GOD’S PROMISES AND THE BIRTH OF JESUS PART 5

TEXT- MATTHEW 1:18-25; NUMBERS 24:17

INTRODUCTION


THIS  MORNING  I  AM GOING TO CONTINUE MY SERIES  OF MESSAGES  ON  THE  SUBJECT,  "STANDING ON THE PROMISES."

TODAY  THE  TITLE  OF MY SERMON IS, "GOD’S PROMISES AND THE BIRTH OF JESUS"  AND  OUR  TEXT  IS  FOUND IN MATTHEW 1:18-25.

A BALTIMORE CONGREGATION FOUND THE ANSWER TO ITS FINANCIAL TROUBLES ON A CHURCH WALL. AND IT HAD BEEN "HIDING" THERE FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS! SOMEONE FINALLY RECOGNIZED A PIECE OF ART HANGING IN THE CHAPEL AS A VALUABLE WOODBLOCK PRINT BY ALBRECHT DURER, DATED 1493. THE WORK SHOWS THE ANGEL TELLING MARY SHE WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO GOD'S SON.

SOME MEMBERS JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE THEY HAD UNDERESTIMATED THE VALUE OF THE OLD MASTERPIECE, SAYING IN EFFECT, "IF IT WERE REAL, WHY WOULD IT BE HERE?"

WHAT ABOUT US? ARE WE UNDERESTIMATING THE VALUE OF THE EVENT DEPICTED ON THAT WOODBLOCK PRINT?

JESUS ISN'T HIDING. THE TRUTH THAT GOD CAME TO EARTH IN HUMAN FORM IS PLAINLY ANNOUNCED IN HIS WORD. IT IS REFLECTED IN OUR ART AND IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS. BUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST'S BIRTH IS STILL NEGLECTED.

TRULY,  ONE  OF THE MOST PRECIOUS PROMISES FOUND WITHIN  THE  BIBLE  IS  THE  PROMISE  CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST.

THE  REASON  WHY  I  SAY  THIS IS BECAUSE WITHIN JESUS  WE  FIND  THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL OF GOD'S PROMISES.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:20  CERTAINLY, CHRIST MADE GOD'S MANY PROMISES COME TRUE. FOR THAT REASON, BECAUSE OF OUR MESSAGE, PEOPLE ALSO HONOR GOD BY SAYING, "AMEN!"  (GW)

HERE  IN  OUR  TEXT  ME  FIND  A  VERY  FAMILIAR PASSAGE THAT DEALS WITH THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

USUALLY  THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE IS TAUGHT AND PREACHED  DURING  THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, WHICH IS ALL  RIGHT,  EXCEPT  WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS  ALSO  GOOD  FOR ALL SEASONS, AND NOT JUST AT CHRISTMAS TIME.

IN THIS PASSAGE WE FIND IN JESUS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE TO SEND THE A SAVIOR.

AS WE CONSIDER THE BIRTH OF JESUS I WOULD LIKE US TO FOCUS ON FOUR PROMISES.