The Thread of Life – Part 22 (The Birth of God)

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The Thread of Life – 31 Stories that point to Jesus

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Part 22

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church

• Have about 10 weeks left in our series on the Bible
  • Showing how God’s story changes everything
  • And the only way you can know His story… is to read it
• We believe that the truths in here are for all of us
  • That they are relevant for today
  • And the best way to know yourself… know the God of the Bible

Last week we looked at the story of Esther

• What’s unique about Esther… God isn’t mentioned in the story
  • Yet it’s easy to see that He is in every sentence
    • And Esther realizes: Everything she has done/experienced
    • God used to bring her to the place she can fulfill her purpose
• God is always working in our lives for our good (if we let him)
  • And in the times that seem the hardest…
  • Trust in Him because he will use those times for your good
• Esther is told she was where she was for “such a time as this”
  • And that is true for you as well
  • Wherever you find yourself… it’s for “such a time as this”

And this story happens in Persia – In Israel Jerusalem is being rebuilt

• The temple finally is restored… the walls of the city are built
  • But just like before – Israel turns to their own wickedness
  • They worship idols and reject trusting in God
• And because of this there is 400 years of silence
  • Where there is no prophet
  • Where there is no significant direction from God
  • But God promises thru Malachi “The day of the Lord” is coming

And that day came when God sent his son – Yeshua (Jesus)

• That’s what the entire story is about: God delivering His promise
  • This is the story line… the thread we have followed for a year
  • God’s desire to reconcile people back to himself
  • And this story is the larger story being fulfilled
• But when Jesus comes… many who were waiting for a savior
  • Miss out on the fulfillment
  • They wanted a Messiah… but didn’t recognize the Messiah
• And so when Jesus does show up – They didn’t believe He was it
  • He didn’t check any boxes in what they wanted in a savior
  • So based on what they saw… this couldn’t be him

[PRAY]

Story

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy road. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, screaming awful things at the guy in front of you, and making a huge scene. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Not of this world’ decal, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper Sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.

“Naturally…I assumed you had stolen the car.”

• Many times we make conclusions based on preconceived notions
  • I once walked by Tom Cruise when I lived in LA
  • I refused to believe it was him… the guy was so short
  • You can’t have mission impossible with a guy who is 5’7”
• If you strongly believe in something… not interested in facts
  • Instead you just reinforce opinions you’ve already arrived at
  • This is what happens to Jesus throughout his life
• People just refused to believe Jesus could be God
  • How could the King of Kings be born to no name peasants
  • Even in his own town… they try and throw him off a cliff
  • Because he will not deny that he is God’s son

So the accounts of Jesus… they have to overcome this

First you have Matthew: Written to Jews – Starts with…

Matt. 1:1

This is the genealogy of Jesus, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

• Genealogy is the Greek word – Genesis (origin)
  • So this is the origin story of Jesus
  • Not just his birth… its where he came from – Family of Origin

Matt. 1:18

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about…

• Birth is also the Greek word – Genesis
  • So it’s the origin story from the very beginning
  • But it’s also the story that starts something completely new
  • Something that was promised from the Book of Genesis
• And Matthew goes on to show fulfillment of prophecies
  • And this all argues that Jesus as Messiah

Then you have Mark

• And Mark has absolutely nothing about Jesus’ birth
  • But he really focuses in on the ministry of Jesus
  • Uses this to show that Jesus was the Messiah

Luke written to Greeks

• Greeks were all about thinking and philosophy
  • They spoke the language of facts and documentations

Luke 1:3

With this in mind, sense I have carefully investigated everything from the beginning. I to decided to write an orderly account for you.

