King Herod's attempt to Prevent the Birth of the Messiah

In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says, "The chance that any man might have ...fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (one hundred quadrillion) Stoner suggests that "we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly... Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up [that one marked silver dollar.] What chance would he have of getting the right one?" Stoner concludes, "Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man,...providing they wrote them in their own wisdom."
-Peter Stoner, Science Speaks.

What we’re going to see today are a great deal of fulfilled prophecies, events in Jesus life that fulfilled things that were written about him hundreds of years before his birth. But that is not our main purpose today, our main purpose today is to view the birth of Jesus from a unique perspective.

We’ve examined the saga of the birth of Jesus from several different perspectives. First, we looked at Mary and how the pregnancy affected her life. We then examined how Joseph was affected and how his life was changed forever. Then we looked at the shepherds who were working that night when Jesus was born, and they went and saw the birth of Jesus.

Now we come to the moment just after the birth of Jesus, when a whole new set of people are going to come into the picture.

Previously we’ve been talking about average everyday people, Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds. Now, we’re going to see how the political elites and the expert class of society respond to the birth of Jesus.

As per usual, we are wanting to see ourselves in these events. The goal of this series, Living Christmas, is to see how we would react, and how these events impact our lives today.

Starting in Matthew chapter 2, verse 1, it says, “2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

We see here Magi, it’s a word that means an astrologer, not an astronomer, but an astrologer, a magician, someone making a practice of studying signs in the stars at night.

There’s so much we don’t understand about the magi, we know they were most likely oriental, from the eastern part of the world, and they were experts in their field of study. We know they saw a special star that led them to believe the Jewish messiah had been born. And they followed this star to Israel and met with King Herod who was in charge of the nation at that time.

Next, verses 3-4:

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 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.”

King Herod is deeply troubled. The word spread across the capital city of Jerusalem about this coming of the wise men. Herod called together all the leaders of the Jewish faith, for a special meeting.

Verse 5-6:

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘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.’[b]”

King Herod discovers that the messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. Really what we’re witnessing here, is the efforts of the enemy in the world.

We have an enemy whose name is the devil, or Satan, which means “the adversary.” While God is at work in our lives, guiding us, helping us, protecting us, and building us, we have an enemy who seeks to deceive us, tear us down, disrupt our lives, and cause problems. His ultimate goal, as the enemy of our souls is to bring us to hell with him.

Satan would be able to say “mission accomplished” if you were to end up in hell after judgment day. He and his demons successfully deceived you, to bring you into the place of suffering with them.

They know they are doomed already, they can’t escape God’s judgment, though they believe their last hope is the anti-christ who will one day be born upon the earth, so in their madness and hatred and envy, they seek to see us destroyed.

Do not let the enemy deceive you. Herod attempts to deceive the magi.

Verses 7-8, “7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

The enemy is stirring up King Herod against the birth of the newborn Jesus. He is stirring up an enemy with the purpose of creating a string of events in the world that will destroy Jesus before he can complete his mission.

Next, verse 9-10: 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

The magi follow the pathway of the Lord. The star leads them to exactly where they are supposed to be. 

Similarly you and I can allow the star to lead us. Which star do you mean? The star of the Holy Spirit. We can let the Spirit lead us to where we’re supposed to be. Through prayer, and careful study of the word, daily devotions, and quiet time with God, the pathway will be clear.

The result in our hearts will be like the Wisemen: Joy.

Verses 11-12: 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

This is the reason why many believe that there were 3 magi. We don’t actually get a number of the magi. But we do know there were three gifts. So it would make a certain amount of sense to say that each magi would want to bring their own gift. But we don’t know for certain there were really just three. There may have been more in the delegation.

Much has been said and written about the meaning of the gifts. They certainly are rich with meaning.

The gold represents the fact that Jesus is King, the promised king of Israel.

The frankincense represents Jesus’ deity, he is the Lord, God in human form, and incense represents the fragrance of the prayers of the many who longed for the coming of Jesus.

The myrrh represents Jesus’ mortality, he is a human being, the son of man, and chosen one to be offered as sacrifice for the sins of the world.

The magi worshiped the newborn Jesus. Only the Lord God almighty should be worshiped. That’s who Jesus is, the Lord of glory, born into human flesh. The star leads them to exactly where they belong, at the feet of Jesus.

