Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

A few nights ago we played a game called “white elephant” at the Forsythes where people swap wrapped gifts ranging from good to trash, literally. In larger gatherings a few people may fight over the same gift. People often end up with something that looks pretty good on the outside but no one wants or is a mess on the inside. When the party-goers leave and go home they look for ways to get rid of their gift or just save it for the next “white elephant” gift exchange.

Maybe you feel that way this Christmas. You look OK, but while everybody’s singing and celebrating, you’re hurting and heartbroken. I wonder if that’s how God felt when visitors came to celebrate the birth of His Son, Jesus, that first Christmas. The people in the stable saw a manger but God saw the cross. A few people rich and poor sought his son. But others looked for ways to get rid of him.

We killed His Son on that cross with our sin, yet no one cares more deeply about your wounds than God. The Bible says that Jesus came here to “heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). The healing starts when we look at Jesus on that cross and say, “He did that for me.”

Christ is the Christmas treasure that many do not want but everyone needs.

Matthew 1:19-21 “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

I. The Authority of Scripture – Isaiah 7:14
Matthew affirms the virgin birth.
The virgin birth is technically the virgin conception. Mary was not just a virgin when she bore Jesus, but she was one when she conceived Him. The idea that Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life, the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, has no support in the text. Nothing in Scripture suggests that Mary bore Jesus’ half brothers and sisters supernaturally. This doctrine has gained credence because it contributes to the veneration of Mary.

II. The First Main Character: Joseph
Lessons from a righteous man’s obedience:
~ First, sexual restraint is possible
Joseph controlled himself practicing sexual restraint.
He is called “righteous” – preferring to honor God rather than
satisfy his own desires.
Joseph was faithful to his future spouse in advance and he
expected the same from Mary. And they refrained from sexual relations until Jesus was born. 1:25

~ Second, infidelity is always unjust, but divorce is unjust in some circumstances. Some teach that divorce is sinful regardless of the reason including adultery and abandonment. This text challenges that prejudice inviting readers to examine further 5:32 and 19:9 to remember that Joseph was a righteous man.

According to both Jewish and Roman law Joseph had no choice but to divorce his wife for adultery. Roman law would actually treat Joseph as a panderer exploiting his wife as a prostitute if he did not divorce his wife.

Also, others would assume that Joseph himself must have gotten her pregnant unless he divorce her. Thus, his reputation was at stake for the rest of his life.

Joseph probably did not know Mary as well as engaged couples do today and would have had no reason to trust her innocence. If historical sources are correct Galilean couples apparently did not enjoyed privacy together until the wedding.
Clearly, Joseph experience the pain of betrayal and breech of
contract.
Joseph would be righteous in divorcing Mary; to not do so would bring shame on him and his family.
Our culture actually encourages and makes light of betrayal Churches often counts as “unrighteous” those who legally
divorce an unrepentant, unfaithful spouse treating all
divorce as the same. It is very important to be patient
and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. But
perpetual patience is personal and family mental,
emotional and spiritual limbo.
Matthew does not permit us to punish the innocent party in a divorce any more than we should punish the innocent person in a robbery.

Third, Matthew encourages us to temper justice with compassion. Matthew was righteous because he was divorcing Mary quietly or privately and not bringing unnecessary shame on her.

Fourth, Matthew values commitment to God above his own honor. His belief in the unbelievable shows his deep trust in God’s Word and God’s power. Joseph trusted God enough to obey him.

Because Joseph married Mary others would assume he got Mary pregnant before the wedding. This shame would have hung over Joseph, Mary and family. This may actually be behind some of the abuse Christ later experiences and the bitterness evident in his brothers’ lives.

Joseph’s obedience to the call and will of God cost him his right to value his reputation in the community.

~ A righteousness young man and woman – models of Christian living
~ The ability to obey God does not depend on age. Here Matthew indicates that young adults can be models of righteousness to emulate.

III. The Other Main Character: Christ!
Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

We don’t want to be thought of as “in need” or needing to be rescued.
We want to be strong and don’t want to be in need

Everyone of us has a very real need to be rescued!
Illness
Grief
Divorce
Death of a dream
Surfacing of a nightmare
An escape that turns into an addiction.
Depression, fear, guilt
Sin and death!
Personal need to be rescued!
All of us will live to see the day we cry out, “Help!”
Even superman needed help.
Saw Luke and Tammy Alger – within $500 of raising $12,000 for
a helper dog for
Life turns all of the strong into the needy.

