jesus as the world is not definitely in unanimous acclamation and recognition of our Savior.
Joseph did not understand the how and the why of this whole thing, but he acted in simple faith on the word of God’s messenger. He believed that the word from God was true, and he complied with what God had said. Joseph obeyed the Lord. He was an obedient servant of God. We should also be willing to obey the teachings of the New Testament even though we may not always know the reasons why God issues certain commands. We must remember that our faith in Christ becomes a real faith (a saving faith) only when it is validated by obedience. It is not merely he who attends church services each Sunday and says “Lord, Lord,” that shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of the heavenly Father (Matthew 7:21). All of us need a frame of mind that is set to do the will of God, and that is determined to carry out the instructions of the Scriptures.
When Joseph awakened from his dream and knew that Mary was expecting the child as a result of a divine miracle, he hurried off to Mary’s house, and shortly thereafter they were married (as the Lord had told him to do)—and Joseph gave Mary the protection of a husband, and he gave the child the dignity of a foster father. Joseph was an obedient servant of God.
Do we need angels to obey.... just like Mary?
Do we need dreams to obey.... just like Joseph?
Maybe yes! How bout if there are no angelic visitation? Or no dreams?
How will we obey? Or submit inorder to be protected?
I think the answer is; “our willingness to obey attracts revelation, it attracts dream, because God is the ultimate steward, investing His treasures into fertile ground – the surrendered heart.” I can give several answers according to experience and I would supply you at least five in my separate outline if you want to, but for now, let me give you just one hint in obedience.... it is in the Bible. I can still recall what my teacher in the Bible School said; “there are no new revelation, only fresh revelation”
III- PROTECTION BY IMPLEMENTATION:
The word advent means coming into being or use, coming into implementation. Actually, this third point is a prelude also to the conclusion of this sermon, from a faith that expects God to reign in a world where the dominance of the powerful seems unchanging. Joseph and Mary just implemented the Sovereignty of God... a vessel of submission... let us also be like them. Deep in our hearts, we know and we knew that we are His. For in Him we live and move and have our being!
In the midst of the joys of the Christmas season, these passages are a ripe reminder that things might have been otherwise, that tragedy and disappointment are too often the orders of the day, even amidst the revelry of this holiday season.
As the poet Jane Kenyon once wrote, "It might have been otherwise." As the evangelist Matthew might have added, "...but what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled." I will repeat again what I have said, all of us need a focused mind that is set to do the will of God, and that is determined to carry out and implement His will and the instructions based on the Scriptures.
Lutheran pastor and the preaching professor at Union Seminary in New York, Edmund Steimle reminds us that the Christmas stories are not children’s stories, they are “…adult stories for adult Christians…”. The purpose of these Christmas stories, as recorded by the authors of the gospels, is to remind us that the silent, holy night of unnatural calm that we celebrate on Christmas is really the point of the eye of the storm. Chaos and danger and violence lurk at the edges of our Bible. There is protection yes. For it is already foretold that we will be partakers...
2Corinthians 1:7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
All we have to do now is to just implement the words of God, and obey therein... the coming years ahead if we rely on the Scriptures and obey and implement it are protected by God for us. I like the Message Bible of what Jesus had said in Matthew 5:3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.
5:4 "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5:5 "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
5:6 "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
5:7 "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.
5:8 "You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
5:9 "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
5:10 "You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
5:11 "Not only that--count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit Me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
5:12 You can be glad when that happens--give a cheer, even!--for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
5:13 "Let Me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
5:14 "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.
5:15 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.
5:16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
5:17 "Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures--either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama.
5:18 God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.
5:19 "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom.”
HalleluJah!
Let us now Go and be a witness of Jesus. Just like Joseph and Mary? They are protected by predictions
They are protected by submission
They are protected by implementation
And so are we.... For we are His.
After CHRISTmas? Let us move on to the calling that God had for each one of us.
WE ARE PROTECTED BY HIM.
Welcome 2019!
Expectantly protected by His Sovereign Love to us in Jesus name...
Welcome HolySpirit in our midst!
Once more Lord!
TO YOU ALONE BE THE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOREVER IN JESUS’NAME!!! Amen!
Finished: 1254pm26december2018wednesdayFOR:29december2018
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