Bad News, Hard News, Mixed News, and Good News | Matthew 1:20-22

Series: The Sovereign King Arrives

Title: “Bad news, Hard news, Mixed news, and Good news”

Scripture: Matthew 1:20-22; 2:13-23; Rev 11:15-12:5

(Commentary helps listed at the end)

Bottom line: We maintain hope through bad news by keeping our eyes on the prize

INTRODUCTION

News. We all read it, watch it, and groan about it. Because most of it is bad. How do we not just lose hope in a sea of bad news? We keep our eyes on the prize and press on until we find and rest in the good news.

OUTLINE

On Christmas Eve we saw that Joseph’s perspective on the news that Mary is pregnant and this changes everything including that Joseph obediently leads Mary and Jesus as God leads. (1:18-23) Today we continue through Matthew and learn more about how Joseph led his family well to keep their eyes on the prize and press on.

The prize: Your son Jesus will save his people from their sin. (Matt 1:21)

I. Bad News: Reasons (Refugees flee) for the trip:

1. Flee the wrath of Herod (13-14): Joseph warned in a dream that Herod will try to kill Jesus.

2. Fulfill words of Hosea (15): Hosea foretold trip to Egypt. cf. Hosea 11:1

   1. “Jesus inaugurates the New exodus” -Platt

II. Hard News: Retaliation (Herod retaliates) during the trip:

1. Purge of Herod (16): He kills all the male babies in Bethlehem in an attempt to eliminate Jesus.

2. Prophecy of Jeremiah (17-18): The OT prophet predicted the Bethlehem massacre (Jeremiah 31:15)

   1. “Jesus ends the mournful exile” -Platt

III. Mixed News: Return (Refugees return) from the trip:

1. First dream (19-21): Joseph is told that Herod is now dead and that he should depart from Egypt with his family.

2. Second dream (22-23): Joseph is told that he should dwell in Nazareth.

IV. Good News: Revelation (God delivers) trip (Rev 12:1-5):

1. Jesus was delivered (by Mary and the Father)

2. We were delivered (by the Lord)

3. We join the Lord in delivering others (by the Lord)

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: We maintain hope through bad news by keeping our eyes on the prize

Transition:

One of the things Jesus commanded us to do was to remember the cross through the Lord’s supper.

Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIV

Let me invite you to do 3 things:

1. Invited them to accept Christ.

2. Invited them to join a group.

3. Invited them to give.

Text me at 843-830-2464 as needed.

-Pastor Darien

Lord’s Supper

Explain

Read

Confess

Go out into the mission field

Pray.

Other notes

Platt:

I. Jesus inaugurates the new exodus.

II. Jesus ends the mournful exile.

III. Jesus loves his fiercest enemies.

Osbourne:

I. Out of Egypt 2:13-15; Hosea 11:1; Matt 3:17

II. Return from Exile 2:16-18; Jeremiah 31:15-16; 33-34

III. The Branch for the Nations 2:19-23; Isaiah 11:1, 10

MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:

• Exalting Jesus in Matthew by David Platt

• Preaching the Word: Matthew commentary by Douglas Sean Osbourne

• ESV Global Study Bible

• Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel

• Bible Knowledge Commentary

• The Outline Bible, Wilmington

• Gospel Transformation Bible

• NIV Study Bible

• Jesus Through Middle-eastern Eyes, Kenneth Bailey