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Post by Bro. Freddie on Aug 12, 2007 23:30:22 GMT 12.75
Matthew 1:1-17 (King James Version)
1. The Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. Abraham begat Issac; and Issac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren. 3. And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram. 4. And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon. 5. And Salmon begat Boaz of Rechab; and boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse. 6. And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias. 7. And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa. 8. And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias. 9. And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias. 10. And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias. 11. And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon. 12. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jochonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel. 13. And Zorrobabel begat Abiud;p and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor. 14. And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud. 15. And Eliud begat Eleazor; and Eleazor begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jocob. 16. And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
We are starting a new study since we have finished the Book of Romans. This study will be in the Book of Matthew. Matthew is a book some say was written primarly to the Jews, to show the Kingship of Jesus. But I contend that Matthew is revelant to us all today, so that we will know that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A few facts about this Gospel before we get started. Matthew's name was originally Levi, and he was a publician or tax collector. The Jews at that time were just like we are today. They didn't like tax collectors any more than we do now. So, after Levi started following Jesus, he changed his name to Matthew. As I reseached the time of the writting of this book, I found some different dates. Some say it was written in AD 37, just a few short years after the ascession of the Lord. Some say it was written in AD 60 being the first Gospel written. Others say it was in AD 61. Whatever the date, we know that it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem which was in AD 70. Some scholars say that Matthew was originally written in Aramaic, but that writing has been lost in history. Others say that it was originally written in Greek, because since Greek was spoken in the area, Matthew had to have a working knowledge of this language. I tend to agree with the latter. Matthew comprises 28 chapters, starting with the lineage of Jesus all the way to His giving the Great Commission to the church.
I'm not going to go through every name in the genealogy of Jesus. I'm just going to hit on some of the highlights because space and time prevent me from doing so. But, I urge you to get a good Bible dictionary and look at some of the characters that make up the genealogy of our Lord. There is also a different version of Jesus' genealogy in Luke 3:23-38. The reasons that they are different is that Matthew's version is from Mary, and Luke's is from Joesph.
Looking at verse 1 we see that right from the start that Matthew tells us who Jesus is. He is the son of David who was the son of Abraham. Right from the first Matthew establishes the fact that Jesus was descended from David, so He is the rightful King of Israel. We also have the fact that Jesus was desceded from Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel. So we see that Jesus was a Jew and that He is descended from David which makes Him the rightful King of Israel.
In verses 2 through 6 we see the lineage of Jesus from Abraham to David. This shows us that Jesus was directly descended from Abraham. Why is this important? Every Jew could claim to be descended from Abraham. This is important because it is the fulfillment of prophecy. When God told Abraham that through his seed every nation would be blessed, He was speaking of Jesus.
In verse 6 through 11 we see that Jesus was descended from David, who was the king of Israel. This is important because it establishes that Jesus was the direct descendant of David, so He was the rightful King of Israel. Remember, the Jews were looking for a King, not born in a manger, but a king to deliver them from the Roman bondage. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
In verses 12 through 16 we see the lineage through the Babylonian captivity. This is important because it traces Jesus all the way back to the Kingdom Period of Israel.
In verse 17 we see a little poetic license from Matthew. He says that there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David to the captivity, and 14 generations from the capativity to Jesus. There were more generations than that. Matthew skipped at least 3 maybe more in the Kingdom Period. Some have said that it was because it made it more linear for them to remember. I don't really know for sure. But I do know that Jesus, who was desceded from kings, and from Abraham, came to this earth, not as a king, but as a lowly servant. The King of Kings was born in a manger, with no royalty surrounding Him.
I realize that this has not been much of a sermon. Preaching genealogy isn't easy. But it is in the word of God and deserves to be preached. Do you know the King of Kings? Is Jesus King of you life today?
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Post by Paws on Aug 12, 2007 23:51:53 GMT 12.75
Still listening to that "Small Still Voice" huh Pastor. For me, right now that is one of the most beautiful sermons you could have given us. To think of a promise fulfilled fourteen generations following it's birth is something wonderful. Our Lord is faithful. "Son of David", and rightful heir to the throne! Can you imagine the joy of Abraham? And what do you think Sarah (Abraham's laughing wife) might think as she saw Jesus birth? All the Jews were praying for release from bondage and boy did their prayers ever get answered; and the plan was fourteen generations on schedule! Wow!
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Aug 19, 2007 23:45:06 GMT 12.75
Matthew 1:18-25 (King James Version)
18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins. 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called His name Jesus.
