A Resurrection Illustration

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 3:22–26, KJV

Several events in Isaac’s life illustrate wonderful truths about our Lord Jesus Christ.  Since Christ is the sum and center of the Word of God, He may be seen in a variety of ways throughout the Old Testament. Genesis 22 is one of those passages were two truths about Christ are illustrated. 

* Isaac the Obedient and Submissive Son. Christ is the Obedient Son of God

* The Ram in the Bush as a Substitutionary Sacrifice. Christ is Our Substitute.

* Isaac is the Promised Son and Seed of Abraham (Gen. 21:12; Gal. 3:16, 29). Christ is the Seed of Abraham

* Isaac Experienced a Miraculous birth (Gen. 21; Heb. 11; Matt. 1:18, 23). Christ was miraculously born of a virgin.

ISAAC’S BIRTH ILLUSTRATES CHRIST'S RESURRECTION (Rom. 4:16-25)

Of course, the mention of the resurrected Jesus Christ (Rom. 4:24) is an element that does not belong to the OT history, but the intended parallel with Abraham's experience is fairly evident. The same God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead quickened the "dead" body of Abraham so as to make parenthood possible.  Isaac was brought from the dead by the power of God and so was Christ!

    The Deadness of Abraham  Rom.  4:17-19  

    The Deadness of Sarah    Rom. 4:19; Heb. 11:11-12

Like Abraham and Sarah we were without any ability to do anything about our dead condition, but like them we can simply believe God’s promise of salvation and forgiveness and be justified.

   The Dynamics of God    Rom. 4:17    “even God who quickeneth the dead”

In spite of the deadness of Abraham and Sarah’s bodies, God still gave life to their old bodies and they brought forth the life of Isaac by a miracle. Isaac was born by the power of God, and life came forth from death! 

         

           So it is With the Savior.  Rom. 4:23-24; 6:5-14

The ability of God to raise the dead was clearly demonstrated in the resurrection of Christ.  God’s life giving power was manifested!  The triumph of Christ over his enemies was clearly demonstrated.  Through the resurrection of Christ, Satan, Sin, Death and Hell were defeated by the dynamic power of God! (1Jn. 3:8; Rom. 6:9; 1 Cor. 15:54-57)  Why not trust such a strong God with your sin problem or habit!

           So it is in Salvation.  Rom. 4:24   Faith in the God who resurrected Christ equals salvation by the power of God!

APPLICATION:  It does not matter how dead you are in trespasses and sin, Jesus Christ is able to raise you to life in Him and give you a relationship with God. God has the power to save anyone who will believe Eph. 2:1-6

APPLICATION: Rom 6:2, God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We are dead to sin because we are saved! Being dead to sin means we are unresponsive to sin. 

ILLUSTRATION: A dead body is non-responsive to any form of stimuli.  You could kick it or caress it and it would not respond.

ILLUSTRATION: I am sure all of you who are of an adult age, have attended a funeral service.  Now think for a moment.  What happens to the relationship of that person and the present administration of government in the U.S., when the casket is lowered into the grave.  The IRS cannot tax him anymore.  Local justice authorities can't conscript him to jury duty, armed services cannot draft him for military duty, and he is dropped from the census of the U.S. When a person dies, the administration has no more power over him. 

The administration of sin is reigning over the world, but when a man or woman accepts Christ as Savior, he or she becomes dead to sin.  Therefore, the comparison of a dead body to governmental authority is made to a Christian in respect to the administration of sin and death. (See Rom. 6:2; Eph. 2:1, 2.) We were dead in sin, but now we have been made alive to God.  At our new birth we died to sin.  When we were birthed into God’s family we simultaneously died in Adam’s family!

ISAAC’S SACRIFICE ILLUSTRATES CHRIST’S RESURRECTION (Gen. 22:1-14)

    Death and resurrection were the portion of the Savior (Rom. 4:25). One can hardly fail to notice the carefully balanced character of this statement, relating as it does the death of Jesus to our sins and his resurrection to our justification.

     The Sacrifice of Isaac  Gen. 22:9 & Heb. 11:17

Hebrews 11:17, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

  

We come to the greatest test of Abraham's faith. God told him to offer up his only son, Isaac, upon the altar. With unhesitating obedience, Abraham set forth to offer to God the dearest treasure of his heart.

     The Promises of God    Heb. 11:18; Gen. 17:19-21; 21:12

Hebrews 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Was Abraham oblivious of the tremendous dilemma? God had promised him numberless children. Isaac was his only begotten son. Abraham was now 117 and Sarah was 108! The promise of a great host of descendants was to be fulfilled in Isaac. The dilemma was this: if Abraham killed Isaac, how could the promise ever be fulfilled? Isaac was now about seventeen and unmarried.  Abraham knew what God had promised; that was all that mattered. 

APPLICATION: The best way to live is by the wonderful promises of God.  (1) The Promise of Peace ----Phil. 4:6:9; (2) The Promise of Forgiveness and Cleansing ----1Jn. 1:7-9; (3) The Promise of Escape from Temptation ----1Cor. 10:13; (4) The Promise of God’s Provision ----Phil. 4:19;   (5) The Promise of Christ’s Strength ----Phil. 4:13;  (6) The Promise of Deliverance ----Rom. 6:22;   (7) The Promise of Courage---Ps. 27:14; Isa. 43:2.  Let us be like Abraham, strong in faith and fully persuaded that God is able to do what He promised!

     The Faith of Abraham   Gen. 22 & Heb.  11:17-19 

Genesis 22:5, And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,

Hebrews 11:17-19, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, [18] Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: [19] Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

  

            We Will Be Back!   Gen. 22:5

His statement, indicating that they would worship and then they would come back (Gen. 22:5), is amazing. All Abraham knew was that (a) God planned the future around Isaac, and (b) God wanted him to sacrifice Isaac. He could not reconcile the two, but he would obey anyway. That is faith.

