WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.400 Well, thank you to everybody who has participated so far in our service. 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:11.980 Folks, I just want to, for 10, 15 minutes tonight, help us think about that reading that we just read from Matthew's Gospel, 00:00:12.120 --> 00:00:17.940 to help us think about everything that Christmas is to us. 00:00:18.059 --> 00:00:22.059 So, to begin with, I want to tell you a true story that I read this week. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:25.160 Now, I need you to use your imaginations here, okay? 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:29.219 Picture the scene. It's the annual school nativity play. 00:00:30.579 --> 00:00:33.659 And Mary and Joseph have made it to Bethlehem. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:36.179 Baby Jesus has been born. 00:00:37.060 --> 00:00:38.799 Silent night has been sung. 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:42.539 The shepherds, well, they have been and they've gone. 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:45.200 And it's the wise men who are up next. 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.980 And wise man number one, he declares boldly, he says, 00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:54.820 Baby Jesus, I have come to bring you some gold. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.060 Wise man number two pipes up. 00:00:58.060 --> 00:01:01.940 Baby Jesus, I have come to give you some myrrh. 00:01:03.060 --> 00:01:05.879 And all eyes in the room go to wise man number three. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:08.900 And he pauses nervously. 00:01:10.060 --> 00:01:15.879 And it's every parent's nativity nightmare as you look on your child and it dawns on you that they've forgotten their line. 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:20.479 But this little boy, he can remember something of his line. 00:01:20.699 --> 00:01:22.679 And so he thinks, I'll just give it a go. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:27.219 And he declares sheepishly yet boldly in front of the whole crowd. 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:31.280 He says, Baby Jesus, I think Frank sent this. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:39.439 Well, just for the next 10 minutes or so tonight, as we prepare our hearts for the arrival of another Christmas day, 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:46.519 I want to take you from thinking about a boy in a Christmas nativity who fluffed his lines 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:54.159 to a man in the original Christmas drama who absolutely nailed his lines. 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:59.719 Let me take you back just to those verses we read just a few moments ago from Matthew. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:06.199 You see, Matthew, the gospel writer, as he tells his readers the Christmas story, 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:10.840 he focuses in on this man called Joseph. 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:21.580 This man called Joseph, the young village carpenter who we learn has pledged his heart to marry his bride-to-be sweetheart. 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:29.280 And so here we have a very young couple with their whole lives ahead of them 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:36.979 and who I'm sure have, like any young couple, who have dreams and they have aspirations for their married life together. 00:02:38.139 --> 00:02:44.599 But the thing is, life as they know it is about to change forever. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:50.800 You see, we pick up Joseph's story at verse 18 and here's the scene in front of him. 00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:56.620 To his shock, Mary's pregnant and he's not the father. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:03:00.560 That's absolutely crushing news for our Joe. 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:09.560 Just imagine the shattered dreams, the mental anguish and the emotional turmoil that he would have gone through 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:12.500 as he processes that one in his mind. 00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:18.219 Now the obvious path ahead of him is to just call the marriage off 00:03:18.219 --> 00:03:26.599 and to save his own reputation, his own standing, by exposing Mary to public disgrace. 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:33.719 But Matthew tells us that, and I'm assuming purely because of the kind of man that Joseph is, 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:42.000 that Joseph chose not to go down that route, but instead he decided to call off the marriage behind the scenes. 00:03:43.700 --> 00:03:45.540 You see, that's the scene in front of Joseph. 00:03:46.980 --> 00:03:51.560 And then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, verse 20, there's a choice before him. 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:56.520 The angel brings him a message from God. 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:59.020 And it's a quite simple message, really. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.560 Do you see how there's two instructions followed by two explanations? 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:03.900 Do you see it? 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:06.560 Two instructions followed by two explanations. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:07.560 The two instructions. 