Title: The Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:21)
Contents The life of Jesus is recorded in the first four Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). There is no record in the Gospels of Mark and John.
“In the days of King Herod, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, and wise men from the east
When they came to Rusalem, they said," [Matthew 2:1] However, the Gospel of Luke records more details. The birth of Jesus is known around 4C BC. At this time, we would like to share the grace of Jesus by examining the various meanings of the birth of Jesus. .
1. Preexisting Christ (John 1:1-18)
When we deal with a person's life, we deal with his birth. However, we must know that Jesus existed even before human birth. Therefore, the life of Jesus is different from the life of men. Jesus came to this earth in a pre-existing state. Therefore, from our point of view, it is a birth, but in a true sense, it is an advent.
John 1:1-18 speaks of the pre-existence of Christ. Therefore, if we are to speak of the life of Christ, we must turn our eyes to the world of the eternal past.
1) God from the beginning = Jesus
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the beginning was He with God [John 1:1 - John 1:2]
2) Jesus worked in the work of creation
All things were made through him, and nothing that was made was made without him.
There is none [John 1:3]
John 8:58 "Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." The verb related to Abraham has the meaning of being born, but the verb related to him has nothing to do with new birth. A verb with the concept of being original was written.
Then why did the preexisting Christ come to this earth?
God brought them out of Egypt through Moses, gave them the law, and made Israel His children and His people. However, Israel could not live as God's people and could not stand before God because the law did not reach the level of holiness.
The law does not allow us to rise to the level that God desires.
At this time grace came among us. This God's plan of salvation is an event that was accomplished by God's predestination over a long period of time.
“I will make you hostile to the woman, and your descendants to her seed and enemies; and the offspring of a woman shall bruise you in the head, and you shall bruise her in the heel” (Genesis 3:15).
Satan spread sin on the earth through the woman, and God bruised Satan's head through the woman. God kept that promise through a woman of the Hebrew tribe.
The preexisting Christ came to this earth in a human body to save mankind.
Jesus' obedience to God's providence of salvation and God's command to the point of death.
2. The divinity of Jesus (Matthew 1:20-25) = virgin birth.
“This is the birth of Jesus Christ. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, and before they lived together, it was found that she was pregnant with the Holy Spirit, and her husband Joseph was a righteous man. In a dream he said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for she is conceived by the Holy Spirit, and she will give birth to a son, and you shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." This was done so that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled through the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and he will call his name Immanuel.” This is translated, “God is with us.” He did as he was commanded, and brought his wife, but they did not have sex until she bore him a son, and he named him Jesus [Matthew 1:18-25]
The virgin birth focuses on the divinity of Jesus.
In fact, the virgin birth of Jesus is one of the most difficult challenges for some people to accept. But if we believe in the transcendental aspects of His life and resurrection, there is no reason not to accept the conception and birth of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
Example) In the case of Abraham and Sarah
In their human form, they could not have children at all, but God gave them a child named Isaac.
Ex) When we think about the power of God who created the earth through His Word, think about how foolish it is to judge God’s work with human science (stupid brain).
The virgin birth of Jesus is called the 'incarnation'.
The Word became 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 [John 1:14]
Jesus was fully human and fully God. It should be noted that this is an area of mystery that is beyond human cognition. It is the realm of faith.
3. The messenger of glory and peace.
At this time, Caesar Augustus sent down his spirit and said, “Register all under the world. This registration was first done when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. Everyone went back to their hometown to register. He went up to the town of David, called Bethlehem, to register with Mary the betrothed, and Mary was already pregnant. At that time, the day was full to give birth, and she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger, for there was no place for the official At that time shepherds were outside guarding their flocks by night, and an angel of the Lord stood by, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they were greatly afraid. I tell you, today in the town of David a Savior has been born for you, who is Christ the Lord. You will go and find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. This will be a sign for you.” They sang praises, saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased." [Luke 2:1 - Luke 2:14]
1) Glory to God
The angels are praising the birth of Jesus as a glory to God. Then why is the birth of Jesus a glory to God? It is through the obedience of Jesus that the justice and love of God were both fulfilled in the incarnation and in the atonement." And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, and we beheld the Father's glory.
the glory of the only begotten, full of grace and truth" [John 1:14]
In addition, those who have been saved through Jesus will glorify God.
