WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME TO NAZARETH
Scripture Reference: Matthew 2: 20-23
INTRODUCTION
Two weeks ago we went to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. Joseph and Mary traveled the 5-day, 90-mile journey because Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor at that time, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the nation.
Caesar did it to collect taxes to finance his lifestyle of sin, but God allowed it to pave the way for a debt we owed because of sin.
Bethlehem, the House of Bread, made room for Jesus, the Bread of Life so that we can be fed spiritually with eternal life.
The house of bread – Bethlehem, that was the birthplace of a shepherd, David, is now the birthplace of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, so that we can become sheep of God’s pasture.
When Jesus came to Bethlehem, shepherds praised, angels proclaimed, Mary pondered, while we saw the divine providence of God.
We then followed them to Egypt because
“16. Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had disobeyed him. Sending soldiers to Bethlehem, he ordered them to kill every baby boy two years old and under, both in the town and on the nearby farms, for the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them two years before.”
They had fled to Egypt to escape the anger of Herod a king who was threatened by a baby who would be king - Jesus, but God allowed them to escape because the baby was already King of Kings– Christ the Messiah.
This was a war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Herod. It was a war between the sovereignty of God and the royalty of Herod, [between God’s right to dominion and Herod’s right to a kingdom].
Egypt is a type of the world and it symbolizes enslavement and bondage. It was called the land of bondage. The land that represented all that was pagan and sinful.
When Jesus came to Egypt it showed that while He was in the world, the world was never in Him. His parents taking Jesus to Egypt symbolized that God protects us, prophecy’s to us (give us a word), and provides for us --- in the midst of our Egypt (our world that is pagan and sinful).
TRANSITION
We followed Him to Bethlehem, we followed Him to Egypt, we now follow Him to Nazareth. Incidentally, when was the last time you made it a habit, a practice to follow Jesus?
Jesus told Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Verse 20 of that same chapter records, “And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”
Matthew 8:21 record this brief conversation: “Another of his disciples said, ``Sir, when my father is dead, then I will follow you.’’ 22. But Jesus told him, ``Follow me now! Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own dead.’’
Mark 2:14. And as he passed by, he saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Luke 9:23. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Later, in one of his talks, Jesus said to the people, ``I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.’’ – John 8:12
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. – John 10:27
Have you decided to follow Jesus wherever He may lead you? Will you follow Him for what’s in His hand as the multitudes in gospels were accustomed to or will you follow Him for what awaits in Heaven? (Expound, if time permits)
Now we follow Him to Nazareth because “When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and told him, 20. ``Get up and take the baby and his mother back to Israel, for those who were trying to kill the child are dead.’’
22. But on the way he was frightened to learn that the new king was Herod’s son, Archelaus. Then, in another dream, he was warned not to go to Judea, so they went to Galilee instead, 23. and lived in Nazareth. This fulfilled the prediction of the prophets concerning the Messiah, ``He shall be called a Nazarene.’’
A. A WARNING from God (vv. 21-22).
1. Joseph moved his family back toward Israel. He was not told where to go in Israel but it seems that he was headed back to Judea. Then he heard that "Archelaus was reigning over Judea" in the place of his father Herod. He was "cut from the same cloth" as his father. Once he executed 3,000 Jews for a revolt in which most of them took no part.
2. Because of "Archelaus" Joseph was "afraid to go there" [Judea]. While pondering where to go, he was "warned by God in a dream." Perhaps his angel came back! So, he went to "the region of Galilee" and came to live again in the city of "Nazareth." Luke 2:4 reveals that this was the city from which both he and Mary had come.
I. The Shame of Nazareth
God guided Joseph to go north to Galilee and settle down in Nazareth. Nazareth was not a city of great prominence at that time. Many Roman soldiers lived there, and because of that, others looked down upon Nazarenes as being compromisers and those who consorted with Gentiles and enemies of the Jews.
Nazareth was not mentioned at all in the Old Testament. It was a despised town, and Jesus the despised one, a little green shoot from the tree stump of Jesse, came from this despised town, Nazareth.
Nazareth was a conquered city despised by Rome, despised by the Jewish nation, despised by all.
Although Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God in his providence ordained that he grow up in Galilee in the despised town of Nazareth.
Nazareth was a rough crude town. To be called a Nazarene was often considered an insult. In John 1:45-46, Philip came to Nathaniel and said, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathaniel asked smugly, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said, "Come and see."
So Jesus went from the “House of Bread” Bethlehem, to the “Land of Bondage and Banishment” Egypt, to the “Place of Shame and Low Esteem”, Nazareth. He went from a small place to a strange place to end up in a despised place.
