The Son will Save

December 20, 2009

Lesson: Matthew 1:18–25

Key Verse: Matthew 1:21

Introduction

The betrothal of Mary to Joseph was more than an engagement. It was a commitment as strong as that of being married. The time of betrothal was about a year. It was during this time of betrothal that Mary was found with a child in her womb. Joseph was encouraged to take Mary as his wife by an angel of the Lord, who said, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” The narrative of the birth of Christ in Matthew and Luke is given to reveal both the supernatural birth of the Messiah, and the truth that he was born of a woman, taking upon himself the flesh of man.

The genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:1–17, Luke 3:23–38) is another truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God. He is the God-Man, the Messiah sent by our heavenly Father to be the Savior of his chosen people. He is called the son of David, Abraham, and Adam, who was the son of God by creation. From the Triune Godhead came the Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Adam was created. The Son of God, the second person in the Godhead was sent, taking upon himself our flesh. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Is. 9:6). Jesus the Christ was God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). He was also Man: “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” (1:14). So “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called the Christ” (Matt. 1:16).

By The Spirit—Matthew 1:18

Before the actual marriage of Joseph and Mary took place, Mary was found pregnant with a child. Mary had been visited by an angel, whose name was Gabriel. He was sent by God to let Mary know what God was about to do (Luke 1:26–35). Mary was greeted with this salutation: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee …fear not Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son.” Asking how this could be since she had not known a man, Mary received this answer, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.” The seed of him who would be born was placed by God in the womb of the virgin Mary. Matthew testifies, by the inspiration of the Spirit, that Mary “was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”

We believe “in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary” (Apostles’ Creed). What does this mean that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary? John Calvin, in his Catechism, answers: “He was formed in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her proper substance, to be the seed of David, as had been foretold (Ps. 132:11), and yet that his was wrought by the miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit, without the cooperation of a man.” We believe in the virgin birth because it is a revealed truth of Scripture. It is the covenant of grace at work in history. The virgin birth teaches us that the Messiah was both divine and human. The redemptive work of our Savior on Calvary’s cross, along with his resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God, attests to the truth of the narrative of his virgin birth. The Spirit attests to the truth of the virgin birth in the promise given through Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (7:14).

Discussion: What does the virgin birth teach us about Christ?

Jehovah is Salvation—Matthew 1:19–21

Joseph, “being a just man, and not willing to make (Mary) a public example, was minded to put her away privily.” Mary was given the Spirit of peace after hearing from the angel Gabriel about that seed in her womb, while wondering about such a miracle. The Lord of both Mary and Joseph would not leave it up to Mary to explain this supernatural activity of God to Joseph. He must also know the peace of God in his heart. It is not always a full understanding of what God is doing that is necessary, but the presence of God that brings peace to the soul.

As Joseph was thinking how he could be just and let Mary go, “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 Spirit.’ ” Peace enters the heart of the believer, whether it is in Joseph as the Lord speaks to him, or as the Lord is present as we meditate (clasp the Word close to us), on the written Word of God.

Who is this child in the womb of Mary? The angel declares that she would bring forth a son, and Joseph should call his “name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.” The Hebrew name which Joseph would give to this son is ‘Joshua.’ This is the name of salvation in God alone. Joshua means ‘Jehovah is salvation.’ The names of our Lord reveal his person, who he is, as well as his purpose for being sent to this earth to take on the flesh of those who he created, of those he would save. “Jehovah is Salvation” has come to his people to redeem them from the punishment they deserved. The ransom price is paid in full to the Father that he may embrace us as his adopted children. We have been redeemed by his precious blood, and he will never let us go; “For Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). He is also our Advocate, daily bringing us before the Father that we might continually die to sin and live to him: “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). By faith through grace we come unto our Father, knowing the efficacy of his words of Promise: “That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9; 1 John 1:9).

Discussion: What does it mean “to call His name Jesus?”

Christ is Immanuel—Matthew 1:22–25

The coming of the Son of God through the womb of Mary was accomplished by the Promise of God; thus God’s Scripture, the word of God, is fulfilled, “which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is God with us” (see Isaiah 7:14). Christ Jesus is Immanuel, God present with us. Christ is God’s covenant promise to his people: “I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart” (Jer. 24:7). Our Lord and Savior said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14). Our Savior, born of the virgin Mary, has given to us a blessed communion with our Father in heaven. A communion that we could not have unless the wall of separation was broken by his own body upon his Cross, called Calvary; thus, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

This communion, acknowledged by his name, Immanuel, is our understanding of that beloved verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Our Father in heaven reveals his unconditional love toward us in Christ Jesus. It is that Covenant love which sent his Son that we might have life in and with him, now and forever. Augustine wrote, “God’s love is incomprehensible and unchangeable. For it was not after we were reconciled to him through the blood of his Son that he began to love us. Rather, he has loved us before the world was created, that we also might be his sons along with his only-begotten Son—before we became anything at all.” For it is God who commends his “love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us … For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled we shall be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:8—10).

Joseph, “being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son”; and Joseph called his name Joshua. Not only is Christ the divine Son of God, but the Messiah who took upon our flesh, born in our history, for the salvation of his chosen people.

Discussion: How is Christ’s love revealed in the name “Immanuel”?