He concluded that if God required him to slay his son, God would raise him up, even from the dead in order to fulfill the promise. Up to this time there had been no recorded case of resurrection from the dead. Human experience had no statistics to offer.  Likewise Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to fulfill the promise of Salvation and eternal life through the gospel.

            God Will Provide! Gen. 22:7-8

In response to Isaac’s question “Where is the lamb?” Abraham again revealed his faith: “God will provide Himself a lamb” (v. 8; cf. v. 14). In a wonderful sense, Isaac was brought “from the dead” twice—once from Sarah’s dead womb, and again from a high altar (Heb. 11:17-19).

            Abraham Introduced the Concept of Resurrection!

Hebrews 11:17-19, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, [18] Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: [19] Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

In a real sense, Abraham invented the idea of resurrection. His faith in the promise of God drove him to the conclusion that God would have to raise Isaac. In a figurative sense, he did receive Isaac back from the dead. He had committed himself to the fact that Isaac must be slain. God credited him with the act.

             Like Isaac, Like Christ!

In a sense Isaac’s was the first resurrection in the Bible. This makes his resurrection unique! Jesus Christ is the first born from the dead! Col. 1:18, And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

  

Jesus Christ is depicted here in several ways; the most significant one to the message is that He is the firstborn from the dead.  Not that He was the first ever to be raised from the dead, but the first to rise from the dead to die no more. He was the first to rise with a glorified body, and He rose as Head of a new creation.  His resurrection is wonderfully unique, and is a pledge that all who trust in Him will also rise.  It proclaims Him as supreme in the spiritual creation.

QUOTE: Alfred Mace said: “Christ cannot be second anywhere.  He is the “firstborn of every creature,” because He created everything (Col. 1:15, 16).  He is also firstborn from the dead in connection with a redeemed heavenly family.  Thus creation and redemption hand the honors of supremacy to him because of Who He is and what He has done; “that in all things He might have the preeminence.”  He is first everywhere.”   

We can be delivered from eternal suffering in the Lake of Fire for our sin by accepting God’s provision of a Substitute and Sacrifice—Jesus Christ.  For indeed Christ was delivered for our offenses and then raised again from the dead for our justification– salvation.  Because of faith in the resurrected Christ, we are made acceptable to God.

Christ died in our place, bore our sins, paid the penalty due our sins; and all this not by force, but willingly (Jn. 10:17, 18).  Beloved, the wonderful truth is that something happened to Christ, and because it happened to Jesus, it need not happen to us.  Christ died for our sins; we need not die for them if we accept His Sacrifice. 

Christ was also raise again! As believers we are identified with Him and represented by Him as winners and victors over Satan, sin, death, hell, and the grave.  The Lord Jesus has a central place in God’s program providing righteousness for sinful people by grace through faith.  Both Christ’s death and His resurrection are essential to that work of justification (Rom. 4:23-25). What about you? Have you been justified through faith in the Risen Christ?

If you have not…then do not put it off any longer. Recognize that you, like me, are a sinner and cannot save yourself. As a sinner we all are condemned to Hell forever without God. The only hope is to receive forgiveness from God for our sins. You can do this by placing your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Accept Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as the complete payment for your sin. Apply Christ’s work on your behalf very personally. Accept Him as the only means of establishing a relationship with God and being forgiven. God will save you as He promised! Come to Him even now….

Wise Men Still Seek Jesus!

MATT. 2:1-12   (VS 2, 11)

(CHRISTMAS MESSAGE, PART I)

SUBJECT: True Christmas Observance

THEME: these wise men sought the Lord Jesus Christ with great diligence to worship Him. Certainly, we would be wise to follow their example!

RELEVANCE: Matt 2:2 … for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.  We must embrace the great wisdom of seeking Christ in every facet of life. We must seek him to know him personally and intimately, to bring his presence and power into daily experiences, to secure the sweet knowledge of his precious will, and to discover another reason for which to worship him.

INTRODUCTION: Isa 55:6, Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

1. We are commanded to seek the Lord. To ‘seek’ means to press into the fellowship of Jehovah to acquire experimental knowledge or confidential acquaintance with Him. –adapted from Keil and Delitzsch
1. The beginning of heart faith is often represented as seeking for God, or probing and searching for his ways (Deut 4:29; Job 5:8; 8:5; Ps 9:10; 14:2; 27:8). This invitation extends to all to seek after God, and to return to him.
2. It implies:

                                                               i.      That we are by nature ignorant of God-since we are directed to ‘seek’ for him.

                                                             ii.      That if we are to have his favor, it must be desired and sought with repentance. No one becomes acquainted with God without earnestly desiring it.

                                                            iii.      That the invitation to seek God should be made to everyone. Where there are sinners, offer the invitation (see Isa 55:7).

                                                           iv.      That the knowledge of God is of value beyond estimation—infinite significance. God would not command us to seek that which is worthless; he would not earnestly urge us to do so unless it is of inexpressible importance.  –Adapted from Barnes’ Notes

2. We are assured that he can be found when we seek him.
3. We are warned that we only have a window of opportunity to be met with a favorable response from Him. James 4:8, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Let us this Christmas season seek him that we may worship him!  Let us endeavor to find another way in our individual lives, our family life, and our church life in which we worship Christ this Christmas! Surely, our attention to Christ must consist of more than a ten minute Scripture reading of Luke chapter two, the birth of Christ! Yes, wise men still seek Him today and daily.

MESSAGE:

I.  WISE MEN STILL FAITHFULLY SEEK HIM.

Matt 2:1, Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem    

       A.  THEIR SEARCH INVOLVED GREAT EFFORTS

Matt 2:1… there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

             1.  Their Journey Was A Long Distance From the East to Jerusalem.

These Wise Men belonged to the priestly caste among the Persians and Babylonians. They came from the land where the human race began, the region of Abraham’s origin.  This was also the land of Jewish Captivity, where many Jews still lived. Daniel, the prophet, served in this land.  These Magi from the East were experts in the study of the stars and served as advisers to kings.  If this is the case, the distance of their trip would have been about 800 to 1,000 miles one way to Worship the young King!