Not only that, when Jesus was crucified, someone wrote a superscription above him which said, "Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews." That is reductio ad absurdam . How could a man from Nazareth be king of the Jews? It was laughable, in other words. In Acts 24:5 Paul was called a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, meaning a despised sect.
1. Our Identity With The Place
2. His Identity With The Place
Not only do we have the shame of Nazareth, but we also have the sin of Nazareth.
II. The Sin of Nazareth
Matthew 13:53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. 54. And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55. "Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56. "And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?’’ 57. So they were offended at Him.
Matthew 13:53 When Jesus had finished giving these illustrations, he returned to his hometown, Nazareth in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue and astonished everyone with his wisdom and his miracles. 55. ``How is this possible?’’ the people exclaimed. ``He’s just a carpenter’s son, and we know Mary his mother and his brothers--James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56. And his sisters--they all live here. How can he be so great?’’ 57. And they became angry with him!
Luke 4 gives some more detail:
16. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19. to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’’ 20. Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’’ 22. So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph’s son?’’ 23. And He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, `Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ’’ 24. Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25. "But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26. "but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27. "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’’ 28. Then all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29. and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.
They rejected Jesus for three reasons…
A. They rejected Jesus because the people did not understand the source of His wisdom and power.
1. Jesus lacked proper credentials and education
2. Jesus was from humble beginnings, his father a carpenter; his mother a housewife.
B. They rejected Jesus because he offended the people (offended --> stumbled).
1. They could not imagine that someone from their own house – someone they knew and had known from child – could be the Messiah, the Son of God.
2. They could not imagine that someone who had lived among them could be making the claims that He was making. A man who ate, drank, worked, and slept among them had no right to speak and make such claims.
C. They rejected Jesus because the people did not believe Him.
But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.’’ 58. And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Then Jesus told them, ``A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country, and among his own people!’’ 58. And so he did only a few great miracles there, because of their unbelief.
The folks in Nazareth knew Him as the son of Mary but rejected Him as the Son of God.
Familiarity often breeds contempt or less respect. The people who would have Jesus remained identified as one of them never converting to become identified as one with Him.
1. Unbelief results in bitter fruit
2. Unbelief hurts the unbeliever’s friends and neighbors
3. Unbelief hurts the God who sent His for your benefit and mine.
Are you Nazareth?
Christ has come – but you have rejected Him
Christ offers life – but you refuse it
Christ brings healing – but you remain sick
Christ brings sight – but you remain blind
Christ brings deliverance – but you remain bound
Christ brings freedom – but you remain bound
John 1:10. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
Not only do we have the shame of Nazareth, the sin of Nazareth, but also I have been speaking about the Savior of Nazareth.
III. The Savior of Nazareth
Nazareth was the place where Emmanuel, which being interpreted God with us was brought up as a child.
Nazareth was the place where the Son of Man was humble as the son of Mary until he was older.
Nazareth was the place where Jesus the man revealed humanity in the flesh, while at the same time Jesus the God revealing deity by the Spirit.
Nazareth was the place where Jesus would go from being the one who sat high to the one who came down low.
Phillip Schaff said of Jesus "This Jesus of Nazareth without money and arms conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon.
Without science and learning He shed more light on matters human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined.
Without the eloquence of schools He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects that lie beyond the reach of orator or poet.
Without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion and furnished more themes for more sermons, oration, discussion, learned volumes, works of art and songs of praise in the whole army of great men of ancient or modern times." Why? Because of the power of God.
CONCLUSION
He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.
He is Jesus
This is the Savior. Recognize His Salvation in your life. Receive Him into your life …Because Salvation is a person...Jesus.
Jesus Christ our Lord
Jesus Christ our Saviour
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus (of Nazareth), King of the Jews
Jesus, the Son of God
Jesus, the Son of Joseph
He is the " King"
As your King, He is your Sovereign, He is your protection, He is your chosen Leader, He is your King who we fall before in obedience.
King of Israel
King of the Jews
King of Saint
King of Kings
King of Glory
King of Zion
King over all the earth
He is the Lamb: Our Sacrifice..
Jesus the Shepherd became the lamb, the child became the sacrifice for the Mother, He died so that we may live...He is Jesus...
Lamb of God
Lawgiver
Leader
Life
Light
Lord of Lords
Lord our Righteousness
That’s our invitation to you today, "Come and see." Come and see for yourself that Jesus is the King of kings who still lives today!
Come and see for yourself that He can forgive your sin and give you peace, hope and love. Come and see that He can take your old life and give you a new one in its place.
Come and see that this Child born in a manger, adored by the magi, swept away to Egypt, the object of a massacre, and the One called the Nazarene is more important than any other person, fact, or event in history. He still changes lives today!
