From the desk of Pastor Toby Powers
Truth Baptist Church
Hwy 78
Bremen, GA
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
Matthew 1:18-25
Intro: I want to preach this morning on the Birth of Christ. Verse 18 says, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.” Then the Scripture goes on to tell us how he was born. That is where I want to deliver the message. Notice:
I. The Power of His Birth: His birth was miraculous because:
A. Man is not Involved: v. 18, 22-23. Though this seems impossible, the angel said to Mary in Luke 1:37, “For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible.”
B. Message is brought from an angel: Luke 1:26-31 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” Anytime an angel is seen it is a miracle! Have you ever seen one? To make sure there was not a doubt, he went to Joseph as well (v. 19-20).
C. Method of His Birth: His Father was the Holy Ghost- Luke 1:35, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” His father was God, and his mother was human. He had both natures: He was God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God. God’s Christ became Man’s Jesus. Mary’s little baby was the king of the universe. Verse. 25, His mother brought him forth, and the king of glory was born helpless as any other human child! The Wonder of Wonders!
II. The Poverty of His Birth: He was not a king. He was a commoner. We know he was in poverty when we see:
A. His Parents: Joseph was a carpenter who had not sufficient influence to secure a room prior to his arrival in Bethlehem for taxation. So he was born in a stable.
B. His Position: Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” They did not esteem him wealthy or powerful. In Matthew 17 at tax time Peter had to catch a fish with money in his mouth to pay the taxes. Matthew 12 the disciples picked raw corn and ate on the Sabbath day in hunger. Jesus said in Luke 9:58, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” He lived in poverty!
C. His Purpose: He could have called for great wealth or luxury, but he subjected himself to poverty that he might know what road that we travel. II Cor 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
III. The Place of His Birth: It was:
A. In Bethlehem Judah: Matthew 2:1, 5-6, This shows his sovereignty. Judah was the province of princes, the house of King David. Gen 49:8-12, note v. 10 (The scepter is the rule of law for his government- it’s the cross, Is 9:6). “Until Shiloh come.” Shiloh means peace, and he’s the prince of it! In verse 11, Shiloh comes riding down the street!
B. Stable: When Luke 2:7, says she wrapped him and placed him in a manger, the word does not mean a barn. A manger is the feed trough itself according to historians. We may assume, however, if he was placed in an animal’s feed trough that they were camped in an animal’s shelter, a stable. Why was he born in a stable? Where would you expect a lamb to be born?
C. Manger: She placed him in the manger… the feed trough. Bethlehem was the House of Bread, and the Bread of Life was placed in a feed trough there to say to the world, “Come without money and price. Whosever will, come and dine!”
IV. The Proclamation of His Birth: First given by the angels to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14. Given by a star to the wise men (Matt 2:2). Given by the Apostles to us, and it must be given by us to others. Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
CONCLUSION: I’m glad Jesus came. I want all others to know about the birth of Christ, for he is still at the house of bread calling for whosever will to come and dine. Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good?