             2.  Their Journey Must Have Cost Them Greatly Financially

No doubt these men traveled with an entire caravan or at least an entourage of tens of people and servants.  It was not safe to travel a thousand miles in a small group across a desert waste land infested with bandits.  Their arrival in Jerusalem was so monumental that it stirred up the whole city!  I’m sure that this trip cost great amounts of money to eat, drink, and provide shelter all the way for tens of people and their travel animals.  It certainly cost them greatly to seek God and Worship the Young King.

             3.  Their Journey Took Them a Long Period of Time

According to Ezra 7:9, it would take about four (4) months to travel from Persia (Iran or Iraq) to Jerusalem.

All this time invested for just a brief period to worship the young King of the Jews! 

Application: Many people today don’t have time to worship Jesus! Either they won’t be faithful to church or they are ready to leave as soon as the services get started good.  But Wise Men still make time and create opportunities to Worship Him and Seek His face.  Put some time into worshiping your King this Christmas!

             4.  Great Difficulty in Their Search Did Not Discourage Them, But Rather Defined Their Determination to Know the Lord Jesus and Worship Him.  What GREAT EFFORTS characterize your and my search to KNOW and WORSHIP Him?  What Difficulties DEFINE our devotion to Christ?  How much is it Costing us to Worship our King?  What kind of Time have we invested into Worship and Service to Him?

Difficulty should not discourage us in our Spiritual Searches; they should Define our devotion and dedication!

ILLUSTRATION: It took my family over 2 years to raise support to go to Germany and minister among the military personnel there.  There was great difficulty yes, but it only made evident HOW MUCH we wanted to obey God’s call and serve here!  Now what about us, HOW MUCH do we want to know Him, and His will?

       B.   THEIR SEARCH INVOLVED GREAT GUIDANCE

                 1.  They Were Guided By a Star

Matt 2:2, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east…

This Star can only be explained as a supernatural miracle of God.  This was an unparalleled phenomenon in Human experience.  This Supernatural Light was without doubt a direct act of God pointing these men to the exact location of the young King (vs. 9)!  It was a Supernatural Announcement of a Supernatural Birth and Life!

                2.  They Were Guided By Herod the King

Matt 2:7-8, Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  8, And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child…  

Herod was a bloody old tyrant who was appointed to the throne in Jerusalem by the Roman government.  He was responsible for killing several of his own family members including one of his wives and some of his children.  The last thing he wanted to here was news about some new king of the Jews when he was the reigning monarch.  No doubt he felt threatened. But still God uses him here to direct these wise men!  God sometimes uses even the most unlikely sources to guide those who truly seek Him!

ILLUSTRATION: It was a lost man, an Air Force failure, who led me to the answers I needed to leave the military and pursue the ministry God called us to in 1994.  

               3.  They Were Probably Guided By Daniel the Prophet Also (The Word of God)

It is reasonable to conclude that these men were familiar with the Jewish scriptures and knew of the coming of a Messianic King.  They could have known about Daniel’s 70 week’s prophecy concerning Israel and the first coming of the Messiah (Dan 9:24, 25). Yes, I believe that the prophecies of Daniel helped these men in the search for the King of Israel. (See also Dan. 3:29-30; 6:26-28). This is the greatest guidance that we could ever have—the Bible!  It’s more reliable then reading the stars, the words of men, horoscopes, and modern psychology.

APPLICATION:  When We Have the Word of God as Our Guide, We Have Great Guidance from God’s Miracle Book That Directs and Transforms Lives.  The Bible will lead you to God; the Scriptures will reveal to you God!  If you need to be saved, this Bible will point you to HOW to be saved.  If you require direction in your Christian walk, this Bible will take you by the hand and lead in God’s path of righteousness.  Like the Wise men, you have got to trust it to direct you, and therefore determine to follow its guidance.

       C. THEIR SEARCH INVOLVED GREAT SURPRISES

Matt 2:2-3, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.  3, When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

            1. They Were Surprised to See That The Jews Did Not Know of Their Own King’s Birth.   You and I both have been disappointed with religious people who have no relationship with God.  Do not let hypocrites discourage you in seeking the Lord in truth and sincerity!

            2.  They Were Surprise to See The Humble Lifestyle of This New King

Matt 2:8, And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child…

Matt 2:11, And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother…

Certainly, he should have been in the palaces of Jerusalem and not in a humble little house.  This no doubt surprised these men, but it did not discourage them nor disappoint them to make them quit in their search.  Many Christian quit and get discouraged because a Christian, a Church, a Pastor, or Christianity in general is not what they think it ought to be.  But not theses Wise Men they still sought Him!

APPLICATIONS: There Will Be Some Surprises For Us As We Seek The Lord Also. But we will never be disappointed in Him! Romans 10:11, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Paul is not saying that Christians will never be disillusioned or disappointed. At times people will let us down and circumstances will take a turn for the worse. Paul is saying that God will keep his side of the bargain-those who call on him will be saved. God will never fail to provide righteousness to those who believe.—The Life Application Commentary Series  

II. WISE MEN STILL WORSHIP HIM

Matt 2:2, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Matt 2:11, And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold …

        A.  THEIR WORSHIP CONSISTED OF SINCERITY AND SO MUST OURS

Matt 2:11, And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child ….

1.      No hypocrisy, just pure and genuine Worship of the Son of God!  It was not the surroundings or the house that moved these men to worship, just simply the presence of God!  Some feel like they can only worship God in a great edifice or in the right environment, but not these Wise Men.  The Presence of God was enough for them.   Phil 2:9-11, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:   10, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2.      I would to God that this building would be known as a place where people meet with God and genuinely worship Him.  I pray that God’s presence would be fully realized each service by all in attendance!