Today we have a very well known story. It is the story of the birth of Jesus. Anyone who has spent any time in church as a child has heard this story a thousand times. But, I believe it is worth going over again. Also, I want us to look at someone who I believe we could learn a lot from. That person is Joseph. While Joseph is not mentioned a whole lot in the Scriptures, I believe we can learn something just from what we do know.
In verse 18 we see that Mary and Joseph were engaged but that she was found to be with child. In other words, Mary was pregnant before she was married. What a scandal! A young lady was pregnant before she was married! To the people of that area, it must have looked to them like Joseph and Mary were engaging in premarital sex. That must have shocked the community! I can remember not too long ago that it was a scandal for a young lady to be pregnant before she was married. While I was growing up, if that happened, she was in reality an outcast of the community. While society's viewpoint has changed, for the worse I might add, it is still not proper to engage in premarital sex. In verse 19 we see a couple of things about Joseph that I want us to look at. First, Joseph was a just man. In other words, he feared God and tried to live his life like God would have him to. Second, we see that Joseph was a compassionate man. He loved Mary so much that he was not willing to make he a public example, but was thinking on putting her away privately. Joseph didn't want to have Mary made the laughingstock of the town by breaking off their engagement, so he was thinking of just breaking off their engagement privately. You have to realize that an engagement in those days was just as binding as a marriage, just with none of the benefits. But Joseph didn't want to see Mary hurt any more than she already had been. I'm sure that there were people talking behind Mary's back, just like they would today, about this. So Joseph, while he had every right, didn't want to shame Mary anymore, especially publicly. In verse 20, we see that Joseph was a thoughtful man. He didn't just come to a decision and act upon it. He thought about his actions and the consequences of them. We have a tendency to act before we think. Something happens in our life and we just act, without thinking. Folks, we need to be more like Joseph and think before we act. We also see that Joseph was deliberate. While he may have decided on his actions, he slept on the matter, maybe for more than a few days. He took his time making up his mind. Brethren, I believe Joseph prayed about this matter and was waiting on an answer. He was waiting on God's timing, not his. In verse 20 we also see that Joseph was a man of God. A messenger (angel) of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream. Do you think that an angel would have appeared unto Joseph unless he was a man of God? I don't. I think that Joseph was the best man for the job of raising our Lord and Saviour. Think about this for a moment. In those days, the mother raised the child until weaning age, between 2 and 3 years old, then the father took over. Joseph taught Jesus after he was weaned! As most of you know, I have 2 sons. I know what a job it is raising them. Joseph, while not perfect, was the best man for the job of raising Jesus. In verse 21 we see the angel telling Joseph that Mary would have a son and that they were to name Him Jesus. Folks, this is a prophecy that was fulfilled less than 9 months later!Remember, Mary was already pregnant. Now I don't know how far along in her pregnancy she was, but she was in fact pregnant. And we all know that the normal pregnancy period is 9 months. So, the angel was telling Joseph what to name the child he would be raising. Remember, the practice was for the father to name the child, especially the boy children. In verse 22 and 23 we see that this was a fulfillment of prophecy made at least 600 years earlier. Verse 23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14. So, Isaiah told the people at least 600 years earlier that a child would be born and that He would be called Emmanuel which means God with us. In verse 24 and 25 we see that Joseph was an obedient man. After he had woken up from his sleep, he took Mary as his wife and didn't know her until after Jesus was born. This is exactly what the angel told him to do. Joseph obeyed by doing what he was told, first by going ahead and marrying Mary, secondly, by not consummating the marriage, and thirdly, by naming the child Jesus. Brethren, Joseph was obedient to the Lord.
Today we have seen a man that I believe we can all learn something from. He was a just man, a loving man, a compassionate man, a thoughtful man, a patient man, a servant of God, and an obedient man. While we may show some of these traits in our life, do we show all of them? You might be loving, but are you thoughtful? Do you make hasty decisions? You might be patient, but are you obedient? Do you do what the word of God tells you to do? Are you like Joseph? If not, why not?
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Post by Paws on Aug 20, 2007 4:24:54 GMT 12.75
Geez Pastor I think I like it better when you pick on Toby! Great sermon!
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Aug 26, 2007 20:29:14 GMT 12.75
Matthew 2:1-10 (King James Version)
1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. 2. Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. 3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea; for thus it is written by the prophet. 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda; art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7. Then Herod when he had privily called the wise men, enquired diligently what time the star appeared. 8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9. When they had heard the king, they departed, and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
Today we are going to look at a very familiar story to everyone, and that is the story about the wise men who came to see the baby Jesus. All my life, I have heard this story, and when I started studying this, I learned a few new things, Hopefully you will too. I apologize for the long Scripture reading, but this is about the only place to break the story.
