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JESUS

HAD A

BEGINNING

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Matt 1:1 (NASB)

Matthew says it in his opening statement in the book of Matthew. The word “genealogy” comes from the same word from which we get “genesis”. Did you get that? The birth certificate Matthew gave was of the “beginning” of Jesus Christ. Think about that and don’t ever forget it. The fourteen generations from Abraham to David; the fourteen generations from David till the carrying away captive into Babylon; and the fourteen generations from the carrying away captive to Christ tell us about Jesus’ beginning. Matthew 1:17

HIGHLY FAVORED

It was because of God’s plan fulfilled in the womb of Mary his mother, that Jesus had a beginning. All of this was conceived in the plan and in the mind of God before the beginning of the world. I Peter 1:20 Can you now see why Mary was called the favored one by the angel Gabriel. The plan of God focused on her. What a special opportunity for a humble Jewish girl, probably in her teens or early twenties.
  • “And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:28 (NASB)
That which was conceived in the mind of God was conceived in the womb of Mary.  “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” Luke 1:31 (NASB) “But how can this be Mary asked, since I am a virgin?” Gabriel explained the process to Mary; “Because of the energizing power of the Holy Spirit”. Mary would through that which would be conceived in her body bring about the “genesis” of the holy child called the Son of God. Truly Mary was as the KJV puts it “blessed among women”.
  • "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35 (NASB)
Let’s take a moment and read the story:
  • Luke 1: 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
The main focus must always be on that which was conceived in the womb of Mary, but let’s consider Mary for just a bit.
 
Mary was of the house of David
Mary was from Nazareth, Galilee
Mary was engaged to Joseph, the son of Jacob
Mary was highly favored
God was with Mary
Mary was blessed among women

Quite an impressive resume, wouldn’t you say? Her husband to be had kingly roots. (See Matthew 1) We get a glimpse of her character as we read the story of her visit with her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was married to Zacharias. They lived in the hill country of Judah. Zacharias was of a “priestly order”. He had been praying for a son to be given to him and Elizabeth. He was visited by an angel of the Lord and given the message that his prayers had been heard and Elizabeth would in fact bear his a son and he should call his name John. They were blessed of the Lord to have a child in their old age. Elizabeth was six months into her pregnancy when Mary came to visit. That visit is recorded in the first chapter of Luke.
  • Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?44 "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." Luke 1:39-45 (NASB)
This to me is a tender moment in time: two relatives visiting and sharing how God was working in each of their lives. Elizabeth was so excited at the sound of Mary’s voice that the unborn baby leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary’s testimony continues to ring true, even today:
 
  • And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news; 47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. 48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened— I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. 50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. 51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts. 52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. 53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold. 54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. 55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now. 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home. Luke 1:46-56 (MSG)
What happened to both these women would have a profound effect on the nation of Israel, the yet to be built church, and to the entire world. The angel’s message to the shepherds continues to be new and fresh in the sad affairs of the nations of the world:
  • "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)

GOSPEL MUSIC

I am particularly glad that the angel said “news of great joy which will be for all people”. The news of that joy continues to resonate in the songs of Christmas:
 

 

“Joy to the world!" The Lord is come; Let earth receive her king; Let every heart prepare him room, and heav’n and nature sing!
 
O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
 
Angles from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth; ye who sang creations’ story, now proclaim Messiah’s birth; come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the new-born King!
 
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation! O sing, all ye bright hosts of heav’n above; glory to God, all glory in the highest; O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.....O Come all ye Faithful
 
While shepherds kept their watching O’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! Above the earth. Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. Down in a lowly manger our humble Christ was born, and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.


Mary and Joseph were instructed to call the baby Mary would have, “Jesus; For he shall save his people from their sins”.  Matt. 1:21/Luke 1:31. This Jesus would take on the task of dealing with sin; that wretched thing which caused, and continues to cause, so much tragedy in the world. We can read the bible and find out how Jesus dealt with “sin”. But how should you and I deal with it?

JESUS IS SAVOIR

Point #1…Sin is a bad thing from which we need to be saved

 

  • Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Point #2…I am a sinner…one that Jesus came to save
  • I Timothy1: 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Point #3….Salvation comes only through Christ
  • Acts 4: 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Point # 4…Salvation needs my response.
  • Romans 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12The night is far spent,  the day is at hand:
Point # 5…Jesus must become my Saviour
  • John 4: 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified,  He told me all that ever I did. 40So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41And many more believed because of his own word; 42And said unto the woman,  Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.