APPLICATION: our worship must be in sincerity!

Josh 24:14, Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

1 Cor 5:8, Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

2 Cor 8:8, I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

      1.  Our Worship cannot be sincere if we have bitterness spewing out of our mouths.

      2.  … with hatred and resentment in our hearts.

      3.  …with Sin dominating every day.

      4.  …with misconceptions about God controlling our thoughts.

      5.  …with our minds and hearts distracted from Christ.

        B.  THEIR WORSHIP CONSISTED OF HUMILITY AND SO MUST OURS

Matt 2:11, And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him…

Ps 95:6, O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

These were men of high stature and great social standing.  They were assistants to the kings of the east.  Men of great renown.  But yet they bowed down or fell on their faces before the King to worship Him.  We too must daily bow our Heads, Hearts, and Hands in surrender and devotion to our Lord.  God help us to walk before you in true humility.  Pride is hated by God and as long as our hearts are filled with pride we’ll never worship Him.

ILLUSTRATION: Joseph Exercised Humility Before Pharaoh And Gave Glory To God For Interpreting Pharaoh’s Dream. Gen 41:16, And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

ILLUSTRATION: JOHN The Baptist Exercised Humility Before Israel In His Assessment Of Himself, And In His Desire To See The Lord’s Ministry Increase. Luke 3:16,  John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.  31, He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

It is not what we have done, but what he has done!  It’s not who we are, but who he is!  It’s not what we want, but what he desires!

       C.  THEIR WORSHIP CONSISTED OF GENEROSITY AND SO MUST OURS

Matt 2:11 … and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

1 Chr 16:29, Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

The one thing that marks true and sincere worship is the desire to share of one’s possessions with the Lord.  Is he king of our treasures today?  No doubts the things given to the Lord were used to provide for their needs during their flight into Egypt.  God wants to use our moneys to meet need in this ministry!  About 30% of the members of the church carry 80% of the financial load of the average church.  Are You Doing Your Part?

            1.  Every Christian ought to tithe their income faithfully.

            2.  Every Christian ought to financially support worldwide missions efforts.

            3.  Every Christian ought to sacrifice at times to meet special needs in the church.

            4.  Every Christian ought to give cheerfully and freely

            5.  Become a Christian who gives to God faithfully this Christmas.

                           

QUOTE:   TITHING SURPRISE

The Christian Who tithe will be surprised:  (1) At the Amount of money he has for the Lord’s work. (2) At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying the tithe. (3)   At the ease in meeting his own obligations with the nine-tenths. (4) At the ease of going from one-tenth to a larger percentage. (5) At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining. (6) At himself for not adopting the plan sooner!

Mal 3:10, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

              D.  OUR WORSHIP CAN ONLY BEGIN AFTER WE ARE SAVED

Isa 55:6-7, Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:   7,  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

                      1.  Turn From the Life of Sin and Destruction today.

                      2.  Trust Jesus Christ today as your Personal Savior

                      3.  This may be the ONLY opportunity you’ll ever have again....

CONCLUSION: These Wise Men Sought the Lord Jesus Christ With Great Diligence For to Worship Him. Let us Follow Their Example and ascribe fantastic worth to Christ!

We Understand the Great Wisdom of SEEKING HIM in all matters, now let’s lives as seekers. SEEK HIM to Know Him Personally and Intimately.  Press into His fellowship to gain the Sweet Knowledge of His Precious Will.  Discover more ways and occasions to WORSHIP Christ.

1. Maybe you should seek Him in the area of Salvation.

2.  Maybe you need to seek Him about baptism and church membership.

3.  Maybe you need to seek Him to Know Him and His Will for your life and ministry.

4.  Make today the day you determine to be faithful in Worshiping Him in church.

5.  Make today the day you start to worship Him in your giving.

6.  Make today the day you dedicate your life to God.

The Spirit of Christmas

PHIL. 2:5-8; 1 TIM. 3:16

SUBJECT: THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST

THEME: let Jesus Christ and the spirit of selfless service be the focus of our Christmas observance.  

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Php 2:5–8, KJV)

INTRODUCTION:

1.  This is Probably one of the More Uncommon Christmas Passages.

      A.  No shepherds and their Sheep. 

      B.  No wise men and their Gifts. 

      C.  Not even Mary and Joseph.

      D.  But, Christ is in It!  We see:

             1) What Jesus Was: “the form of God,”   “equal with God”

             2) What Jesus Became:   “Made in the Likeness of Men,” “found in fashion as a man”

             3) What Jesus Did:

                     a)  He Sacrifice His outward Glory as God.  “He made himself of nor reputation”

                     b)  He Sacrificed His Body as a Man.   “He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death”

             4) What Jesus Is:   “Confess the Jesus Christ is Lord”

      E.  Actually the Passage Makes a Beautiful Christmas Carol!

2.  The Birth of Christ Is One of the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith. 

This is not something about Christ that is nice to know; instead it is a truth that is absolutely essential to our faith.  Christ's unique birth is one proof of His deity, eternity, pre-existence, and His sufficient blood Sacrifice for our Sins.

QUOTE:   Kenneth Kantzer:

         “Many Christians only pay lip service to the truth of Christmas.

         To accept the idea that the Bethlehem babe really is the

            incarnate God is to alter every truth with which we comfortably live.

         To say that Jesus Christ really is the incarnation of the

            living God is to say that his testimony is unalterably true.

         When I go against his teachings, I am not merely

             asserting my own judgment, but that I am fundamentally in error.”

