Reading: Matthew 1-3
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 (Matt. 1:20-21).
Christianity began with a miracle and a sacrifice. 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. The four Gospels were recorded so that we would understand the full magnitude of this miracle and the fundamental truth contained within. Over 700 years earlier, Isaiah had written: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Is. 7:14). The Jews had been waiting for centuries for the Messiah; the birth of Christ meant that the wait was over. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS. God’s plan for the salvation of His most prized creation, man, was coming to fruition, for He shall save His people from their sins.
The birth of Jesus was met with celebration and rejoicing. Everyone from the angels in heaven (Luke 2:13-14) to the shepherds in the fields (2:16-17) and the gentile wise men from the east (Matt. 2:1-12) marveled at the birth of the Savior. It is not hard for us to imagine the parental love and pride that must have flooded the hearts of Mary and Joseph (for God had placed Jesus in his care) as they looked down upon God’s tiny miracle. They knew their son was destined to save His people from their sins, but they did not as yet understand how that was destined to happen or what that would mean for their child. They did not know, but God did. The miracle that brought forth our Savior incarnate was preceded by a sacrifice that no human heart can ever wholly appreciate.
Jesus’ first sacrifice for man did not occur on Calvary's cross; instead, it happened at the moment of divine conception in the little village of Nazareth (Luke 1:26). At that instant, Jesus Christ, one-third of the eternal trinity of God, allowed himself to become a human being. He did not simply become "God among the humans"; He became human. He carried the genes of his biological mother, Mary, and all the human frailties and needs that those genes entailed. As a man, Jesus got hungry and thirsty; He got tired, discouraged, and scared. He felt physical pain and had the same emotional needs as every other person on the planet. In short, He was mortal. It is impossible for us to grasp what a sacrifice this was for our God—there is nothing we can compare it to. We are insignificant compared to our Creator, yet He willingly became one of us to save us from ourselves. As we continue to study the earthly ministry of Jesus, let us resolve to take nothing for granted. Every second of His life was lived so that we might find our way home.
He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities (Is. 53:11).
Thought for Today: Only by studying the time that Jesus lived as one of us can we even begin to emulate how He would have us live our lives.
Cross Reference: For Matt. 1:23: See Is. 7:14. Matt. 2:6: See Mic. 5:2. Matt. 2:15: See Hos. 11:1. Matt. 2:18: See Jer. 31:15. Matt. 3:3: See Is. 40:3.
Word Studies: 1:18 espoused = engaged; came together = had physical relations, she was a virgin; 2:16 mocked of = deceived by; coasts = surrounding regions; 3:8 fruits meet for repentance = a life that confirms your change of heart; 3:15 Suffer = Allow; fulfil all righteousness = do all that God requires.
Prayer for Staff:Jennifer Palafox, Bible Pathway Ministries President • Government Officials: Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA), Rep. Grace Meng (NY) • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the (77,433,744) in West-central Africa • Major Language: French, Lingala • Religious Freedom • 50% Roman Catholic; 20% Protestant; 10% Kimbanguist; 10% Muslim, 10% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Ask for courage to praise the Lord before unbelievers (Ps. 96:3-5).