Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas – Day #1
Hope for this Christmas (Matthew 1:18–23) Matthew 1:18-23, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” While the Christmas season truly is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends for fellowship and encouragement, for many around the world, it is a time of despair, unrest, and hopelessness. We live in an imperfect world where too often it seems things that are going well one minute are breaking down the next, and things that seem all but certain today are thrown into uncertainty and chaos tomorrow. But when things seemed at their most hopeless, God stepped in to deliver news about the birth of His Son, who would be the hope of the world. In the Bible, the word hope is not synonymous with maybe. Biblical hope refers to sure and certain expectations, creating in us a sense of anticipation. The hope we mean here is based on the promises of God’s Word that can change our anticipation of the future. For Joseph, this hope was the promise that he would see the God-child given to save the world: Jesus, the greatest gift ever wrapped and presented to the world. The hope of the world was wrapped up in this doctrinal truth: Jesus Christ is not the son of any human father, He is the Son of God. 1. The Plan (Matthew 1:20). In our darkest experiences, we forget that God has a plan to bring good out of suffering. While Joseph was wrestling through undesirable options, God lifted the curtain and revealed a miraculous plan. God was working out His eternal purpose in the lives of Mary and Joseph. God was going to bring to pass all the prophecies concerning the Messiah and He was going to use Joseph to be a part of it! In all of this, Joseph is an example to other believers. When a crisis arose in his life, he sought the Lord's face. Instead of reacting harshly and abruptly, Joseph reacted in faith waiting on the Lord for guidance and direction, and he was helped by God! Joseph is an encouragement to us as well. When we consider that Joseph was a humble character and that he was basically a nobody, it gives hope to you and me! To be called to be part of God's plan is an honor beyond compare, and it is an honor shared by every child of God! Matthew 1:20, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” Think about that. Not only was Jesus to be “born of a woman,” but He was conceived of the Holy Ghost. 2. The Provision (Matthew 1:21). The miraculous birth was God’s plan to send His Son, and He sent Jesus for a specific purpose. Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” I Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” The purpose for Jesus’ birth is found in His name. Matthew 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” The Hebrew name Jesus literally means “Jehovah Saves,” and Saviour means “Deliverer.” Jesus came to earth and was born of a virgin for a single purpose, that our sins could be covered by His blood so that we could gain forgiveness and everlasting peace with God through faith. 3. The Promise (Matthew 1:22-23). Another name of Jesus that tells us of His purpose on earth is given in Matthew 1:23, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Jesus is Emmanuel, the Messiah, born of a virgin because Jesus was God united with man and His coming to earth showed that God was dwelling with man. He came to give us true hope through the gift of eternal life. The very message of Christmas is a message of hope. But it’s not the hope of trembling possibilities. It is the hope of trustworthy promises that God came to us, purchased our pardon, and offers us the gift of eternal life. Hope in God’s promises is not a wishful longing, but a faith filled confidence for the future. It is simply impossible to trust one of God’s promises and not anticipate its coming true. To know God is to trust Him. And to trust God is to trust His promises. And to trust God’s promises is to be sure of their fulfillment. This assurance concerning the future, anchored in God’s promises, is what the Bible calls hope. When we trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour, then we have real hope. No matter what else is uncertain around us, we have the hope of a home in heaven and of an eternal relationship with God. As Christians, our hope is represented in the very name Emmanuel, “God with us.” As we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate His presence in our lives, our eternal hope. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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