                                                                    

3.  The Christmas Season Should Mark the Time of Annual Reflection on the Truth That God’s Son Left Heaven and Was Birthed into a Literal Sinless Human Experience. We call it the incarnation.  Simply stated, “Christ Jesus . . . was made in the likeness of men,” and was “found in the fashion as a man” (Phil. 2:5, 7, 8). Jesus’ actions define forever what it means to be humble, selfless, and sacrificial. They leave us utterly stripped of any reasons for living in pride and selfishness.

4.  Please Allow Me to Provide Some Familiar Verses as Food for Thought During this Holiday Season.  With our minds, hearts, and attitudes, let us celebrate one of times grandest events ever, the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Lesson:

I.  Why Is The Birth Of Christ Important?

Many people around the world celebrate Christmas for different reasons. What should a Believer's focus be? Why should we regard the birth of our Lord as important?

A.  BECAUSE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS A CLEAR STATEMENT OF SCRIPTURE!

1 Tim 3:16, And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

John 1:14, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Col 2:9, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

If the Scripture exalt the life and birth of Christ then certainly we should! While there is no explicit command to celebrate Christmas and Christ’s birth, He is always worthy of our worship, praise, adoration, and celebration. In fact, He is worthy of our worship and adoration all year long!

B.  BECAUSE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST CLARIFIES THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS!

Unfortunately Christmas has traditionally become a time of getting instead of giving. 

The spirit of Christmas has become more selfish then selfless. The spirit and attitude of our Lord at His coming is quite different and remarkable (Phil. 2:4-5).

When we get back to Jesus Christ we see that the attitude we must have is one of Service, Sacrifice, Selflessness—an “Others first” spirit!  This is the theme of Philippians chapter two in the Word of God.

What Did the Incarnation of God the Son Involve? 

    

    1.  It Involved a Humble Attitude.

What Exactly Happened When God Was Made In the Likeness of Men? 

Phil 2:5-6, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6, Who, being in the form of God (His eternal existence and true essence as God), thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (He did not hold on to nor consider the outer manifestation of His deity and heavenly position as a treasure to be grasped and retained for Himself at all costs.  In Christ’s incarnation He was not concerned with retaining all His privileges and honors for Himself.  He willingly set aside some prerogatives and privileges of heavenly existence without losing even one divine quality–He sacrificed his divine rights for us!)

Jesus Christ Humbled Himself for the benefit of others; He considered you and me before He considered Himself!

    2.  It Involved a Selfless Attitude.

Phil 2:7,  But made himself of no reputation, (He emptied Himself of His positional equality with the Father and veiled his glory in a body of human flesh) and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (He never ceased to be fully God, but He willingly took on a fully human nature, even the status of a lowly slave) 8, And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  (He died the cruelest and most shameful death of the cross; executed like a vile and murderous criminal, but willingly that He might provide full payment for our sin!)

Jesus Christ expressed an unequivocally unselfish attitude for others!

    3.  It Involved a Sacrificial Attitude.

Did the Son of God Cease to Be God When He Took on a Human Nature? 

          A.  No, Jesus Did Not Give Up His Divine Nature or Abilities.

We understand the answer to this question by looking at the context of the phrase and especially the words that follow— “the form of a servant,” “was made in the likeness of men.” Obviously, the Lord Jesus did not cease to be holy God!

Phil 2:7, But made himself of no reputation, (He sacrificed his positional equality with His Heavenly Father, but retained His personal divine nature) and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (He stooped so low as to veil his divine glory in a human body and circumstance.)

The self-emptying of the Son of God (vs 7) is one of the most complex and profound doctrines in Scripture. 

            B.  The Sacrifice Was the Addition of a Human Nature.

The self-emptying permitted the addition of humanity, and did not involve in any way the subtraction of deity or the use of the attributes of deity.

ILLUSTRATION: Can you imagine a mighty, magnificent, and powerful earthly King? Who for a while decided to lay aside his storehouse of wealth, and leave behind an adoring amazed court, and take upon himself the body of a lowly ant? Can you imagine being the princess who kissed the frog and becoming one yourself! What about yourself being lowered to the existence of a cockroach or a single grain of sand on a large beach? When God the Son took on a human nature, he condescended in colossal proportions!

            C.  Jesus Christ Is Now 100% God and 100% Human at the Same Time. 

He has a fully divine nature and a completely human nature, but yet he is one person. 

                     1)  He Exhibited Divine Qualities (all powerful, eternality, all knowing, and infinitude, everywhere present).

                     2)  He Exhibited Human Qualities (hunger, thirst, tiredness, limited, appearance, but sinless) through the same Person.  (Heb. 4:15)

                     3)  He Exhibited Two Natures (unmixed, unchanged, and undivided but yet one person).  My Friend the Scriptures says that “God was manifested in the flesh” and that Jesus “was made in the likeness of men”!  (Ex. 33:18, 20; 1 Tim. 6:16)

Jesus Sacrificed Himself for Others! He did all of this for me and you.  

                                  “Aside He threw His most divine array,

                                  And hid His Godhead in a veil of clay,

                                  And in that garb did wondrous love display,

                                  Restoring what He never took away.” –Source Unknown

APPLICATION: The spirit of Christmas should be this “attitude of Jesus Christ” filling and giving direction and meaning to our own lives as servants of God every day!

II. Why Was Christ Made In The Likeness Of Men?

But Why Did God Bother To Come Into The World, Take On a Perfect Human Nature and Live Among Men?  For What Purpose Was the Son of God Manifested? Why did He choose to be “made in the likeness of men”?

Once Again I want to first inform you of each purpose of our Lord in His Incarnation. Secondly, I want to encourage you to realize the benefit of His Accomplishments in your and my Christian walks.

Understanding the reasons that Christ came into the world, should motivate us to fully rest and rejoice in what the Lord has accomplished for us.  Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our Christian experience.

A.  CHRIST WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN TO REVEAL GOD TO US.   

John 1:18, No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared (Made God Known) him.

