WEBVTT

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 Matthew chapter 1, we'll be reading verses 18 through 25.

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 As we're turning there, let me pray, and then we'll read together.

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 Father, thank you for your word.

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 Thank you for this season that we can remember and celebrate your first coming.

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 We pray that as we do that, that we would at the same time live with longing and hope

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 for your return and look forward to the day when you will come and make all things new.

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 Bless us as we look into this passage this morning, and we pray that you would speak

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 to us and help us to be strengthened and equipped.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Matthew chapter 1, beginning at verse 18.

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 Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

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 When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to

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 be with child from the Holy Spirit.

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 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to

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 divorce her quietly.

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 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

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 Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife.

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 For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

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 She will bear a son.

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 And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

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 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.

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 But behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

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 And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.

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 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.

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 He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son, and he called his name Jesus.

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 One of the most profound and awe-inspiring experiences that a human being can have is to see a new human

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 being come into the world.

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 From the moment of realization she's pregnant, through the months of preparation, as the baby

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 gradually develops to the climactic moment of birth, there is a sense of mystery and wonder

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 at the fragility and the beauty of a new human life.

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 Now, sometimes the birth of a particular child is seen as particularly unusual or providential.

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 I think of children born to couples in their mid-forties who thought they were past the age of childbearing,

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 or couples who for years thought they were infertile, yet conceived multiple children,

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 or children who were born several weeks premature and yet survived with the aid of modern technology.

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 I think of a child who, by God's grace, survived an attempt to abort him,

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 or children born after a previous miscarriage or stillbirth.

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 But the reality is not only in unusual circumstances, but every time that any child is born into the world,

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 something amazing and extraordinary has happened.

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 Most things that have happened over the last ten years I have long since forgotten,

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 but I have distinct memories of watching each of my children be born

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 and of the circumstances surrounding their birth.

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 It's something you don't quickly forget.

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 Now, sometimes we are surprised and rightly grieved

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 when someone has a miscarriage or stillbirth,

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 but perhaps we should be even more amazed

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 every time that a baby is born,

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 considering all the perils that attend the development of the tiniest human lives

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 from the moment of conception onwards.

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 This morning we're looking at Matthew's account of the conception and birth of Jesus.

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 And Matthew wants us to know that of all the unusual and providential births

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 that have ever occurred in human history,

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 the birth of Jesus was the most unusual of all.

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 Matthew wants us to know that of all the people that have ever occurred in the world.

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 Matthew wants us to see that the conception and birth of Jesus was not just unusual,

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 not just providential, not just amazing and awe-inspiring,

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 but it was positively supernatural and miraculous.

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 Verse 18 begins,

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 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

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 That word translated birth is the same word that in verse 1 is translated genealogy.

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 It is the Greek word Genesis,

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 what we call the first book of the Bible.

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 It could also be translated origin, right?

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 In chapter, in verse 1, the book of the origin of Jesus Christ.

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 Verse 18, the origin of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

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 So Matthew's telling us in this chapter about Jesus' origins.

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 Now last week, the first half of the chapter in the genealogy,

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 we saw Jesus' human origins.

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 He was the son of David, the son of Abraham,

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 descended from the genealogical line of the people of Israel

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 to whom God had made his promise long ago.

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 That a descendant of Abraham would be the means through which

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 all the nations of the world would be blessed.

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 That a son of David would arise as a righteous and victorious and merciful ruler.

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 So we saw Jesus' human origins last week,

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 but in the second half of the chapter,

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 what we're looking at today,

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 Matthew emphasizes Jesus' divine origin.

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 Verse 18, now or but,

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 the origin of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

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 Matthew's saying he's making a contrast

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 between all the other births recorded in the genealogy,

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 all 42 of them in the chapter 1,

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 and the birth of Jesus.

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 If you look at the genealogy, it follows a typical pattern.

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 A is the father of B.

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 B is the father of C.

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 C is the father of D.

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 In some unusual circumstances,

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 the mother is also mentioned.

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 But at the end of the genealogy,

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 in verse 16, Matthew breaks the pattern.

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 Verse 16 says,

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 Jacob, the father of Joseph,

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 the husband of Mary,

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 of whom Jesus was born,

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 who is called Christ.

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 That word Christ is the same word for Messiah.

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 So Matthew carefully avoids saying

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 that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus,

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 even though the rest of his narrative

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 in chapters 1 and 2

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 focuses far more on the character of Joseph

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 than on Mary.

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 So in verse 16,

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 he's alerting us to something unusual.

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 Then verse 18, he picks up that thread.

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 It happened in this way.

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 How exactly did Jesus originate?

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 In a supernatural and miraculous way.

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 And throughout the second half of the chapter,

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 Matthew intentionally points out

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 Jesus' divine and supernatural origin.

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 Verse 18,

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 Before Mary and Joseph came together,

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 Mary was found to be with child

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 from the Holy Spirit.

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 Verse 20,

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 The angel says to Joseph,

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 That which is conceived in her

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 is from the Holy Spirit.

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 Verse 23,

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 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

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 Verse 24,

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 Joseph took his wife but knew her not

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 until she had given birth to a son.

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 So Matthew repeatedly points out

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 that Jesus did not originate

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 in the normal human way.

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 In the words of the Apostles' Creed,

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 Jesus was conceived by the power

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 of the Holy Spirit

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 and born of the Virgin Mary.

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 This is something that Christians

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 have always and everywhere believed

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 ever since the beginning

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 of the Christian movement.

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 Now this morning,

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 I want us to consider two things.

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 First, I want us to consider

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 whether this is actually plausible.

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 Right?

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 Can we really believe this?

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 Second, I want us to consider

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 why does it matter?

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 Why is it important

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 that Jesus was born of a virgin,

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 that he was supernaturally conceived?

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 So first,

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 is this actually believable?

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 Is it plausible?

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 Ever since the beginning of Christianity,

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 right, Christians have always

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 proclaimed this and believed this

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 and confessed this,

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 but many people have been skeptical.

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 Also ever since the beginning

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 of Christianity,

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 not just in modern times.

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 some people,

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 some of the Jewish people

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 who did not accept Jesus

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 as the Messiah

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 accused him of being born illegitimately.

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 There was a rumor

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 that he was born of a Roman soldier

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 getting together with Mary.

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 Right?

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 So from the beginning,

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 people were skeptical.

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 And so we have to ask,

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 is this plausible?

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 Right?

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 Some people say today,

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 a virgin birth,

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 scientifically impossible.

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 Now, parthenogenesis,

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 that's the scientific term

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 for virgin birth,

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 does occur occasionally

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 in some animals,

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 but how could a woman

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 with XX chromosomes

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 give birth to a man

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 with XY?

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 Where does the Y come from?

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 Without any male involvement.

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 That seems unbelievable, right?

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 But the search

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 for a scientific explanation

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 is misguided.

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 Because Matthew is not claiming

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 that God used

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 a very unusual

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 or previously unrecognized

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 set of natural processes

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 to produce a very statistically

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 unlikely outcome.

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 No.

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 His claim is

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 that the God

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 who made the world

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 chose to intervene

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 within it.

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 The Christian claim is

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 God acted supernaturally.

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 He did something

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 that would never have happened

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 through natural processes alone.

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 So we then have to ask,

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 well,

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 could God intervene

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 in the world?

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 Can God step in

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 and do something

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 that would never happen

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 through natural processes alone?

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 Well, if you believe

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 in the God of the Bible,

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 or really if you believe

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 in any kind of God at all,

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 or even if you're agnostic,

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 you can't rule out

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 the possibility

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 of divine intervention

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 in principle.

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 You have to evaluate

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 on a case-by-case basis.

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 Now, that doesn't mean

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 that you should believe

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 everyone who tells you

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 that they have seen a miracle

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 or that God has spoken to them

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 and told them

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 to do them something

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 or appeared to them

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 in a dream.

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 In fact, the Bible

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 instructs us to be discerning,

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 not to just believe everything,

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 not to be naive.

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 The Bible instructs us

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 neither to dismiss

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 all such claims out of hand.

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 It says,

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 don't despise prophecies,

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 but test everything,

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 hold on to what is good.

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 Don't dismiss everything

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 out of hand,

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 but also don't naively believe

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 anyone regardless of,

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 without checking

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 into their story.

