This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "The Coming Of Jesus Christ", 3/9/2014

THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

 

Psalm 89:35-37, Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 1:18-22

 

A COVENANT WITH DAVID  1000 BC

Psalms 89:35-37

 

V:35  "Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David."

 A. God can not lie.

     1. God has no need to lie.

     2. God keeps His Word.

     3. God made an oath to David by his holy essence.

 B. God swore by himself.

    1. This is an unconditional covenant.

    2. This covenant did not depend on David or any of his descendants.

    3. This covenant did not depend on what David did or did not do.

    4. David was the agent God used to make His covenant.

        a. David was the first in a line of kings through which Jesus made His

            entry into the world as a man.

        b. The Word became flesh.

 C. God is truth.

     1. God swore by His truth.

     2. The truth is a standard that cannot be measured.

     3. The truth is a standard that can not be fully understood.

     4. When we try to understand God's truth, we are limited by our finite minds.

 D. God swore by his holiness.

    1. God's standard of righteousness is well beyond our human comprehension.

    2. When we try to approach the holiness of God, we are limited by our fleshly

         surroundings.

    3. Because our minds are corrupt, understanding God's holiness is beyond us.

       a. The Lord said there is none righteous, no not one.

   4. God swore by a standard that we cannot approach or fully understand.

 E. God swore by His unchangeableness.

    1. If God does not uphold His covenants, He would dishonor Himself.

    2. If God does not uphold His covenants, He would make Himself a liar.  

  

V:36 "His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. "

  A. God's covenant with David

      1. In this covenant, God is dealing with the physical and the spiritual.

          a. There was the physical throne of David.

          b. There is the spiritual throne of David fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

      2. In this covenant, God is dealing with the temporal and the eternal.

          a. The last physical king over Israel in the line of David was Jehoiahim.           
              Jer 32:4-5     Jer 36:30

          b. Israel, including Jerusalem were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, King of

              Babylon.  (605-586 BC approximates dates)

      3. The forever spiritual King in the line of David is Jesus Christ

 B. The throne of David is forever in the presence of God.

      1. The throne of David is protected by God.

      2. The throne of David was ordained by God.

      2. The spiritual throne of David is God.

 

V:37.  "It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful."

 A. The moon is forever present.

      1. The moon shines brightly in the sky at night.

      2. The moon is a witness to the Glory of God.

      3. God, the Father is glorified in His Son.

 B. Jesus the eternal King reigns forever.

     1. His kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36

     2. Jesus is the Bright and Shining Star that lights up the hearts of every believer.

     3. Jesus is faithful to His purpose, His promises and His mission.

 C. Jesus is the eternal throne from the line of David.

 

THE PROPHECY OF CHRIST    740 BC

Isaiah 9:6-8

V:6. " For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

 A. During the time of the writing of Isaiah¸ Israel was living in a time of conflict

      between themselves and God the Father.

     1. They built altars to idol gods and worshipped them.

     2. The called on their idol gods for protection and provisions.

     3. They repeatedly committed spiritual adultery.

 B. God was angry with them.

    1. They were under the judgment of God which would be fulfilled 160 years later

        with the Babylonian exile.

    2. Jerusalem would be destroyed, the temple destroyed and the people taken

        captive for 70 years.  ( 609-539 BC approximate dates)

 C. In the mist of their terrible sin, God gave them the prophecy of the coming

     Messiah.

    1. In the mist of the announcement of the coming judgment, God reminded them that

        He would keep His covenants with Abraham and David.

    2. In the mist of Israel's corruption, God promised redemption through Jesus Christ.

 D. By the time Jesus was born in the flesh, Israel was under Roman occupation. 

      1. Jerusalem was rebuilt, the temple was built and the worship of God restored.

 E. God gave Israel the characteristics of the coming Messiah.

      1. He would be born in the flesh.

          a. He would be born to a family in Israel.

          b. The messiah would be a male.

      2. He would be the eternal ruler of Israel.

          a. Jesus is the ruler of the hearts of all believers.

          b. Jesus is the standard by which we should live.

          c. Jesus is the standard by which we should treat one another.

    3. Jesus is the Wonderful Councilor.

       a. Jesus does wonderful things well beyond our imagination.

       b. Jesus, the Son of God, fulfilled His promise by giving His life for our sins.

       c. Jesus is the mediator between us and God, the Father.

       d. Jesus made it possible for us to be in the presence of God with His shed blood

           on the cross.

       e. Our prayers to the Father in the name of Jesus are answered according to His

           will.

       f. He makes all things possible for us.

  4. Jesus is our Councilor.

      a. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

      b. Jesus knows the end from the beginning.

      c. He orders our steps.

      d. He guides us to an understanding of all truths.

  5. Jesus is a Mighty God.

      a. All power over heaven and earth has been given to Him.

      b. Jesus is our strength and our salvation.

      c. When we are weak, He is strong.

      d. His strength is perfected in our weakness.

      e. He is omnipotent.

      f. There is nothing to hard for Jesus.

      g. Jesus makes it possible for believers to move mountains.

