"The Father Has a Son!"
Author: Dr. Neal Gray
Passage: Matthew 1:18-25
Purpose: The Father allowed His precious Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to take birth in this human race. Imagine how the Father must have felt as Jesus was being born!
INTRODUCTION
Opening
We have a tradition in the church to tell the story of Jesus’ birth each year about this time. It is a wonderful story, one that brings much joy and merriment. We remember...
* Joseph, Jesus’ foster father, being told in a dream that Mary was with child by the Holy Ghost
* The census call that summoned Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem
* Shepherds seeing the angels announcing Christ’s birth, and,
* Mary as she gives birth to Jesus, laying Him in a manger.
It is a wonderful story. But it occurred to me that WE ALMOST ALWAYS FORGET ONE PERSON WHEN WE TELL THIS STORY--THE FATHER GOD! This year, let’s read the Christmas story and consider how God the Father in His heavenly abode must have felt.
Scripture
Our Scripture is the story of Christ’s birth, Matthew 1:18-25.
THE CONCEPTION
Introduction
How long has our Lord and Savior and God, the Lord Jesus Christ, existed? The answer is, He has lived eternally.
God is Eternal, We are Created
Our little finite minds simply cannot comprehend the word "eternal." And yet, we know that our God is "eternal," because God has always been.
When I was five or six years old, I was lying across my father’s lap, and he was rubbing my back (just like a dog, I like my back rubbed). I asked my Dad, "Daddy, where did we come from?"
Probably somewhat surprised by my question, he replied, "God made us."
So, I asked the next natural question, "Daddy, who made God?"
Dad chuckled a little and answered, "God has always lived."
I didn’t ask any more questions, but to this day I can remember that I tried to stretch my mind back into eternity. I grew up a little that evening by realizing that there is a God, and that GOD IS ETERNAL, and that I was created.
Early Planning of Jesus’ Appearance
Today, if I were to ask my Father a question--I mean my true heavenly Father--it would be, "Abba, when did You decide to send Your precious Son to earth to help Your people?"
When did God decide that Jesus would come to the human race to live, experience human life, and suffer ridicule and human death for our benefit? I don’t know. But I don’t suppose for one instant that God convened a HEAVENLY BOARD MEETING to decide the issue!
==> I do suppose that our Father in heaven was moved by the REALITY THAT THE HUMAN RACE WOULD UTTERLY FAIL to know, respect, worship, and love their true Creator. At that moment, He and His eternal Son must have decided it would be necessary for Jesus to come.
==> God was planning to become a father! He would soon have a Son!
Did the Angels Know?
Did the angels know that Jesus would undertake such a "mission impossible"? Were the angels made aware that humans would be so dull, and so hard-headed, and so blinded by Satan, (2 Corinthians 4:4), that only the mercy and grace of God in sacrificing His beloved Son would do the job?
Certainly some of the angels knew a little ahead of time. We know that...
* The Father awarded the ANGEL GABRIEL the honor of informing the soon-to-be mother, MARY, of the plan (Luke 1:26ff.).
* Gabriel also told ZACHARIAS, John the Baptizer’s father, of the mission of his son, John, to prepare the way for God’s Son (Luke 1:11ff.)
* An angel of the Lord INFORMED JOSEPH in a dream of God’s plan.
* And an angel was dispatched to some BETHLEHEM SHEPHERDS announcing the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:8ff.). A heavenly host praised God at the birth (Luke 2:13).
Probably some of the other angels in heaven knew that Jesus would be born on earth. I suspect that our God must have been terrifically excited and anxious about the plan! Like any expectant father, Father God wanted to share the good news of His Son’s upcoming birth!
The Prophets Knew
God also informed the general human race that the Savior was on His way to save His people. Long ago, it was recorded in God’s Word: the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son. The Father was not secretive about this wonderful plan. He wanted us to know that help, immense help, was on the way.
God told the Prophet Isaiah much more, too:
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
The Father wanted His people to get prepared and TO HAVE HOPE. Soon, His precious Son would come to establish a righteous government!