Similarly, in our lives, if we allow the Spirit to lead us, the Spirit will lead us to Jesus time and time again. The Spirit always works to lead us closer and closer to our dear friend and Lord Jesus. His love is amazing!

Notice that these events with the magi took place after the birth of Jesus. Often in our Hollywood depictions and paintings and videos of the birth of Jesus, it’s pictured that the shepherds and the magi were there on the same night, but that isn’t actually correct.

That is where the story of the magi ends, they find the baby Jesus, they worship, they give gifts, and then they depart.

For the second half of the account, we’re going to see what Joseph and Mary had to do, to avoid the plot of the enemy against the newborn Jesus.

Verses 13-15 say this: 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Again, we see prophecy being fulfilled, first Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Second, Jesus lived in Egypt. This could only happen by God’s command.

Again, I want you to notice the interplay between the attempts of Satan, and the workings of God.

Often in our lives, we will be doing what God wants us to do, but the enemy will attack and try to cause a problem or controversy, so if we’re wise believers, we turn to God in the struggle and ask God for help. Then God delivers us from the clutches of the enemy, after we’ve suffered for a short while, and leads us to safety.

The same thing happens here. Joseph and Mary obey God, Jesus is born, Herod attacks, the Lord leads them to safety in Egypt.

Next, verses 16-18:

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[d]

Again, we see prophecy fulfilled. From the scroll of Jeremiah, a horrible thing occurs, Herod has all the children under 2 murdered in the city of Bethlehem. The city of Bethlehem had about 300 people living in it, so were talking of dozens of kids under the age of 2, most likely 10-20 children killed. It could’ve been more, we’re not certain. But any child so young dying is unthinkable.

This is the enemy’s work. And we see it in the world everyday, murders, violence, misery, suffering, abuse, and neglect.

Yet we have to remember what happened to those children after they were killed by Herod. They woke up in heaven. Babies go to heaven if they die. How do I know that?

2 Samuel 12:23, David speaks of his child who died, and he says, “I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” Meaning, David knows that he will see his child again when he dies.

That’s why I tell people who have lost children, you will see that child again, in heaven. Even if your beset with guilt over an abortion from your past life. You will see that child again as well. You will see them in heaven.

How do I know that? My grandma Pat when she was dying, she saw a little girl waiting for her. My aunt told me about it. My grandma’s first daughter had been stillborn. Yet she would see her again.

Sometimes when we get angry about the injustice of the world, we want to get mad at God. But that isn’t right. We need to see the eternal picture. They are not gone. If they knew Jesus, or died before the age of accountability, we will see them again in heaven. The spiritual world is real, as real as the physical.

Next, in verses 19-20:

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

Again, another visit from an angel, in a dream. God will speak to us in dreams, if he chooses to. Expect the unexpected. You never know what God might be saying to you, or calling you to. Now you shouldn’t attempt to interpret omens, or astrology, or tarot cards, or practice divination. Those things are strictly prohibited by the Bible, we should not seek hidden or secret knowledge. The scroll of Deuteronomy says that, chapter 14. We end up receiving from demons that way, and it corrupts our spirit. And why would we need to consult rocks or trees when we go directly to the God who made it all?

I recall I once had a tarot reading done, before I was a Christian, and I asked the question if I would ever be ok in my life. That’s how broken I was. And sure enough the answer foretold what seemed to be accurate things. Because its communion with demons, demons know things about our destiny and future. But we shouldn’t consult those things, we should consult God instead. And God will show us the pathway ahead.

I was always curious about those things, that’s our hunger for the spiritual and supernatural, but let God fulfill that longing for the supernatural, don’t seek it in places you shouldn’t be looking. God will give you dreams, visions, spiritual gifts, mountaintop experiences, and amazing experiences of His glory and love and power.

Joseph obeys the command of God.

Lastly, verses 21-23:21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Joseph fears returning to Judea, so instead he goes to Galilee, again, warned in a dream, he went to Galilee, in a town called Nazareth. And again, this fulfilled the prophesy of scripture that say Jesus would be called a Nazarene.

Everything in it’s right place. Every prophecy of the Old Testament fulfilled about the birth of Jesus. Only God could do that. The things written about Jesus were written hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. It’s miraculous.

It should cause us to believe. It should cause us to be amazed. It should cause us to worship Jesus along with the magi.

When you go through spiritual warfare and are attacked by the enemy, recognize the process that happened in the birth of Jesus.

The victory comes through God.

The victory comes under attack by the enemy.

