The Strange Birth of a Savior

Isaiah 7:14
English Standard Version (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 Intoduction: This is the prophesy that was made by Isaiah of Jesus birth. It was made about 700 years before Jesus was born. Websters defines a prophecy as something that will happen in the future. If I were to say that tomorrow that one of you are going to meet a new friend at school. If you went to school tomorrow and did meet a new friend that could be considered a prophesy. Now that is a very general thing to say and because people come and go so frequently in our area it is highly probable. Or if I were to say that something is going to fall out of the ceiling and hit one of you on the head and it did happen, that would be a prophesy.

The things that we see in this verse are very specific such as a virgin will have a baby. A virgin generally will not get pregnant. Anyone that knows anything about biology will understand that. He goes a step further to say that he will named Immanuel. Now you say but his name was Jesus not Immanuel. If you understand what Immanuel means you will see that this wasnt talking about the name that he would be called but what He will be. Immanuel means God with us. Because Jesus is the Son of God and one of the parts of the Trinity He still fulfills this prophesy. He was called the Immanuel because he was fully God and fully man, this making him God with us.

So long before he was born it was fortold that He would be born by the Prophet Isaiah. This is such a strange way for things to happen. Why a virgin? Why Mary? Why Joseph? Why Jesus?

In ten days from now we will celebrate Christmas. We will carry out various family traditions. In our house we will do the typical things: get up early, okay not early now that the kids are all teenagers or older gather at my parents house for a large family dinner and a lot of family will be there. We will have a lot of fun and enjoy each others company. Why do we do all these things? Many people will try to tell you that it is a holiday but has nothing to do with Jesus but that is untrue. We will be celebrating the miraculous birth of a Savior.

A. Mary

Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 1. This was the fulfillment of the prophesy by Isaiah that we had read before. This is when what he said became a prophesy because it came true. 2. When answering the question why Mary we have to understand who she was. a. First she was a virgin b. According to Luke she was in the lineage of David B. Joseph

Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

1. Imagine being Joseph when you find out the woman that your going to marry is pregnant 2. A carpenter, but still in the line of David through King Solomons brother as seen in Matthew. C. Jesus 1. He was the only one that could be the Savior because he is the Immanuel God with us 2. He is perfect and without sin 3. He came to die so that we may have life

Conclusion:

When you celebrate Christmas in ten days remember that the reason that we celebrate is because Jesus came to earth 700 years after Isaiah said He would with the purpose of living among us. Then dying for our sin and because he sacrificed His perfect sinless self for us and rose again from the dead we may have eternal life.

This strange way to save us was all the plan of God.

Sure he must have been surprised At where this road had taken him 'Cause never in a million lives Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem And standing at the manger He saw with his own eyes The message from the angel come to life

And Joseph said...

[CHORUS]

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade Why Him, with all the rulers in the world Why here inside a stable filled with hay Why her, she's just an ordinary girl Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world

To think of how it could have been If Jesus had come as He deserved There would have been no Bethlehem No lowly shepherds at His birth But Joseph knew the reason The love had to reach so far And as he held the Savior in his arms He must have thought...