And how would it happen? The zeal of the Lord. Our God is not a "milk-toast" personality in heaven. HE IS POWERFUL, READY TO ACT, AND MOST KIND TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.
THE BIRTH
Introduction
Let’s talk about the birth of Jesus, and the hopes of the Father.
God Became an Expectant Father
The Scripture tells us two very amazing things about the birth-mother of Jesus, namely...
* Jesus’ mother, Mary, was a virgin both at conception and at the birth, and,
* Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost, (Matthew 1:18).
We have no need to know the mechanics of how God engineered such a miracle; we would be rude to even consider such things. All we need to know is that the power of the Holy Spirit shadowed over Mary.
What we do know is that OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN BECAME, ONE DAY, AN EXPECTANT FATHER! Until that moment, EVEN GOD HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED the emotions, the feelings of being an expectant father. But now, along with the angels, Joseph, and Mary, GOD WAITS FOR HIS SON TO BE BORN.
==> God was an expectant Father! Soon He would have a Son!
God Knew the Baby was a Boy
By the way, do you remember that not too many years ago the parents did not know if their child was a boy or a girl? Part of the thrill of the pregnancy was predicting the gender of the baby!
Now, of course, with modern medical equipment nearly every parent in America knows the gender of their baby very early in the pregnancy. I’m not sure what I think about that.
But get this, GOD DID NOT NEED A SONOGRAM to know that Mary’s child was a boy. God simply knew it, Mary believed it, and so it was!
Anticipating the Birth
And so the days were finally completed that Mary would give birth. Mary was set, lying comfortably (we hope), in the hay in the barn.
For God it might have seemed like a long time--or a short time--for one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, (2 Peter 3:8b).
Even though the Father God must have known that it would be a successful birth, (all new Daddies "know" it will be okay), I CAN SEE THE LORD PACING up and down in the heavenly hallways!
GOD MUST HAVE BEEN EXCITED. AREN’T ALL NEW DADDIES ARE EXCITED about the birth of their children? There is, of course, anxiety during the delivery.
Every father also has high hopes that his child will do something great-- something truly wonderful. Perhaps the youngster will be the next President, or a quarterback on a professional football team, or an astronaut, or... well, THEY HOPE MOSTLY FOR GOOD HEALTH, too.
==> God the FATHER JUST KNEW THAT HIS SON WOULD BE THE BEST, brightest, most successful Son that had ever lived! And, as it turns out, THAT FATHER WAS RIGHT!!!
The Birth of the Son
In a sense, God was in the "delivery room" with the young mother giving birth. Certainly we know that the Holy Spirit was in charge of that delivery.
But in another real sense, THE FATHER LISTENED FROM AFAR for the first indication of a baby’s cry--just like the old custom of the expectant father waiting outside of the delivery room.
Finally, the baby Jesus was born. I imagine that their was A CELESTIAL CELEBRATION unequaled by any other celebration! The angels recited their "Hallelujah Chorus," and I’M SURE THAT THE FATHER ANNOUNCED PROUDLY, "IT’S A SON!," as He passed out Spirit-filled "cigars" to the heavenly host!
==> It was a terrific celebration! The only celebration that will surpass it, I suppose, is the one yet to occur where all of the saints together will praise and worship that Son. YOU AND I WILL BE THERE IN THAT CELEBRATION!
==> God was a father! He had a Son!
The Foster Parents
The baby Boy arrived on planet earth. God in the human race. With human parents to raise Him. God had already planned for this. The responsibility and joy of raising His Son was given to the foster-father, Joseph; and the privilege given to Mary to give Jesus much love and care.
What a good, righteous, and God-fearing man this Joseph must have been. What a tremendous privilege to love Jesus as a father loves his own child.
I’ve always wished that I could have raised a son. Ask Vicki, she will tell you. When I get all mushy, and talk about "the things that could have been if I had a son," she tries to console me. Vicki says, "Well, Neal, it would have been nice." Occasionally when I see a young boy I whisper to Vicki, "I want one!"