We face pain and struggle from the enemy.

We cry out to God in the pain and struggle.

God provides a way of escape from the enemy’s clutches.

God leads us to a safe place for a season.

When the enemy’s defeat is complete, we come home

We find ourselves in a new season at the conclusion of the trial. (paradise)

In conclusion today, in our mess, down here on Earth, Jesus comes and gets close to us in it.

“Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!" The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, "the unspeakable gift!"
-Source Unknown.

Shepherds seek the Newborn Jesus

What was it like on the night when Jesus was born? Shepherds and flocks of sheep in the hills. It’s at night, probably very dark. I wonder what kind of night it was? Was it particularly cold? Was there dew settled on the ground? Were the sheep loud that night or were they eerily silent? Was it like one of those nights that make you feel like a blanket of darkness is wrapped around you and you feel oddly safe in the failing light? I bet it was just like that. I bet there was a sense of anticipation in the air, like the moment before a storm, when everything is charged with energy and pressure.

Was there a wind blowing through the hills and valleys? Or was it totally still? Many were probably caught off guard completely, but I bet there was one or two who felt or knew deep down something special was about to happen. I’ve known people like that, they seem to have a sixth sense for how time and history play themselves out. Maybe there was a dreamer there that night. Maybe not.

The glory of God cuts forth into reality that night. And what’s the reaction of the shepherds? Total fear. They are so afraid. That’s the common reaction, fear and trembling at the incredible glory of God. They are shocked. I wonder what it was like. The glory of God is an interesting concept. It’s woven through the books of the Bible like a beautiful mystery. It seems to be the presence of God at least partially unvarnished.

Jesus came not in full glory, but in human form and there was nothing about him physically that distinguished him from other people. So the world didn’t recognize him. They couldn’t understand it. For many who did, they feared it, and they tried to kill him. But for others they celebrated his coming and welcomed it.

So the glory of God is the presence of God. God’s glory breaks into the night. Was it bright? What was it like? I’m not certain. I’ve witnessed parts of God’s glory, I think many of us have, when we hear a beautiful sermon, or during worship, or watching a beautiful sunset, or looking up at the moon at night, or hugging our children or husband or wife, but this expression of God’s glory seems to be a moment where God relays his own beauty to us. We feel a fuller expression of his own love for us.

Yet to experience the glory of God is to come face to face with God’s holiness, meaning the full just nature of God. It’s the realization of God’s perfection, how perfect he is in every way, how wonderfully just his system is.

This is both beautiful, and terrifying, because at that moment we both realize the incredible beauty of God’s perfect just nature and we also realize the incredible depths of how low we fall short and how filthy we are in own selfish attitudes and selfish ways of living and our own debased desires that seem to totally rule over us. When we see that glory of God we realize our accountability, and we realize God’s love for us and we also realize our own utter guilt before Him.

Baked into the gospel message there is both good news and bad news. Just like our own lives, it’s all about how we respond to it.

The good news is of course that Jesus came to save us. But is that enough to understand? Well, the big question remains, what is Jesus saving us from? That’s the bad news. The bad news of the gospel is, that we’re dead in our sins and trespasses and justly deserving of the wrath of God.

For me reading the bible early on, it was a hard book to read, because it tells you the hard part about yourself.

Good News, Jesus’ offers grace. Bad news, you have to admit you’re a sinner, and also be willing to stop sinning by the power of the Holy Spirit, to repent, and embrace a new way.

I know for me when examining the life of Jesus, I didn’t want the gospel at first because I knew I would have to change my behavior. I would have to stop living for myself first. I would have to live a different life in light of what Jesus had done.

That was bad news at first to me. But the good news is, Jesus offers a perfect way, where we find our true destiny, and we come to find who we truly are, and what we were always meant to be.

But it’s all about how we respond. For me what seemed mostly bad news, is now today something I understand as almost entirely good news.

But if you boil it down to it, it’s information. The gospel is information we receive and then decide what we’re going to do with it. We read this map, these directions saying, you’re a sinner, you deserve hell, you will go there without Jesus, but here’s what you do, come to Jesus and receive Him as your savior, and you’ll be born again and set on a course for a new world, a new paradise free from sin.

I’m worried today that some of you might be looking at the gospel, the map about how to receive Jesus and saying oh yes I agree with that. But you haven’t actually made Jesus Christ your personal savior and given your heart and your life to Him. You’re just agreeing that you like the idea of it.

