The Baby King Series

Introduction

I hope that you don’t mind, but I thought that I would show you some of the pictures from our family vacation…

Isn’t this one of the times when you are looking for the door, looking at someone else’s family photo’s is usually not good, unless you are tied in some way.

I think that this is one of the reasons that we have so much trouble with trying to read through the gospel of Matthew…be honest, how many people have tried only to end up in the 1st chapter with the list of Jesus’ family tree and it became like watching pictures of someone else’s family vacation…boring

There are some names we recognize – Abraham, king David, Ruth, and at our house the name Josiah is a big hit, but there are some names that we just struggle with.

It isn’t until we come to the end of the passage that we finally come to a name or two that we know and it get’s really interesting from here.

Matthew 1:16 (NIV)

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Why have such a long list of names, just to get to Joseph, the Husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus?

I think that we have become so used to the Christmas story that we read this passage each and every year and get used to the Mary, the mother of Jesus

But THIS baby changed the world.

1. The coming of the King

Matthew 1:20-24 (NIV)

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Who is this Baby?

A. This Baby is Jesus – which means “YHWH” saves

• God told Joseph that this baby already had a name, a name that reflected his character and God’s purposes – God saves, that is what Jesus means.

• The name Jesus means “God is salvation” in Hebrew. Parents often intended the names they gave children to have some meaning, but if God gave the name, it had special significance. The Old Testament taught that God’s people would be saved in the time of the Messiah Jewish readers in the first century would have understood this salvation to mean more than just personal forgiveness. God would deliver his people from the consequences of their sins slavery to their enemies. Jesus came to deliver his people from personal sin and thus to deliver them from its judgment as well.

B. This Baby is Emmanuel which means “God with Us”

• I don’t recall any time in the New Testament where someone comes up to Jesus and calls him “Emmanuel” – but this name is so important to us

• We have gotten something wrong in the Church when it comes to Salvation – We place all the emphasis on heaven, and miss some of what God has in store for us

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

• This verse is often quoted to say that when we trust Jesus we will go to heaven, (and that is true) but is really says that we will have eternal life – starting from the moment we become a Christian

• The presence of God in us is the Holy Spirit – but God’s presence with his people began with Jesus.

Every time we feel alone, trapped by temptation, crushing problems, persecution, he is present, and is working.

He is Emmanuel, and he will save the people from their sins.

2. The command of the King

Before we think that the reign of Jesus is only in His birth I want to point you to the end of the book – To chapter 28

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”