Of course, we now have a grandson, (Joshua is 5 years old on December 30, 2001). So, I get my kicks out of watching him grow up! And there is a special delight in knowing that I don’t have to be "the heavy" in his life! And we have a lovely little granddaughter we now, too. (Jerika will be 2 years old on January 13, 2002.) As you guessed, Vicki and I are very proud of our daughter, who has become a loving mother; and, we are proud of Steve, too.
God must have been proud of the mother of His Son. What a good, righteous, and God-honoring woman this Mary must have been. What a tremendous privilege to love Jesus as a Son, because Mary was in every respect, the Mother of God!
CONCLUSION
Merry Christmas
On Jesus’ birthday, the angels sang, the shepherds wondered, and Mary pondered all these things in her heart. The birth of Jesus gives us the reason to say, "Merry Christmas."
I remember well my youthful days when the common greeting with friends, merchants, policemen, everybody, was, "MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR." It was a joyful greeting.
Nowadays, we simply say, "Happy Holidays," or "Season’s Greetings," hoping not to offend anyone by leaving out the "reason for the season," namely, Jesus Christ. Pity.
Jesus’ Life had Purpose
Jesus came into this world with a purpose--namely, to save His people from their sins. The Father told the Son, "Son, You’re living a life that I cannot live. Do great and wonderful things with the power of Our Holy Spirit."
Jesus did, indeed, do great and wonderful things. His life had great purpose, and He accomplished great things.
Your Life has Purpose
Your life can have purpose, too. Your life, my friend, can accomplish great things, too. JESUS CAME TO GIVE YOU GENUINE LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN BE A WONDERFUL BLESSING TO OTHERS.
==> Now listen to the Father and Jesus as they say to you, "Son, (or Daughter), you are living a life that I cannot live. Do great and wonderful things, like Jesus your Brother did, with the power of Our Holy Spirit."
The Father Longs for You to Love Him as His Child
This year may the memory of the birth of Jesus rekindle in you the true meaning of Christmas, namely, that you are also a child of God. Your life, like Jesus’ life on earth, has PURPOSE AND MEANING AND VALUE.
Your Father in heaven waits on you to decide it is true. Your Father and His Son in heaven both love you very much. They invite you to become a part of their family!
But...if you are already sure that you are a part of THE family, then the Father and His first-born Son long for you to really join in WITH the family in their activities.
This year may the reality set in that you are a beloved part of God’s family. Because...you are!
==> MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
AMEN.
SERMON NOTES
1. At Christmas time, we almost always forget one person, _________ _____ !
2. God was _________ to become a father! He wanted to have a Son!
3. Mary was _________ ! God was an _________ father! Soon He would have a Son!
4. God did not need a ___________ to know that Mary’s child was a boy!
5. ________ was ______ ! God was a father! He had a Son!
6. What a good, righteous, and God-_________ man this ___________ must have been.
7. What a good, righteous, and God-_________ woman this _________ must have been.
8. Jesus came into this world with a purpose.
9. ______ life can have ________ , too.
10. Your Father and His Son in heaven both love you very much! Aren’t you glad? (Y/N)
AMEN.
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Copyright 2001
Practical Holiness Ministry (r)
"BRINGING PRACTICAL IDEAS TO
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE." (tm)
You may reprint or publish or hopefully
preach this material as long as it is
not-for-profit, except that it may
profit one’s soul, (see Mark 8:36).
Dr. Neal Gray is Pastor of the Baltimore
Parkville Church of the Nazarene.
You can reach Dr. Gray by e-mail at:
mailto:drngray@earthlink.net
Also, please visit the church’s website:
http://www.ForMinistry.com/21234BPCOTN
LEARNING. MENTORING. SERVING. (tm)
2 Pet. 3:18 - 2 Tim. 2:2 - Matt. 20:26-28
All Scripture is the King James Version.
Used with God’s blessed permission.
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