The Greatest Birth Ever

Kim Alexander

The Gospel of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

Matthew 1:18–25

Jesus' Birth

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We are going to look at eight clear statements about Jesus' birth.

Notes

Transcript

Introduction: Who doesn’t like to hear about the birth of a baby? I mean families get excited when a baby is being born. There used to be a time in America when everybody related to the mother would gather at the home (if it was a home birth), or in the waiting room of a hospital (if it was a hospital birth). A newborn baby was a big deal! I might add – it still is in my book!

I feel sorry for those women who are unable to give birth, but even more for those who can, and yet refuse to have a child. The reality is it is a loss to the whole world. You never know what your baby might grow up to become.

I love the song entitled, “Mary, did you Know?” by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. Here are some of the words from that song:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy Would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy Would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy Has come to make you new? This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy Will give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy Will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy Has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby You kiss the face of God

Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear The dead will live again The lame will leap, the dumb will speak The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know that your baby boy Is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy Would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy Is heaven's perfect Lamb? That sleeping child you're holding is the great, I Am

Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?) Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?) Mary, did you know? Oh

I submit to you that the birth of Jesus Christ was the Greatest Birth Ever. Many are thankful for your birth, but your birth and my birth weren’t the greatest births ever. There has been and will only be one Greatest Birth ever! The birth of Jesus Christ.

I want us to look at Jesus’ birth here in Matthew 1:18-25. There are eight clear thoughts that I want to share with you about the Greatest Birth Ever, the birth of Jesus Christ. Here they are:

1. Jesus’ Birth is a Historical Event – Matthew 1:18

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

The birth of Jesus Christ is a historical FACT! The Bible is not only God’s Word, but it is a book that contains historical data that is 100% correct in all its details. It tells us about the birth of Jesus Christ. Where in the Bible do we read about the birth of Jesus Christ?

· In the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 1:18-25.

· In the Gospel of Luke – Luke 1:26-2:7

· In the Gospel of John – God in the flesh/incarnation – John 1:14

· In the Epistle to the Galatians – Galatians 4:4 “In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, born of a woman…”

Now, I recognize that not everyone believes that Jesus was a real person. I recently read on the history.com website about a 2015 survey conducted by the Church of England. It found that 22 percent of adults in England did not believe Jesus was a real person. That doesn’t surprise me, after all, it’s England.

However, among scholars of the New Testament Scripture, there is little disagreement that Jesus Christ actually lived. Lawrence Mykytiuk, an associate professor of library science at Purdue University and author of a 2015 Biblical Archaeology Review article on the extra-biblical evidence of Jesus, notes that there was no debate about the issue in ancient times either. “Jewish rabbis who did not like Jesus, or his followers accused him of being a magician and leading people astray,” he says, “but they never said he didn’t exist.”

Both archeology and historical records tell us that Jesus was a real person. Two Roman historians (Pliny and Tacitus) and one Jewish historian (Flavius Josephus) wrote about the birth of Jesus Christ. And there are dozens of other Christian writings that mention the birth of Jesus.

Jesus' birth is in the Bible and ancient literature. It is a historical fact.

What is the second clear thought presented in our text? We read that…

2. Jesus’ Birth was a Supernatural Event – Matthew 1:18

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Mary did not know Joseph. She didn’t have a sexual relationship with him. We saw this back in Matthew 1:16, where we read,

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Joseph did not “begot” Jesus Christ. No, Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Holy Trinity. This conception was supernatural! Scripture tells us,

“she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18)

In Luke’s Gospel, we read that when Mary questioned the angel Gabriel about how something like this could happen to her, the angel responded,

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

Do you remember what God said to Jeremiah the prophet? In Jeremiah 32:27 we read,

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

And let us not forget Gabriel’s final words to Mary in Luke 1:37,

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”

If miracles happen, and I believe they do (I don’t question them), then why would we doubt a virgin birth? If God created all things, out of nothing (which He Did – See Colossians 1:16), then a virgin birth is a very small task for Almighty God to accomplish. Wouldn’t you agree?

Yes, the virgin birth was a supernatural event. It was outside of the natural realm. It was a total God thing!