It’s time to dive into the middle of this and give your entire life to Jesus, to cry out to Jesus to be your savior. Do it now. If you haven’t done that, stop listening and just spend the next few minutes crying out to Jesus who is here, to be your personal savior. Period.

So today, we’re going to examine the shepherds and how they connect with the messiah. We’ll look at their actions and how we can live a similar way. They faced both the fearful reality of God’s glory and the reality of a joyous hope.

From Luke chapter 2:8-20 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Average every day people. A dark night, full of stars, out in the country. They did not expect that anything special was about to happen, yet it did.

God often surprises us too, with unexpected turns in our lives. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But, we embrace whatever God allows. We know it’s not all from God, we know we have an enemy, and we live in a sinful world. So God allows free will.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

The first response is fear. When we encounter God, it cuts very deep into our heart. And the holiness, the purity of God, scares us. Because we know we don’t live up to it.

There are several realities that exist. There is the reality we live in, the Earth realm. There is the kingdom of the air, this is where demons and angels battle each other. And there is the third heaven, which is where God is, as well as our deceased loved ones in Christ. Another reality is the realm of hell, where the lost dwell.

We see the third heaven breaching the Earth realm, which is a rare event, but it does happen from time to time.

The fear, turns to joy, because good news is being announced.

"11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” -Luke 2:11-12

They don’t even know that the king of the Earth was being born that very night. But they are told to go find this event and witness it. And they’re told, there will be a sign for you to know it’s the right place.

Similarly, God will give us signs in our lives. Nudges from the Lord, so we know things are from Him, or from the enemy. But we must be very prayerful over the events in our lives, so we do not become deceived by the enemy.

If I’m uncertain, I pray. And God begins to make it clear what is the next right thing.

"13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” -Luke 2:13-14

Can you imagine how God’s angels have longed for this moment? They’ve been in heaven with God for thousands of years, since the fall of Adam and Eve, longing for the coming of the messiah. And now it’s finally happened. They rejoice, and the shepherds get to see this grand moment of millions of angels praising God.

Notice we’ve gotten two words so far proclaimed over the shepherds, peace and joy. That’s what we find in the birth of Jesus for us, both peace and joy.

"15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” -Luke 2:15

Do the shepherds say, wow, what a show, alright let’s go back to watching the sheep? No! They set off on a journey. They leave their flocks and go to find the child. Similarly, we must do more than just hear the gospel message is church, we must set off on the adventure of obeying it.

"16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." -Luke 2:16

As a result, verse 16, they find the new born king of the world. And it was just as God told them, the sign was fulfilled.

They approached quietly and saw the baby in the manger, and they knew, this is the right one. It’s a sign that verifies that what they’ve seen was from God.

God will verify things for you as well. Sometimes he will simply ask you to trust Him, other times he will verify it for you, particularly if it’s a very challenging situation.

"17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them." -Luke 2:17-18

The anointed message goes out, and people believe it. The word the shepherds are given goes out in power. When God calls us to speak, we can trust that it will be anointed by Him. Do you understand what that word means, anointed?

If I read a book, or talk to someone about politics, or tell someone a news story, it’s just words. I may be passionate about it, but it’s just words.

But, when I speak the word of God, there is an anointing, which anointing is oil, an oil that makes it more powerful. You’ll notice this, God’s word is accompanied by power. And that’s why its hard to ignore.

Have you ever been told something by someone who had an anointing? And you knew you were meant to hear it from them. All of it was meant to happen. And there was power behind their words?

I’ll tell you this, I have things I like to write about and preach about, but, when I really am preaching or writing about what God wants me to share about, well, there is an anointing on it that is strong.

Why choose shepherds? Shepherds were not well thought of back in ancient middle eastern times. They were usually poor, uneducated and country people. Yet God chose them to speak his message, and it went out with power.

Don’t be surprised if God chooses you, even if you don’t expect that he ever would. It’s shocking that God chose me, yet he did.

Yet I think verse 19 is the most important of all here. It says…

"19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." -Luke 2:19

I want you to do the same every Sunday at church, and every time you read the word of God, and every time you see God do something in your life.

Treasure up these things. Store these moments as milestones of your life. You see me do that when I talk about my story, I’ve been sober 12 years. I remember that milestone. I got married 9 months ago, I treasure that milestone. I remember when my grandpa Bernie died, and my grandma Monica, and my grandma Pat and grandpa George. I keep those memories, even if they are hard memories. They are milestones.