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 So the question isn't,

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 is the virgin birth

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 of Christ possible,

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 but more like,

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 is it fitting?

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 Is it plausible?

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 Does it make sense

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 given what we know

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 of the character of God?

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 Is this the kind of thing

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 that the true God

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 would actually do?

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 Now, some people say no.

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 Some people say

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 the idea of a virgin birth

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 sounds like a pagan legend,

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 right?

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 They say,

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 pagan legend imported

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 from Greek and Roman legends

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 and created long after the fact.

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 Doesn't the Roman writer Ovid

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 have stories of the gods

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 copulating with mortals

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 and producing demigods?

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 Well, yes.

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 Although,

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 there are stories

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 of pagan gods

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 who take on the bodies

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 of men or of animals

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 and produce demigods

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 born of human mothers.

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 Those are not stories,

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 however,

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 of virginal conceptions,

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 and they are very different

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 from what we see here.

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 All that Matthew tells us

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 is that Mary was found

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 to be with child

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 from the Holy Spirit.

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 There are no sensational details

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 or wild speculations.

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 It's seen as something

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 that was real

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 and yet mysterious.

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 Further,

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 other stories

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 of supposedly miraculous births

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 were written down

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 hundreds of years

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 after the hero died.

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 So,

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 there's a legend

00:12:21.539 --> 00:12:23.079
 that Alexander the Great

00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.480
 was born of the Greek god Zeus.

00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:27.220
 That legend

00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:27.940
 was written down

00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:29.000
 400 years

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:30.420
 after Alexander died

00:12:30.420 --> 00:12:32.360
 by the Roman writer Plutarch.

00:12:33.580 --> 00:12:34.920
 The Gospel of Matthew,

00:12:35.060 --> 00:12:35.740
 by contrast,

00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.139
 was written at most

00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:38.680
 50 or 60 years

00:12:38.680 --> 00:12:39.780
 after Jesus died,

00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:41.300
 perhaps even before that.

00:12:42.180 --> 00:12:43.420
 And most scholars

00:12:43.420 --> 00:12:44.420
 believe that Matthew

00:12:44.420 --> 00:12:45.160
 was drawing on

00:12:45.160 --> 00:12:46.280
 earlier traditions.

00:12:47.520 --> 00:12:48.580
 Matthew is the most Jewish

00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:49.600
 of the Gospels,

00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:49.980
 so,

00:12:50.300 --> 00:12:51.100
 most likely,

00:12:51.220 --> 00:12:51.759
 those traditions

00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:53.240
 came from Jerusalem

00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:54.139
 or Judea,

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:55.920
 the most Jewish area.

00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:57.519
 Now,

00:12:57.720 --> 00:12:59.920
 for the first 30 years

00:12:59.920 --> 00:13:01.159
 after Jesus' death

00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:01.779
 and resurrection,

00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:03.399
 guess who was leading

00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:04.580
 the church in Jerusalem?

00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.320
 Jesus' own brother James.

00:13:08.920 --> 00:13:10.159
 Unfounded legends

00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.000
 about miraculous births

00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.660
 do not usually originate

00:13:13.660 --> 00:13:15.440
 when family members

00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.700
 who know the truth

00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:17.600
 are there.

00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:20.639
 to set the story right.

00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:22.920
 Now,

00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:23.879
 other people say

00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:25.139
 Matthew created

00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:26.600
 the idea of a virgin birth

00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:29.060
 out of Old Testament prophecies

00:13:29.060 --> 00:13:30.200
 like the one he quotes

00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:31.159
 in verse 23.

00:13:32.460 --> 00:13:33.879
 Isn't that what he's doing?

00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:35.720
 He finds an Old Testament text

00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:36.440
 and then he makes

00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:37.399
 a story around it

00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:38.779
 to show the people

00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:39.540
 that the prophecy

00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:40.700
 has been fulfilled.

00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:41.840
 But really,

00:13:42.040 --> 00:13:43.160
 he made the story up.

00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:45.100
 But,

00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:45.800
 there's a problem.

00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:47.799
 Prior to Matthew,

00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:49.240
 we have no evidence

00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:51.099
 that anyone interpreted

00:13:51.099 --> 00:13:52.079
 Isaiah 7,

00:13:52.199 --> 00:13:52.899
 which is the chapter

00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.979
 he's quoting from,

00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:55.339
 as a prophecy

00:13:55.339 --> 00:13:56.639
 of a literal virgin

00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.939
 giving birth to the Messiah.

00:13:59.500 --> 00:13:59.959
 So,

00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:00.419
 in fact,

00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.559
 nobody even saw it

00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:02.539
 as talking about

00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:03.259
 the Messiah.

00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:05.559
 So,

00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:06.339
 why would Matthew

00:14:06.339 --> 00:14:07.099
 take a verse

00:14:07.099 --> 00:14:08.479
 that no one

00:14:08.479 --> 00:14:09.599
 had previously seen

00:14:09.599 --> 00:14:10.879
 as a messianic prophecy

00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:12.820
 and invent a story

00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:13.320
 around it

00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:14.720
 that had no historical basis?

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.939
 That's just stupid.

00:14:16.779 --> 00:14:18.580
 If you want to persuade somebody,

00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:20.360
 that won't persuade anybody.

00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:22.299
 People will be like,

00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:22.559
 what?

00:14:22.659 --> 00:14:23.439
 Nobody even thinks

00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:24.299
 that text is talking

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:25.220
 about that at all.

00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:27.519
 Right?

00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:28.500
 It only makes sense

00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:30.039
 the other way around.

00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:31.899
 It's much more likely

00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:32.899
 that Matthew received

00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:33.500
 a report

00:14:33.500 --> 00:14:35.659
 from reliable sources,

00:14:36.220 --> 00:14:37.220
 perhaps from Jesus'

00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:38.039
 family members

00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:39.219
 or relatives themselves,

00:14:39.839 --> 00:14:41.240
 that Jesus was born

00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:42.339
 supernaturally,

00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:43.219
 born of a virgin,

00:14:43.579 --> 00:14:45.719
 and in light of that report

00:14:45.719 --> 00:14:46.699
 and that reality,

00:14:46.839 --> 00:14:48.120
 he saw that the prophecy

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:48.879
 of Isaiah

00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:49.879
 had been fulfilled

00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:51.459
 in a way

00:14:51.459 --> 00:14:52.360
 that no one

00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:53.740
 had previously expected.

00:14:55.199 --> 00:14:55.579
 You see,

00:14:55.699 --> 00:14:57.059
 many things in life

00:14:57.059 --> 00:14:58.919
 only become clear to us

00:14:58.919 --> 00:14:59.819
 in hindsight

00:14:59.819 --> 00:15:01.000
 when we're looking back

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:01.319
 on them.

00:15:01.939 --> 00:15:03.599
 We never could have guessed

00:15:03.599 --> 00:15:05.439
 how they would turn out

00:15:05.439 --> 00:15:06.240
 in advance.

00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:07.699
 And that's true

00:15:07.700 --> 00:15:10.240
 with many Old Testament prophecies.

00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.160
 We wouldn't have guessed

00:15:12.160 --> 00:15:13.800
 exactly how they would

00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:15.520
 be fulfilled in advance.

00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:16.920
 But when we look back

00:15:16.920 --> 00:15:17.520
 on them,

00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:19.040
 we see something

00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:21.000
 that we couldn't see before.

00:15:21.920 --> 00:15:22.840
 Now, if you're interested

00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:24.300
 in Isaiah chapter 7

00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:24.900
 in particular,

00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:26.580
 what was its meaning

00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:27.540
 in Isaiah's time

00:15:27.540 --> 00:15:28.740
 and how was it fulfilled

00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:29.840
 in the birth of Jesus,

00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:31.379
 I preached a sermon

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:32.200
 about a year ago

00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:32.980
 on that chapter.

00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:34.100
 You can listen to it.

00:15:34.160 --> 00:15:35.120
 It's on the church website

00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:36.500
 and you can ask me about

00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:37.220
 or you can ask me

00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:37.799
 about it afterwards

00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:38.700
 if you have questions

00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:40.259
 because I'm not going

00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:41.580
 to get into all the details today.

00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:43.299
 So,

00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.299
 many reasons

00:15:44.299 --> 00:15:45.539
 why people reject

00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:46.360
 the virgin birth

00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:47.419
 are not actually

00:15:47.419 --> 00:15:48.100
 that convincing.