In verse 1 we see that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, when Herod was king, and the wise men came to Jerusalem. First, we need a little background on Herod. Now, Herod is not actually a name, but a title, kind of like king. History tells us that there were at least 4 Herods, but the one we are concerned with today is the first, or Herod the Great. We will call him Herod for short. Now Herod was a very wicked man. He had 9 or 10 wifes, and had his favorite killed just because he thought she was being unfaithful. Not only her, but her brother, and family as well. He killed his own son because he didn't want him ruling after his death. Days before he died, he gathered all the prominent men of Jerusalem together, and ordered them to be killed after his death, so that thee might be moaning in Israel. Thankfully, these orders were not carried out. But, you see what kind of man was ruling Israel at the time of Jesus' birth. The wise men who came to Jerusalem were from the east. It is commonly believed that these men came from Babylon, or modern day Iraq. You have heard that there were 3 of them. Well, we don't know for sure. There could have been 3 or there could have been 30. The Scriptures never tell us how many there were. Sure, they gave 3 gifts, but couldn't more than one have given the same gift? But these men who came from the east were supposedly wise men or magi. These magi studied the stars, not as an astronomer would but as as astrologer. In other words, they looked at the stars to foretell the future. So, we have 2 of the 3 characters of this story. We will meet the 3rd in a little bit. But these men came from the east, a journey of many miles, and came before Herod. They asked Herod where was the one that was born King of the Jews, because they figured that if a king had been born, it would be in the royal palace, not in a manger. They had seen a sign, a star, or heavenly body. Folks, through their study of the writings of prophets, possibly Baalam, they knew that a King was to be born, and they were watching for Him. We should be ashamed! These men, who did not have the Scriptures, were watching for the King of Kings. And we, who have the Scriptures, won't even read them! In verse 3 and 4, we see that when Herod heard that there had been a king born he was troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. Remember, they were dealing with a very wicked and vile man in Herod. If he was troubled, the Jews were worried because of what he might do. Think about it for a moment. If a king is worried, his subjects will worry because of his actions. Remember, a king in those days had absolute authority. He could do whatever he wanted to. So, the king calls in the chief priests and scribes. These are the 3rd characters of our story. They were supposed to be the ones who knew the Scriptures, the religious leaders, yet they didn't know that Jesus had been born. What a sad commentary! Men who supposedly worshiped God, didn't know that His Son had been born, yet men who were heathens did. In verse 5 we see that the chief priests and scribes told Herod where Jesus was to be born. Now, I couldn't find it, but I know I have read somewhere in the Scriptures that the chief priests and scribes didn't know when Herod asked them and had to go and look it up. In verse 6 we have almost a direct quote from Micah 5:2 which was a prophecy that was over 400 years old. 400 years, and it was now fulfilled! Folks, God has His own time for doing things. His time is not our time. We should be patient awaiting the fulfillment of God's promises. In verse 7 we see that Herod calls the wise men back into him, and asks questions of them concerning the star. He was very worried about this king. I believe he was thinking that a king had been born that was going to take away his throne. Anyway, in verse 8 Herod tells them where Jesus had been born, and sent them on their way, telling them to let him know so that he could go and worship too. Another sad commentary. Herod, and the chief priests and scribes, didn't believe the Scriptures to go for themselves and see Jesus. The God who had created all things, delivered the from bondage, had taken on human flesh, and they didn't even care! Brethren, we are like that today. There are more people alive right now than has ever been in history, and I daresay most don't even care about the Lord. Whose fault is that? It is ours! We, who are supposed to be servants of the Lord, don't even care enough to tell others about Him. We should be ashamed! In verse 9 and 10, we see the star reappearing. I say reappearing, because there is no record of the wise men ever seeing it after they saw it the first time, until now. Now, I don't think it was actually a star, but some heavenly body, maybe a meteor. Actually a meteor or comet fits the description better than a star. Anyway, this heavenly body, reappeared, and stopped right over where the child Jesus was. These men rejoiced because they knew that they were going to get to see the King of Kings after their long journey. Brethren, we should rejoice daily because the King of Kings has come and is coming again. The next time He comes though, will be with power and glory, not as a babe born in a manger, but as the rightful ruler of all nations. Are you ready? I am! Today, we have seen 3 sets of people. The wise men, who came from a long ways away to see Jesus. Herod, who cared only about his throne, and the chief priests and scribes who were supposed to be the religious leaders but cared nothing about Jesus. Which of these categories do you fit in? Are you willing to travel no matter how far to worship the King of Kings? Or are you worried more about things of this life? You have a choice to make. You can be like the wise men, and seek Jesus. Or you can be like the chief priests and scribes and not. I pray you will make the right decision.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Aug 27, 2007 13:53:07 GMT 12.75
Yessiree, this sets on my heart just right! Keep it going Freddie, you got me all worked up and praising His name! Matthews is my Favorite book of the Bible. It's filled with so much hope for the afflicted and love from the Father. I can't get enough of that RED ink!