And secondly, ponder these things in your heart. I hope you do that after the sermon on Sunday, and just think about, what is heaven like? I wonder if it’s like stars, or gold, or love or sweet smells. I wonder what it means for Jesus to love me. What does it mean for me to repent of sins in my life? Ponder things in your heart.

Lastly, verse 20: The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” -Luke 2:20

Did they stop being shepherds that night? No. They went back to their lives. But they had been changed. And their lives would never be the same. They saw the birth of Jesus. They saw the glory of God, and went back glorifying God.

Similarly, we’ve seen Jesus come into our lives and change us.

I remember I was renting out rooms at my moms old house when I was staying there and I talked to a guy, he was a bro. He worked, went to the bar and chased girls. He was a bro. But I talked to him about having a spiritual experience, looking for God in everyday events, praying about things, and almost instantly he began to see in that way, and he began to tell me that he was sensing these things, nudges, memories, a sense of destiny in his life. I don’t have any idea if he kept pursuing it. But we can experience that every day. Whether we see millions of angels praising God in the sky or not. We can experience life as a constant daily dialogue with God, and we can be led by Him, to do great things, to do the next right thing, if we’ll let Him lead us. It’s better that way, I promise you.

But recognize the power of information. Recognize that there is a war of information going on in our world. And people out there have a vested interest in manipulating your opinions and how you see things. Guard against that, praying to God for discernment, a vital tool, God’s gift of discernment, ask for that spiritual gift, to discern carefully the real truth of the times we’re in. Because there are so many webs of lies in this world.

But if you can fight past the distractions of this world, you’ll begin to experience God each day, and you’ll want to spread his gospel everywhere. Just like the shepherds who obeyed God by telling everyone they saw. They took the information they received, verified it, then took the message to others. That is the same job we have today.

Jesus said, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Applications:

A. The Glory of God is God’s Presence – you can experience it in your life through prayer, worship, and solitude

B. The Gospel is God’s Grace – but it also requires us to repent and stop sinning (by the Spirit’s power)

C. Surprises will come in Life – sometimes good ones, sometimes hard ones

D. Nudges from God – God will give us nudges and sometimes “signs” as well to guide us

E. Responding with Actions is key – God wants us to respond in how we actually live

F. God wants us to Testify to what He did for us – share your testimony of how God has changed your life

Joseph's Decision: The Pathway of Faith vs. the Pathway of Rebellion

Do you like to write? I love to write. I wrote many different books, all of them while I was a non-believer. One story sticks out as something really unique. It was a story about the pursuit of wisdom. It was pictured as a young boy lost in a giant magical forest. And in it he was searching for the meaning of life.

The boy was chasing an owl, and the owl led him into the enchanted forest. The owl was representative of the search for esoteric knowledge. I had been involved in the new age movement, and I was in search of that esoteric, hidden knowledge. And I pursued it diligently.

But I was chasing down the wrong path. The word of God says there is a road that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to destruction.

What road are you traveling down now? You can be in church and still be pursuing the wrong pathway.

The pathway I was on seemed like a grand adventure for knowledge, but it was leading into darkness. And so it did.

But what was interesting is, as I wrote that story, and wrote it and rewrote it, God began to enter the story. A second character began to appear in the story, a butterfly. And the main character was torn between chasing the owl, and chasing the butterfly.

I was beginning to read the Bible, and study the gospel at that time during my life. God was entering the story and beginning to woe me toward the right pathway.

Soon I became a believer in Jesus, and that was the conclusion of the story, the pursuit of the esoteric knowledge of the owl had been overcome by the pursuit of gospel centered transformation exemplified by the butterfly.

It reminds me of someone from the Christmas story who faced a very difficult decision. Would he take the pathway of God, or the pathway of Satan?

Joseph is a bit of a mystery to us. We get a few mentions of him in scripture. We know he’s a carpenter. We know he lived in Nazareth. We know he was engaged to be wed to Mary. We know he planned to divorce her. And we know that he fell asleep and had a vision of an angel who told him he should marry her, because the child within her was from God.

Does all this seem wild and strange to you? I know I believe every word of it. But I do understand why it’s difficult for some people to comprehend.

I understand why it's hard to believe in Jesus. It's actually outside our common thinking processes as humans. At least it appears that way at first. It's mystical, supernatural, and it "feels" foreign to our thinking. That's by design actually, if you were taught in the public schools, a very secular mindset is programmed into you, developed by people like John Dewey. If religiously based philosophical ideas seem foreign to your mindset, yes, it's by design.