Will you worship Jesus Christ as God the Son this Christmas?

B.  CHRIST WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN TO BE THE CHRISTIAN’S EXAMPLE. 

Philip. 2:4-5, Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. [5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Phil. 2:8, And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

1 Pet 2:21, For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Matt 11:29, Take my yoke (His Work and Ministry Example) upon you, and learn (To learn by observation) of me ; for I am meek (gentle) and lowly (humble)  in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Will you determine in your heart to truly follow the humble example He gave us?

Will you conclude that your sufferings in the ministry make you more like Him?

                                                                                                                                     

C.  CHRIST WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE SACRIFICE FOR SIN. 

Phil 2:7,  But made himself of no reputation,   (He emptied Himself of His positional equality with the Father and veiled His glory in a body of human flesh) and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (He never ceased to be fully God, but He willingly took on a fully human nature, even the status of a lowly slave)   8,  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  (He died the cruelest and most shameful death of the cross; executed like a vile and murderous criminal, but willingly that He might provide full payment for our sin!)

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

(Rom. 3:21-26, KJV)

Christ was literally born of a woman to die like a man!

Will you trust Christ the perfect sacrifice for your sin today?

CONCLUSION:

It was for these reasons the Son of God was manifested! He came into this world to make Christian salvation and experience possible! Not merely for a Christmas Day, but for a Christmas life!

Are you daily looking forward to his kingdom?  Is Christ the ruler of your heart, mind, body, and spirit?                                    

Will you appropriate daily the victory of Christ over Satan when you are tempted to sin?  Habitual sins can be broken and conquered!

Will you turn to your heavenly high priest to comfort, encourage, strengthen, and help you in times of trials, testing, and temptation?

Will you actually worship Christ Jesus the Savior this Christmas holiday season?

In the home Christ-likeness is kindness;

In business it is honesty;

Toward the weak it is burden bearing;

Toward the sinner it is evangelism;

Toward ourselves it is self-control;

Toward God it is reverence, love and worship. —Source Unknown

May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by His love and pow’r controlling all I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only thru His pow’r.

May the peace of God, my Father, rule my life in ev’rything that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me, as the waters fill the sea; Him exalting, self-abasing— this is victory.

May I run the race before me strong and brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me as I seek the lost to win, and may they forget the channel, seeing only Him.—Source Unknown

The Birth of The Messiah King

 

MATTHEW 1:18-25

Jesus Messiah is the virgin born Son of God.  In this incredible passage, Matthew relates the story behind Jesus’ birth, and how God overruled all actions threatening to thwart or skew His plan for our salvation. This Christmas story affords us many reasons to rekindle hope during this season of the year. 

Think for a moment about the term "providence." Providence refers to God's protective and provisional care of all creation.  It is His fascinating work behind the scenes, through angels, and people, regardless of the circumstances. He masterfully governs the universe providentially! He is still able to insert Himself or intervene in meaningful ways today. In fact it is His involvement and presence that gives us real reason to hope. Additionally, by this incredible passage we are assured that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, legal heir to the throne of David, and God’s promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Him. Beloved, this chapter in Matthew accounts for the birth of the Messiah King, Jesus The Lord of Glory. 

Matthew judicially lays before us the foundational proofs that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah-King.  He gives us his background, and heritage.  Since Messiah is a divine king, it is needful to demonstrate both his humanity and deity. Matthew anticipated this requirement and opened his Gospel with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. Beloved, this is real history! He presented two vital facts about the King, his human heritage (Matt. 1:1–17) as well as His divine heritage (Matt. 1:18–25). Since royalty depends on heritage, it was vital to establish the Lord Jesus’ rights to David’s throne as the Messiah-King Son of God (Wiersbe).

Furthermore, in this account we find not only a miraculous conception, but also an equally astonishing divine intervention. Yes, God involved Himself and His resources! This is shocking to a generation who characteristically does not "get involved" with other people's business! God's initiatives provide a rich source of instruction about our participating in the providential plan of God.  

Have you ever regret making a decision? If you are anything like me, then you have fervently wished that someone had warned you differently on more than one occasion!  Well, Joseph came real close to abandoning God’s plan for him, but God in his wisdom and providence prevented the grave mistake. Yes, God is a Master at intervention; He influences the outcomes in this account.  Actually He is continually actively perennially governing and preserving all facets of His universe. God guides and compels the cosmos to dance to His music and march to the beat of His drums! He exercises absolute lordship over His creation: everyone and everything depends on Him as the Creator-Sustainer. Because we believe in an all wise, all-powerful, and benevolent God of providence, we reject the ideas of chance, fate, coincidence, fatalism, nihilism, or luck as governors of our lives or futures. This same awesome God desires to direct and include us in the execution of His will—we are people of His destiny.  Joseph’s experience in this account illustrates one possible way all of this can unfold. First, notice...

Matthew’s Declaration of Christ’s Unique Birth (Matt. 1:18)

The facts surrounding this miraculous conception and birth are stated with dignity and simplicity.

The Circumstances Surrounding His Birth (Matt. 1:18)

The Messiah’s Divine Heritage Needed To Be Explained (Matt. 1:18). “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise” that is it was different from any of the births mentioned in the family tree previously referenced. This birth was so terrifically unique that it needed to be explained! 

The Messiah Was Born of a Virgin Woman Only.   Matthew 1:16 and 18 make it clear that Jesus Christ’s birth was different from that of any other person ever. Joseph was the “husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Jesus was born of an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. This is known as the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Matthew was pointing out that Joseph did not “beget” Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:4; Gen 3:15). Repeatedly we find the formula: “A begot B.” But now we have the record of a birth without a human father (MacDonald).  Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God (Phil. 2:5-8)!