00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:49.960
 But are there any

00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:50.860
 positive reasons

00:15:50.860 --> 00:15:51.460
 to think

00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:52.740
 that the virgin birth

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:53.080
 of Jesus

00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:54.159
 actually is

00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.799
 fitting

00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:55.820
 and plausible

00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:56.519
 and appropriate?

00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:57.620
 Well, imagine

00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:58.340
 if you were one

00:15:58.340 --> 00:15:59.000
 of Matthew's

00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:00.360
 first readers.

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.159
 You would have

00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:04.179
 already been familiar

00:16:04.179 --> 00:16:05.460
 with the Old Testament

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:08.340
 because Matthew's gospel

00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:09.240
 is the most Jewish

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.439
 of all the gospels.

00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.899
 Almost everybody agrees

00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:13.340
 that he was writing

00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:14.559
 to people

00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:15.620
 of Jewish background,

00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:16.500
 whether they were Jews

00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.379
 who had come to believe

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:18.500
 in Jesus as the Messiah

00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:19.779
 or whether he was writing

00:16:19.779 --> 00:16:21.279
 to persuade Jews

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:22.399
 to believe in Jesus

00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.879
 as the promised Messiah.

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:24.960
 But he's writing

00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.379
 to a largely,

00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:27.680
 though not exclusively,

00:16:27.920 --> 00:16:28.800
 Jewish audience.

00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:30.800
 And so,

00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:31.780
 they would have known

00:16:31.780 --> 00:16:32.940
 that in the Old Testament

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:34.440
 we have a few examples

00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:35.480
 of unusual

00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.300
 or even miraculous

00:16:37.300 --> 00:16:38.480
 births.

00:16:40.560 --> 00:16:41.160
 Periodically,

00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:42.519
 the people of Israel

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.500
 found themselves

00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:44.480
 in desperate straits.

00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:47.200
 Things were going badly

00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.560
 and it seemed like

00:16:48.560 --> 00:16:49.740
 everything was going

00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:51.200
 to fall apart.

00:16:51.800 --> 00:16:52.780
 But God demonstrated

00:16:52.780 --> 00:16:53.540
 his kindness

00:16:53.540 --> 00:16:54.320
 to his people

00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.040
 and his faithfulness

00:16:56.040 --> 00:16:56.800
 to his promises

00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:58.879
 by providing a child.

00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:00.280
 And that child

00:17:00.280 --> 00:17:01.460
 would later grow up

00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:03.020
 to lead and teach

00:17:03.020 --> 00:17:04.620
 and deliver

00:17:04.620 --> 00:17:05.720
 the people of Israel.

00:17:05.840 --> 00:17:06.620
 So, a few examples

00:17:06.620 --> 00:17:07.799
 from the Old Testament

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:08.460
 of this.

00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.500
 We might think of

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.519
 the founders

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.640
 of the Jewish nation,

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:14.140
 Abraham and Sarah.

00:17:15.100 --> 00:17:15.299
 Right?

00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:16.420
 God had called them.

00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.480
 They had left behind

00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:18.680
 everything they had ever known,

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.900
 left behind their home country,

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:22.100
 followed the call of God,

00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:23.219
 and God had promised

00:17:23.219 --> 00:17:23.839
 that through

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:25.639
 one of their descendants,

00:17:26.679 --> 00:17:28.259
 that one of their descendants

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.779
 would eventually become

00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:31.399
 the ancestor

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:32.419
 of a great nation.

00:17:33.199 --> 00:17:33.779
 And yet,

00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:34.779
 they get older and older,

00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:36.699
 they get into their

00:17:36.699 --> 00:17:38.219
 80s and 90s,

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:39.219
 and still,

00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:41.159
 they have no child

00:17:41.159 --> 00:17:41.839
 of their own.

00:17:43.379 --> 00:17:43.859
 Until,

00:17:44.379 --> 00:17:45.359
 God provides a son,

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:46.159
 Isaac,

00:17:47.019 --> 00:17:48.500
 when Abraham is 100

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:49.420
 and Sarah is 90.

00:17:50.819 --> 00:17:51.259
 Or,

00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:52.319
 you might think of

00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:53.420
 a few hundred years later.

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:54.759
 People of Israel

00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:55.440
 are oppressed

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:56.839
 and enslaved in Egypt.

00:17:57.559 --> 00:17:58.220
 Pharaoh is attempting

00:17:58.220 --> 00:17:59.420
 to exterminate them.

00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:00.839
 But then,

00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:02.579
 baby Moses was born.

00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:03.960
 Now,

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.319
 his parents were likely young,

00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:06.519
 no unusual circumstances

00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:07.259
 in that regard,

00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:08.779
 but Moses particularly

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.500
 was preserved

00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:10.559
 in a time

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.640
 when his very life

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.240
 was threatened.

00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:15.539
 He was preserved

00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:16.480
 through childhood

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:18.160
 and was able to grow up

00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.120
 and grew up

00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:21.180
 to deliver God's people.

00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:22.720
 Or,

00:18:22.900 --> 00:18:23.900
 a couple hundred years later,

00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:24.599
 the people of Israel

00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:25.940
 are in the land of Canaan

00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:26.779
 and they're defeated

00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:27.960
 and oppressed

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.039
 by the Philistines

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.180
 and the angel of the Lord

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:31.480
 comes to a couple

00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:32.880
 who are previously infertile

00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:33.839
 and says,

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.940
 you will have a son,

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.660
 call him Samson.

00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:38.460
 And he will begin

00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:39.559
 to save Israel

00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:40.059
 from the hand

00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:40.779
 of the Philistines.

00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:43.660
 Not long after that,

00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:44.180
 God answered

00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:45.240
 the prayers of Hannah,

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:48.220
 another infertile woman,

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:49.319
 she and her husband

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:49.980
 and gave her

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.420
 and her husband

00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:51.220
 a son Samuel

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:52.180
 who grew up to be

00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:52.900
 a prophet

00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:53.460
 and teacher

00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:54.160
 of God's people.

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:54.359
 So,

00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:55.000
 we see,

00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:56.380
 periodically,

00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:59.599
 on multiple occasions,

00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:00.180
 God's people

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:01.079
 find themselves

00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:02.539
 in desperate circumstances

00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:04.460
 and God shows

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:05.120
 his kindness

00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:06.099
 and faithfulness

00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:06.799
 to them

00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:07.920
 through the gift

00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:08.960
 of a child.

00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:11.359
 And Matthew's readers

00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:12.400
 would have known that

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.920
 and they would have said,

00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:14.380
 yes,

00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:15.519
 that's the God

00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.820
 we believe in.

00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:18.360
 We believe in a God

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:19.380
 who sees us

00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:21.220
 when we are in desperate straits

00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:22.960
 and who hears our prayers

00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.640
 and who answers our prayers

00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.000
 and sometimes the way

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.060
 he answers prayers

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:28.279
 is by providing

00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:29.700
 in unusual ways

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.400
 for a child

00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.120
 to be born

00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:32.200
 and to grow up

00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:33.700
 and to fulfill his mission

00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:35.519
 and to lead the people.

00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:37.779
 They would have said,

00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:38.160
 yes,

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:38.980
 that's the God

00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:39.820
 we know and trust.

00:19:39.819 --> 00:19:41.899
 And Matthew says to them

00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:42.939
 and he says to us,

00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:44.220
 look here.

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.919
 Here's the same God.

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:49.259
 The one true God

00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:50.759
 showing his kindness,

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.559
 showing his faithfulness

00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.119
 through the greatest gift

00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:54.859
 of all.

00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.759
 The same Holy Spirit

00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:59.220
 who quietly hovered

00:19:59.220 --> 00:20:01.559
 over the formless emptiness

00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:03.039
 in Genesis 1

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.679
 who gave life

00:20:04.679 --> 00:20:06.379
 to all that God had made

00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:07.720
 is still alive

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.760
 and now active

00:20:08.760 --> 00:20:10.000
 in bringing Jesus,

00:20:10.560 --> 00:20:11.160
 the Messiah,

00:20:11.820 --> 00:20:13.160
 into the world.