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Post by Paws on Aug 27, 2007 20:13:31 GMT 12.75
Aw geez Pastor can't we seek Jesus without traveling? I retired to quit traveling.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Aug 28, 2007 18:34:23 GMT 12.75
Awe shucks Paws, you know if you really need Him, you ain't gotta go nowhere on accounta He's already there. All ya gotta do is ask Him and he'll show ya!
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Post by Paws on Aug 29, 2007 3:00:06 GMT 12.75
I knew dat!
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 1, 2007 14:30:56 GMT 12.75
C'mon Pastor, Sunday's a long ways off. Can ya hit me sneak preview???
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 1, 2007 23:01:50 GMT 12.75
A long way off?? It's tomorrow! ;D
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 2, 2007 22:59:02 GMT 12.75
Matthew 2:11-15 (King James Version)
11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt. 15. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt shall I call my Son.
If you will recall, we have been looking at Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus. We have seen the wise men come to the Lord and others that did not. We have learned about Herod the Great, a very wicked man. today, we will look at the wise mens' arrival, their departure,and the family fleeing into Egypt.
In verse 11, we see that the wise men came unto Jesus while He was still in Bethlehem. Now, I know that it is popular to teach that Jesus was still a babe in a manger at this time, but that is simply not true. Notice what the Scriptures say. They came into the house and they saw the young child. Folks, the house didn't have a manger in it! The Scriptures don't say how long Mary and Joseph stayed in the stable, so we don't know exactly how long they stayed there. My guess is less than a week. There are stories of women who gave birth while in the slavery of the Old South, and worked the next day. We have to realize that the women in those days were tough, tougher than today, so my guess is that they stayed in the stable less than a week. After they left the stable, they lived in a house, and it was there that the wise men came to them and saw the young child. Does it say that the wise men saw the baby? NO! They saw a young child, probably about 2 years old. Why 2 years old? Later in the story, we find that Herod had all the children under 2 killed. Jesus would have been in this age bracket. The wise men worshiped Jesus, then presented Him with gifts. More about the gifts in just a little bit, but I want us to key in on something first. Notice what the wise men did first. They didn't give their gifts first, but worshiped Him. Brethren, the wise men knew what was important. They knew that worship came first. So many false religions teach that you can buy your way into heaven, but that is simply not the case. Jesus doesn't want your stuff, although tithing is important, but that is another sermon. Jesus wants your heart! I'll say it again to make myself clear. Jesus doesn't want your stuff, He wants your heart! Have you given your heart to Him? We now notice that the wise men presented gifts unto Jesus. These gifts are very familiar to us all. They were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Now we all know what gold is. It is a fine metal, possibly in coin form. Frankincense was an incense that was found in Persia and was an ingredient in the incense used in the tabernacle. It is whitish in color, turning yellowish, sticky, and is when scents are added, makes the scent last longer and smell sweeter. One thing I found interesting is that only Israel and Egypt burnt incense before their God, or in Egypt's case, gods. Persia, we have learned from sculptures, burnt it before their kings. Myrrh is a gum resin which was used for embalming, for a perfume, and for anointing. So, we have gold, a gift for a king, frankincense, an incense burnt before a king, and myrrh, an ingredient used to anoint a king. See the connection? The gifts were given, not to a child, but to a king. The King of Kings! The wise men recognized that Jesus was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Do you?
In verse 12 we see that the wise men were warned of God not to go back to Herod. They heeded this advice and went home another way. Now what path they took, I have no idea. But, it is important to notice that they heeded God. They did what the Lord wanted them to do. They obeyed. Folks, it is never a good thing to not obey the Lord. I believe that if the wise men had gone back to Herod, they would have been killed. They listened and obeyed. Do we? You might say, that they were told in a dream and that God doesn't work like that today. I would agree, but we have something more reliable than dreams. We have the completed Word of God. Through the Word of God we can know what we should do. How do we know? By reading and studying. Do we obey?
In verse 13 and 14 we see that Joseph also obeyed. He had been told by a messenger of the Lord (angel) to take Mary and Jesus and go into Egypt because Herod would want to kill Jesus. I want us to notice a few things in these verses. The messenger appeared to Joseph, not Mary. Joseph was the head of the family and it was his responsibility to take care of his family. Joseph took this responsibility very seriously. Men, it is our responsibility to care for our family, not only physically, but spiritually as well. As head of my family, one day I will answer to the Lord how I led my family. And so will you. It is a great responsibility, one that should not be taken lightly. How will you answer? Joseph was told to stay in Egypt until the Lord told him otherwise. What I want us to notice about this is that the Lord is everywhere, not just in Israel. Folks, God watches over His children, whether they are in Israel, or where ever.
