Jeremiah 31:15-17
Weeping at the Exile, but Rescue Would One Day Come
Matthew 2:13-18
Weeping at the Slaughter of the Innocents, but Rescue would come because the Savior was born.
If You Have Tears This Christmas Season, remember the Savior will one day wipe away every tear.
Read More8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 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. 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.”
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.”
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.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 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. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 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.
Read More1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Read MoreSeries: 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:
Flee the wrath of Herod (13-14): Joseph warned in a dream that Herod will try to kill Jesus.
Fulfill words of Hosea (15): Hosea foretold trip to Egypt. cf. Hosea 11:1
“Jesus inaugurates the New exodus” -Platt
II. Hard News: Retaliation (Herod retaliates) during the trip:
Purge of Herod (16): He kills all the male babies in Bethlehem in an attempt to eliminate Jesus.
Prophecy of Jeremiah (17-18): The OT prophet predicted the Bethlehem massacre (Jeremiah 31:15)
“Jesus ends the mournful exile” -Platt
III. Mixed News: Return (Refugees return) from the trip:
First dream (19-21): Joseph is told that Herod is now dead and that he should depart from Egypt with his family.
Second dream (22-23): Joseph is told that he should dwell in Nazareth.
IV. Good News: Revelation (God delivers) trip (Rev 12:1-5):
Jesus was delivered (by Mary and the Father)
We were delivered (by the Lord)
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:
Invited them to accept Christ.
Invited them to join a group.
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
Luke 2: What are we so excited about? Who are We Waiting for?
Bottom Line: God Became a Man
So, what we’re NOT trying to do on Christmas Eve is try to make the birth of Christ more exciting. 1. If we don’t think “God became a man” is exciting enough, we should get our pulse checked.
God Became a Man, and He shouldn’t have to compete for our affection with a new phone, nunchucks, a new car or a big guy in a red suit. We don’t have to hang lights on the Light of the World.
God Became a Man – the greatest event to occur in the history of the universe
Read MoreBottom line: whether you believe God’s word or not, Jesus is coming...again.
Whether you believe God’s word or not, it will come to pass. Even when you fail to believe, God’s mercy is there for you. He disciplines his children when they fail to trust him. But he brings them back into fellowship as well. Just ask Zechariah. You can please God when you take him at his word. Just ask Mary. (Cf. Heb 11:3). Make sure you don’t miss the point for the pointer. The point is that God wants to walk in fellowship with you. He sent Jesus to restore our fellowship with him. That’s why he came the first time. The second time he’s coming to finish what he started. A re you ready?
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