00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:16.540
 Of all the unusual

00:20:16.540 --> 00:20:18.000
 and providential births

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.600
 that have happened

00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:19.620
 in human history,

00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:21.420
 isn't it fitting

00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:22.080
 that the birth

00:20:22.080 --> 00:20:23.580
 of the Messiah himself

00:20:23.580 --> 00:20:25.680
 would be the most unusual

00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:27.720
 and directly supernatural

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:29.080
 of all?

00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:33.839
 So I think it is fitting

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:35.139
 and plausible

00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:35.859
 and appropriate

00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:37.579
 to believe

00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:38.500
 in the virgin birth.

00:20:39.699 --> 00:20:40.379
 But second,

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:41.139
 I want us to ask,

00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:42.699
 why does that matter?

00:20:42.859 --> 00:20:44.240
 Why is this important

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.460
 that Jesus was born

00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:47.299
 in a supernatural way,

00:20:47.379 --> 00:20:48.319
 not through

00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:50.039
 the natural means,

00:20:50.159 --> 00:20:51.799
 not through natural way

00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:52.679
 of being conceived?

00:20:54.179 --> 00:20:55.500
 I think at its core

00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.419
 when we say

00:20:56.419 --> 00:20:58.339
 Jesus was conceived

00:20:58.339 --> 00:20:59.480
 by the Holy Spirit

00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:01.939
 and born of the Virgin Mary,

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:03.419
 what we're saying

00:21:03.419 --> 00:21:04.639
 is that our Savior

00:21:04.639 --> 00:21:05.379
 and Lord

00:21:05.379 --> 00:21:07.459
 is fully divine

00:21:07.459 --> 00:21:09.599
 and fully human.

00:21:11.099 --> 00:21:12.559
 He's fully divine,

00:21:12.699 --> 00:21:14.119
 conceived by the Holy Spirit,

00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:15.699
 or as Peter will say

00:21:15.699 --> 00:21:17.119
 later in the Gospel of Matthew,

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:17.759
 the Christ,

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:19.699
 the Son of the living God.

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:22.139
 He's also fully human,

00:21:22.679 --> 00:21:24.279
 born of a human mother,

00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:24.939
 Mary,

00:21:25.419 --> 00:21:26.779
 and here adopted

00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:27.920
 and raised

00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:29.240
 by his legal father,

00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:29.819
 Joseph.

00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:32.019
 By marrying Mary,

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:34.139
 Joseph takes on

00:21:34.139 --> 00:21:35.220
 the legal responsibility

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.240
 of being

00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:37.339
 the adoptive father

00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:38.579
 of Jesus.

00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:42.059
 So he's fully divine

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:43.579
 and fully human.

00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:45.740
 And we see this union

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:46.859
 of human and divine

00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:47.940
 in the two names

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:48.639
 that are given

00:21:48.639 --> 00:21:50.279
 to our Savior

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.099
 in this passage.

00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:52.480
 First, verse 21,

00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:53.599
 the angel says,

00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.339
 you shall call

00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:55.619
 his name Jesus.

00:21:56.419 --> 00:21:57.619
 Now, Jesus is

00:21:57.619 --> 00:21:59.199
 the Hebrew name Joshua.

00:22:00.219 --> 00:22:01.240
 It's a common name

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.439
 in the Old Testament

00:22:02.439 --> 00:22:05.119
 and still today.

00:22:05.219 --> 00:22:06.419
 Joshua was the successor

00:22:06.419 --> 00:22:06.980
 of Moses

00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:08.579
 who led the people of Israel

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.619
 into the promised land

00:22:09.619 --> 00:22:11.059
 later on after the exile.

00:22:11.219 --> 00:22:11.839
 Another Joshua

00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:13.240
 was the high priest

00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:13.959
 who led the people

00:22:13.959 --> 00:22:15.000
 in rebuilding the temple

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:16.219
 and several other

00:22:16.219 --> 00:22:17.259
 less important characters

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:17.939
 in the Old Testament

00:22:17.939 --> 00:22:19.259
 also shared that name.

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.719
 So at one level,

00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:21.620
 the name Jesus

00:22:21.620 --> 00:22:22.500
 or Joshua

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:24.480
 emphasizes his human nature.

00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:26.860
 Jesus came from

00:22:26.860 --> 00:22:28.819
 the people of Israel.

00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:30.259
 He's connected to them.

00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:32.779
 But the name Jesus

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.759
 also points

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.740
 to his divine nature

00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:37.200
 because the name Jesus

00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:38.600
 or Joshua means

00:22:38.600 --> 00:22:41.100
 the Lord saves.

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:43.220
 Verse 21 says,

00:22:43.339 --> 00:22:45.039
 he will save his people

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.019
 from their sins.

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:50.619
 Now, human beings

00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:51.579
 have many problems,

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.200
 right?

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:54.000
 We have sickness

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:55.480
 and pain,

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:56.819
 weariness

00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:58.079
 and loneliness,

00:22:59.180 --> 00:23:00.259
 relational conflicts,

00:23:00.859 --> 00:23:01.539
 frustrations,

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:03.480
 unfulfilled longings.

00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:06.059
 But the Bible says

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:07.599
 that the deepest problem

00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.599
 of all

00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:10.740
 is our sins.

00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:12.759
 Our sins

00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:13.379
 are everything

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.259
 that keeps us

00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:16.240
 alienated from God.

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:18.619
 Everything that corrupts us

00:23:18.619 --> 00:23:20.420
 from the inside out.

00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:23.139
 Everything that's

00:23:23.139 --> 00:23:25.099
 contrary to God's

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:26.539
 intent and purpose

00:23:26.539 --> 00:23:27.059
 for us

00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:27.980
 as human beings.

00:23:29.180 --> 00:23:30.079
 Our sins

00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:30.720
 are the deepest

00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:32.160
 and most intractable

00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:33.359
 of all human problems.

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.139
 And Jesus

00:23:35.139 --> 00:23:35.740
 has come

00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:36.740
 to save us.

00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:38.339
 Not just from

00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.220
 our day-to-day

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.079
 challenges,

00:23:40.299 --> 00:23:40.859
 not just from

00:23:40.859 --> 00:23:41.859
 the occasional

00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:42.720
 frustrations

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.559
 we face

00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:45.079
 or sorrows

00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:45.779
 we endure,

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:47.200
 but He

00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:47.960
 hasn't just

00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:48.599
 come to save us

00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:49.200
 from some

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:49.779
 of our sins

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:50.180
 but from

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.420
 all of our sins.

00:23:52.139 --> 00:23:53.359
 And only God

00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:54.700
 can do that.

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:56.519
 In fact,

00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:56.879
 Psalm

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:58.139
 chapter 130

00:23:58.139 --> 00:23:58.879
 verse 8

00:23:58.879 --> 00:23:59.200
 says,

00:23:59.379 --> 00:24:00.160
 the Lord Himself

00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:00.980
 will redeem

00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:01.720
 Israel

00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.019
 from all

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:04.399
 their

00:24:04.399 --> 00:24:05.480
 sins.

00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:07.359
 And verse 21,

00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.200
 maybe echoing

00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.779
 that Psalm,

00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.480
 He will save

00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:09.899
 His people

00:24:09.899 --> 00:24:10.579
 from their sins

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:11.019
 and the people

00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:11.660
 would have remembered

00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:12.599
 in that Psalm

00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:13.000
 that they would

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.799
 frequently sing,

00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.859
 the Lord Himself

00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:15.460
 will come

00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:15.859
 and redeem

00:24:15.859 --> 00:24:16.259
 us from

00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:17.079
 all our sins.

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.460
 Jesus is

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:20.500
 the Lord Himself.

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:22.799
 Now,

00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:23.399
 the second name

00:24:23.399 --> 00:24:24.240
 given to the Savior

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.240
 is in verse 23.

00:24:26.399 --> 00:24:27.099
 They shall call

00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:27.659
 His name

00:24:27.659 --> 00:24:28.099
 Emmanuel,

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:28.859
 which means

00:24:28.859 --> 00:24:30.000
 God with us.

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:30.220
 Now,

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.879
 this is a less

00:24:30.879 --> 00:24:31.819
 common name.

00:24:31.919 --> 00:24:32.619
 It only appears

00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:34.480
 here and in Isaiah.

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.339
 And at one level,

00:24:37.419 --> 00:24:38.079
 the name Emmanuel

00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:39.200
 obviously indicates

00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.319
 Jesus' divine nature,

00:24:40.399 --> 00:24:40.659
 right?