In verse 15 we see an Old Testament prophecy fulfilled. This is a prophecy from Hosea 11:1 and is almost a direct quote. Hosea began his ministry somewhere between the years of 767 BC and 739 BC. So, this was a prophecy that was about 750 years old. Folks, God doesn't forget His promises, then or now. He said He would call His Son out of Egypt and He did. If He was faithful to do that, wouldn't it stand to reason that He will be faithful to fulfill those He has made to us? Brethren, Jesus, who was God in human form, said that if we would put our faith in Him, He would save us from our sins, and never let us go. If God fulfilled a promise made to Israel 750 years before the birth of Jesus, He will fulfill this promise also. Have you trusted in the Lord? In John 3:15 we read "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life". That is a promise. Have you taken advantage of this promise?
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 3, 2007 7:16:12 GMT 12.75
Awsome preaching, Freddie! I've always wondered about the three kings who came bearing gifts. It is always told in the Christmas stories of the season that they came to him there in the manger, but here in Matthew it contradicts the story abit in saying that they came unto the child in a house. Travel time from the time they received the Word of His birth could not have brought them before him that vrey night, could it? I wonder now whose house it was that Joseph arranged for them to stay and if that person knew that he was the host of the King of Kings? I'm enjoying this tremendously Preacher, thanks a lot and keep it coming! It's a long ways till next Sunday, any chance of a Wenesday night review?
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 11, 2007 3:34:34 GMT 12.75
Matthew 2:16-23 (King James Version)
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceedingly wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20. Saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother,and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21. And he arose, and took the young child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee; 23. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
In the last sermon, we had the wise men heading home, Joseph and his family in Egypt, and Herod was in Jerusalem, waiting for the wise men to tell him where Jesus was. We learned that the gifts given by the wise men were all gifts that they would give a king. We also learned that the wise men had things in the right order, worship first, gifts afterwards.
In verse 16 we see that Herod was very mad. We would say that he was hopping mad, because the wise men obeyed the Lord. They went home a different way than they had come, not going back to tell Herod where Jesus was exactly. Herod was so mad, that in his effort to kill Jesus, and preserve his throne, that he had all the children 2 years old and younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area killed. What a despicable act! He was more worried about his kingdom than the one to come. He had all the children slaughtered. As you all know, I have 2 young sons. It wasn't too long ago that they were the age that these children were. I couldn't imagine someone coming in, killing my sons, just because they were of a certain age.
In verse 17 and 18 we see that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. It is almost a direct quote from Jeremiah 31:15. A prophecy that was probably close to 800 years in the making was fulfilled. Folks, God is not slack concerning His promises. His promises will come true. just maybe not in the way we expect or the time we expect. But they will come true!
In verses 19 through 21 we see that Herod has died and Joseph was told by the Lord to return to Israel. I figure Joseph rejoiced when he was told to go home. I know how he felt. When they told me Sunday that I was going to get to leave the hospital and come home, I was so happy that words can't describe it. Cyndi, my wife who stayed with me while I was in the hospital, had a hard time keeping me from hurting myself. I changed clothes, and was ready to go, 2 hours before they were actually ready to release me. I was joyfully that I was going home, and I believe Joseph was too. We also see that Joseph obeyed the Lord. He was told to go home, and he did. God has placed man over the household, and one day, we will answer how we led our family in their service to the Lord. How will you answer?
In verses 22 and 23 we find that Joseph went to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem. This was also a fulfillment of prophecy. But why did the Lord tell Joseph not to go to Bethlehem? It was because of who took over after Herod. Archelaus was just as bad as his father Herod. He had his soldiers attack some Jews that were at the Temple that were raising a little bit of a ruckus, and killed about 3,000 of them. This was while he was on his way to his coronation. But, God provided for His Son. Archelaus wasn't given the entire country to rule, just parts of it. His brother Antipas who was much kinder, was given the area where Joseph took his family. Brethren, God will provide for His children. No matter what the situation, God has a plan. We also see that Jesus would be called a Nazarene which was a fulfillment of prophecy. This prophecy, while I can't nail it down exactly, I think comes from Judges 13:5. But what is a Nazarene and why was it important for Jesus to be one? A Nazarene was someone that was consecrated to God. Usually it was a vow of 30 days, although there were some who vowed themselves for 60 or 100 days. There were even some who were Nazarenes from birth, Samuel and Samson were 2. Jesus was a Nazarene, hence He was consecrated to God. What a picture this paints! The King of Kings was set aside (consecrated) unto God! Folks, we should also be consecrated unto God. We should live our life every day so that others see that we are the servants of the Most High God. Do we?
