“Uncommon Birth”
Matthew 1:18 – 2:23
INTRODUCTION: People celebrate Christmas in different ways. There are different family traditions … different customs … BUT … the SAME BIRTH!
Things sure have changed over the past 2000 years:
o NOW – Santa comes at night … presents are opened as soon as everyone wakes up.
o THEN – On the 1st Christmas … ONE GIFT was presented to the Shepherds while everyone else was asleep.
o IT STARTED OUT – Wise Men came from the EAST.
o NOW – Santa comes from the NORTH Pole.
o IT STARTED OUT – Gifts were brought by CAMELS.
o NOW – Gifts are brought by a sleigh with REINDEERS.
o IT STARTED OUT – A STAR led the way for the Wise Men.
o NOW – A reindeer with a SHINING NOSE leads the way.
o NOW – We have a CHRISTMAS TREE with lights, tensile, decorations … the smell of turkey, egg-nog & hot apple cider.
o THEN – A LOWLY STABLE … with hay … and animal smells.
o NOW – We have “Jingle Bells”.
o THEN – The cry of a mother in pain, giving birth.
o NOW – We go in DEBT buying presents.
o THEN – The payment for our sin was given as a FREE GIFT.
Things have changed a lot in 2000 years … BUT … Jesus hasn’t … the Christmas story hasn’t. This was a birth like no other.
It shouldn’t be UNUSUAL for this UNUSUAL PERSON to have an UNUSUAL BIRTH. God had a PLAN. We plan WEDDINGS … God planned the BIRTH of His Son.
The ANGELS may have had a DIFFERENT PLAN:
o ANGELS - They may have wanted 10’s of 1000’s of TRUMPETS to announce His birth.
o GOD – Only wanted 1 angelic messenger – Gabriel.
o ANGELS – Probably wanted a fireworks display of shooting stars to light the sky.
o GOD – Only wanted 1 star over Bethlehem.
o ANGELS – Probably wanted to open the windows of Heaven & pour out untold wealth on this new King.
o GOD – Chose only 3 gifts from the Wise Men.
o ANGELS – Probably wanted a birth announcement sent to Royalty, Heads of Government, Religious Leaders.
o GOD – Chose to announce it only to some poor Shepherds.
YET … God had it all planned out. NOT LIKE we would have planned it, perhaps. BUT THEN … this was GOD’S Son.
There was nothing unusual about MY BIRTH. HOWEVER, they tell me that the Doctor took one look at my face … and slapped my mother! (an old joke!).
BUT … the birth of Jesus was VERY UNUSUAL.
I. UNCOMMON PREGNANCY – Matthew 1:18
Jesus had to be born without any sin. IF He was to take our sin upon Himself, He must have none of his own … OR ELSE … He would be in need of a Savior. Nobody has ever done that before or since. No other “religion” has such a Savior.
ALL of us have a SIN NATURE … we inherited it from Adam. It has been passed down from generation to generation. This is something you can blame your FATHER for!
BESIDES … a child of Joseph couldn’t have been the Messiah. Besides having a sin nature … which he would have passed on to Jesus … a curse was placed on his family tree – 1:11. Jeremiah 22:30 says that “no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah.”
Jechonias (called Coniah in Jeremiah) was the great, great (12 times) grandfather of Joseph. Jesus couldn’t have sat on the Throne of David in God’s Kingdom … IF … he were the son of Joseph.
II. UNCOMMON PROTECTION – Matthew 1:19
It was a common practice for a man to have his wife stoned to death as an adulteress. That’s what many men did … it was perfectly acceptable … it was Biblical. Most men wouldn’t have stood by their espoused wife, like Joseph did.
IMAGINE THE SCENE:
Mary has been acting a little strange around Joseph lately … maybe avoiding him.
She has put on a little weight … sick most every morning when Joseph came by.
THEN … she tells Joseph that she is expecting a baby.
AND … that Joseph isn’t the father (he already knew that!).
THEN … she gives him a story about an angel appearing to her … telling her that she is going to give birth to GOD’S son.
Joseph may have loved Mary very much … BUT … this was TOO MUCH! No way! Just divorce her!
BUT … NOTICE how God protects them both – 1:20. What a COMFORT this must have been for Mary & Joseph. NOW … Joseph doesn’t have just Mary’s word.
This was GOD’S PLAN … this was GOD’S SON.
III. UNCOMMON PREDICTION – Matthew 1:21
Even now, the sex of a baby isn’t predicted with 100% accuracy. AND … this was 2000 years ago! They were guaranteed a BOY.
DITTY: A little boy came home from Sunday School and told his mother that they had just learned a new song about a boy named “Andy”. His mother thought that there must be some mistake, so she had the boy sing the song for her. The little boy sang out, “Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own …”
If this child was to be the KING of the Jews, it must be a BOY. If he is to the sacrificial Lamb of God, this child must be a MALE. Exodus 12:5 – “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:”
If He’s not a MALE, He couldn’t be a KING … He couldn’t be the LAMB of God … He couldn’t be the SON of God. On earth, you have a 50/50 chance. BUT … GOD was in charge of this birth.
IV. UNCOMMON PURSUERS – Matthew 2:1
It took the Wise Men perhaps a year to follow the star to the house where Mary & Joseph were – 2:11. While the Jewish Shepherds were just outside Bethlehem, the Gentile Wise Men came from probably 600 miles away.
