Christmas at Matthew's House

Scripture: Matthew 10:34-39

C.I.: “Jesus Coming Causes Problems!”

Last week… Today we will continue to see what Matthew tells us about the coming of our Lord.
What we may discover is that “Christmas” is not always about receiving, “Peace on earth and good will towards men!”

•  Jesus Coming Causes Problems, (Matthew 1:18-25)

A. Joseph's Distress, ( v. 18 )

1. ( v. 18 ), “Now the birth of Jesus was as follows. – When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came
together – she was found to be with Child by the Holy Spirit.”
a. Jewish Marriage: Arrangement (by parents), – Engagement = 1 year, - Consummation (wedding).
1) The betrothal period was just as binding as our marriage (i.e., required a divorce to break).
2) Joseph and Mary were in this “second stage” of the marriage custom.

b. Joseph's world is turned upside down – when Mary tells him, ( Lk. 1:35 ), “The H.S….”
1) The same is true today – when Jesus comes into an individual's life – Transformation !!
2) The conversion process is like a pregnancy – transformation takes place internally (NOW –
Eph. 2:8; Acts 2:47; Eph. 1:3 ) & externally (TAKES TIME – Eph. 4:15; Gal. 2:20 )
3) Not only will we experience changes – but there will be changes to those around us…
4) Scripture Reading! – People's situations are changed - because Jesus has come to them!
5) After His birth, Simeon said, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the rise and fall of many in Israel,
and for a sign to be opposed ,” ( Lk. 2:34 ).

c. With a show of hands – how many have suffered distress – because Jesus has come into your life?
1) Thus, the coming of Jesus into His world is not about; “Silver Bells,” or “Deck the Halls.”
2) ( Matt. 10:22 ), “You will be hated by all on account of Me, but the one who endures to the end….”
3) The transformation caused by Jesus in our lives - will not occur without its share of pain!!!

B. Joseph's Dilemma, ( v. 19 )

1. Joseph's dilemma was caused, not only because who what “Mary's situation” did to her – but also because of
what her situation now forced upon him!
a. ( v. 19 ), “And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her
away (i.e., divorce her) secretly.” – Joseph believed had only two choices:
1) ( Deut. 22:23-24 ), “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to man, and another man finds her in the city
and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of the city and you shall stone them to
death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his
neighbor's wife.”
2) As a “righteous man” Joseph would have to follow God's law. – Yet there was another law…
3) ( Deut. 24:1 ), “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his
eyes because he has found some indecency in her , - and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it
in her hand and sends her out of the house.”

b. Joseph must have had dreams of a future and a family! – But now all he has is a great dilemma!!!
1) “Mary's sin was great; violated law, she had sinned against him with some other man...!”
2) In the same way, when Jesus comes into our lives – we also face a dilemma…
3) Do we daily choose to live lives that are being transformed by the power of God?
4) Or do we treat Jesus as some religious icon that we come weekly to worship – then forget?!

C. Joseph's Divine Revelation, ( vs. 20-23 ) – (Three things Joseph learned from his dream…)

1. God's Purpose, ( v. 20 ), “But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her ….'”
a. Notice that Joseph didn't just make a “snap decision.” – He thought about it for a while.
1) How many mistakes & heartaches have you ever had – because you “went off half-cocked”?!
2) His decision involves divorce!! – We need to do all we can before we do this, ( Mal. 2:16 ).

b. God provides Joseph with the answer to his dilemma through divine revelation.
1) I've heard people often say, “Well, I sure would love it if God told me what to do!!!”
2) HE HAS!!! – ( II Pt. 1:3-4; II Tim. 3:16-17 )!!!
3) Far too often people do what THEY want – and then hope God rubber stamps their choices!
4) If we are to be a “righteous person [man] ” – then we need to be sure we/God on same page!

2. God's Plan, ( v. 21 ), “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save the people....”
a. Obviously this Child would be special (birth!) – but His purpose was an even greater matter!
1) The name “Jesus” (Yeshua in Hebrew) = the name Joshua, which means “Salvation/Savior . ”
2) Indeed, all the names given here – are to be seen more as descriptive titles rather than names.

3. God's Promise, ( vs. 22-23 ), “Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be
fulfilled, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with Child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which
translated means, ‘God with us.'”
a. Joseph, “a righteous man,” knew the prophecies regarding the family of David. – But God using him?
1) But now he has to accept – God is going to use him – in the fulfillment of these promises...
a) He had to accept that God could do something never done before (the impossible).
b) He would have to accept the ridicule of himself & Mary from others.
c) He would have to take care of the greatest responsibility ever given to man – bringing
the Savior to the world!!!

b. Yet are not all of God's promises also given to us?? – DO we not also need to accept certain things?!
1) Accept that God wants us to do things we may believe to be impossible, (i.e., use us to
accomplish His will, ( Mk. 10:26-27 ), “'Who can be saved?' Jesus said, ‘With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for all things are possible with God.'”
2) Accept the ridicule of others, ( Matt. 5:11-12 ), “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and
persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely on account of Me. – Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward in heaven is great. – For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
3) Accept that God wants us to bring His Son to the world (beginning with our neighbors next
door), Mk. 16:15 , “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to all creation!”

D. Joseph's Decision, ( vs. 24-25 )

1. ( vs. 24-25 ), “And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, -
and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.”
a. Joseph leaves his fear and accepts the challenge of obedience to God!
1) Joseph marries Mary and keeps her a virgin until after Jesus is born.
2) Contrary to the teaching of some, they later had children of their own, ( Mk. 6:3 ), “Is not this
the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simeon? – And are
not His sisters here with us?”

b. While the birth of Jesus brings problems, the solutions He offers far out-weighs any of them!
1) To the Family here = Accept “Responsibility,” ( Mark 16:15 ).
2) To our Guests here = Accept “God's Offer,” ( Mark 16:16 )!