We have learned a lot today. We have learned that God has a plan for each of us, and that we should be consecrated unto the Lord. Do we trust in the Lord enough to follow His plan for us even if we can't see the end results right now? Are we consecrated unto the Lord?
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 11, 2007 17:08:27 GMT 12.75
"Herod was so mad, that in his effort to kill Jesus, and preserve his throne, that he had all the children 2 years old and younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area killed. What a despicable act! He was more worried about his kingdom than the one to come. He had all the children slaughtered. As you all know, I have 2 young sons. It wasn't too long ago that they were the age that these children were. I couldn't imagine someone coming in, killing my sons, just because they were of a certain age. In verse 17 and 18 we see that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. It is almost a direct quote from Jeremiah 31:15. A prophecy that was probably close to 800 years in the making was fulfilled." I've always known about the slaughter of the children and I can't imagine living in a land that would permit such a horror! Further, I never realized that this was prophesised. An 800 hundred year old prophecy of such horror and sorrow I can't even imagine. I know that I trust God and His judgement, but I can't help but wonder what was the purpose for such a prophesy being handed down to us. During the time of the birth of Moses, the king of Egypt had all of the male children killed among the Hebrew's and later to show Egypt the might of God, all of the first born male children of the Egyptians were then taken by God including the son of Rameses, then king of Egypt. This was all prior to the infanticide committed by Herod by several hundred years, right? Was there a tie in to these events which came to be prophesised? I'm confusing myself, but if it's too hard on you to type right now, I'll understand if you don't set me straight until your feeling better. Until then, I'm gonna get my Old Testament out and take a look and see if I can figure it out before I come back and read this part of Matthews again. Thanks Brother! I hope you're healing well!
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 12, 2007 0:23:34 GMT 12.75
Toby,
First, we have to realize that when Jeremiah wrote that prophecy, it was before the carrying away of Israel into the Babylonian captivity. He preached against Israel's idolatry, and the results of it. Then he gave them a ray of hope, the prophecy's of the coming Messiah. Since I haven't made an in depth study of Jeremiah, I am not totally sure, but this could have also been Jeremiah reminding Israel of the tragic time when Pharaoh killed the children of Israel. What happened after this slaughter? The people were delivered from bondage! What happened after the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem? The Great Deliverer, Jesus, lived a life that allowed His children to be delivered! See the parallel?
Concerning Moses and the slaughter of the Hebrew children, we have to remember that that happened probably over 1500 years before Jeremiah's prophecy. It was a picture of Jesus, and in its own way a prophecy too. Think of all the ways Moses was a picture of Jesus. He led Israel to the promised land among others.
But why would God allow the slaughter of children during the time of Jesus' birth? Who has opposed God from the beginning? Who has tried every thing possible to keep Jesus from being born? Satan! He knows the Scriptures, but he is doing everything in his power to thwart God's plan. He has tried numerous times to either stop the birth of Jesus, or to discredit Him, even trying to kill Him. I believe when Jesus was crucified, Satan thought he had won, when in reality he lost. Satan will never stop trying to thwart God's plan. See, he thinks that even though the Scriptures say that he will ultimately be defeated that he can change it. But he can't! But that doesn't stop him from trying.
My arm is feeling better, although I still have a long way to go. Feel free to ask any question you want. It takes a lot longer to type using just my left hand, but I am learning.
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 16, 2007 20:56:01 GMT 12.75
Matthew 3:1-6 (King James Version)
1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2. And, saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. 4. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region n round about Jordan, 6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Today, we meet another great hero of the Bible, John the Baptist. A little background is needed though before we get too far. Jesus was born approximately 4 B.C. and was taken by Joseph to Egypt while Herod was still alive. Herod died in 4 A.D. thus making Jesus around 8 years old when Joseph returned from Egypt. John was born about 6 months before Jesus, and was also of a miraculous birth, although not as miraculous as our Lord. John was of the priestly race by both of his parents. Zacharias was a priest after the family of Abijah and Elizabeth was of the family of Aaron. John's birth was miraculous because of his parents extreme age. John began his ministry about 25 A.D. so we see Matthew has a gap of about 21 years here. We know very little about John's early life, other than he grew and waxed strong in spirit, and lived in the deserts till now (Luke 1:80) which is where Matthew picks up the story again.
