Hymn # 170 Thou Dost Reign on High
Words of Assurance: Isaiah 54:7-8 ESV
For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer.
Hymn # 149 Joy to the World
Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Sermon: The Child Threatened
Sermon Notes:
Intro: Christmas has just passed where we celebrate Christ coming into the world and the promise of his return. We celebrate this knowing that even as we celebrate his the world has really changed all that much. People die, wars happen, sin continues. It was like this when Christ came.
There was danger and sorrow. Babies died, threats happened, people ran to safety.
But victory is coming even if much around us looks like defeat.
God is still in control. Jesus is the fulfiller of all the old testament prophecies.
1. Out of Egypt
2. Rachel weeping for her children
3. He shall be called a Nazarene
There are different sorts of prophecies
1. Specific person doing a specific thing
2. A generalized prophecy completed in different ways, but then ultimately completed in a separate act/person.
The Old testament prophecies always point people to Jesus.
So we can look , more specifically at the OT prophecies.
Out of Egypt I called him
1. Joseph in a dream - flee to Egypt danger! Egypt under the power of a different king, King Herod had no power there. But this also fulfilled the OT exodus....bringing the people out of Egypt. Shows how the exodus pointed to Christ.
2. Rachel weeps. The brutal murder of all male children under the age of 2. Her sons are killed and she will not be comforted. But even this prophecy is also one of hope. God will bless his people and turn their mourning into blessing. We need to see that there is weeping and mourning today, but restoration is coming.
3. Nazarene...Galilee a part of Israel not highly sought after. Nazareth.... a place that was despised. Jesus not only despised for his looks came from a place considered very unimportant.
We need to see that Christ fulfills the covenant of God....and indeed he brings us a new covenant that we might be forgiven.
Jesus is the one in whom real hope can be found.
So Christ left the glory of heaven to be born in a stable to grow up in the most despised place.
Hymn # 165 Savior of the Nations Come (Tune# 318)
Hymn # 122 Of the Father's Love Begotten
Hymn # 156–6 All Glory Be to God on High