• So Luke gives specifics on the birth of Jesus
  • When/Where/Witnesses
  • Everything is like laying out your case in a court room

Last we have John

• John writes in this beautiful poetic style
  • And he wants us to understand the 10,000 foot view of it all
  • That this is so much bigger than a single day… single lifetime

John 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

• John wants us to know Jesus didn’t begin in Bethlehem
  • He wants us to know that the Son is eternal just like the Father
  • And that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise

John 1:3

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Matt. 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 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.” All this took place to fulfill 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.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

This morning I want to look at three things

1. God uses people… this is what He does

• God uses people to do His will
  • Mary & Joseph are an intricate part of this story
  • He uses people… families… animals even
  • We’ve studied Abraham/David/Esther
• God can do whatever He wants – But He chooses to use us!
  • We’ve seen over and over God unfolding His plan in spite of us
  • He even uses pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus
    • In the Christmas story he uses a young girl and her husband
    • They are used to bring forth the fulfillment of everything
• We can sum up intentions of the entire Bible in 3 phrases
  • The Old Testament: Jesus is coming
  • The Gospels: Jesus is here
  • Rest of New Testament: Jesus is coming again
• But it all starts with the birth of Jesus
  • And the voice that spoke existence into being
  • Was at the mercy of his mom & dad protecting him
  • The word became flesh and was placed in a feeding trough
    • God uses people

2. God has a plan

• From the beginning God’s plan was to give a gift in person
  • It was the gift of salvation… to save his people
  • Surely this is such a powerful gift that no one could mistake him
• God didn’t do all of this one night in Bethlehem b/c he was bored
  • God had a purpose… he had a plan
  • And he carried a gift that no one else could carry… or give
    • Only God could give us Jesus
    • And only Jesus could give us the forgiveness of sins

2 Cor. 9:15

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

• And in that plan… a gift that valuable had to have a price
  • Price was His perfect life… take the place of our imperfect life
  • Even though He knew many would reject his gift… still willing

3. God keeps His promises

• From the very beginning every promise God fulfills
  • Promised the serpent will be crushed by Adam’s descendant
  • Promised to make a nation that would bless the world
  • Promised Abraham a nation
  • Promised David a Messiah from his family line

2 Pt. 1:19

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

• Next verse clarifies that this is talking about scripture prophecy
  • Which are predictions that came true 100’s of years later
  • This is an opportunity as we’ve followed this story for a year
  • That this absolutely is His story… validates it thru fulfillment
• Like the 310 messianic prophecies give in the Old Testament
  • 60 major – 250 minor
  • And 400 years of silence made those prophecies more powerful
  • Imagine predicting what will have in the year 2022 vs 2422

Micah 5:2

But you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (Messiah comes from Bethlehem… which only has 1000 residents)

Is. 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (700 years before Mary & Joseph)

Is. 53:5

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Again… 700 years before Jesus is arrested)

Zac. 11:12-13 (Judas betrayal)

I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.

Ps. 22:16 (Jesus on cross… 800 years before crucifixion was invented)

…They have pierced my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garments.

• Peter Stoner – Study on probability of these promises being fulfilled
  • Fulfilling just 8 prophecies in Bible
  • 1 in 10 with 17 zeros (1 trillion is 9 zeros)
  • That’s only 8 prophecies… and there are over 300
• We might not keep our promises… God always keeps promises

Gal. 4:4-5

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

• God’s promise was to have Jesus be the perfect sacrifice/example
  • This is why most missed Jesus when he came
  • They were so focused on what they wanted
  • God was focused on what we needed

Close by going back to the Genesis of Jesus

Jesus was from the beginning… exactly what we needed him to be

• The only way to understand that when you’re convinced otherwise
  • Must be presented with undeniable evidence to the contrary
  • And you’ll abandoned what you think for what you know is true

• Some grow up with idea of who Jesus is
  • Mind was always made up
    • Jesus is my co-pilot
    • Jesus is my excuse
    • Jesus is who I blame when things go wrong
    • Jesus is the name to know just incase He’s real
• If that’s who Jesus is to you… involved in case of mistaken identity
  • My prayer is that you would get to know who Jesus actually is
  • He is so much more – He is your savior… Christ the Lord

James Irwin – One of first astronauts on the moon

• Concluded all his letters with this statement
  • There is one thing better than man walking on the moon…
  • And that is God walking on the Earth
• James Irwin understood the story
  • Because he knew how important this promise was
  • It is everything… it is the point of the Bible… it is our only hope

[PRAY]