The Good News Of Christmas

The Good News of Christmas

Matthew 1:18-25

Good morning and Merry Christmas.

In this fallen desperate world in which we live, we could all use some Good News!

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" NKJV

When Jesus was born, the Gospel, which means good news, actually came to humankind.

Why is the news that Jesus Christ came to earth so good?

The best news ever given is that we can be saved from the punishment we deserve because of what Jesus did on the Cross.

Jesus came so we could have forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and a new life through His sacrifice.

For the person who receives His gift of Salvation, there is no more shame or condemnation because our account has been wiped clean by His blood.

His Salvation would be good enough if the Good News stopped there, but it doesn’t, those who have Christ are also given peace.

If we surrender to Him, He will give us peace, rest for our soul, and set us free from the chains and sin that bind us.

Please open your Bibles this morning to Matthew 1.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah around 800 years before the birth of Christ.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. NKJV

Jesus attributed the title “I AM” to Himself in the “I am” statements of the Book of John.

• I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51);

• I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12);

• I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9);

• I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14);

• I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25);

• I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6);

• I AM the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).

This name, “I AM WHO I AM”, is connected with the name Yahweh or Jehovah.

Yahweh appears more than 160 times in the Book of Genesis.

Jesus referred to Himself as adonai as well as “I AM”.

The name Jesus means "Yahweh is salvation" and the word “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning Anointed One.

Jesus Christ came to earth as our Salvation and the Anointed One; He is the Great I am, who came to earth because we needed a way to have Eternal Life.

I AM also means that God is "the becoming one"; God becomes whatever is lacking in our time of need.

When we need the Lord to provide something, we can fill in the blank of our need and that is what God will become for us as He supplies for our needs. As the Great I am,

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. NKJV

We can say, “I need a Savior, I need a redeemer, I need a healer, and the Lord becomes that for His Children”.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save lost sinners. So, as the “Great I am”, He became our Savior.

I. Immaculate Conception.

Read Matthew 1:18

Mary was pledged, or betrothed, to Joseph.

Often in their culture, young children were pledged to one another in an arranged marriage by their parents.

Betrothal was official and binding similar to a marriage engagement, but it had a much deeper importance than our modern-day practice.

During the time of betrothal, the couple was known as husband and wife, and a betrothal could only be broken by divorce.

A betrothal typically lasted a year and then the Marriage would take place after a full year of betrothal.

So, we find Mary betrothed to Joseph, pregnant prior to the marriage, and prior to her having any sexual contact with Joseph.

Okay, put yourself in Joseph’s shoes here for a minute…What impact would that discovery have on you or others that are around her?

Surely everyone would believe that she had physical relations with a man…

How would their society expect Joseph to respond to this news?

Everyone would expect Joseph to give Mary a letter of divorce, not for irreconcilable differences, but for supposed adultery.