If we can begin to understand that, we can become to see that what we’re studying is historical fact, not fiction. It’s true, just as true as any other history we study. But we also understand it matters for our lives. Deep down we know, that these average people and the unlikely things that happened to them mean something huge for us. It’s our very hope and salvation on the line. It’s real. It’s real people, and real things happening to them.

Joseph was a normal guy, living his life, he believed in God, he worshiped God, he went to synagogue, but then his life changed forever when he encountered the supernatural.

It says in Matthew 1:18, “18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: 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. ”

What’s the author attempting to lay out? How the birth of Jesus happened. That’s the goal, we’re not attempting a biography of Joseph, but he is part of the historical events unfolding.

An arranged marriage had been setup by Mary’s family with Joseph’s family. She is pledged to marry him. But, before they got actually got married, it was made clear that she was pregnant.

What would the initial assumption be? I’m sure initially both families thought she had an affair. Yet this would’ve been completely out of character for Mary, we know from the word that she was a godly young woman.

But we now see Joseph go into a time of wrestling in his own mind.

It says in verse 19, “ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”

This is what I want to focus in on today. Joseph is struggling between two possible decisions, one, believe Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Two, to believe that Mary has been unfaithful.

We know the truth sitting here today, but he didn’t. And I’m sure he entered a time of bitter internal debate.

Have you ever been in a situation of bitter internal debate?

This is a very common situation for human beings on the fallen Earth.

It’s sometimes portrayed in cartoons as an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.

I think it’s much more complicated than that, yet it’s also quite simple. Every day we face situation after situation where we have choices to make.

Either I’m going to do what God wants me to do, or I’m going to do the opposite.

We make this decision every day. When we’re tempted to sin, we make this decision. When we plan for the future, we make this decision. When we feel the Holy Spirit conviction within, we make this decision.

Who will I follow? God’s kingdom plan, or my own agenda?

What happens in your mind when you enter into this wrestling? I know for me I’m dealing with fear of the unknown. I’m dealing with fear of letting go of something that I’m used.

I’m facing a doorway of sanctification, often times, something that if I’m bold, and brave, and I step through, I’m going to find a new level in my growth in the Lord. It’s always scary at first to let go of something we’re used to, but, when we do, when we’re brave, we come into a new level of blessing.

Or we slide back and the issue comes up again in the future. And we’re given a new opportunity again later. I call this the repeating loop, we get stuck in it when we refuse God's corrections habitually.

Joseph enters into consideration. Will I believe God or will I believe my eyes? His eyes are telling him, my fiancé has been unfaithful.

Let’s see what happens next.

Verse 20, “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.”

This statement from the angel in the dream confirms everything Joseph had been told. Joseph received a confirmation from the Lord.

Now most of the time we will not have a dream or vision from God when it comes to understanding what God wants from us next.

Instead we take it to God in prayer, and God makes it clear what our course of action should be.

Sometimes I wish God would be more apparent with me. Sometimes he is. Often, God keeps it somewhat ambiguous. Why I wonder? I think it’s making room for free will. Every time God has asked me to do something, he leaves room for me to say no, and go my own way. God does not want to disrupt my free will. He wants me to freely choose Him, and then keep freely choosing Him each day, as life goes forward.

In this situation with Joseph, the confirmation is very clear and obvious. Sometimes with big decisions, God is more clear with me. This is what you must do, period. Other times it's much more ambiguous (which forces me to seek God on the issue fervently.)

The angel continues, verse 21, “ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”

God gives Joseph instructions. God also gives us instructions. God also tells Joseph the future, you can expect this son you will have to be named Jesus, and his mission will be to save your people from their sins.

In verses 22-23, “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”[g] (which means “God with us”).

We see great evidence of God’s love here. God’s love is made apparent to Joseph I think through God’s kindness in speaking it to him through the angel.

As we face difficult decisions in our lives, which we will again and again, believe me, it can feel a bit cold and bitter, and difficult. Another hard decision, another trial I’m going through, another temptation to overcome. Another person to minister to, yet I'm so tired...

If we have a transactional view of God, he gives salvation, I give sins, God is judge, do better, do better, do better, it will feel cold and empty and legalistic.

