A Christmas Message

 

Merry Christmas everybody!!

For those who do not know, Christmas day is a day the church of Christ has chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The birth of Jesus is a strange story. He was born in a manger in Bethlehem. But it was a fulfilment of a Prophecy made long ago by the Prophet Micah!

Micah 5:2 states, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

This prophecy describes a person who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Based on this, the Israelites were expectant of a King. So why do we say Jesus is the one who was prophesied off by Micah, if he wasn’t a King? Two reasons: 1) the fact that He could have been an earthly King based on a) His lineage and b) His works

1a) Based on his legal lineage, Jesus is a descendant of David, the son of Jesse, through his Legal Father Joseph. Joseph was a descendant of David as stated in the genealogy in Matthew 1. Also, However, many scholars believe that the genealogy in Luke 3 traces Jesus' lineage through Mary, even though it mentions Joseph. This is because Luke's genealogy differs from Matthew's and includes different ancestors, suggesting it represents Mary's lineage.

This interpretation aligns with the prophecy that the Messiah would come from the house of David, as Mary would provide the biological connection to David, while Joseph would provide the legal connection.

In Isaiah 11:1, it is written, "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." Jesse was the father of King David, indicating that the Messiah would come from David's lineage.

Another significant prophecy is found in Jeremiah 23:5-6, where it says, "The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land."

Lets discuss a tangent of this a little:

Mat 1:18  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. 

Mat 1:19  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 

Mat 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. 

Mat 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. 

Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 

Mat 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. 

Mat 1:24  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 

Mat 1:25  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. 

Joseph was set to marry Mary, He had never had relations with her, even though he was just as well Her husband. And then all of a sudden, Mary gets pregnant, and she says it is the child of the Holy Spirit (God). Joseph does not believe, even though he is a man of faith, and he gets ready to put Mary away quietly, he like any other sane man, believes that Mary had cheated on him (my take). And then God sends an angel to visit him and confirm Mary’s story. He believes the angel, and they lived happily ever after.

The message here is that;

     1)  God saw Joseph as a man that was responsible enough to raise His Son Jesus that He took the time to convince Joseph to stay and accept Mary’s conception circumstance.

    2) Also, God sees the importance of the complete family unit with both a Father and a Mother present to help train the child, thus He convinced Joseph to stay as a Father.

We must continually pray for the Family units, that God will keep the unit undivided against the enemy’s desire to destroy the Christian home. If we read further, we will see how God used Joseph to save Jesus from the wrath of King Herod.

To all males, I pray God makes us responsible like Joseph, the legal father of Jesus, and He uses us as well to the glory of His name.

1b) Jesus could have been a King by his legal lineage, and even at some point, He was the people’s choice. Let’s hear from our favourite Apostle about Jesus' Kingly right.

Joh 6:1  After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 

Joh 6:2  And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 

Joh 6:3  And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 

Joh 6:4  And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 

Joh 6:5  When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 

Joh 6:6  And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 

Joh 6:7  Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 

Joh 6:8  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 

Joh 6:9  There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 

Joh 6:10  And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 

Joh 6:11  And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 

Joh 6:12  When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 

Joh 6:13  Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

Joh 6:14  Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 

Joh 6:15  When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 

Sidebar: He fed five thousand men and there was no stampede.

Jesus indeed when he walked the earth was a King of Israel, but not the typical kind of King that sat on a throne made my men, He was a King whose primary purpose was to deliver his people, not from tyranny of the Romans, but from the tyranny of Sin and Satan – a much more formidable enemy of mankind. The Roman empire is no more, but Satan is still here and so we run always, no matter what, to Jesus our Saviour.

He could have been a King that lived in a palace surrounded by serfs, loved by the people. But He instead chose to go into a mountain himself, alone. The Apostle Paul said it this way:

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

It all worked out for Him as He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He moved from 'Manger Born' to now 'The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords'

1Ti_6:15  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Rev_17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Rev_19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

There is also now perhaps a handful of people all over the world that has not heard of His name. And many more will believe by the signs and wonders performed by the Holy Spirit in and through us to the glory of His name. Amen.

Merry Christmas y’all.