NOTICE the gifts. They would use this to live off of while they were in exile in Egypt – 2:13-14.
V. UNCOMMON PROJECTION – Matthew 2:2
The star first appeared at the BIRTH of Jesus – 2:7. It led them to Jerusalem. THEN … it disappeared. THEN … reappeared over Bethlehem – 2:9-10
God used a STAR to reveal the LIGHT OF THE WORLD … Jesus.
NOTICE:
o How those who WALKED IN THE LIGHT reacted – 2:10
o How those who WALKED IN DARKNESS reacted – 2:3
Some were “troubled” … Some “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy”. What made the difference? What makes the difference in YOUR LIFE? It all depends on how much of His light you allow into YOUR LIFE.
VI. UNCOMMON PROPHECY – Matthew 2:23
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. THEN .. fled to Egypt to escape King Herod. Herod dies … and his wicked son takes over. Joseph is afraid to go back to Bethlehem in Judea. It’s only a few miles from Jerusalem, where the wicked King lives. SO … Joseph goes back to his home town of Nazareth … 76 miles further North … in Galilee – 2:19-23.
Nazareth has lots of bad memories for Mary & Joseph. Jesus was considered an illegitimate child. Mary was considered to be a shameful woman who got pregnant out of wedlock.
BUT … God had planned for His Son to be called a “Nazarene” … to come from Nazareth. WHY? “Nazareth” means a ‘rod’ or ‘branch’. Out of Nazareth was to come forth the TREE OF LIFE!
VII. UNCOMMON PRESENCE – John 1:1,14
This is perhaps the most UNCOMMON THING of all. THAT … God would leave His Heavenly Throne to come to earth … to LIVE among us … to DIE for us.
YET … that’s what Christmas is all about.
“He Left It All” – Charlotte A. Stere
“He left the streets of Heaven … to walk this weary earth,
He left the Father’s riches … for those of little worth.
He left the praise of angels … for earthly hate and scorn,
The company of Heaven … to wander here forlorn.
He left His crown of glory … to hang upon a tree,
He left the Heavenly mansions … to die for you and me.
He left the food celestial … for vinegar and gall,
He left the Father’s bosom … to slumber in a stall.
He left it all, dear sinner … because He loved us so,
That whosoever cometh … His perfect peace may know.
He left it all behind Him … for sin and death and shame,
That we might dwell forever … with Him. O praise His name.”
CONCLUSION:
There will be lots of people who will celebrate Christmas this year … without Christ. They will celebrate with presents … Santa … a decorated tree … turkey & dressing & ham. BUT … they will celebrate Christmas … without Christ.
What are you going to give to Jesus for His birthday? He’s like some people you know … He’s hard to shop for. He doesn’t NEED anything. He doesn’t WANT any THINGS. What He wants is your love … your obedience … your faithfulness … your surrender … YOU!
AND … in exchange … He will give you:
o A PEACE that passes all understanding …
o A JOY that you can’t measure …
o A HOPE that will never die …
o A LOVE that will never cease.
Make Jesus a part of your Christmas … the central part. Don’t fill your life with so many other things that you don’t have any room for Jesus. Let’s enjoy the next few weeks, as we prepare to celebrate the CHRIST of CHRISTmas!
STAND – PRAYER
HYMN - #434 – “All That Thrills My Soul”
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“Uncommon Birth”
INTRODUCTION: Celebrating Christmas has changed over the past 2000 years!
- BUT … Jesus hasn’t changed … the Christmas story hasn’t changed!
- God planned out the birth of His Son … probably a different plans than the angels would have made.
- The birth of Jesus was unusual … UNCOMMON:
I. UNCOMMON PREGNANCY – Matthew 1:18
- To take OUR sin, Jesus had to be born sinless.
- Jesus couldn’t be born of Joseph and be sinless … OR … sit on the Throne of His father David.
- There was a curse on Joseph’s family – 1:11, Jeremiah 22:30
II. UNCOMMON PROTECTION – Matthew 1:19
- Joseph stood by Mary, and protected her from stoning.
- God protects them with words of comfort – 1:20
III. UNCOMMON PREDICTION – Matthew 1:21
- To be the KING of the Jews … and the sacrificial LAMB of God … and the SON of God … He had to be a MALE.
IV. UNCOMMON PURSUERS – Matthew 2:1
- It took the them perhaps a year to reach Bethlehem – 2:11
- They lived off the gifts while in exile – 2:13-14
V. UNCOMMON PROJECTION – Matthew 2:2
- The star appeared at the birth of Jesus – 2:7
- It reappeared over Bethlehem – 2:9-10
- The star revealed the “Light of the World”:
o SOME walked in the LIGHT – 2:10
o SOME walked in DARKNESS – 2:3
- The difference results from the amount of His light you let into your life.
VI. UNCOMMON PROPHECY – Matthew 2:23
- Joseph returns to their hometown of Nazareth – 2:19-23
- “Nazareth” means ‘rod’ or ‘branch’.
- Out of Nazareth was to come the TREE OF LIFE – Jesus.
VII. UNCOMMON PRESENCE – John 1:1,14
- GOD left His Heavenly Throne to live and die for us.
CONCLUSION:
- Don’t celebrate Christmas without Christ.
- The only gift He wants from you … is YOU.
- Prepare to celebrate the CHRIST of CHRISTmas!
PRISCILLA BAPTIST CHURCH – Ray Scott, Pastor