In verse 1 we see that in those days came John the Baptist. The phrase "in those days" refers to when the time was right. When it was the right time, John came out of the desert and began to preach. John was about 30 years old at this time. Why at this age did John began to preach? I believe it had to do with the office of priesthood. When a man of the priestly line reached the age of 25, he was allowed to be an apprentice in the Temple. In other words, he began to learn his craft. At the age of 30, he could assume the responsibilities of the priests and begin to work in the Temple. So, John was at the age to began his full-time job which was to be the herald to the King. Also, in verse 1 we see the first time that the word "Baptist" is used. When the translators of the King James Bible translated this Greek word "baptismo" they made up a new English word. The actual translation should be "immerser". So, John's title was actually John the Immerser. Folks, this is NOT where the Baptists believe the church started nor where we took our name. In times past, we were actually called Anabaptists, or anti-baptists, because we refused to baptize infants and rejected the baptism of those that were. We also see where John began his ministry. It wasn't in the big cities, such as Jerusalem, but in the wilderness. Now, wilderness means a desolate place, deserted, lonely. It could mean the desert, but in this case I believe it simply means a place where there was not a whole lot of people. But why in the wilderness? Think about it for a moment. Where was the Temple and its worship at? It was in Jerusalem, a big city. Would the people have listened to John if he came there and told them that they needed to repent? NO! They would have paid no heed to him, or more importantly, his message, at all. They would have ignored the herald of the King. Another way to look at it is as follows. I have called John a herald which is what he was. His job was to announce the coming of a king, more specifically, the King of Kings. Does a herald go in a city, announcing the coming of the king, where the city is supposed to know about his coming, or out in the countryside telling those that may not know to get ready that the king was coming? He would be in the countryside, making sure that they knew he was coming and to get everything ready. Brethren, this was what John was to do. He was to get the way ready for the King of Kings. Folks, the Scriptures teach me that Jesus is coming again. Are we making the way ready for Him like John did?
In verse 2 we see John's message. It is a simple message that everyone needs to preach. There are a lot of "preachers" who use big words and flowering sermons, designed to make the people feel good about themselves, but not John. He told the people what they needed to hear, not what they wanted. He told the truth. He told the people that they needed to repent or turn away from their sins. The people, especially the so-called religious leaders, didn't want to hear that. They were then just like the people today. How many people do you know that would listen to a sermon that told them that they needed to repent? I don't know of very many. Most want to just hear how good they are. Folks, we should preach the Gospel in a simple way, so that all will understand, but, just as importantly, we should preach what the people need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. John also told the people why they needed to repent. It was because the kingdom of God was near or close. But what did John mean? What did he mean by the "kingdom of heaven"? I'm not sure if I can explain it, but I'll try. The best way I can put it is as follows. What does a king have? To be a king doesn't one have to have someone or something to rule over? A king is sometimes referred to as a kingdom. When I was in the Navy, and a head of state came on-board, they wouldn't announce his or her name but instead their title. Example. When the President of the United States came aboard, they would not say his name, but instead they would say "United States, arriving". This is the same way John referred to Jesus. Jesus is the King of heaven, so it is proper to refer to Him as The Kingdom of heaven. Folks, The Kingdom of heaven is close to coming again. Are we telling others that Jesus is coming again?
In verse 3 we see Matthew quoting from the Old Testament. This is almost a direct quote from Isaiah 40:3. This was a prophecy that concerned the coming of John and his message. Folks, this prophecy was somewhere around 750 years old! I have said it time and time again. God is not slack concerning His promises. It may not be when we expect or want it, but God will fulfill His promises when it is the perfect time for it to be fulfilled. It was the perfect time in history for Jesus and John to come. And you know what? They did! Praise the Lord!
In verse 4 we see the type of man that John was. His raiment, or clothing, was made of camel hair. He had a leathern girdle about his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Let's look at each of these individually for a moment. Camel hair is somewhat long and woolly in texture, and rather course. It is still in use today in that area of the world in a course weaving of tents, coats for shepherds, and camel drivers. Figuratively, though, it is used as an outward mark to the pleasures of this world. Elijah, who wore camel's hair, was a picture of John. The leathern girdle was the most common form of a girdle. It was made either of leather or a course cloth. I was, from the best of my understanding, something like a belt today, but wider and had slits cut into it for either a pocket, or to carry a weapon, like a dagger. When a man wanted to run or move about without restrictions, he would fasten the hem of his tunic to his girdle, thus allowing great freedom of movement of the legs. John's food was locusts and wild honey. There are 3 schools of thought here, so I will present them all and let you decide. (1) A locust is an insect, much like our grasshopper. There are 2 main types, always found in the southeastern desert. From time to time, these insects multiply in vast numbers, bringing about destruction where ever they go. (2) Instead of the locusts, John ate the locust bean or carob pods. These beans are readily available and are sweet and sticky. (3) The third school of thought here is that it is strictly symbolic. John ate whatever was provided by God. If the locust insect was available, John ate it. If not, the John ate whatever the Lord provided for him. Honey was very plentiful in Israel and was used for sweetening since there was no sugar. It was cultivated, meaning beehives, but was also obtained from wild bees. When grape juice was boiled down it became a sweet sticky syrup, much like jelly, and may have been referred to as honey in some passages of the Bible. It was sometimes spread on bread or diluted with water and drunk, like grape juice. But whichever the case, I believe that John relied upon the Lord to provide his daily food. We have seen that John was dressed coarsely, and didn't eat the best of foods. It is my firm belief that John knew he had a more important task than to worry about what he looked like or his diet. John was the herald to The King! He didn't have time to worry about what he wore! He didn't have time to worry about his diet! He had a job to do, and he was more worried about that than anything else. I believe that today, we get too wrapped up in worrying about things of this life instead of the things of the next life. Folks, John was more concerned about the things of the life to come. Which are you worried about the most? Are you worried about what you are going to put in your belly today? Are are you more worried about the treasures you are laying up in heaven?
