Christmas Series: Jesus has Come (Matthew)

Matthew 1:18-23

 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Matthew 2:4-6

When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

In each gospel account, the authors take a different path to begin their story of Jesus. Being of Jewish descent, Matthew starts where he was most familiar, the Hebrew Bible. He starts with a genealogy tracing the lineage of Jesus back to Abraham, with some surprising twists along the way. He does this to show that he truly is the Messiah, from the tribe of Judah Israel has long waited for. Not only that, but he also recalls the prophet Isaiah’s former announcements about a child that would be born. He references the virgin birth of Immanuel- God with us. He tells this story with the important details focused on what Isaiah was focused on, God would dwell among his people through a virgin birth. The Jewish leaders in chapter 2 also know of this significance and reference Micah 5:2-4 about how a ruler will come from the tribe of Judah one day and from a certain city, Bethlehem. This ruler will be a shepherd to the people as one is to sheep. 

Matthew’s point is that the Jesus who was born, crucified, and resurrected was the Messiah Israel was hoping for and that their ancient texts had prophesied about. The time the prophets had predicted was happening in the person of Jesus. Matthew was writing to let everyone know that Jesus is the one we look to for salvation. Do not wait for anyone else. He has come, he has died, and he has resurrected and he is inviting you into his kingdom.