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:08.159 The two instructions. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:14.280 Firstly, Joseph, be the husband that Mary needs you to be to her. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:20.540 And secondly, Joseph, be the father that the boy needs you to be to him. 00:04:20.540 --> 00:04:26.780 And the two explanations, well, they're both indicated there by the word because. 00:04:27.980 --> 00:04:30.260 In other words, here's why, Joseph. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.340 Here's why you should do these things. 00:04:32.420 --> 00:04:40.840 Firstly, because, verse 20, the life in Mary's womb, the boy in her belly, this is God's doing, not man's. 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:49.959 You see, Joseph, God is graciously and wonderfully doing something well beyond your human capacity to fathom. 00:04:50.299 --> 00:04:54.959 And he's doing it gloriously in this moment. 00:04:56.799 --> 00:05:09.839 And secondly, verse 21, because in the sending of this child, God is fulfilling his merciful and powerful promise to send a savior. 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:12.179 Who will do what? 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:18.339 Save his people from their sins. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:22.000 And in so doing, deliver his people from slavery. 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:29.419 And in so doing, rescue his people from their greatest and their deadliest enemy, death itself. 00:05:29.899 --> 00:05:31.539 That's the child in Mary's womb. 00:05:33.739 --> 00:05:35.739 That is the savior of the world. 00:05:35.740 --> 00:05:45.879 And Matthew, you see, he adds his own comment to help his readers join the dots to see that this child is not some kind of bolt from the blue. 00:05:46.280 --> 00:05:49.300 This child is not an idea that's come from left field. 00:05:50.420 --> 00:05:53.879 That this child is the fulfillment of everything. 00:05:53.879 --> 00:06:03.439 That God said he would do centuries before when he promised to act to rescue his people. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.379 Because God said that he himself would come mightily to save his people. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.659 He was going to be mighty God to them. 00:06:13.219 --> 00:06:17.399 And God said that he himself would come gloriously to dwell with his people. 00:06:18.159 --> 00:06:20.860 That he was going to be God with them. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:31.860 And so both of these mind-blowing truths so wonderfully converge in this baby. 00:06:33.540 --> 00:06:40.379 Truly, Bethlehem, the hopes and the fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:44.980 And Joseph's role, do you see it? 00:06:44.980 --> 00:06:47.980 Well, he's to call the child Jesus. 00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:49.840 You see, that's his one line. 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:53.420 That's his one line in the original Christmas drama. 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:55.840 His name is Jesus. 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:57.060 That's his line. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:58.780 His name is Jesus. 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:05.400 But if he's to deliver that line, he's got to be in it with more than just his lips. 00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:09.920 He's got to deliver that line from his heart. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:16.720 For, and remember, he's still in that place of raw pain and real questions. 00:07:17.460 --> 00:07:20.259 There's a big choice facing Joseph. 00:07:21.080 --> 00:07:22.300 And the choice is this. 00:07:22.620 --> 00:07:27.139 Will he stand and will he embrace the message from God? 00:07:28.200 --> 00:07:33.120 Will he lean the whole weight of his life on the word of the Lord? 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:45.139 Will he associate himself absorbing every ounce of shame and slander that will come his way because of his association with Mary? 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:56.759 And most of all, I think, will he place the entirety of his hope and trust in the truth of who this Jesus is? 00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.879 Or will he just stick with his plan? 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:03.519 So what will Joseph choose? 00:08:04.699 --> 00:08:06.800 Will he be a man who walks by faith? 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:09.839 Or will he be a man who walks by sight? 00:08:11.659 --> 00:08:14.600 Well, if that's the choice before him, see it at verse 24. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:18.079 Joseph embraced the path ahead of him. 00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:21.319 What does Matthew tell us that Joseph does? 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:25.139 He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.360 In other words, he fulfilled this down to a T, didn't he? 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:28.139 He did it. 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:35.299 He took Mary to be his wife and he named the child Jesus. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:35.960 Do you see? 00:08:36.740 --> 00:08:42.460 Joseph was given his line in the original Christmas drama and he absolutely nailed it. 00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:45.879 He chose to take God at his word. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:51.559 He chose to stake it all on the identity of this child. 