WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.639 We're gonna pray in just a moment, but if you would actually turn now in your Bibles to Matthew chapter one. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.039 Okay, Matthew chapter one. 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:11.519 Now, as you're turning there, I got a question for you. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:16.480 Are you are you into watching like Christmas movies around this time of year? 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:17.679 We've got a couple of, yes. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:18.960 See, there's a movie. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:20.640 Um a lot of you would recognize that. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.239 That is like one of the ones that uh my family grew up watching for sure. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:28.480 We've introduced it uh to our kids, and that's of course Rudolph uh classic. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:32.960 I mean, there are a ton of great Christmas movies uh out there, and and a ton of probably not so great ones. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:36.079 Um, but you think of some of some of kind of the classics. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:40.560 What comes to mind for me is um It's a Wonderful Life. 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:41.840 Uh what are some of the other ones? 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:45.679 Miracle on 34th Street, Grinch, what is it? 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:48.000 Sound of Music is really good. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:53.359 I was expecting Christmas Carol, Die Hard for some of you, really like that, right? 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:58.320 But no, there are some really, really uh great movies uh that are out there for sure. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:06.959 And uh have you ever noticed though that most of these movies are kind of in some ways uh about saving Christmas? 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:08.400 You notice that? 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:22.879 It usually has something to do with you know fighting against all odds, and oftentimes uh you know about a bad guy of some kind who's trying to ruin Chris uh Christmas and and stop Santa from being able to deliver presents to all the kids and all of that. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.439 So you know there's that part of it uh for sure. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:43.439 Or it's often about some some kind of family that you know needs to overcome their differences and and really rally together in some kind of you know touching made-for-TV moment that's you know so warm and fuzzy, and you know, it all of it is really how Christmas uh can be saved. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:45.840 Now it's interesting, right? 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.079 Christmas movies are about a rescue mission. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:57.840 I've been kind of thinking about that this week because you know the biblical story, the biblical story or the account of Christ's birth itself is a rescue mission. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:01:59.040 Have you noticed that? 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:00.239 It's a rescue mission. 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:07.280 Only has really nothing to do with you know getting some you know cold-hearted soul to believe in Santa or something like that. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:08.319 That's not what it's about. 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:09.680 It's uh it's really about this. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:12.560 Okay, we've got it on the screen for you, and you've got it in your notes too. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:20.960 Okay, Christmas is at its core a rescue mission planned by God to save us from sin and draw us near. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:23.520 Okay, that's what Christmas is about. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:28.159 That's what Christ's birth uh is really getting at, and that's why he came. 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:38.800 And so, as we're, you know, again, seven days away from Christmas Day and the time that we celebrate all of these things, have you considered that? 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.879 Have you really thought about that? 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:48.800 Is your heart geared at this point towards the fact that this season is all about God entering into his creation? 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:49.919 Have you thought about that? 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:54.400 Or have you found yourself kind of caught up in more of the commercialism about it? 00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:02.560 And it's all about getting gifts and how am I gonna afford all of these and you know, turkey dinners, and trying to manage the whole, you know, whose family do we go to on what day? 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:07.280 Are those the kinds of things uh that Christmas is about uh for you? 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:09.759 All right, well, I want to read this. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.960 This is Matthew chapter 1, uh, starting in verse 18. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:14.400 We're gonna read down to 23. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:17.840 If you would read along with me, uh that would be uh that would be great. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:18.400 Here it is. 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:22.319 It says, Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:30.240 When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:36.960 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:51.520 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:58.800 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.159 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:12.240 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:19.759 Lord, we come before you uh this morning, Lord, just so grateful for how you are moving in our church, Lord. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:27.759 And we're excited about this next phase of ministry for us and and uh live preaching happening here every single weekend, God. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:32.160 And I mean what what what a gift of your grace that you would be moving and working in this way, Lord. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:38.160 And we just pray that um that you would really use that to have a deep, deep impact in people's lives. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:41.519 We pray that uh the disciples would be made. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:52.639 Lord, we pray that that salvation would come to the loss, or we pray that that uh dead and dying souls would would come to life through the good news of the gospel. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:05:01.759 Lord, I pray that as we jump into Matthew chapter one here and start to unpack all of these verses and look at this, Lord, I pray that our hearts would well up with joy. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:10.720 Lord, I pray that we would be locked in on what this season is, and Lord, um, be able to identify when our hearts are far from this, Lord. 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:12.240 And so, God, would you lead us? 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:12.959 Would you guide us? 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:14.319 Would you direct us now? 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.959 We pray all of this in the powerful name of Jesus. 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:17.920 Amen. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:18.800 Amen. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:19.439 Amen. 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:29.360 All right, so before, okay, before we can really appreciate uh the birth of Jesus Christ, before we can really, you know, love all of that, we need to understand why. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:29.839 Right? 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.040 Why, why did it happen? 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:32.959 Why did it have to happen in the first place? 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:34.879 You know, what was the whole point? 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:39.839 Well, that's exactly why we're looking at these verses, because it really gets at it uh crystal clear. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.279 And so that that line that was up on the screen beforehand, that was our outline. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:44.000 It's in your notes. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:46.399 We're gonna pull this all apart now, and here's the first thing. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:51.199 Okay, Christmas is at its core, a rescue mission planned by God. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:53.279 Okay, this whole thing is planned by God. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.199 Take a look at verse 18 now. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:00.079 Verse 18 says this it says, Now the birth of Jesus took place in this way. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:07.920 When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:14.639 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:28.399 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:30.879 Alright, so what so what's happening here? 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:31.360 Right? 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:34.319 What's happening uh in these uh couple of verses? 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:35.279 A lot, right? 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:36.720 There's a there's a lot going on. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:42.560 And first of all, what you might notice here is this is really kind of from the perspective of Joseph, isn't it? 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:43.759 We kind of hear it from his angle. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:47.120 Now we don't know necessarily a ton about Joseph. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:50.959 The Bible doesn't tell us uh a lot, but that's what we're gonna be talking about today. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:58.000 Actually, on Christmas Eve, Pastor Paul is gonna be working us through the story kind of from Mary's perspective, and that and so that should be pretty good. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:02.000 Um, but here today it is about kind of Joseph and the and his angle. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:06.959 And this tells us here that uh that Mary and Joseph, they were they were betrothed. 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:07.920 Okay, they were betrothed. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.360 You know, you know what that word's all about? 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:14.399 I think oftentimes when we think betrothed, we kind of think of like modern day engagement. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:18.879 That's what you think about when a couple gets engaged and they plan uh to get married. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.079 Uh, but actually the word betrothed there uh is a little bit different. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:31.680 It was actually a legally binding agreement where bride and groom were considered legally pledged to be married. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.519 Okay, but they weren't yet uh fully kind of husband and wife. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:38.399 It wasn't yet 100% uh official. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:50.560 And so it was a period of time in their relationship where they weren't living together, all right, and they certainly hadn't consummated uh the relationship or anything like that. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:58.639 Um the only way to break this agreement was through the process of formal divorce. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.040 And so that's why it says there in verse 18, take a look. 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:02.959 He says, before they came together. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.079 Before they came together. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:08.959 So that's that means in an official, like fully done, signed, sealed, and delivered type of way. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:18.079 It certainly means before they came together sexually, okay, as husband and wife, it says that she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:24.240 Now, you know, if you're reading that for the first time, you're probably like, huh? 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:26.720 Like, like, what is going on here? 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:29.439 Like this is, this seems like it's kind of out of left field. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:35.360 Well, I I can assure you that that's how it felt for uh Joseph uh in Mary as well. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:40.639 And what you need to know is that this is really the initiation of the incarnation. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:48.960 Okay, this is God in the flesh, meaning that this is this is God's rescue plan being initiated. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:09:03.519 All right, like when you ever watch one of those war movies before, right, and you see the helicopter full of marines and they're coming in and they're kind of getting themselves psyched up, and then and then the helicopter lands, and they all jump out, and it's like boots on the ground, the mission is on. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:08.080 Okay, that's exactly what is happening uh here in this moment. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:15.440 Okay, God Himself is making his human entrance into the world that he created. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:28.720 Okay, and his plan, his plan was to be conceived as a physical human baby from the Holy Spirit through a virgin woman. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:32.240 Now that's just like super easy to understand, right? 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:34.559 Yeah, maybe not so much, right? 