What is the third next clear statement found in our text? We read that…

3. Jesus’ Birth was a Troubling Event – Matthew 1:19

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

As a man how do you think you would have reacted if you were engaged to a woman, and near the time of your wedding she tells you that she is pregnant and that it’s not your child? Jaw dropper! Right?

And to top it off you know it’s not your child because the two of you never came together. Troubling! Right? Is there more here than catches the human eye? Sure, there is.

There is probably not a man alive who wouldn’t have a problem with this case scenario. Your girl is pregnant with another man’s child! This isn’t right! It’s wrong!

Joseph could have had Mary stoned to death (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 20:22-24). He had the Jewish law on his side. However, Scripture tells us that Joseph was a just man and that he decided to put Mary away secretly (Matthew 1:19). Other men may not have been as gracious as Joseph.

Scripture tells us that while he thought about these things (Matthew 1:20). Joseph’s decision was not a knee-jerk reaction. It is amazing how much weight is on a person's mind when they receive bad news. And in Joseph’s mind, this news was bad news. This is not how he perceived Mary.

So, the birth of Jesus was a troubling event! The groom's dream had been shattered by this news.

There is a fourth clear statement found here in our text. We read that…

4. Jesus’ Birth was a Reassuring Event – Matthew 1:20

20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

It was while Joseph was thinking about this event that an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream reassuring him that it was okay for him to take Mary as his wife. He was told that the child she was carrying was the result of a supernatural act of the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Holy Trinity).

Please hear what I am about to say: When God provides assurance, all is calm! This is what happened to Joseph. As soon as God revealed his plan to Joseph in a dream about Mary being pregnant and God calmed his heart that Mary didn’t cheat on him, he was at peace.

Scripture tells us,

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

All is calm when God’s revelation is revealed! (Repeat this statement).

This should be true in all our lives as well. I can tell you of two times when God brought peace into my heart:

1. At the birth of my daughter, Kayetlin. She was born with a cleft palate in the year 2000. I wrestled with God. I remember asking God why? And not just once – repeatedly. Finally, He spoke to me in the wee hours of the morning and said, “You trusted me with your other four children, can’t you trust me now?” As soon as I heard those words, I had peace. Instantly, I was comforted.

2. When I was diagnosed with cancer (2012) and had no clue about the outcome, God spoke to me in the shower. He told me, “If you die you live, and if you live, you live.”

Joseph experienced the assurance of God in his life-altering situation. Why? Because God’s WORD is sufficient!

There is a fifth clear statement found in our text. We read that…

5. Jesus’ Birth was a Life-Changing Event – Matthew 1:21

21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

The angel told Joseph that Mary was going to have a “Son” (pre-ultrasound machine). Joseph was even told the name that he was to give the boy. He was told to call him, Jesus. And Joseph was told the significance this son would have on the entire world population. We read,

For He will save His people from their sins.

This takes us back to the title of this sermon, The Greatest Birth Ever. The name Jesus means “Savior.” Do you believe Jesus’ ability to save people is a life-changing event? Jesus is the ONLY answer to man’s problems. He is the answer to all the brokenness of mankind. He is the answer to everything evil to everything that is insane. Jesus came to SAVE!

Have you received Jesus into your life to be your Savior? This was why He was born. He came to save us all from our sins.

My life was forever changed on November 14, 1976, and your life can be forever changed today (October 23. 2022), right now, at this moment. You must call upon Jesus Christ to come into your life, to cleanse you from your sin, and to make you, His child. Will you make this decision today?

Pray a prayer like this: Dear God, the best way I know how I call upon Jesus Christ to come into my life. I want to repent of my sins, and I want Jesus to save me. I want to become a child of God right now. I ask this in Jesus’ name and for His sake. Amen.

The Savior has without a doubt changed this entire world. There is not a nation on planet earth where Jesus has not brought about a life-changing event for someone.

There is a sixth clear statement found in our text. We read that…

6. Jesus’ birth was a Prophetic Event – Matthew 1:22-23 (See Isaiah 7:14)

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Are you aware that Jesus’ birth was predicted some 700 years before He was born? In fact, His birth was the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Are you aware that it is estimated that there are over 300 prophecies that relate to the first coming of Jesus Christ? Jesus didn’t just fulfill one of them, but all 300 plus of them. That is a mathematical impossibility from a human perspective, but REMEMBER we are not considering something human but something DIVINE.