 6.  Jesus is the Eternal Father.

     a. Jesus is the father of eternity.

     b. Abraham is the father of faith because he believed God.

     c. Jesus is the father of eternity because through His death, He made eternal life

         possible for all believers.

 7.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

     a. Jesus death on the cross reconciled the world to the Father. Rom 5:10. 2 Cor 5:19

     b. We were once enemies of the cross. Believers are at peace with the Father. Php
          3:18  

     c. Belief in Jesus brings peace and Joy to our lives.

 

V:7. " There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this."

 A. Those who have been predestine to be call out of the world will continue to come

      to  a belief in Christ until the end of this age.   Eph chapter 1

     1. We are in the Church Age, which will end with the second coming of Christ.

     2. The number of believers in Christ will continue to increase through out the

         Church age.

     3. At the end of the Church Age, the Church will be taken to heaven and reign with

         Christ for a 1000 years.     1 Th 4:16-17, Rev 20:4 

 B. The throne of David will exist forever through Christ Jesus, our king.

    1. The Lord, Himself will see that His plan of redemption is completed.

    2. The promised redemption of man was made first in the Garden of Eden.  Gen 3:15

    3. Through out the Bible, God repeatedly confirms His promise of a redeemer

        for man.

    4. Jesus is that promised redeemer.

 

THE PROPHECY FULFILLED  

Matthew 1:18-22

 V:18. " Now the birth of Jesus Christ 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. The Lord planned out all events concerning the birth of Jesus Christ.

      1. The time of His birth.  Daniel 9:25

      2. The place of His birth. (Bethlehem Mic 5:2)

      c. The family line of His birth.  Isa 9:6-7

      d. The mother who would birth him.

      e. The condition of His birth.

 B. God chose a virtuous woman to be the mother of Jesus.

      1. She was a virgin.

      2. She was courageous.

          a. She was engaged to Joseph, yet she accepted the assignment of becoming

              pregnant with Jesus by the Holy Spirit before her wedding ceremony.

          b. She did not concern herself with public opinion.

          c. She trusted God with her life.

              i. She risked being stoned to death.

              ii. She allowed God to handle the consequences of her pregnancy before

                  marriage.

      3. She was a grateful woman. She sung praises to God for her selection.

      4. She was a thoughtful woman.

           a. Spent the first three months of her pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth who

              was in the 6th month of a miracle pregnancy.

 

V:19. " And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. "

A. What God proposes, man opposes.

    1. The Father said that there is none righteous, no not one.    Rom 3:10

    2. The Bible does not give us the conversation that David had with Mary when she

         told him about her pregnancy.

    3. It did not make any difference what Mary said, Joseph did not believe her.

 B. Joseph was not acting out of compassion or love.

    1. Joseph followed the law to come to his decision.

    2. The law said stone her, but Joseph thought to send her away and let someone

        else stone her.

    3. There was no way Mary would have been able to escape the judgment of the

        community.

 C. Joseph would not disgrace her, but the community would.

     1. Joseph was considered righteous, but his action would not save Mary from

        disgrace.

 

 

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 the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."

 A. The Lord always comes to the rescue of the righteous.

     1. When others have written you off, God has your back.

     2. Joseph was ready to put an end to his relationship with Mary, but God was Her

         protector and provider.

 B. When no one will talk up for you, God will.

     1. God had to straighten out Joseph's mind.

     2. Joseph was afraid to do what God planned for him to do.

     3. Joseph was concerned about his reputation.

 C. Joseph would not listen to Mary, but he listened to the angel of the Lord.

     1. The angel was a stranger to Joseph, but Mary was his friend.

     2. The angel appeared in a dream, but Mary appeared in person.

     3. We have to be careful that we do not take our spouses for granted.

 D. When the Lord speaks, we should listen and act.

      1. Some things in God's plan for us, may not make human sense.

      2. The Word of God is the truth whether we can understand it or not.

      3. What God directs us to do will be confirmed in His Word. 

 E. Mary's pregnancy was a miracle by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     1. God performs miracles in our lives daily.

     2. Sometimes we miss the miracles that are in front of us because we are looking

         for the ordinary.

     3. Joseph would have missed the best thing that ever happen to him if he had

         not listen to the Holy Spirit.

        a. Before we make any decisions, we should go to God in prayer.

        b. We have the Word which will confirm our mission from God.

 

V:21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

 A. God reminded Joseph of His purpose, His Mission and His will.

     1. God reminded Joseph that He was the son of David.

     2. God reminded Joseph that Mary was to be his wife.

     3. God reminded Joseph that he would be the earthly father of Jesus.

 B. God reminded Joseph of His Mission.

     1. Jesus would be born in the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     2. Mary would be the vessel that God used to house the Spirit of Jesus in the flesh.

     3. Joseph and Mary would be the earthly parents of Jesus.

 C. God reminded Joseph of His will.

     1. Jesus would be born to save His people from their sins.

     2. The people of Jesus are all who accept Him as their personal Savior.

 

V:22. " Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet."

A. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God's promise for a redeemer.

    1. The God we serve is a God of love.

    2. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for the sins of all

        mankind.

 B. In the Garden of Eden, God promised a redeemer who is Jesus Christ.