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:44.799 And I think for us, we we kind of hear that, even if you've been in the church like your whole life, you hear that and you're like, you know what, that's that's pretty amazing, but I kind of sense that I don't I don't grasp it fully. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:45.120 Right? 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:46.559 Is that how you feel? 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:49.440 I know that that that's how I feel uh for sure. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:53.120 You know, it's just it's one of those challenging things to totally understand. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:58.960 There's this there's this amazing, you know, God element in this that maybe we will never fully understand. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:05.440 And I actually got a quote for you, it's gonna go up on the screen here, and I think this really kind of helps us sort of understand this a little bit. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:13.279 And this is by a pastor, and he says this obviously, Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit is a great mystery. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:24.480 Even had he wanted to do so, how could God have explained to us in terms that we could comprehend how such a blending of the divine and the human could have been accomplished? 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:25.919 Okay, next one. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:39.200 We could no more fathom such a thing than we can fathom God's creating the universe from nothing, his being one God in three persons, or his giving an entirely new spiritual nature to those who trust in his son. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:47.679 Understanding of such things will have to await heaven when we will see our Lord face to face. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:52.399 The virgin birth is astounding. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:54.799 It really, really is. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:10.080 I mean, that we can't fully wrap our minds around this, that this makes your head hurt when you think about it, should really cause each one of us to just say, wow! You know, wow, God, you are you are amazing. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:15.840 You are you are far greater than my mental faculties can even fathom. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:16.559 Right? 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:25.919 You are far deeper and and and wider and infinitely more loving and wise and able than I have the slightest clue about. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:27.840 And I worship you. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:29.039 I worship you. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:45.120 That should be the response of the church when we start to think about these things as we meditate on the virgin birth, this this blending of the divine, that Jesus himself was 100% God and at the same time 100% human. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:49.279 That's hard for us to grasp because we are just we are just human. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:52.639 We only have one nature, and he has both. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.960 We should worship when we think about that. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:56.799 We should be excited about that. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:04.960 We should feel small when we think about that and realize how great and how big and how vast and how awesome our God really is. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:09.519 Now, do you think that that's how Joseph was feeling in this moment? 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:10.559 Nope. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:11.440 No, he was not. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:13.120 Okay, take a look at verse 19. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:14.080 Right, this is what it says. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:22.639 It says, and her husband, Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:30.320 Alright, so at this stage in the game, you know, God hasn't briefed Joseph on the plan yet. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.960 He hasn't brought him uh into the loop. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:39.600 And so Joseph, he just assumes that the woman that he loves has been unfaithful. 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:40.080 Right? 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:44.720 Just try and put yourself in his shoes, in his head space for just a second. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:48.720 I mean, what other explanation was there as far as he was concerned? 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:51.759 This this kind of thing has never been done before. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:53.600 And he wasn't thinking about that. 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:54.960 And so think about him. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:58.720 You know, he's he's young, his his bride-to-be is young. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:07.840 They got their whole lives ahead of them, and there would have been the anticipation and the excitement of all of that, and and yeah, what he thinks right now is just devastation. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:08.559 Right? 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:14.159 He's hurt, his heart is is hemorrhaging, is broken, and he he doesn't know what's going on. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.879 But here's the thing, because he was a righteous man, right? 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:19.440 It says in there that he was he was just. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:20.960 He's like, you know what? 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:28.000 And Joseph would have known the Mosaic law said that because she was adulterous in this way, she would be put to death. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:28.559 Right? 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.320 That's how serious this was. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:36.159 But he was like, you know what, I don't want to make a bigger deal of this uh than is already gonna be made a b a big deal of. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.159 So I just want to, you know, just kind of honor her. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.919 I mean, think about Joseph and the qualities that he had and his character. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:48.399 He's just gonna kind of, you know, divorce her quietly and not make it kind of a bigger deal than it was. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.240 Alright, so again, Joseph, he you know, he thinks his world's blown up. 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:55.759 He thinks it's it's kind of over uh for him. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:58.639 His plans are falling apart. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.919 But there's a much bigger plan developing, isn't there? 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:02.399 Right? 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.720 The Lord's doing something, something huge here. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:05.919 Take a look at verse 20. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:07.200 It says this. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:11.360 But as he considered these things, so this is Joseph, he's thinking about this, right? 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:12.480 He's riled up. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:20.960 Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:26.000 For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:26.559 Right? 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.919 So the Lord, what does he do? 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:33.120 He mercifully, mercifully lets Joseph in on the plan. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:36.159 He doesn't leave him twisting in the wind for very long. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:38.320 He brings him up to speed, he sends an angel. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:40.399 And the angel's like, it's okay, Joseph. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:41.360 It's all right. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:46.159 You know, what's happening to you right now is according to God's plan. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:49.440 You know, he is the one causing these events. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:55.120 And it says there twice, if you've noticed it, it says that this is from the Holy Spirit. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:55.600 Right? 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:02.159 He is the one doing this, he is He is the one at mission control, orchestrating this entire operation. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.720 This is all going according to plan. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:06.320 None of this is a mistake. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.399 And what was God doing? 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.360 He was doing this to rescue us. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.360 He was doing it to rescue us. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:21.279 Now, you know, if if you stop and if you think about this, you know, you might come to the conclusion that, man, only God would do something like this. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:21.919 Right? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.799 Only God could do something like this. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:28.960 Because I mean, think about think about Romans 3 verse 11 for a second. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:30.159 Okay, this is what it says. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.879 It says, no one seeks for God. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.000 No one. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.200 No one seeks for him. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:38.559 No one, no one was out there looking for a rescue. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.480 No one was asking for it. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:51.759 Okay, did you did you know that um did you know that because of our total depravity, okay, we are that flawed and we are that corrupt because of our sin? 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:56.000 Do you realize that we have we have zero capacity to do what well a bunch of things? 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:59.919 First of all, we have zero capacity to even see that we need rescuing. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.159 We don't even realize it. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:12.159 I mean, most of the world is just walking around stuck in sin and and and it's and it's you know, engaging in problem after problem and mistake after mistake, the whole while just thinking this is just normal. 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.679 There's no there's no problem here. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:16.159 I don't need rescue, I'm I'm fine. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:16.720 Right? 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:19.840 We have zero capacity to even see that we need rescuing. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:25.200 We also have zero capacity to fix the problem, even if we had seen it. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:28.559 Do we have any ability to save ourselves? 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:32.320 You know, the solution for most people is like, well, I'll just try and be good. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:32.720 Right? 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:39.440 You know, you know what trying to be to be good is like when it comes to saving ourselves, rescuing ourselves? 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:45.840 It's like you ever use one of those like little tiny kids' band-aids to try and like fix a massive gash? 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.600 You're like, what am I even doing? 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:48.080 Right? 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.759 That's what trying to be good does in saving us. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:52.720 Nothing. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.200 Right? 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.159 It is useless. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.840 We we can't fix the problem. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:56.799 We are lost. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:03.200 Our sin has ruined any relationship, any hope that we have of fixing a relationship with the Lord. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.359 We have zero capacity to fix it. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:10.160 Here's another thing we have zero capacity to ask God for help. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.079 We can't do that. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:25.519 Okay, we we were we were completely blind, completely dead spiritually, completely useless when it came to fixing our sin problem, when it came to saving ourselves. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:30.640 So the only way that it was ever gonna happen is if the Lord Himself did something about it. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.119 And that's exactly what he did. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:39.359 The virgin birth, again, it's the launch of his rescue plan for all of humanity. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.279 Okay, this is huge. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:46.559 Now, it's one thing to realize that God planned our rescue. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:47.519 I mean, how great is that? 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.480 To think that he had a plan. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:51.119 It wasn't like this willy-nilly thing, like off the cuff. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.400 Well, I guess I might as well do this. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.920 It's you know a Saturday or whatever. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.519 No, he had this thing planned. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:57.200 He had it planned big time. 00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:59.119 And hey, did you realize this? 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.759 He actually had this planned from the beginning. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:02.960 From the beginning. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:05.599 In fact, even before creation. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.160 Okay, 1 Peter 1 says this. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:21.839 But when the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot, he was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for our sake, or for the sake of you. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:23.759 Okay, so get this. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:32.960 Before God created anything, he knew exactly how everything was gonna turn out. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.400 He knew it all. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:36.640 None of this caught him by surprise. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.279 He was like, the Garden of Eden wasn't planned for that. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:40.480 No, he knew it. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:42.640 He knew it before all time. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:46.960 It's because he's an omniscient, he knows everything. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:50.079 He knew that that mankind would rebel. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.559 Right? 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:51.680 He knew all of that. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:57.359 And he had the the rescue mission planned before Genesis 1, verse 1. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:00.400 Before he spoke things into existence. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:06.720 He knew that his creation, the the cherry on top, which is what humanity is, he knew that we would rebel. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:09.119 He knew that we would sin against him. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.480 He knew that we would we would break the covenant, break the bond with him. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:16.640 He got it, he understood it. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.759 So we plan it from the very beginning. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:22.880 You want to know another thing that's really cool though about his plan? 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:28.720 Another amazing thing here is that he actually lets us in on the plan right near the beginning. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:37.359 You realize that in Genesis chapter 3, 15, which is which is really just like some a few moments right after Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:40.160 And you remember, it's this is the fall, Genesis chapter 3. 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:49.359 And God is condemning Satan, and he's talking about the consequences that are gonna come to mankind now because of sin and how that has entered uh into the world. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:51.440 And this is what he says to Satan. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:59.039 He says, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:04.559 He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:10.240 Now, there's a really fancy kind of theological word uh that theologians use for that. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.559 It's called the proto-evangelium. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:14.480 Okay, proto-evangelium. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:20.240 And what that means is that this is the very first gospel proclamation. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:23.680 All the way back in Genesis chapter 3. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:32.640 Yes, it had some very specific elements that were, you know, applicable to Eve and to creation and all of that, but it's also very much messianic. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:37.680 And so he's talking to Satan, he says, I will put enmity between you and the woman. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:43.200 And so he's talking about Eve in one sense, in another sense, he's talking about um Mary. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:54.160 He says, between your offspring, so Satan's offspring being you know the demonic and all of his forces of evil, and her offspring foreshadowing Jesus Christ. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.000 And this is what he says. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:02.559 He, as in Jesus, shall bruise, some translations say, crush, crush your head. 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:08.079 Jesus is going to destroy you, is what he says, right out of the gate. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.960 And then he says this, and you shall bruise his heel. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:12.640 You shall bruise his heel. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.680 What's he talking about? 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.039 The cross. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.240 The cross. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:27.839 He's talking about how uh it's gonna look like Satan has this epic victory over Christ, over God, over God's people, by defeating Jesus on the cross forever. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:32.000 And what God's saying here is like it's a it's a bruise, you're gonna bruise his heel, right? 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:34.240 But he's gonna crush your head. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.279 And that's what the resurrection signifies. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:45.039 It signifies victory over sin, victory over death, salvation for you and me. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.799 Amazing. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:59.759 Amazing that the Lord would be uh so gracious to us and give us a sense of hope that, hey, listen, I know it's bleak right now, Adam and Eve, I know it's bad, and I know there's gonna be a lot of bad. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.359 Bad coming because of sin. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:03.279 But hey, I'm coming for you. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.960 I'm coming to rescue you. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:06.240 And so he gives us that. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:07.200 I love that. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.400 Now listen, do not miss the impact of this. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:11.839 Don't miss it. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:17.759 That what we celebrate at Christmas is the most epic of storylines. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:19.599 It really, really is. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:29.119 It's the most brilliantly conceived, expertly planned, and skillfully executed rescue mission in the history of the universe. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.799 That's what this is. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:39.440 It kind of probably makes us feel that, you know, candy canes and stocking stuffers, you know, maybe misses the point like just a bit, right? 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:41.759 No, it's it's it's not about those things. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.240 Right? 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:45.039 Jesus came to save us from sin. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:48.400 And that's really the second thing here this morning. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:50.559 And what does the angel say? 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:54.960 Well, he tells Joseph, verse 21, She will bear a son. 00:22:55.119 --> 00:23:02.640 He's talking about Mary, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:04.160 He just lays it out. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:05.599 This is what I'm doing. 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:09.279 Joseph, you're gonna know about it right from the beginning. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:18.720 Now listen, church, don't let your understanding of the biblical Christmas narrative here fall short. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:20.000 Don't let it fall short. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:28.640 This is this is so much more than just, you know, mere information about how God came to earth in human form. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:30.720 Now it is wondrous information. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.960 It is amazing news for sure. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:38.640 But listen, we have missed everything if we fail to grasp the why. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:39.359 Right? 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:44.079 If we don't understand the why he came to do it, then it is just another story. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:46.319 But it's so much more than that. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:58.960 He came to earth, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, to save us from our wickedness, to save us from the penalty due to our wickedness. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:01.119 Okay, so just think about yourself right now. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:01.839 Can you do that? 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:03.839 Can you think about your own life? 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:18.319 I mean, do you realize that that even what you might consider to be the you know the smallest or you know the most insignificant of your sins is in reality devastating. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:20.079 It is devastating. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:24.480 The Bible teaches us a bunch of things about our sin. 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:25.519 Do you realize this? 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:27.119 I'm gonna just go through a couple of them here. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:33.359 Okay, the Bible teaches us that our sin is falling short of God's standard. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.119 That's what sin is. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:37.519 So picture shooting an arrow with a bow. 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:40.559 Okay, it's it's it's missing that target every single time. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.119 Right? 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:42.960 That's what that's what sin is. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:49.680 God's standard is perfection, it is white hot purity and holiness. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.039 And we just flat out do not measure up to that. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:57.119 That's what that's what our sin tells us, and that's what our sin is. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.640 Romans 3.23 is a verse about that, if you want to write that down. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:02.079 Okay, what else? 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:05.039 Okay, our sin makes us spiritually dead. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:07.119 Our sin makes us spiritually dead. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.799 Ephesians 2 verse 1. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:09.279 Right? 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:11.680 You were dead in your trespasses. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.119 Now listen, what can dead people accomplish? 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:17.039 Zero. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:17.680 Right? 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:19.359 We cannot accomplish anything. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:20.400 So we were done. 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:24.480 We were, you know, up a creek without a paddle, done spiritually speaking. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.799 And that's why God had to come and do something about it. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.319 We were spiritually dead. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:31.599 He made us alive, as the scriptures say. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:32.799 We are spiritually dead. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:35.359 What else is our sin all about? 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:40.079 Well, our sin provokes God to holy wrath. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:42.720 It provokes God to holy wrath. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:50.000 And in the scriptures, it talks about how when we sin, when when mankind sins, God is storing up wrath. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.599 It is building up. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:54.559 And at some point, you know, the floodgates are gonna open. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:58.000 And trust me, we do not want to receive God's wrath. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:00.960 John 3, 36 talks about that. 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:08.640 That should be, that should be sobering when we think about how our sin stores up and provokes God to holy wrath. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:12.960 Now, when we think wrath, we often think, well, that must be sinful wrath. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.720 That must be unjustified wrath. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:15.519 No, it's not. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:20.240 God has never sinned, he has never made a mistake, he has never erred, ever. 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:24.960 So his wrath is always justified, it is always righteous. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:29.200 Because he is God, because he is perfect, he dictates how the world works. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:31.519 He gets to tell us how life should be. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:39.039 And when we fall short of that, it is it's a stench in God's nostrils, and it stores up God's wrath. 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.640 Now, thankfully, right? 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:42.319 Thankfully, he loves us. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.200 He loves us. 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:46.640 He didn't have to, but he did, and that's why he sends Jesus. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:48.559