THE SON (Isa 9:6)
“For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
This is the time of year the stores are
packed, cash registers jingling and crowds are everywhere. The world is
focused on commercialism. Everyone is looking for that perfect gift. As we
approach another Christmas season where is your focus? Hopefully it is
directed toward the greatest gift ever given to mankind. The Bible reveals
the person of that gift by the title “Son”. I would like to look at
some of the ways He is described. As we open our Bible to Matthew, the
first book of the New Testament we see Him as
SON OF DAVID (Mt 1:1)
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David,”
This is a title that would immediately
direct Jewish readers to the promised Covenant of Royalty. The Messiah,
who would rule over all the earth would be born of the tribe of Judah as
the Son of David. It is through the Messiah Jesus that God will establish
His kingdom on earth. Following the prophecy of Isa 9:6 the very next
verse says, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be
no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and
to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for
ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Jesus Christ
will reign over all the earth, He will direct all it’s affairs and He
will establish righteousness. Christians will reign together with Him.
What a promise, what a hope. How we look forward to it’s coming. Also,
in the same verse Jesus is called
SON OF ABRAHAM (Mt 1:1)
“Son of Abraham”
In the very next phrase another covenant is
mentioned in connection with Jesus, the Covenant of Redemption. (Gen 12:3)
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Not only are
the Jews promised blessing through Abraham, but all the nations of the
earth. That blessing will take place through Abraham’s seed. (Gal 3:8)
says, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee
shall all nations be blessed.” It goes on in (vs 16) to say, “Now to
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds,
as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Christ
came that we might enjoy the blessings of God. This promise could only
come through the sacrifice of the Son. The barrier of sin had to be
removed before the blessings of God could be realized. Typified by Issac
in (Gen 22), it was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ. The sacrifice had to be sinless which brings us to this next
truth
SON OF MARY (Mt 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.”
The birth of Jesus was miraculous in
that He had no earthly father. He was born of the Holy Ghost, or of God
Himself. This speaks of the virgin birth (Isa 7:14) “Therefore the Lord
himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Mary gave birth to Jesus even
while still a virgin. Jesus was untainted by the sin nature of man, passed
down through the generations from Adam. To be an acceptable sacrifice for
man’s sin, it was essential for Jesus to be without sin. Paul said, (2
Cor 5:21), “He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus’ virgin birth was God’s way
of providing us with a sinless sacrifice. Matthew goes on to identify
Jesus as
SON OF GOD (Mt 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.”
It is in this quote from Isaiah 7:14,
Matthew reveals another awe-inspiring truth that Jesus was actually God
Himself manifest in the flesh. It is amazing to think that God would
humble Himself to become a man. Yet that it was we see in Jesus. (John
1:1, 14) says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth.” The word, Jesus, brought grace and
truth from God the Father to a lost world. He revealed God’s love and
compassion. He gave His all that we might have all things in Him.
Speaking of the Christmas season Chuck
Swindoll said, “Emmanuel. God with us. He who resided in Heaven,
co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, willingly
descended into our world. He breathed our air, felt our pain, knew our
sorrows, and died for our sins. He didn't come to frighten us, but to show
us the way to warmth and safety.” Christmas is the celebration of a
divine birth. In the midst of all the celebration, gifts, parties,
decorations and family get-togethers, don’t forget the greatest reason
for the holiday, Jesus. The world is trying to take our minds off
Him. Let us show the world, He is the only One really worth all the
celebrating. God bless.