TEACHING NOTES ‌ Introduction Today we begin a 3-week series on the Christmas story. While most people know the basic details about this story, many do not know the history and context that makes this story so important. So, the purpose of this series is not to bring something new out of the Christmas story, but to rediscover the old. If we misunderstand the purpose of Christmas, we will misunderstand the Gospel and the purpose of following Jesus in everyday life. ‌ Modern View: The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to die so God could forgive us and allow us to be with God in heaven someday. ‌ Biblical View: The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to defeat sin, satan, and death so we can with be with God now and forevermore. ‌ Isaiah 7:14 ESV 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ‌ A sign = In the Bible, a sign functions much like a modern road sign. A road sign is meant to point to a reality beyond the sign itself. For example, a road sign indicating a curve is not itself the curve but merely points to the curve ahead. In the same way, a biblical sign points to something ahead. The sign of a child born of a virgin pointed to the reality that God has returned to His people. ‌ The virgin shall conceive = In the context of Isaiah, this specific prophesy is actually referring to a child that would be born in Isaiah’s lifetime. However, the New Testament writers use this prophesy for Jesus. This is not a contradiction but is understood historically in the church as an additional fulfilment. In other words, what happened in Isaiah’s day as a sign that God was with Israel happened again in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus. ‌ Immanuel = In the Bible, a person’s name is often communicating their purpose. For example, Noah’s name means “rest” and God used Noah to bring rest to the earth from violent evil. In Hebrew, Immanuel is a compound word: im (together/with) - manu (us) - el (God). Therefore, the sign of a child born of a virgin points to God’s promise to be a “with us God.” ‌ Why was this prophesy so important? The Christmas story is a sign that reveals God’s desire to be with us. ‌ Modern Bible readers often miss the history between the Old and New Testaments. In Isaiah’s day, Israel was divided into two kingdoms: (1) the northern kingdom of Israel, (2) the southern kingdom of Judah. Both had become rebellious against God because they were disobeying God’s covenant and were worshiping other gods. Eventually, God allows Assyria to conquer Israel (722 BC) and later allowed Babylon to conquer Judah (586 BC). After 70 years of exile in Babylon, Judah is allowed to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild (see Ezra/Nehemiah). However, when the temple and city was finished God did not return to dwell with His people. ‌ When the New Testament events began, God’s people had been waiting for hundreds of years for God to return and dwell with them. ‌ Matthew 1:18–19 ESV 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ‌ Betrothed = Grk. mnesteuo - legally engaged. In ancient Jewish culture, an engaged couple were legally betrothed. When an Israelite man wanted to marry a woman, either he or his father would make a contractual agreement with the woman’s parents. ‌ Resolved to divorce her quietly = To end an engagement or betrothal required a legal certificate of divorce. In Joseph’s world, marrying a pregnant woman associated him with sexual immorality. According to the culture of the time, divorcing Mary made perfect sense. ‌ Matthew 1:20 ESV 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ‌ This child is from the Holy Spirit = While this may sound strange and unbelievable, to Joseph this sounded familiar. One of the most famous stories in the Old Testament is about God miraculously providing a child for Abraham and Sarah. This was a foundation story in Israel’s history. See any connections? ‌ In the Old Testament, a miraculous birth is foundational to the story of God building a new family (Israel). ‌ In the New Testament, a miraculous birth is foundational to the story of God building a new family (the Church). ‌ Matthew 1:21 ESV 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ‌ Call his name Jesus = Similar to Isa. 7:14 (call his name Immanuel), Jesus’ name communicates His purpose. The name “Jesus” is the Greek form (Iesous) of the Hebrew “Yeshuah” which means “salvation.” ‌ Israel was created as God’s family who would be “a light to the nations” (text), which means that they would lead all the nations back to God. However, Israel’s sins got in the way of their purpose and they became rebellious. So, God sends Jesus to “save His people from their sins” so God can use them to reach all the nations. ‌ Save his people from their sins = In the western view of salvation, Jesus came to save us from God’s wrath against sinners. The logical conclusion of this view is that Jesus came to save us from an angry God. But the Bible is clear that Jesus came to save us from sin so we can be with the God who loves us. ‌ Matthew 1:22–23 ESV 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). ‌ To fulfill what the Lord had spoken = The Greek word for “fulfill” here is pleroo, which means “to fill up” or “to complete.” Therefore, the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14 happened as a sign in Isaiah’s day, but was “filled up” or “completed” in Jesus. ‌ They shall call his name Immanuel = At first glance there seems to be a contradiction here. Are they going to name the child Jesus or Immanuel. The answer is “yes.” Jesus is called by many names in the New Testament: Messiah/Christ, Son of Man, Son of God, Son of David, Son of Abraham, Immanuel, Jesus, Lord, Master, Rabbi, etc. All of these names communicate Jesus’ identity and purpose. Also, most people in the Bible had more than one name. ‌ The main point of the Christmas story, and the entire story of the Bible, is that God’s greatest desire is to be a with-us God. ‌ Conclusion ‌ How should we respond to this story? In Romans 9-11, the apostle Paul is revisiting the story of God creating Israel as a family that God would use to rescue all the families of the earth. After three chapters of discussing God’s plan of worldwide salvation, Paul ends with a moment of worship in Rom. 11:33-36. ‌ Romans 11:33–36 ESV 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. ‌