Matthew 1:23 is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 where we read,

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah penned that a virgin would give birth to a son. The Hebrew word for virgin in Isaiah 7:14 is “almah” and it means “a maiden, a young woman, a girl, and a virgin.” Liberals Bible teachers laugh at the virgin birth. They say that it is fictitious. That it’s not true. They say that people read into Isaiah something that’s not really being taught. The Greek word for virgin in Matthew 1:23 is “Parthenos” and it means “a virgin, maiden.” So, then, both Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23, teach the virgin birth, which is what both authors intended.

There is a principle of Bible reading that states: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.” That is solid hermeneutics.

Now, people may deny the virgin birth of Jesus, but they cannot say that the virgin birth of Jesus isn’t taught in the Bible. It is and it is taught as fact!

Here in Matthew 1:23, we read that His name shall be called, “Immanuel.” And we are even told what “Immanuel” means. It means, “God with Us.” So then, who was born to Mary? God! This is the logical conclusion. God entered our world through Jesus.

Therefore, we must never doubt the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

There is a seventh clear statement made in our text. We read that…

7. Jesus’ Birth was Fully Accepted Event – Matthew 1:24

24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,

Joseph was aroused from sleep, and he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and he took Mary to be his wife – from sleep to obedience.Sometimes we may have to sleep on our troubles, but we should wake up ready to be obedient! Joseph accepted God’s plan for Mary, Jesus, and himself. God’s way is not our way, but His way is always higher than our ways.

There is nothing more wonderful than accepting God’s will for your life! This is what we find Joseph doing here in this verse. Joseph saw the hand of God in the storyline of his life, and he was willing to yield to the plan of God for his life. We must do no less!

If you want your life to be transformed, then I would suggest that you too accept the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only hope for humanity. Nothing has the power to save you, other than Jesus!

Note: Our entire calendar system is based on the birth and death of Jesus Christ – this is what is meant by B.C. and A.D. Before Christ and in the year of our Lord.

What is the eight clear thought that is found in our text? We read that…

8. Jesus’ Birth was the Greatest Event Ever – Matthew 1:25

Joseph did not know (sexually) until after she gave birth to her firstborn Son. And he (Joseph) called His name Jesus.

Like the title of this message – The Greatest Birth Ever. Jesus is now a household name. It is a name used the world over. Everyone probably has heard the name of Jesus. I believe that this in and of itself is a lot of evidence for the birth of Jesus.

Are you aware that the Catholic Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin. But that is not what this verse teaches. Joseph didn’t know Mary until after she gave birth to Jesus, but after Jesus’ birth he did. They consummated their marriage.

Are you aware that Jesus had brothers and sisters? We read in Matthew 13:55-56,

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?” (Consider also Mark 6:3).

Scripture is clear that Mary had additional children. Jesus’ siblings.

Now, I don’t know what you think of the historical event of Jesus’ birth, or what you think of the supernatural. But, what I do know is that the Bible makes it very clear that Joseph was a respectable man, and that he didn’t know Mary (sexually) until after she had given birth to her firstborn Son. And note that it was Joseph who called her Son, Jesus.

And there you have it - The Greatest Birth Ever!

Conclusion: How should this Scripture affect our lives today?

1. Accept Jesus’ birth as a historical fact – Jesus was a real person, and He did live on planet earth.

2. Accept God’s ability to do supernatural things outside man’s human ability to comprehend it – the virgin birth.

3. Accept troubling events in your own life, but don’t allow them to cause you to worry. God still speaks if we will but listen.

4. Accept God’s ability to speak through His Word, angels, or even dreams. God still communicates today.

5. Accept the truth of JESUS’ name (Savior). He is man’s only hope.

6. Accept the reality that Jesus’s birth fulfilled biblical prophecy. This should encourage us.

7. Accept the why of Jesus’ birth – to save people from their sins.

8. Accept Jesus’ birth as the Greatest Birth Ever! We most definitely have something to celebrate.

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