00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:42.079
 He is God.

00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.039
 God with us.

00:24:44.659 --> 00:24:45.359
 God Himself.

00:24:45.659 --> 00:24:46.339
 We read earlier

00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:46.980
 in Isaiah

00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:48.119
 that prophecy

00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:50.279
 of that the child

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.039
 to be born

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.659
 will be called

00:24:51.659 --> 00:24:53.639
 Wonderful Counselor,

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:55.419
 Mighty God,

00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:57.079
 Everlasting Father,

00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:58.759
 Prince of Peace.

00:25:00.659 --> 00:25:01.740
 Those titles

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:03.119
 are far too exalted

00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.480
 for a mere human being.

00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.179
 You don't call

00:25:07.179 --> 00:25:08.460
 a normal guy

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.619
 Mighty God

00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:13.459
 or Everlasting Father.

00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:15.639
 No,

00:25:15.739 --> 00:25:16.299
 those titles

00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:16.979
 indicate that

00:25:16.979 --> 00:25:17.419
 we're dealing

00:25:17.419 --> 00:25:17.939
 with somebody

00:25:17.939 --> 00:25:19.139
 much more

00:25:19.139 --> 00:25:20.459
 exalted than that.

00:25:21.719 --> 00:25:22.359
 And yet,

00:25:22.699 --> 00:25:24.619
 what does Emmanuel mean?

00:25:24.739 --> 00:25:26.239
 God with us.

00:25:27.379 --> 00:25:27.719
 Again,

00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:28.299
 it points to

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.119
 Jesus' divine nature

00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.719
 but also to

00:25:29.719 --> 00:25:30.479
 His human nature

00:25:30.479 --> 00:25:31.079
 that He has come

00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:31.699
 to share

00:25:31.699 --> 00:25:32.639
 our humanity.

00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.239
 He's the fulfillment

00:25:34.239 --> 00:25:35.239
 of the Old Testament

00:25:35.239 --> 00:25:36.000
 promise that

00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.319
 God Himself

00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:38.740
 would come

00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:39.879
 to dwell

00:25:39.879 --> 00:25:41.039
 and rest

00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:42.059
 with His people.

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:45.240
 And we can call

00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.099
 Him Emmanuel

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:48.599
 because He is God

00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:49.500
 who has come

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.839
 to be with us.

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.919
 In verse 23,

00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:53.759
 Matthew quotes

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.039
 from Isaiah chapter 7

00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.819
 verse 14.

00:25:56.919 --> 00:25:58.079
 And he quotes

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:58.599
 the verse

00:25:58.599 --> 00:26:00.700
 almost exactly

00:26:00.700 --> 00:26:02.480
 but He changes

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.100
 one word.

00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:05.440
 Isaiah

00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.460
 says,

00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:07.140
 Behold,

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:07.620
 the virgin

00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:08.220
 shall conceive

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.980
 and bear a son

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:10.140
 and

00:26:10.140 --> 00:26:11.259
 she

00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:12.259
 shall call

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.779
 His name

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.539
 Emmanuel.

00:26:15.120 --> 00:26:15.840
 But Matthew

00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:16.299
 says,

00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:17.600
 Behold,

00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:17.920
 the virgin

00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.380
 shall conceive

00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:18.980
 and bear a son

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.660
 and they

00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:20.880
 shall call

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.400
 His name

00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:22.019
 Emmanuel.

00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:23.740
 You see,

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.299
 it's not just

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:24.840
 Mary

00:26:24.840 --> 00:26:26.620
 who can call

00:26:26.620 --> 00:26:27.259
 Jesus

00:26:27.259 --> 00:26:28.700
 God with us.

00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:31.140
 it's all

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:32.140
 the people

00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:33.220
 who He has

00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:33.819
 come

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:34.880
 to save

00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:35.880
 from our sins.

00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:37.340
 Right?

00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.000
 Who's they?

00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:38.299
 Well,

00:26:38.360 --> 00:26:38.680
 you look up

00:26:38.680 --> 00:26:39.259
 at verse 21.

00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:39.900
 He will save

00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.220
 His people

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:41.000
 from their sins

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:42.000
 and they

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.580
 shall call

00:26:42.580 --> 00:26:43.140
 His name

00:26:43.140 --> 00:26:43.620
 Emmanuel.

00:26:44.620 --> 00:26:45.480
 Every one

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:45.900
 of us

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:46.299
 who have

00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:47.100
 received

00:26:47.100 --> 00:26:47.980
 Jesus' forgiveness,

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.039
 who have

00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:49.860
 looked to Him,

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:52.299
 we can know

00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:53.100
 and call

00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:53.700
 Him

00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:54.400
 God

00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:55.559
 with us.

00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:58.899
 J.C. Ryle

00:26:58.899 --> 00:26:59.639
 put it this way.

00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:00.960
 He said,

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:01.460
 If we

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.460
 want to have

00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.139
 a strong

00:27:03.139 --> 00:27:03.859
 foundation

00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:04.859
 for our

00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:05.259
 faith

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:05.859
 and hope,

00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:07.119
 we must

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.500
 keep

00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.119
 constantly

00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:08.839
 in view

00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:10.159
 our Savior's

00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:10.720
 divinity.

00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:12.879
 We must

00:27:12.879 --> 00:27:13.279
 remember

00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:13.720
 that Jesus

00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:14.179
 is fully

00:27:14.179 --> 00:27:14.500
 God.

00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:14.940
 He in

00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.460
 whose blood

00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:15.940
 we are

00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:16.500
 invited to

00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:16.839
 trust

00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:17.259
 is the

00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:17.700
 Almighty

00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:18.159
 God.

00:27:18.919 --> 00:27:19.440
 All

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:19.839
 power

00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.339
 is His

00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:20.819
 in heaven

00:27:20.819 --> 00:27:21.440
 and earth.

00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:22.839
 If we

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:23.259
 are true

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:23.679
 believers

00:27:23.679 --> 00:27:24.200
 in Jesus,

00:27:24.339 --> 00:27:24.819
 our heart

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.519
 need not

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:25.759
 be

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:26.119
 troubled

00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:27.000
 or afraid.

00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:28.779
 But then

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:29.019
 He goes

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:29.220
 on,

00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.460
 He says,

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:29.700
 And if

00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:29.939
 we would

00:27:29.939 --> 00:27:30.099
 have

00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:30.500
 sweet

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:31.000
 comfort

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.599
 in

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.039
 suffering

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:32.539
 and

00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:33.019
 trial,

00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:33.639
 we must

00:27:33.639 --> 00:27:33.919
 keep

00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:34.460
 constantly

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:34.779
 in

00:27:34.779 --> 00:27:35.099
 view

00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:36.059
 our

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:36.799
 Savior's

00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:37.460
 humanity.

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.099
 He is

00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:39.659
 the man,

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.379
 Christ

00:27:40.379 --> 00:27:40.779
 Jesus,

00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:41.879
 who lay

00:27:41.879 --> 00:27:42.179
 on the

00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:42.439
 bosom

00:27:42.439 --> 00:27:42.679
 of the

00:27:42.679 --> 00:27:42.919
 Virgin

00:27:42.919 --> 00:27:43.240
 Mary

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:43.559
 as a

00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:43.759
 little

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.159
 infant.

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.579
 He

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:45.919
 can be

00:27:45.919 --> 00:27:46.279
 touched

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:46.659
 with the

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:46.980
 feeling

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.339
 of our

00:27:47.339 --> 00:27:47.879
 infirmities.

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.079
 He

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.279
 has

00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:48.960
 experienced

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.500
 Satan's

00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:50.139
 temptations.

00:27:50.439 --> 00:27:50.500
 He

00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:50.679
 has

00:27:50.679 --> 00:27:51.039
 endured

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:51.500
 hunger,

00:27:51.879 --> 00:27:52.079
 shed

00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:52.559
 tears,

00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:53.200
 and felt

00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:53.539
 pain.

00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:53.919
 He can

00:27:53.919 --> 00:27:54.700
 sympathize

00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.340
 with

00:27:55.340 --> 00:27:56.259
 us.

00:27:57.380 --> 00:27:57.860
 Brothers

00:27:57.860 --> 00:27:58.259
 and sisters

00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:58.720
 in Christ,

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.200
 this is

00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:00.420
 very good

00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:01.259
 news.