00:08:51.559 --> 00:09:00.179 Now, we can so easily get a bit sentimental at this point in the story, like this was some kind of first century love, actually. 00:09:00.319 --> 00:09:02.059 Like it ended happily ever after. 00:09:02.500 --> 00:09:12.359 But let's be under no illusions here that the reality of life from this moment on would have been anything but rainbows and smiley unicorns for this young couple. 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:13.259 Anything but. 00:09:13.259 --> 00:09:17.480 I mean, Nazareth, that is not a big place. 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:21.419 And people being people, being people, being people. 00:09:21.700 --> 00:09:25.840 A big bit of juicy news like that in a town like this. 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:29.039 Well, that news is going to get around pretty quickly. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:40.740 And I'm certain that this family, this young family would have had to endure years of looks and of questions and of sneers and of mocking. 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:48.080 But, as for them and their house, they're going to serve the Lord. 00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:52.419 And right there is the life of faith, isn't it? 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:54.419 Right there is the life of faith. 00:09:55.740 --> 00:10:03.879 Trusting in and standing on, walking with and basing your life upon the word of God. 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:07.740 Staking it all on the promises of God. 00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:17.360 And having absolute certainty about and placing your entire confidence in who this Jesus truly is. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:19.299 No matter what it costs us. 00:10:21.580 --> 00:10:25.059 And as I was thinking about it this week, here's what I was really struck by. 00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:37.839 You see, Joseph, the last time that we see him mentioned in the Bible is when Luke, in his gospel, tells us about the 12-year-old Jesus in the temple in Luke chapter 2. 00:10:37.899 --> 00:10:39.339 That's the last time we read about Joseph. 00:10:39.500 --> 00:10:42.139 He doesn't feature at any point after that. 00:10:43.059 --> 00:10:51.639 Which means, I think we can safely assume that Joseph died before Jesus began his public ministry. 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:56.340 So he never got to see Jesus perform miracles. 00:10:57.580 --> 00:11:01.100 He never got to hear Jesus' son teach. 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:04.419 He never got to see Jesus heal the sick. 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:12.259 And I think most importantly of all, he never saw Jesus fulfill everything that his name suggested. 00:11:13.620 --> 00:11:16.039 As he saved his people from their sin. 00:11:16.899 --> 00:11:18.519 As he died on the cross. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:24.519 And there's a wonderful parallel there, isn't there, between, as it were, father and son. 00:11:25.659 --> 00:11:34.960 Here is Joseph, in this scene, courageously willing to embrace the shame that would come his way. 00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:39.779 Because he chose to associate himself with his bride. 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:46.500 And years later, Jesus, he would not just embrace the shame. 00:11:47.319 --> 00:11:49.339 But he would absorb the shame. 00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:53.579 Because he chose to associate himself with his bride. 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:57.980 As he died for her sin on the cross. 00:11:58.079 --> 00:11:58.980 The sin of his people. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.399 Joseph never saw Jesus die on the cross. 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:07.360 And Joseph never saw Jesus rise from the grave. 00:12:07.459 --> 00:12:11.480 And Joseph never saw Jesus ascend to his father's right hand in heaven. 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:19.980 And yet, that was no barrier to him placing his faith in the identity of this child. 00:12:20.439 --> 00:12:20.759 Why? 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:25.620 Because Joseph's God, he knew, was good for his word. 00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:35.220 And so, to us sitting here tonight, do you see how the call and the invitation to faith is exactly the same? 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:39.259 The only difference is that the facts are fuller. 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:40.879 It's the only difference. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:42.620 The facts are fuller. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:48.779 Because sitting where we do in history, what a glorious privilege, friends, that you and I have. 00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:49.840 That we have the Bible. 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:51.960 We have the entirety of it. 00:12:52.100 --> 00:12:53.360 We have it in our language. 00:12:53.580 --> 00:12:54.919 We have it in different translations. 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:56.959 We have a plethora of commentaries. 00:12:57.319 --> 00:12:59.399 We know everything that happened. 00:12:59.779 --> 00:13:06.959 And how much more reason do we have to stake it all on this child born in Bethlehem. 00:13:07.199 --> 00:13:11.839 The man born in the crib who would grow up to be the man on the cross. 