"All the promises of God are yes in Christ; therefore, through him
We say Amen to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Jesus represents the glory of God. It is the glory of God because he was sent by God's saving grace. In addition, Jesus glorified God by obedience to the point of death. And through God's saving grace and the atoning obedience of Jesus, people glorify God.
2) Peace on Earth
The reason that the birth of Jesus is 'peace' is that because of the atonement work of Jesus, the barrier of sin between God and man is removed, so that you can realize the true rest and stability that comes from reconciliation with God. It is because the discord of the people is also removed and reconciliation is achieved.
“For he is our peace, who made the two one, and broke down the middle wall, and abolished in his flesh the enmity, the ceremonial law of commandments, who made in himself one new man from the two, making peace, and by the cross To reconcile them both to God in one body, having slaughtered their enmity on the cross, and came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, so that we may both have access to the Father in one Spirit through him. that he might do it” [Ephesians 2:14 - Ephesians 2:18]
4. Fulfillment of prophecy
1) Virgin Birth
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall call his name Immanuel.
This is translated, “God is with us.” [Matthew 1:23] is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign, behold, the virgin is with child
A son shall be born, and he shall call his name Immanuel [Isaiah 7:14]
2) Born in Bethlehem
Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, you shall be ruler over Israel.
will come from you to me, whose origins are from ancient times [Micah 5:2]
3) Escape from Egypt
"After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, "Herod is looking for and killing the child. Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you." He left and remained there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled, which the Lord had spoken through the prophet: Out of Egypt I have called my son (Hos 11:1).
When Herod knew that the wise men had deceived him, he became very angry and sent messengers to Bethlehem.
From the age of two onwards, he killed all the male children from the age of two and under him, as of the time when the wise men knew them in detail, and the boys in all their territories were heard in Ramah, mourning and weeping loudly, He weeps for him, and he refuses to be comforted because he has no children (Jeremiah 31:15).
was done" (Matthew 2:13 - Matthew 2:18)
4) Nazarene
“After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the child and his mother into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” So Joseph got up and took the child and his mother into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there, but he was instructed in a dream to leave for Galilee and to live in a town called Nazareth, in order to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet that he would be called a Nazarene. Be like this" [Matthew 2:19-23]
The birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament, and this means the fulfillment of the prophecies of the coming second coming.
5. A king to be praised and worshiped. (Matthew 2:1-12)
“When the wise men heard the king’s words, they went, and the star they had seen from the east suddenly led them ahead and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced and rejoiced. They went into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. When they saw it, they fell on their faces and worshiped the child, and they opened the treasure chest and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:9 - Matthew 2:11)
“And they returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as the shepherd had told them” (Luke 2:20).
Jesus is certainly to be worshiped and praised. But we have to look at who praised the one who came as King of the Jews. The wise men are the Gentiles, the shepherds are lowly and lowly. Because the Jews did not praise him properly, he was praised and worshiped by the Gentiles and the lowly and lowly. We must certainly return praise and worship to the Lord. Because He is to be worshiped and praised. If we don't do it, obviously our place can be taken away by someone else. Therefore, I hope that you will become believers who give proper praise and worship to God and Jesus.
The meaning of the birth of Jesus was considered from various aspects.
1. His pre-existence - it is his advent rather than his birth.
2. His divinity. - Birth of a virgin
3. He is an ambassador of glory and peace.
4. Fulfillment of prophecy. - It means the fulfillment of the Second Coming.
5. As a king who deserves praise and worship, we must return proper praise and worship.