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Matthew Chapters 1 and 2 - A Look Into The Nature of God and Sin

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I say this because what we see today is an explosion of self-centered, narcissistic, eisegesis in the preaching across the purpose driven landscape. Every sermon is about us and how great we are. How much God loves us and how we can get a bigger slice of the blessing pie. Only in the seeker friendly purpose driven mind can the story of the birth of our Savior be about how to deal with the curve balls life throws at you. That is not a spiritual principle beloved. It is pure carnality. When I read this passage the verse that jumps out at me is verse 21 - you will call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their life of purposelessness? Is that what it says? Is He come into this world to save us from mediocrity? Boredom? Insignificance? No beloved. Instead we see once again the word not one wants to deal with anymore - sin. The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is not about how to deal with curve balls. It is about the reconciliation of God and His people. It is about repentance. It is about sin and the need for a Savior. If you want to sing every week about God being your friend you go right ahead but if He is not your Lord and Savior first then He is not your friend at all:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4: 4 (ESV)

Not only is it sin beloved but it is essentially adultery! Today you cannot tell the difference between the church and the world. There is a mega church pastor who is going to have a tailgate party in the parking lot of his church tomorrow followed by a sermon where he will not preach from the Bible. No; he will instead review some of our favorite commercials and glean spiritual applications from them. Are you serious? You adulterous people! Be not Rahab the prostitute but Rahab the redeemed!

Chapter Two - The Struggle Between a Holy God and Sinful Man

There are four separate parts of the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. There is the story of the wise men followed by the flight to Egypt. Next is the killing rampage of Herod finished by Jesus' family returning to settle in Nazareth. Many of these events fulfilled prophecies and because Matthew is writing to his fellow Jews, he is quick to point them out. What is interesting here for me is the thread running through these four stories in this chapter. That thread is as old as time itself when it comes to man. It is the same thread from the Garden of Eden. It is the same thread from David and the wife of Uriah. It is the same thread we saw birthed in Chapter one. That is the constant struggle between a holy God and the sinful state of man. Let us walk through these stories.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. - Matthew 2: 3-4 (ESV)

Herod is the chief bad guy here but notice that all of Jerusalem was also troubled. Not joyful at the potential birth of the Savior they all proclaimed to be waiting for. Herod had power. The Pharisees and religious leaders in Jerusalem had power. They enjoyed their position in life. Herod was not about to give up power to another and neither were the Pharisees. Likewise it is so difficult for us to accept the new born King as well. To give up the power sin has over our lives.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." - Matthew 2: 13 (ESV)

This side trip fulfills another prophecy but again we see the struggle for power and sin intensify. Herod has diabolic plans but ultimately it is always God's plans that prevail. Remember the wisdom in Proverbs:

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. - Proverbs 19: 21 (ESV)

I do not mean purpose as man uses that term today. The Lord has a plan and a purpose and we can rest in knowing that. It does not however mean that everything is going to always go our way. Or that we will be rich and prosperous materially. Or even that we will be comfortable. Here Mary and Joseph must flee for their very lives and the life of their newborn Son. In Genesis, Joseph spent over 10 years in prison for taking a righteous stand for the Lord. Paul led the life of suffering God said he would. This life is a glimmer beloved. The struggle deepens:

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. - Mathew 2: 16 (ESV)

Now we see the levels of depravity man is capable of descending to in rejecting God and protecting sin. The wise men are told to not return to Herod and now he is furious. If he cannot get the one child, he now plans to wipe them all out to get the one he is after. No conscience. No fear of God. Unbelievable wickedness yet this is still a picture of us before we come to accept Christ. Just look at the world today beloved. Look at the animus and hatred being shown now towards people of faith. We have to realize that not only is the message of the cross foolishness to those who are perishing but it is a death sentence to them!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14: 6 (ESV)

In the recent heretical miniseries on the Bible we saw Jesus say the first half of this verse but not the second half. Why? Because people in the world do not like the exclusivity of Christ. They want to go to heaven but they want to decide how to get there themselves. Because this verse is an eternal death sentence for those who do not wish to relinquish power to God. Because that is the struggle beloved. We do not want to relinquish power to Christ just like Herod did not want to and the Pharisees did not want to. This is the constant struggle. Jesus Christ is born to save us but we have to recognize the need to be saved. Just look at the "work around" the modern heretical churches have accomplished. They have created a Christ that does not have to be our Lord. He is just our buddy. Our co-pilot. Easy on the eyes and easier still on our sin. We come to the close of Chapter Two:

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. - Matthew 2: 22-23 (ESV)

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Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to (more...)
 
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