00:13:12.199 --> 00:13:13.899 The man who defeated death. 00:13:14.199 --> 00:13:17.360 The man who reigns and is seated at God's right hand. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.839 And the man who gloriously will one day return. 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:27.220 How much more reason do we have to stake it all on this child Jesus? 00:13:28.460 --> 00:13:34.120 We were thinking a few weeks back as a church about how that word Advent, it just means coming. 00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:34.860 That's all it means. 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:35.820 It just means coming. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:37.420 That's what we're doing, isn't it? 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:44.080 As we open the doors of our little Advent calendars, we're counting down the days to the first coming of Jesus. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.220 That's what we're doing. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:14:00.540 And as once again we step into another December the 25th, as we celebrate Christmas together, let's remember that as much as we're celebrating the arrival of Jesus, his first coming, 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:07.179 standing where we do in history, we're anticipating gloriously his second coming. 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:14.240 When this Jesus won't come as humble baby Jesus, he'll come as victorious King Jesus. 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:18.939 And all wrongs will be put to right with the reign of this King. 00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:21.360 Every tear will be wiped away. 00:14:21.839 --> 00:14:24.719 And sin and death will be banished forever. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:30.660 And here it is, God's glorious rescue plan. 00:14:30.820 --> 00:14:34.940 Here it is, the gospel kicking off right here in Bethlehem. 00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:35.480 Isn't it glorious? 00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:37.180 Here it is. 00:14:38.800 --> 00:14:43.300 And as we close, we started by thinking about that boy in the Christmas nativity scene. 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:43.920 Do you remember him? 00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:44.820 He got his lines wrong. 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:45.700 I hope he's not listening. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.379 This hasn't done damage to his confidence. 00:14:48.540 --> 00:14:49.040 There he is. 00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:50.019 He's fluffing his lines. 00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:57.659 And we thought about Joseph, the man in the original Christmas drama, who absolutely, by faith, because of his faith, he nailed his line. 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:04.579 Well, let me just read you another line that we get at the end of the Bible, the end of the Bible story. 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:10.679 We read this line, and it's the final line from the risen and reigning Jesus. 00:15:10.860 --> 00:15:16.699 And it's a word to his waiting people, his hurting people, his anticipating people. 00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:18.200 And it's simply this. 00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:19.800 Yes. 00:15:20.700 --> 00:15:21.520 Or behold. 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:23.300 Get your heads around this. 00:15:23.580 --> 00:15:24.100 Know it. 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.020 That I am coming soon. 00:15:27.040 --> 00:15:28.080 I am coming soon. 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:31.620 And so we sing, don't we, at Christmas time. 00:15:32.660 --> 00:15:34.540 Born thy people to deliver. 00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:37.759 Born a child and yet a king. 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:40.580 Born to reign in us forever. 00:15:40.580 --> 00:15:43.800 Now thy gracious kingdom bring. 00:15:44.420 --> 00:15:48.860 By thine own eternal spirit, rule in all our hearts alone. 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:56.980 By thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious glory. 00:15:58.660 --> 00:16:07.560 Friends, just before we move on in our service, why don't we just pause for a second and maybe just reflect on everything that we've thought about this evening. 00:16:07.560 --> 00:16:09.500 And then I'll close and I'll lead us in prayer. 00:16:10.580 --> 00:16:24.040 Heavenly Father, thank you so much for sending your son Jesus Christ. 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:30.600 The light of the world who stepped down into our darkness. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:37.000 And he stepped down, humbled himself to save us. 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:48.379 And so we ask, glorious and gracious God, that you would help us to be people who base our lives on your every word. 00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:56.200 And who find our identity in the person and the work of your son, Jesus Christ. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:57.899 In whose name we pray. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:16:58.740 Amen. 00:16:58.740 --> 00:16:58.840 Amen. 00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:58.899 Amen. 00:16:58.899 --> 00:16:58.919 Amen. 00:16:58.919 --> 00:16:58.940 Amen. 00:16:58.940 --> 00:16:58.960 Amen.