The Messiah’s Mother Was Only Espoused to Joseph (Matt. 1:18). No doubt Joseph anticipated all the workings of Hebrew marriage customs. Their marriage was arranged by their parents, and contracts had been negotiated. Since then, they have been considered married and were called husband and wife. It was not time for them to begin to live together, however. Instead, Mary continued to live with her parents and Joseph with his for one year. During this waiting period Mary would demonstrate her faithfulness and purity.  After this Joseph would go to the house of Mary’s parents and in a grand processional march lead his bride back to his home. There they would begin to share a home as husband and wife and physically consummate their marriage. At this point in the text they were only espoused. It relates to our modern engagement.

The Condition of Mary was Discovered by Joseph (Matt. 1:18).

During the waiting period of her betrothal, however, Mary was found to be with child. During this time, the young virgin Mary became pregnant by a miracle of the Holy Ghost. “She was found with child of the Holy Ghost…” An angel had previously announced this mysterious event to Mary in Luke 1:35. Joseph discovered His bride to be was with child! 

The Holy Spirit Crafted and Engineered Jesus’ Conception (Luke 1:26-35).

The Message—in Luke 1:26-31, the angel Gabriel visited a young Jewish virgin named Mary. He told her she would be having a Son. Mary’s obvious question was, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”  Though she believed the promise, she did not understand the performance. How could a virgin give birth to a child? (MacDonald)

The Miracle—to answer her, Gabriel spoke some of the most amazing words ever heard by the human ear: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35). What an out of this world fantastic statement! 

First, Gabriel explained that this would be a miracle, the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, would not be the father of the child (Matt. 1:18–25), even though Jesus would be legally identified as the son of Joseph (Luke 3:23; 4:22; John 1:45; 6:42). Gabriel was careful to point out that the Baby would be a “holy thing” and would not share the sinful human nature of man. Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21), “He did no sin” (1 Peter 2:22), and “in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). His body was prepared for Him by the Spirit of God (Heb. 10:5) who “overshadowed” Mary. That word is applied to the presence of God in the holy of holies in the Jewish tabernacle and temple (Ex. 40:35). Mary’s womb became a holy of holies for the Son of God! (The Bible Exposition Commentary)

What An Amazing And Touching Scene! An unknown Jewish virgin girl becomes the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, The Lord of Glory, by the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit.

God Took on a Human Nature. Again the Holy Spirit creatively brought about the physical conception of the Lord Jesus (Luke 1:35). Mary’s Son would be God manifest in the flesh.  No language can elucidate, explain, enlighten, nor explicate the mystery that is shrouded here. This miraculous conception and Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ was necessary because of His divine nature and preexistence (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Gal. 4:4). From this astonishing beginning, to the bittersweet end, the Holy Spirit was active in and through the life of The Lord Jesus.

But Mortal Man Ignored Christ Incarnation.  People have a hard time appreciating the truly spiritual and the unique holiness of this splendidly supernatural phenomena (1Cor. 2:11-16).  They can only criticize, speculate, discredit, bark at, and cast doubt! Likewise, a cloud of suspicion and scandal hung over Mary. In all of human history there had never been a virgin birth. When people saw an unwed woman who was with child, they had only one possible explanation.  Every child born into the world is a totally new creature. But, Jesus Christ, being the eternal God (John 1:1, 14), existed before Mary, Joseph, and any of His earthly ancestors. There is no human explanation for our Savior's birth; why not accept this divine one!

It is Still Correct to Believe in the True and Living God Who is Skilled in Miracle Making (Luke 1:37; Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17, 27; Matt. 19:26; Phil. 3:21). While God is NOT obligated to give miracles just because we want them badly, He is delighted to fire off a few to advance His awesome will!  Since God is able and willing to perform the inexplicable we have hope in every situation in life.  We never face a single day without the hope He inspires by His very presence and providential involvement. God insert Himself in our situations still! Do need some of His providential involvement? 

Joseph’s Distress about Mary’s Pregnancy (Matt. 1:19)

As any of us would expect, Joseph was perplexed, confused, distressed, and broken-hearted. Certainly he felt alone, betrayed, and vexed with this development initially. He felt exactly like we have felt after losing the affections of someone we loved deeply. His heart was broken and his dreams for them were shattered into a trillion irreparable pieces! 

He Felt Betrayed and Deeply Hurt (Matt. 1:19)

He Thought a Trust Had Been Broken.  Understand Joseph is heartbroken, assuming his pregnant wife-to-be has been unfaithful. In reality they had never engaged in marital relations and Mary had been faithful (Matt. 1:20, 23).

He Felt His Plans were For Ever Lost.  One can only imagine how confused, perplexed, hurt, and possibly angry he must have been. He genuinely loved Mary, and yet the word came that she was expecting. His dreams, goals, and plans for them were ruined and shattered! The sharpness of this apparent gross violation had been thrust through His aching soul! 

He Assumed The Worst Case Scenario! Joseph was planning to act on a faulty assumption! Though it is difficult, we must resist the temptation to jump to conclusions, get the whole story, wait and observe with fairness and discretion, remember to use objectivity, and make wise decisions free of emotional confusion (Prov. 18:13; Duet. 13:12-14; Jn. 7:51). Avoid making emotionally charged and hasty decisions. They almost always abandon God's will and plan for us!

He Decided to Reject and Put Mary Away (Matt. 1:19)

He Wanted to Act Discreetly. Not wanting to disgrace Mary, he determines to break their engagement secretly. To the Jewish people in that day, betrothal (engagement) was equivalent to marriage—except that the man and woman did not live together. They were called “husband and wife,” and, at the end of the engagement period, the marriage was consummated. His love for Mary and desire for justice led him to decide to break the betrothal by a quiet divorce. If a betrothed woman became pregnant, it was considered adultery (see Deut. 22:13–21). Unfaithfulness on the part of the betrothed was punishable by death. 

But, should not Joseph look up to God before he leap? Joseph, does your life plan correspond to God’s plan? It would be wise to seek God and wait for His direction before making a hasty decision (Ps. 27:14; 37:34; Prov. 20:22).