00:28:02.340 --> 00:28:03.200
 That we

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:03.580
 have a

00:28:03.580 --> 00:28:03.940
 fully

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.700
 divine

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.559
 and fully

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:06.279
 human

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:06.880
 Savior.

00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:08.819
 And He

00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:09.360
 has been

00:28:09.360 --> 00:28:10.000
 this way

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.500
 ever

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.340
 since

00:28:11.340 --> 00:28:12.080
 His

00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:12.819
 conception.

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.120
 You know,

00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:16.400
 I want you

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:16.600
 to just

00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:17.059
 consider

00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:17.860
 for a few

00:28:17.860 --> 00:28:18.259
 moments

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.059
 what some

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.299
 of the

00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:19.819
 implications

00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:20.480
 would be

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:22.039
 if Jesus

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.559
 had come

00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.039
 into the

00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:23.319
 world

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:23.980
 in some

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:24.659
 other

00:28:24.659 --> 00:28:25.240
 way.

00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:27.919
 What if

00:28:27.919 --> 00:28:28.399
 God had

00:28:28.399 --> 00:28:28.819
 instead

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.319
 chosen

00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:30.119
 to send

00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:30.399
 Jesus

00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:30.919
 into the

00:28:30.919 --> 00:28:31.159
 world

00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:31.619
 as a

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:31.960
 fully

00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:32.619
 formed

00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:33.079
 adult?

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.419
 What if

00:28:35.419 --> 00:28:35.659
 He had

00:28:35.659 --> 00:28:36.599
 bypassed

00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.039
 the long

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.519
 years of

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:38.019
 childhood?

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:39.460
 We don't

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:40.339
 know exactly

00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:40.839
 what He did

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.359
 as a child

00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:41.819
 anyway,

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:42.599
 for the

00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:43.099
 most part.

00:28:43.159 --> 00:28:43.419
 What if

00:28:43.419 --> 00:28:43.619
 He had

00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:44.139
 gone more

00:28:44.139 --> 00:28:44.859
 directly to

00:28:44.859 --> 00:28:45.819
 the culmination

00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:46.139
 of His

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:46.460
 mission,

00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.099
 to die on

00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:47.480
 the cross

00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:47.859
 for our

00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:48.259
 sins?

00:28:50.359 --> 00:28:50.899
 But in

00:28:50.899 --> 00:28:51.539
 that case,

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.599
 He would

00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:52.859
 have had

00:28:52.859 --> 00:28:53.339
 no human

00:28:53.339 --> 00:28:53.879
 parents.

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.319
 He would

00:28:57.319 --> 00:28:57.559
 have been

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:58.039
 neither a

00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:58.299
 son of

00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:58.759
 David nor

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.159
 a son of

00:28:59.159 --> 00:28:59.539
 Abraham.

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.079
 So He

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:01.459
 couldn't have

00:29:01.459 --> 00:29:02.000
 fulfilled any

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.259
 of the

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:02.719
 Old Testament

00:29:02.719 --> 00:29:03.459
 prophecies.

00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.279
 So that's a

00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.559
 problem.

00:29:06.379 --> 00:29:06.959
 But even

00:29:06.959 --> 00:29:07.240
 more,

00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:07.759
 if Jesus

00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:08.240
 had come

00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:08.699
 into the

00:29:08.699 --> 00:29:09.139
 world as

00:29:09.139 --> 00:29:09.519
 a fully

00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:09.919
 formed

00:29:09.919 --> 00:29:10.339
 adult,

00:29:11.399 --> 00:29:11.819
 could we

00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:12.639
 really say

00:29:12.639 --> 00:29:13.799
 that He

00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.119
 had been

00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:14.659
 made

00:29:14.659 --> 00:29:15.399
 like

00:29:15.399 --> 00:29:16.799
 us

00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.960
 His

00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:18.220
 brothers

00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:18.440
 and

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:18.779
 sisters

00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:19.159
 in

00:29:19.159 --> 00:29:19.720
 every

00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.680
 respect,

00:29:20.879 --> 00:29:21.500
 as the

00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:21.919
 author of

00:29:21.919 --> 00:29:22.139
 Hebrews

00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:22.539
 says?

00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:24.039
 Would He

00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:24.619
 really be

00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:25.059
 one who

00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:25.460
 in every

00:29:25.460 --> 00:29:26.039
 respect has

00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:26.539
 been tempted

00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:26.980
 as we

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.200
 are,

00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.759
 yet without

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.200
 sin?

00:29:29.639 --> 00:29:30.240
 Would it

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.099
 really reflect

00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:31.899
 His merciful

00:29:31.899 --> 00:29:32.559
 will to

00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.079
 save

00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:33.940
 children as

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:35.099
 well as

00:29:35.099 --> 00:29:35.720
 adults?

00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:39.240
 Now,

00:29:39.299 --> 00:29:39.599
 children,

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:40.960
 I know

00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:41.299
 you're out

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:41.559
 there.

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:42.779
 I want to

00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.079
 talk to

00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:43.299
 you for

00:29:43.299 --> 00:29:43.579
 a minute.

00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:45.440
 So look

00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:45.919
 up at me.

00:29:46.099 --> 00:29:46.379
 If you've

00:29:46.380 --> 00:29:46.880
 been drawing

00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:47.400
 or coloring,

00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:48.120
 that's fine,

00:29:48.540 --> 00:29:48.920
 but I

00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:49.140
 want to

00:29:49.140 --> 00:29:49.460
 talk to

00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:50.140
 you directly

00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:50.880
 for a

00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:51.200
 minute or

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:51.400
 two.

00:29:52.780 --> 00:29:53.100
 Right?

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:53.560
 Maybe you're

00:29:53.560 --> 00:29:53.920
 younger,

00:29:54.120 --> 00:29:54.480
 maybe you're

00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:54.820
 older,

00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:55.200
 but you're

00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:55.560
 living at

00:29:55.560 --> 00:29:55.960
 home,

00:29:56.320 --> 00:29:57.220
 you're under

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:57.680
 the authority

00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:57.940
 of your

00:29:57.940 --> 00:29:58.420
 parents.

00:29:59.120 --> 00:29:59.540
 Let me

00:29:59.540 --> 00:29:59.820
 ask you

00:29:59.820 --> 00:30:00.280
 a question.

00:30:01.280 --> 00:30:01.600
 Do you

00:30:01.600 --> 00:30:02.400
 ever feel

00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:02.980
 like your

00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:04.040
 parents don't

00:30:04.040 --> 00:30:04.660
 completely

00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:05.780
 understand you?

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:08.400
 That maybe

00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:08.900
 they've

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:09.760
 forgotten what

00:30:09.760 --> 00:30:10.280
 it's like

00:30:10.280 --> 00:30:10.800
 to be a

00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:11.080
 kid?

00:30:13.300 --> 00:30:13.740
 Now,

00:30:13.880 --> 00:30:14.660
 Jesus knows

00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:15.580
 exactly what

00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:15.939
 it's like

00:30:15.939 --> 00:30:16.179
 to be

00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:16.599
 a kid

00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:18.399
 because he

00:30:18.399 --> 00:30:18.899
 was once

00:30:18.899 --> 00:30:19.259
 a kid

00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:19.639
 too,

00:30:20.379 --> 00:30:21.599
 and Jesus

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:22.139
 never

00:30:22.139 --> 00:30:22.960
 forgets

00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.539
 anything.

00:30:24.399 --> 00:30:25.379
 He hasn't

00:30:25.379 --> 00:30:26.119
 forgotten what

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:26.599
 it's like

00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:27.259
 to be a

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:27.500
 kid,

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.240
 and he

00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:30.179
 understands

00:30:30.179 --> 00:30:31.179
 the challenges

00:30:31.179 --> 00:30:31.960
 you face,

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:33.079
 and he's

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:34.599
 always available

00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:35.480
 to help

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:35.720
 you.

00:30:36.879 --> 00:30:37.720
 When Jesus

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.319
 was a kid,

00:30:38.419 --> 00:30:39.000
 he had to

00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:39.519
 honor and

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.099
 obey his

00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:40.559
 parents,

00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:41.460
 even though

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.039
 his parents

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:42.699
 weren't perfect

00:30:42.699 --> 00:30:43.379
 and he was

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:44.299
 a lot smarter

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:44.799
 than them.

