LIFE INTERCEPTED By GOD-II—Matthew 1:20-25(:18-25)
Attention:
‘Chopper Cops’ TV show. The show highlights excerpts from the operations of the Marion County, FL(Ocala) Sheriff’s Dept. Helicopter Team. The team is key to catching criminals, &/or aiding civilians.
As a crime scene is made known, the Marion County Sheriff’s office takes action. The need for or against helicopter assistance is determined. When the helicopter is in the air, it uses special cameras that can see & record in real time, the activities of criminals either on foot or in vehicles.
Especially at night, heat signatures of the criminals as they flee on foot, can be easily followed by the helicopter crew. If the criminals are in a vehicle, the helicopter can follow that vehicle.
The helicopter crew can pinpoint the location of criminals from the air, & can relay that information, in real time, to sheriff’s deputies on the ground via radio. Since the helicopter crew has eyes directly on the criminals, they can then direct the deputies step-by-step to the criminals.
So in situations where they are called upon to act, the helicopter crew is indispensable for the interception & apprehension of criminals in Marion County, FL. Criminals lives drastically change due to their interception by the Sheriff’s Department.
And in a similar manner, YOUR life, as it ‘naturally’ strays from God, will drastically change when it is Intercepted by God!
‘INTERCEPT’—Mirriam-Webster—“To stop, seize, or interrupt in progress, or course, or before arrival”?OR—New Oxford American Dictionary—“To obstruct so as to prevent from continuing to a destination.”
Need:
The apostle Matthew recorded some key elements/aspects surrounding the conception & birth of Jesus, from Joseph’s perspective.
Jesus’ beginnings, as they relate to Joseph’s perspective, is known.
?What can be learned from Joseph’s perspective about Jesus’ beginnings?
5 lessons learned from a life intercepted by God.
So far we’ve found that Life Intercepted By God...
1. INTERCEPTS The ORDINARY(:18a)
&
2. Is CRISIS DRIVEN(:18b-19)
Today we’ll also find that:
3—Life Intercepted By God...
Is FULLY INFORMED(:20-21)
Explanation:(:20-21)
:20—“But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “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.”
“But while he thought about these things,...”
“Joseph” “thought” long & hard(optative mood) about his decision to put away or divorce “Mary.”
• “Joseph” was so shaken by the crisis at hand, that he took it to bed with him.
• “Joseph” fell asleep & had a lucid “dream.”
“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David,...”
•In that “dream” “an angel of the Lord appeared to” “Joseph.”
•The “angel” SPOKE to “Joseph”, & informed him of matters that would cause him to see his situation in a radically different manner!
•“Joseph” was reminded by the “angel”, that he was a “son of David.”
•Despite King “David’s” failings, he was recognized & regarded by the Jews as a man after God’s own heart(1Sam. 13:14; 16:13; Acts 13:22). “David” also wrote many of the Psalms. Those written words were prophetic & recognized as coming from the Holy Spirit of God Himself(1Sam. 16:13). King “David’s” words were & are still enlightening to all who ponder them. And “Joseph” was in King “David’s” genealogical lineage(1:1-16) & so held a ‘legal’ right to the throne.....
:20—“Saying,” ...... “do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”
“Joseph” was told by the “angel” that he was “not” to “be afraid to take” “Mary” as his “wife.” The “angel” was aware of the torment that Joseph was going thru.
•And the “angel” informed “Joseph” that, though the child in “Mary’s” womb was not ‘from him’ naturally, that indeed “Mary” had been faithful to Joseph! Because amazingly, the child “conceived in her was of the Holy Spirit”! & not of another man.
So “Joseph” had no need to be hurt, or disappointed, or to come up with a ‘crisis’ plan. Even though “Joseph’s” plan to divorce “Mary”, had been conceived with the purest of motives & the tenderest forgiving heart, his decision was ill-conceived because it was made in ignorance.
*With the “angel’s” words, “Joseph” now knew that his “Mary” had been faithful to him all along! He had no need to fear or come up with an exit strategy!
:21—““And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.””
“And she will bring forth a Son,...”
This promised One would be “Mary’s” first-born “son”(:25; Lk. 2:7). Thus her “Son” will have the right of the firstborn from His f/Father, including all due legalities & inheritances sovereignly present thru Jewish society. In fact, that was one of the reasons Jesus would be born of the Jews!
•Jn. 4:22—Jesus said,—“salvation is of the Jews.”
“and you shall call His name JESUS,...”
There was great significance to naming Mary’s “Son” “Jesus.” His given name would signify the entirety of the child’s purpose.
•That name, “Jesus” basically means, ‘YHWH Saves’ or ‘YHWH is salvation’!
In Lk. 1:31, the angel Gabriel had commanded Mary to name her child “Jesus.” Joseph is also told by the angel in his “dream” to name the child, “Jesus”(:21).
•And Joseph does so, once he accepts & takes up the mantle of responsibility placed upon him by God(:25).
:21—“...for He will save His people from their sins.”
•And Joseph was told by the angel that God’s purpose for the child was to “save His people from their sins.”
•So “Joseph” is told that all those who would belong to “Jesus”, would be free from the condemnation that each one of us brings upon him/herself by their/our own sins!
