December 19th 2021
She Will Give Birth To A Son, And You Are To Give Him The Name Jesus, Because He Will Save His People From Their Sins.
Matthew 1:20b-21 (NIV)
"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Here is this old-old story we listen to again each year around this time. It starts out in very earthly fashion as a man named Joseph finds out the woman, he has proposed to marry is found to be pregnant. So, of course, he believes she has been impregnated by some other man, thus he has decided to call off their impending marriage, and he decides to do it quietly, as he does not wish to hurt Mary his intended. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:19-23).
This message of a virgin giving birth to God’s Son is necessary, as this Son of Man cannot have an earthly father, as this would cause Him to inherit the sinful nature, as all men do from the original sin committee by Adam. If He did inherit s sinful nature, He could not be sinless, which is required for Him to eventually become the perfect sinless sacrifice required by God the Father to allow for the forgiveness of all sinful members of mankind. Jesus coming into this world in this manner, was prophesied in the books of the Old Testament. All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23).
One account of His coming is found in Isaiah. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7). This account relates His coming into this world to be the Savior of the Jews, who were at that time God’s chosen people.
However, many of the Jews did not recognize Jesus to be the Savior of the world, and therefore, they lost their path to salvation. Some people think that all people who lived on this earth before Jesus came as the Savior will be lost and could not receive eternal salvation. It seems there are many Bible verses that would dispute this idea. One of them is Leviticus 19:22. With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven. This phrase “his sin will be forgiven,” to me indicates, that God was offering forgiveness for sins, based on His people offering the sacrifices as God had instructed them!
John writes what Jesus said about the resurrection of dead believers from all times past and present. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:24-25). Here Jesus first talks about those who are on the earth after He came, then Jesus refers to all those who believed before He came into this world as the Savior of the world.
Paul wrote about how because of Adam and Eve’s sin, which brought death and suffering into the then perfect world, thus we all need a Savior lest we are destined to go to hell when we die. However, Paul did not stop there, he then writes how Jesus coming into this world changed all that and allows Jesus followers to go to heaven when they die. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. (Romans 5:17-18).
Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind to allow salvation. Following the rules of any religion created by a member of mankind cannot save your immortal soul. Following any worldly religion will not lead you to heaven when you die. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle— I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. (1 Timothy 2:5-7).
Peter wrote about how we must all be born again by becoming followers of Jesus Christ to have our immortal soul saved for eternity, and then be where Jesus is. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands for ever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:23-25). As we again celebrate the “reason for the season” we need to believe He came into this world as the only Savior, and His salvation is available to all members of mankind!
Where do you place your reliance? Do you have a dependent relationship with this temporal creation, or do you cling to our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ? Only the Babe in the manger came into this world to offer salvation to all who choose to follow Him. Whom will you follow? He is the Way and the Truth, and only He offers eternal life with Him!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 1:20b-21 (NIV)
"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Here is this old-old story we listen to again each year around this time. It starts out in very earthly fashion as a man named Joseph finds out the woman, he has proposed to marry is found to be pregnant. So, of course, he believes she has been impregnated by some other man, thus he has decided to call off their impending marriage, and he decides to do it quietly, as he does not wish to hurt Mary his intended. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:19-23).
This message of a virgin giving birth to God’s Son is necessary, as this Son of Man cannot have an earthly father, as this would cause Him to inherit the sinful nature, as all men do from the original sin committee by Adam. If He did inherit s sinful nature, He could not be sinless, which is required for Him to eventually become the perfect sinless sacrifice required by God the Father to allow for the forgiveness of all sinful members of mankind. Jesus coming into this world in this manner, was prophesied in the books of the Old Testament. All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23).
One account of His coming is found in Isaiah. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7). This account relates His coming into this world to be the Savior of the Jews, who were at that time God’s chosen people.
However, many of the Jews did not recognize Jesus to be the Savior of the world, and therefore, they lost their path to salvation. Some people think that all people who lived on this earth before Jesus came as the Savior will be lost and could not receive eternal salvation. It seems there are many Bible verses that would dispute this idea. One of them is Leviticus 19:22. With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven. This phrase “his sin will be forgiven,” to me indicates, that God was offering forgiveness for sins, based on His people offering the sacrifices as God had instructed them!
John writes what Jesus said about the resurrection of dead believers from all times past and present. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:24-25). Here Jesus first talks about those who are on the earth after He came, then Jesus refers to all those who believed before He came into this world as the Savior of the world.
Paul wrote about how because of Adam and Eve’s sin, which brought death and suffering into the then perfect world, thus we all need a Savior lest we are destined to go to hell when we die. However, Paul did not stop there, he then writes how Jesus coming into this world changed all that and allows Jesus followers to go to heaven when they die. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. (Romans 5:17-18).
Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind to allow salvation. Following the rules of any religion created by a member of mankind cannot save your immortal soul. Following any worldly religion will not lead you to heaven when you die. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle— I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. (1 Timothy 2:5-7).
Peter wrote about how we must all be born again by becoming followers of Jesus Christ to have our immortal soul saved for eternity, and then be where Jesus is. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands for ever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:23-25). As we again celebrate the “reason for the season” we need to believe He came into this world as the only Savior, and His salvation is available to all members of mankind!
Where do you place your reliance? Do you have a dependent relationship with this temporal creation, or do you cling to our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ? Only the Babe in the manger came into this world to offer salvation to all who choose to follow Him. Whom will you follow? He is the Way and the Truth, and only He offers eternal life with Him!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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