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.619
 And he

00:30:48.619 --> 00:30:49.059
 can help

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:50.539
 you to

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.019
 honor and

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:51.519
 obey your

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.220
 parents too,

00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:54.619
 even when

00:30:54.619 --> 00:30:55.119
 they fall

00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:55.559
 short,

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:56.839
 because that's

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:57.359
 one of the

00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:58.099
 responsibilities

00:30:58.099 --> 00:30:58.680
 that God

00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.039
 has given

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.519
 to you.

00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.899
 Jesus died

00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:02.440
 on the cross

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:03.139
 for children,

00:31:03.659 --> 00:31:04.460
 not just

00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:05.159
 for adults,

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:07.180
 and so he

00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:07.680
 invites you

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.279
 to talk to

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:08.599
 him in

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:08.919
 prayer,

00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:10.019
 and he

00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:10.460
 promises

00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:10.899
 that he

00:31:10.899 --> 00:31:11.659
 will always

00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:12.279
 listen.

00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:18.519
 So it's

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:18.920
 good that

00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:19.279
 Jesus

00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:22.019
 didn't just

00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:22.360
 come into

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:22.759
 the world

00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:23.120
 as an

00:31:23.120 --> 00:31:23.400
 adult.

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.600
 But let's

00:31:25.600 --> 00:31:25.920
 think about

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:26.360
 one other

00:31:26.360 --> 00:31:26.920
 possibility.

00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:28.440
 What if

00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:28.820
 Jesus had

00:31:28.820 --> 00:31:29.200
 come into

00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:29.620
 the world

00:31:29.620 --> 00:31:29.980
 in the

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:30.500
 normal way?

00:31:32.100 --> 00:31:32.660
 What if

00:31:32.660 --> 00:31:33.180
 this story

00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:33.960
 about being

00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:34.460
 born of a

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:34.720
 virgin

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:36.140
 wasn't true

00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:36.500
 at all?

00:31:37.540 --> 00:31:38.019
 He just

00:31:38.019 --> 00:31:38.640
 came with

00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:39.460
 the normal

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.000
 contribution

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.339
 of a

00:31:40.339 --> 00:31:40.519
 human

00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:40.920
 father

00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:41.460
 and a

00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:41.640
 human

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:41.980
 mother,

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:42.740
 and then

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.380
 maybe at

00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:43.920
 birth or

00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:44.519
 maybe later

00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:45.039
 on he

00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:45.619
 was anointed

00:31:45.619 --> 00:31:46.059
 by the

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:46.680
 Holy Spirit

00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:47.279
 like King

00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:47.640
 David?

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.259
 Now that's

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:50.619
 what many

00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:51.380
 people say

00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:52.680
 who find

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.059
 the virgin

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.720
 birth too

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.400
 hard to

00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:54.799
 swallow,

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.220
 but they

00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:55.799
 still want

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:56.240
 to believe

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:56.640
 that Jesus

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.319
 was somehow

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:57.920
 special.

00:31:59.579 --> 00:32:00.460
 But again,

00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:01.720
 that option

00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.839
 creates big

00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:03.539
 problems.

00:32:04.140 --> 00:32:04.779
 For one

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.000
 thing,

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.220
 it would

00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:05.579
 mean that

00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:06.200
 both Matthew

00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:06.900
 and Luke,

00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:08.240
 who both

00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:09.119
 tell us

00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:09.460
 that Jesus

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:09.819
 was born

00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:10.220
 of a virgin,

00:32:10.340 --> 00:32:10.740
 that both

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.180
 Matthew and

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:11.579
 Luke are

00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.140
 lying to

00:32:12.140 --> 00:32:12.519
 us,

00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:14.079
 or at the

00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:14.600
 very least

00:32:14.600 --> 00:32:15.299
 carelessly

00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:16.340
 passing on

00:32:16.340 --> 00:32:17.660
 unreliable and

00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:18.640
 fanciful accounts

00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.100
 of Jesus'

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:19.740
 origins.

00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.279
 Even more

00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:22.860
 than that,

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:23.740
 if Jesus was

00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:24.539
 conceived by

00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:25.340
 purely natural

00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:25.940
 means,

00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:26.960
 then the

00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:27.700
 Savior of the

00:32:27.700 --> 00:32:28.180
 world would

00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:29.720
 then be the

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.840
 result of a

00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:31.840
 joint human

00:32:31.840 --> 00:32:32.420
 effort.

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:34.279
 Mary and

00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:34.819
 Joseph could

00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:35.340
 look at each

00:32:35.340 --> 00:32:35.759
 other and

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.039
 say,

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:37.000
 we produce

00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:37.640
 the Savior,

00:32:37.840 --> 00:32:38.420
 just the two

00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:38.960
 of us.

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:41.500
 Aren't we

00:32:41.500 --> 00:32:42.060
 special?

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.519
 We've

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.060
 accomplished

00:32:46.060 --> 00:32:47.800
 something really

00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:48.200
 great.

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.240
 But the

00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:50.779
 whole message

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.120
 of the

00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:52.580
 Bible is

00:32:52.580 --> 00:32:53.220
 that God's

00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:54.779
 salvation is

00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:55.340
 not the

00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:56.560
 result of a

00:32:56.560 --> 00:32:57.680
 human initiative

00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:58.779
 using natural

00:32:58.779 --> 00:32:59.400
 means.

00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:00.940
 God's grace

00:33:00.940 --> 00:33:01.759
 is not just

00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:02.640
 the frosting on

00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:03.320
 the cake of

00:33:03.320 --> 00:33:03.779
 our human

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:04.400
 accomplishments.

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:08.220
 God sent

00:33:08.220 --> 00:33:08.780
 Jesus to

00:33:08.780 --> 00:33:09.560
 save us

00:33:09.560 --> 00:33:11.120
 because all

00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:11.660
 of our human

00:33:11.660 --> 00:33:12.300
 efforts to

00:33:12.300 --> 00:33:12.840
 make things

00:33:12.840 --> 00:33:13.320
 right have

00:33:13.320 --> 00:33:14.080
 fallen short

00:33:14.080 --> 00:33:14.940
 and failed to

00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:15.460
 produce the

00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.140
 redemption that

00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:16.860
 we need and

00:33:16.860 --> 00:33:17.519
 long for.

00:33:19.420 --> 00:33:20.460
 God's salvation

00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:21.460
 is carried out

00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.160
 by the power

00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:22.680
 of the Holy

00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:23.620
 Spirit within

00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:24.820
 all those who,

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.740
 like Joseph and

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.120
 Mary,

00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:28.040
 simply receive

00:33:28.040 --> 00:33:28.960
 His Word

00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:30.780
 and respond to

00:33:30.780 --> 00:33:31.660
 Him with

00:33:31.660 --> 00:33:32.759
 trust and

00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.319
 obedience.

00:33:35.660 --> 00:33:36.440
 An early

00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:37.059
 Christian writer

00:33:37.059 --> 00:33:37.619
 whose name

00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:38.299
 has been lost

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:38.920
 to us wrote

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.319
 this,

00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:41.379
 Humanity is

00:33:41.379 --> 00:33:42.819
 born out of

00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:43.400
 the necessity

00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:44.480
 to exist.

00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:46.140
 Today we

00:33:46.140 --> 00:33:46.740
 might say

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.799
 humanity

00:33:47.799 --> 00:33:48.640
 reproduces out

00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:49.099
 of the struggle

00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:49.779
 to survive.

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.000
 He continues,

00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:54.460
 Christ,

00:33:54.619 --> 00:33:54.940
 however,

00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:56.660
 was not born

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:57.299
 out of the

00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:58.200
 necessity of

00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:58.819
 nature to

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.240
 exist,

00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:00.400
 but by His

00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.640
 merciful will

00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:02.660
 to save.

00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:04.519
 not out of

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.200
 the necessity

00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:06.099
 of nature,

00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:06.940
 but by His

00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:08.099
 merciful will

00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.820
 to save.

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.000
 That's what it

00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:10.679
 means that Jesus

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:11.320
 was conceived

00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:11.980
 by the Holy

00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:13.079
 Spirit and born

00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:13.639
 of a virgin.

00:34:13.800 --> 00:34:14.539
 It shows us

00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:15.800
 God's merciful

00:34:15.800 --> 00:34:17.559
 will to save.