Waiting is Never Easy; especially when we feel pressured to make a decision. Some argue that we figure out what the loving thing to do is—and simply do it. But is it safe or right to act without a sense of acting in God’s will?

·                    Abraham could not wait for God to keep His promise of a son, and the result is the Arab/Israeli hostility that even today tears the Holy Land apart.

·                    Jacob chose to lie to obtain a blessing already promised him, and spent years separated from his family.

·                    The impetuous Peter was often rebuked by the Lord for his hasty actions.

·                    Even godly people like Peter and King Josiah can and do run ahead of God. How important that we learn to rely on the Lord, and wait prayerfully and confidently for His timing.

Should not we all thank God for His wisdom not only in planning good for us, but in knowing just how and when to bring that good to pass.

He Tried to Balance Fairness and Compassion (Matt. 1:19)

He Felt Divorcing Her Was a Just Decision (Justice). Accordingly, “being a just man” Joseph possessed a strong sense of right and wrong! Joseph did not yet know the true explanation of Mary’s condition. He might have been indignant at his fiancée on two counts: First, her apparent unfaithfulness to him; and second, though innocent, he would almost inevitably be accused of improper involvement. People would naturally imply He was involved somehow. 

Joseph keen sense of justice and right-ness raises a noteworthy emphasis here. We need more believers with a strong sense of “right and wrong” in our day of ultra tolerance for sin and wickedness. Genesis 6:9, These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Mark 6:20, For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Luke 2:25, And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. It is clear that he had not been involved in an unrighteous sexual relationship.  To Joseph that was definitely wrong behavior!

He Felt Preserving Her Was A Compassionate Decision (Mercy)—“not willing to make her a public example”. He wished to avoid the public disgrace which normally accompanied such an action.  He chose not to create a public scandal by exposing her condition to the judges at the city gate. Such an act could have resulted in Mary’s death by stoning (Deut. 22:23-24). His love for her enabled him to shield and protect her in spite of the pain in his own heart. This demonstrated how big this MAN Joseph was. There is no wonder why God trusted him with raising Jesus His Son! 

Christ is the Best Model of the Husband’s Role as Protector.  Ephes. 5:23, For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Consider what Barnes said regarding this peculiar statement.

“The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practiced self-denial and made it an object of intense solicitude [consideration] to preserve that church, so ought the husband to manifest a similar solicitude [care] to make his wife happy, and to save her from want, affliction, and pain. He ought to regard himself as her natural protector; as bound to anticipate and provide for her needs; as under obligation to comfort her in trial, even as Christ does the church. What a beautiful illustration of the spirit which a husband should manifest is the care which Christ has shown for his "bride," the church!”—Barnes’ Notes

In addition, Matthew Henry records,

“Christ's authority is exercised over the church for the saving of her from evil, and the supplying of her with everything good for her. In like manner should the husband be employed for the protection and comfort of his spouse; and therefore she should the more cheerfully submit herself unto him. So it follows, Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ (v. 24), with cheerfulness, with fidelity, with humility, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything-in everything to which their authority justly extends itself, in everything lawful and consistent with duty to God.” –Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

What good wife, would not appreciate a godly man who protects her and looks out for her highest interest?!

But, Joseph Was Running Ahead of God and Leaving His Will.

All Of Us Have Hopes, Dreams, And Plans! The Bible never discourages us from looking to the future with bright expectations in Christ Jesus. However, passages like James 4:13–17, enforce a crucial qualification.  James 4:13-17, Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: ¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ¹⁵ For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. ¹⁶ But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. ¹⁷ Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. As we make our plans, whether in business, in relationships, or in our personal lives, we must do so with a perspective on who is ultimately in charge—God! In other words, we need to plan with an attitude of humility and deference to the will of God (The Handbook of Bible Applications).

Our Tendency As Humans Is To Seek Control Over Our Circumstances. Certainly the Bible encourages us to take responsibility for our lives (1Thess. 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:12). But even so, we must ultimately submit to the sovereignty of God. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah likens us to clay in the hands of a potter; the divine Craftsman can do with us as He wishes (Is. 64:8; 1 Cor. 12:15–18). As a result, we need to submit every intention to God—even our business proposals and plans. He may allow us to proceed according to our desires; or He may decide to alter our plans according to His own purposes. In either case, we need to accept what He decides to bring into our lives, without arguing and complaining (Rom. 9:20–21; Phil. 2:13–14). Yield control to God; He really does know what He is doing! 

The result: tremendous peace! We can feel confident that an infinitely wise, powerful, and good God ultimately controls our lives and our world. Of course, that does not mean that life will always go the way we want. Sometimes, from our human perspective, it will seem unfair, maybe even absurd. Nevertheless, God rules the world. Humility demands that we acknowledge and accept what He allows to happen in it. Who’s in Charge Here? Always remember God is in total control (Rom. 8:28).

We Must Constantly Guard Against Jumping Ahead of God.  Running ahead never ceases to be a concern for the Christian in his or her walk with God. Each of us must diligently examine our motivations before we act. By cultivating an attitude of patient waiting, and looking to the Lord for guidance, we can give God control over the direction of our lives (The Handbook of Bible Applications).

Yet sometimes we come to feel lost and separated from God. At such times, we may long for the Lord to reveal Himself to us. Fortunately, our God is a loving God. Even when we stray, we need not fear permanent separation from God’s guiding hand. Our Good Shepherd will search for us like the lamb who strayed, and bring us back into His fold. And when He does, our sense of isolation will give way to the comfort and wonder of His presence. In history, God drew people to Himself through very personal encounters with Himself. What is it like to encounter God? How can we more fully experience the fellowship of the Lord? It may be time for a fresh encounter with the living God in accordance with the wisdom of the Apostle John (1 John 1:1-10).