But so often, we miss the love of God, the overflowing fountain of His love in these situations. His love for us is constant. We can miss that. We can get stuck on the hardness of life, and the difficult decisions and the trials. Or, we can return again and again to the heart of God, and receive an outpouring of living water, His love poured into our hearts again and again.

If we receive that love of God, and walk in the joy of that love of God, and have our hearts filled daily with that glorious love of God, then when we face the critical moments, when we approach a doorway from God, a doorway that seems scary, mysterious, and difficult, we will boldly take hold of the door-handle and walk through bravely into the unknown. Our faith will overcome the fear, and we will grow in Christ, from glory to glory, breakthrough to breakthrough, becoming ALL He has called us to be. 

I’ve been needing that lately, in the chaos of bell ringing season, I need to slow down and receive His love. And then it all becomes so much easier, when I’m resting in His love.

His name shall be called Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” Remember that. He is with you and his love is constant. Like a tree planted by streams of water, though the storms come, the river is constant, it does not dry up. If you keep returning to God for His love, you will receive, and you will be like that tree planted by streams of living water.

Verse 24-25, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

The situation is resolved, Joseph made the decision previously, but now comes the follow through. He does it. He lives it. He takes what he decided and puts it into action. He took Mary home as his wife.

It’s kind of like an alcoholic who decides to get sober. The decision is great, but the test comes in the actions. 30 days later, did he actually stay sober? Joseph takes Mary home to be his wife. She gave birth to their son, and they named him Jesus, just as they were commanded.

I can think of no greater joy than standing before God on judgment day, and seeing the screen with the replay of my life, and God saying: "Well done good and faithful servant. Here I told you to do this, and then you did it, and here I told you to do that and you did it. 

In my walk with God in planet Earth I want to follow a simple pattern: I want to hear what God says, love God enough to decide to do it, and then go do it.

We are all always answering a question, and making a choice every single day, to either align ourselves with God's master design or to rebel. And to rebel is insanity. There is no escape from God. There is no victory over his power. There is nowhere to go. It's madness.

CS. Lewis said to depart from God’s will is to go into nowhere. It doesn’t exist. It’s nothing.

The entire construct of our current fallen reality seems set up to pose the question to us over and over. Life or death? Obedience or rebellion? And we make the choice everyday.

8 billion people, the question before all of us, what choice shall we make?

There’s a scripture which talks about the upbringing of Jesus, and it says this, “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.”
-Luke 2:52

I think if we learn to keep walking through the doorways God puts before us, we begin to develop a pattern over the months and years of obedience, and from that we begin to grow and grow, increasing year by year, in wisdom, and stature and in favor with God and people. It develops into a snowball rolling downhill, growing and growing, and flourishing as a believer, all in the love of God.

Similarly, when one makes a pattern out of rebellion, and I’ve done both of these pathways, so I know, you go from bad to worse, you become more and more wicked, more and more broken, and more and more sinful.

Let’s choose the pathway of life. When we look to the example of Joseph, we see a choice to trust God. Joseph simply did what God commanded. It took a divine confirmation, but Joseph acted on it. And that is astonishing. It’s not the normal. It’s the exception to the rule. He married the pregnant woman. He cared for her. He raised Jesus as his own son. 

What ever happened to Joseph? We don't really know. In the gospels we see mention of Mary, Jesus’ mom throughout the gospels. But no mention of Joseph. Many believe he died somehow during Jesus’ upbringing. 

How does your own story compare to the obedience of Joseph? Are you one who is prone to obey God quietly? Or are you more like one who comes kicking and screaming? Or do you quietly disobey God, and hope no one notices? We all make our choice everyday, rebellion or obedience. What is your choice?

Let’s go to our applications. We’re going to look at five ways we can cultivate a mindset of choosing life in Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father.

1. Receive God’s love each day – engage with God and simply receive that outflow of love

2. Guard your Heart – know that the world system is attempting to deceive you in the wrong direction, seek Godly wisdom

3. Make the Hard Choices – dare to walk through the door of the unknown when God calls you to

4. If you make the wrong choice, don’t give up – turn back immediately to God, ask His forgiveness and keep going

5. Living by the leading of the Holy Spirit – In the big things and small things: Lord, what can I do for you today? What's the right choice in this situation?

In conclusion today, be like Joseph, who entered the time of wrestling, but overcame. He knew he was loved. He encountered God. And He obeyed the truth when it was given to him. As a result, Joseph received the blessing, and Jesus was born.