00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:20.199
 Or as another

00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:20.699
 early church

00:34:20.699 --> 00:34:21.039
 father,

00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:21.440
 Origen,

00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:21.780
 put it,

00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:22.579
 His birth was

00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:23.260
 both like

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:23.920
 ours and

00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:24.760
 above ours.

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.400
 To be born

00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:26.860
 of a woman

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:27.639
 is like our

00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:27.920
 birth,

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.380
 but to be

00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:28.940
 born not

00:34:28.940 --> 00:34:29.400
 of the will

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:29.940
 of the flesh

00:34:29.940 --> 00:34:30.519
 or of man

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:30.980
 is above

00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:31.480
 ours.

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.480
 There is

00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:33.039
 here a

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:33.380
 hint,

00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:34.699
 a prior

00:34:34.699 --> 00:34:35.219
 announcement

00:34:35.219 --> 00:34:35.940
 of a future

00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:37.240
 birth to

00:34:37.240 --> 00:34:37.840
 be bestowed

00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:38.619
 upon us

00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:39.420
 by the

00:34:39.420 --> 00:34:39.719
 Spirit.

00:34:40.500 --> 00:34:40.980
 You see,

00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.460
 what Origen

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:41.920
 was getting

00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:42.480
 at was

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:42.880
 this,

00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:44.019
 because Jesus

00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:44.519
 came into

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:44.980
 the world

00:34:44.980 --> 00:34:45.760
 in a divine

00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:46.719
 and supernatural

00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:47.340
 way,

00:34:48.099 --> 00:34:48.920
 the salvation

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.900
 that He gives

00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:50.619
 us is a

00:34:50.619 --> 00:34:51.579
 divine and

00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:52.119
 supernatural

00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:52.840
 gift.

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:54.440
 Jesus was

00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:55.059
 conceived by

00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:55.420
 the Holy

00:34:55.420 --> 00:34:56.240
 Spirit within

00:34:56.240 --> 00:34:56.639
 the womb

00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:57.420
 of Mary in

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:57.980
 a wonderful

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.539
 and mysterious

00:34:58.539 --> 00:34:59.000
 way,

00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:00.639
 and similarly,

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:02.119
 we are born

00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:02.599
 again.

00:35:02.759 --> 00:35:03.559
 We are brought

00:35:03.559 --> 00:35:04.559
 into new life

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.179
 in Christ

00:35:05.179 --> 00:35:05.579
 through the

00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.559
 same Holy

00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:07.519
 Spirit in a

00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:08.579
 wonderful and

00:35:08.579 --> 00:35:09.599
 mysterious way

00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:10.699
 that we can't

00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:11.820
 even fully explain.

00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.360
 Jesus says,

00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:12.980
 the wind blows

00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:13.599
 where it pleases,

00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:14.920
 and you can see

00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.480
 its effects,

00:35:15.659 --> 00:35:16.519
 but you can't

00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:17.679
 grasp onto it.

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:19.320
 You can't…

00:35:19.320 --> 00:35:20.699
 There's a mystery

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.300
 to it.

00:35:22.219 --> 00:35:23.139
 There's a mystery

00:35:23.139 --> 00:35:23.779
 to how God

00:35:23.779 --> 00:35:24.820
 brings us

00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:25.920
 out of ourselves

00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:26.539
 and out of our

00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:26.920
 darkness

00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:27.760
 into the light

00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:28.159
 of Jesus,

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:29.079
 but boy,

00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:29.760
 is it real.

00:35:30.680 --> 00:35:31.360
 Just because

00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:32.039
 it's mysterious

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.980
 don't make it

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.740
 any less real.

00:35:35.539 --> 00:35:36.159
 The early

00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:36.680
 church father

00:35:36.680 --> 00:35:37.300
 said over and

00:35:37.300 --> 00:35:37.519
 over,

00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:38.220
 He has taken

00:35:38.220 --> 00:35:39.159
 on what was

00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:39.579
 ours,

00:35:39.700 --> 00:35:40.440
 our humanity,

00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:41.380
 even our sin

00:35:41.380 --> 00:35:41.960
 and our death,

00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:43.539
 in order to

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.440
 generously share

00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:45.000
 with us what

00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:45.500
 was His,

00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:46.519
 His divinity,

00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:47.519
 His righteousness

00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:48.559
 and life.

00:35:49.720 --> 00:35:50.340
 He's taken

00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:50.840
 on what was

00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:51.780
 ours to give

00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:52.240
 us what was

00:35:52.240 --> 00:35:52.539
 His.

00:35:53.680 --> 00:35:54.180
 Have you

00:35:54.180 --> 00:35:55.039
 received God's

00:35:55.039 --> 00:35:55.740
 grace in Jesus

00:35:55.740 --> 00:35:56.460
 as a gift?

00:35:56.920 --> 00:35:58.159
 Have you

00:35:58.159 --> 00:35:58.820
 turned away

00:35:58.820 --> 00:35:59.500
 from trusting

00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:00.440
 in yourself

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.980
 and trying

00:36:00.980 --> 00:36:02.440
 to save

00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:02.900
 yourself

00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:03.260
 through your

00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:03.780
 own efforts

00:36:03.780 --> 00:36:04.059
 and your

00:36:04.059 --> 00:36:04.740
 own accomplishments?

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:05.119
 Have you

00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:05.519
 come to

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.000
 trust in

00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:06.440
 Jesus,

00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:08.260
 the fully

00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:08.740
 divine

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:09.180
 and fully

00:36:09.180 --> 00:36:09.500
 human

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:09.880
 one,

00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:11.680
 as your

00:36:11.680 --> 00:36:12.559
 and the

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.659
 only Savior

00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:14.639
 and Lord?

00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:16.940
 Hail,

00:36:17.220 --> 00:36:17.880
 the heaven-born

00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:18.460
 Prince of

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:18.860
 Peace.

00:36:19.559 --> 00:36:19.880
 Hail,

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.500
 the Son

00:36:20.500 --> 00:36:21.659
 of Righteousness,

00:36:22.599 --> 00:36:23.340
 light and

00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.240
 life to all

00:36:24.240 --> 00:36:24.960
 He brings,

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:26.199
 risen with

00:36:26.199 --> 00:36:27.320
 healing in

00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:27.920
 His wings,

00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:29.420
 born to

00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:30.000
 raise the

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:30.440
 sons of

00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:30.780
 earth,

00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:32.480
 born to

00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:33.099
 give us

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:34.599
 second birth.

00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:36.179
 Let's pray.

00:36:43.179 --> 00:36:44.139
 Father, thank

00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:47.179
 You for the

00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:47.619
 gift of Your

00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:47.920
 Son.

00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:49.559
 Thank You for

00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:50.159
 the power of

00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:50.679
 Your Spirit.

00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:52.940
 Thank You for

00:36:52.940 --> 00:36:53.759
 Matthew and

00:36:53.759 --> 00:36:55.339
 His faithful

00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:55.960
 report.

00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:59.019
 We pray,

00:37:00.019 --> 00:37:00.579
 Lord, that we

00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.179
 would know the

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:01.679
 power of Your

00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.519
 Spirit working

00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:03.339
 in our hearts

00:37:03.339 --> 00:37:05.339
 today.

00:37:07.319 --> 00:37:08.179
 Lord, that we

00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:10.500
 would know

00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:11.460
 the joy

00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:13.079
 and peace

00:37:13.079 --> 00:37:15.899
 that You have

00:37:15.899 --> 00:37:16.460
 come to

00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:17.960
 save us from

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:18.440
 our sins,

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:18.919
 that You have

00:37:18.919 --> 00:37:19.519
 come to be

00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:20.159
 God with

00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:20.659
 us,

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:21.920
 the God

00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.239
 who has

00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:23.579
 promised never

00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:24.219
 to leave us,

00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:25.079
 never to forsake

00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:25.719
 us, to be with

00:37:25.719 --> 00:37:26.420
 us to the very

00:37:26.420 --> 00:37:27.219
 end of the age.

00:37:29.019 --> 00:37:29.780
 We thank You,

00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:30.400
 Lord, for who You

00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:30.639
 are.

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.239
 Pray this in Your

00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:32.480
 name.

00:37:32.860 --> 00:37:33.119
 Amen.