•As stated by the angel, “He will save His people from their sins.” “Jesus” would indeed willingly receive the penalty of everyone’s sins upon Himself as prophesied!....
*And as a result, on the Cross, “Jesus” indeed did pay for all the sin, of all mankind, for all time! Jesus redeemed men, women, & children FROM HELL, to give them an eternal home in heaven!
•And what that means for each person, is that they personally & individually, must accept God’s payment thru Christ Jesus, in whatever era they have lived, or do live today.
•So that both God’s sovereignty & man’s freewill are incorporated into the salvation from hell that is offered thru/in Christ Jesus.
And ALL people are guilty before God!
•Rom. 1:18-20—“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power & Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”
•Rom. 3:9, 23—“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews & Greeks that they are all under sin.”.....“for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God,”
•SO, IF we, the church, NEGLECT getting out that Good News of God’s salvation in Christ....IF we NEGLECT sharing Jesus & God’s plan of salvation with others, THEN we, very effectively, involve ourselves in the condemnation of others to hell! And that is BECAUSE thru our personal neglect, we are NOT offering others the hope of salvation that is in Christ!....
•Ezek. 3:17-19—““Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, & give them warning from Me: “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ & you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, & he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”
•Isa. 53:4-6—“Surely He[Messiah/Jesus/Christ] has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, & afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
1Peter 2:24—“who Himself[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.”
Acts 4:11-12—Peter told the rulers of the people & elders of Israel, regarding Jesus that,—“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
*So, the angel in Joseph’s dream, gave Joseph ALL the INFORMATION he NEEDED to make a crucial decision that would honor God!
•An Example:—In verbal ‘witnessing situations’ you will always face not knowing the answer to the questions people may ask.
•But what a GOOD witness does, for those people with all the debilitating questions, is introduce them to the One who has all the pertinent answers(Jesus)!
•Mk. 13:11—Jesus said,—“But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”
•And Joseph’s 'REVISED' decision, was to willingly & freely take Mary as his wife(:20)....Because she would bear the Lord’s Christ(:21)!
Argumentation:
Isa. 6:1-8—“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high & lifted up, & the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, & with two he flew. And one cried to another & said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, & the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, & said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.””
•We are FULLY INFORMED in Christ Jesus.
Isa. 6:9-13—“And He said, “Go, & tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return & be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste & without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return & be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.””
•We are FULLY INFORMED in Christ Jesus.
Jn. 14:1-9—“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go & prepare a place for you, I will come again & receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, & the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, & how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; & from now on you know Him & have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, & it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, & yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
•We are FULLY INFORMED in Christ Jesus.
Lk. 14:25-30—“Now great multitudes went with Him[Jesus]. And He turned & said to them, “If anyone comes to Me & does not hate his father & mother, wife & children, brothers & sisters, yes, & his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross & come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first & count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--“lest, after he has laid the foundation, & is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, “saying, ‘This man began to build & was not able to finish.’”
•We are FULLY INFORMED in Christ Jesus.
Prov. 20:25—“It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.”
“DO YOU NOT KNOW”—
Rom. 6:3—“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”
Rom. 6:16—“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
1Cor. 3:16—“Do you not know that you are the temple of God & that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
1Cor. 5:6—“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”
1Cor. 6:2-3—“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?”
1Cor. 6:9-10—“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
1Cor. 6:15-19—“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ & make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, & you are not your own?”
1Cor. 9:13-14—“Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, & those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”
1Cor. 9:24—“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
2Cor. 13:5—“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.”
Js. 4:4—“Adulterers & adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Illustration:
I can remember one day at seminary. I had attended a lecture by a professor/missionary who impressed upon me the urgency of international missions. I don’t remember anything that was said by the lecturer.
What I DO remember, was the crisis I faced after having been FULLY INFORMED of the dire spiritual needs of people in countries that are NOT blessed with a Christian foundation for their Constitution, as is America. I faced a crisis after having been FULLY INFORMED of the urgent need for more international career missionaries. We were told of the degree of commitment required & expected to answer that call.
I can remember exiting the lecture & not immediately going to my next class, because I was so distraught. I sat down on a nearby bench in the seminary campus courtyard. There I held my face in my hands, as I wrestled with God about my being an overseas missionary. I wrestled with the fact that I was married with two(three?) children. I held a part-time job with UPS that paid full-time wages with benefits. But I just could not envision my wife & children being foreign mission material in the locations where God would place me.
I had NOT been given EVERY DETAIL that I would ever need—If so, I would have been easily overwhelmed! HOWEVER, I was FULLY INFORMED about my situation! I simply had to trust God to fulfill it!
Life Intercepted By God, MUST be FULLY INFORMED!
Application:
?Is YOUR Life FULLY INFORMED thru God’s Interception?
?Has YOUR Life been Intercepted by God??
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
‘Chopper Cops’ TV show. The lives of criminals drastically change when their lives are INTERCEPTED by the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
Likewise, YOUR life will drastically change, when it is Intercepted by God!
Action:
Life Intercepted By God...
3. Is FULLY INFORMED(:20-21)
1. INTERCEPTS The ORDINARY(:18a)
2. Is CRISIS DRIVEN(:18b-19)
Pt# 3-only! presented 12/15/2024am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512