Even the strong need to be rescued from something.
Romans 7:25 “Who will rescue me from the bondage of this death? O wretched man that I am.”
Theme of David’s songs: deliver me, rescue me.

11,239 ft. Mount Hood, Oregan
Two from Texas and one from New York
Three climbers in all were reported missing in the snow on Mount Hood on Dec. 11. One of them, 48-year-old Dallas landscape architect Kelly James, was found dead in a snow cave on Monday. Volunteers continued scouring the mountains for signs of James’ climbing partners, Brian Hall, 37, and Jerry “Nikko” Cooke, 36.

Film developed from a disposable camera found in James’ pocket show the three men had enough gear and food for a quick climb to the top of the mountain, but not for a longer period of time, while exposed to the elements,

Meaning of incarnation!
Hi, my name is Ed and I am a mess.
Maybe you wouldn’t want to say it that way.
Maybe you wouldn’t want your pastor to say that.
But clearly we all need to be rescued however you say it.

From my anxieties.
From my fear of growing old.
From my sin.

What is it that you need to

Being rescued means there must be a rescuer!
Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Isaiah 45:21-22 “Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. ““Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” ESV

Peter said, “To whom shall we go. You have the words of life.”

Salvation from Sin Through Christ!
The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, and it means “Yahweh is salvation” or “Yahweh saves” (Yeshua, the short form). The two major Joshuas in the Old Testament both anticipated Jesus Christ by providing salvation (cf. Heb. 3—4; Zech. 6:11-13).

The name Christ is the rough equivalent of the Hebrew “Messiah” or
“Anointed One.” In the Old Testament it refers generally to people
anointed for a special purpose including priests, kings, the patriarchs
and even the pagan king Cyrus. It came to have particular reference to the King whom God would provide from David’s line who would rule over Israel and the nations eventually (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 2:2: 105:15; et al.). The early Christians believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ of the Old Testament. Because they used both names together, “Christ” became a virtual name for Jesus. Paul, for example, used it this way frequently in his writings.

The angel’s address, “Joseph son of David” (v. 20), gave Joseph a clue concerning the significance of the announcement he was about to receive. It connects with verse 1 and the genealogy in the narrative. The theme of the Davidic Messiah continues. Joseph was probably afraid of the consequences of his decision to divorce Mary.

The angel announced God’s sovereign prerogative in naming the child (v. 21). God named His Son. Joseph simply carried out the will of God by giving Jesus His name at the appropriate time (v. 25). As mentioned above, the name “Jesus” means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” The angel explained why Jesus would be given this name (cf. Ps. 130:8). The Jews anticipated a Messiah who would be a political savior and a redeemer from sin.

Psalm 130:7-8 “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. “And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” ESV

“There was much Jewish expectation of a Messiah who would ‘redeem’ Israel from Roman tyranny and even purify his people, whether by fiat or appeal to law (e.g., Pss Sol 17).

But there was no expectation that the Davidic Messiah would give his own life as a ransom (20:28) to save his people from their sins.

In the NT it commonly refers to the comprehensive salvation inaugurated by Jesus that will be consummated at his return.

Here it focuses on the central issue of salvation from sins;
The fundamental purpose of Jesus’ coming and the essential nature his mission.

“The single most fundamental character trait ascribed to Jesus is the power to save . . .”

Isaiah 12:1-2 “You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. ““Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”” ESV

Jeremiah 23:6 “In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” ESV

Jeremiah 33:16 “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” ESV

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ESV

Christmas and the cross are tied together!

John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” ESV

Acts 3:26 “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”” ESV

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”” ESV

Acts 5:31 “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” ESV

Titus 2:14 “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” ESV

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” ESV

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” ESV

1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” ESV

1 John 3:5 “You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.”

Revelation 1:5 “and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” ESV

“A Debt-Free Christmas”
Christmas presents — $500. Cider and eggnog — $50. Maxing out your credit cards during the holidays — priceless. It seems like debt has become as much a part of Christmas as carols and trees.
Actually, Christmas is all about a debt being paid - a debt we owe our Creator. But we’ve all hijacked our lives from the God Who gave them to us. For that, God says a death penalty must be paid, and there’s only one debt payment He’ll accept - the death of His perfect Son, Jesus.

The great news of Christmas is that Jesus, our “debt payer,” was born to “give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). If you’d like to enter this Christmas totally forgiven of every sin of your life, and head into the New Year debt-free.

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” ESV

2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” ESV