In verse 5 and 6 we see that the people came from all over to hear John preach. They came from Jerusalem , from Judaea, which Jerusalem was a city in, and from all about the region of Jordan. Now, some scholars think that the people just came from the Jordan River valley, which is plausible, while others think that the people came from beside the river Jordan, which is also possible. Remember, a river may only be a 100 yards wide, but have a valley of several hundred miles in which it flows in. It doesn't really matter which theory you believe, but that the people came and repented of their sins. I want us to notice something very important in verse 6. It is that the people were baptized but there was a condition. They confessed their sins first! Folks, there are a lot of people out in the world today, teaching that baptism saves you. Verse 6 refutes that without any doubt. The people confessed their sins, then were baptized. Brethren, baptism will not save you. It will only give you a quick, short, and not very though bath. What it does do though is show the world a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and that you are dead to the effects of sin, which is eternal separation from God.
Today we have seen the way the forerunner or herald of Jesus lived. He wasn't the best dressed, eat the best foods, but he preached the Gospel in a way that all could understand. He did what he was born to do, and that was to prepare the way for The King of Kings. His message was simple, and that was to repent. Have you repented of your sins? Have you given your life to the Lord like John did?
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Post by Paws on Sept 17, 2007 8:33:40 GMT 12.75
In verse 6 I think that the act of baptism is a confession of sin. In any case it is important that the convert be cognizent of his/her sin since without a recognition that one is a sinner there can be no sorrow nor repentance. So confession, regardless of the literal meaning, is important to salvation.
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Sept 17, 2007 10:06:07 GMT 12.75
In verse 6 I think that the act of baptism is a confession of sin. In any case it is important that the convert be cognizent of his/her sin since without a recognition that one is a sinner there can be no sorrow nor repentance. So confession, regardless of the literal meaning, is important to salvation. I hate to disagree, but baptism is not a confession of sin, but an act of faith. Let me try to explain. When a person is saved, and they ask forgiveness, isn't that an act of confession? Aren't they confessing to the Lord that they are sinners and need forgiveness? And when the Lord forgives that person, aren't they saved whether they are baptized or not? An example is the theif on the cross. But when a person follows the Lord in scriptural baptism isn't that an act of faith? I believe it is due to the fact that baptism is a picture of what is happening in the life of the believer. They are dead to the walk of the old man, but raised to walk in a new life, one that is committed unto the Lord.
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Post by Paws on Sept 17, 2007 21:23:32 GMT 12.75
Yes absolutely; however, when people see other people being baptized I think they immediately recognize that a confession of sin has occurred. I don't mean to say that baptism cleanses sin rather it appears as a public admission that the participant has recognized himself /herself as a sinner. Confessing one's sin to God isn't the important thing. You see God already knows that we are sinners because we were born in/into sin. But by confession we demonstrate to God that we recognize and admit our sinful nature and understand the harm that our sins have caused even unto the righteous wage of death. Then we know that nothing can save us from that eternal death other than the grace of God Himself and acceptance of His sacrifice for us. As you said: "Brethren, baptism will not save you. It will only give you a quick, short, and not very though bath. What it does do though is show the world a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and that you are dead to the effects of sin, which is eternal separation from God. " And I don't think it could be better said. When I was reading your draft you had commented on the separation of the "wheat from the chaff" and it came to mind that this separation not only occurs among people but within people as well. Clearly, a violation of any of the ten commandments is sin; however, the commission of adultery simply by thinking about it might not be so clearly sinful. Transition to an understanding that it is indeed sin is a demonstrable separation of wheat from chaff. That my brother is where Christian growth occurs.
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