Gracious Jesus -1: Presenting the King預覽

The King is Born

The world was awaiting the Messiah, the King of Kings. Not only biblical prophesies but even prophesies of other reputed Magi like Balaam and Daniel, were being carefully followed by the non-Jewish world. No one expected that the King would indeed come, first, in humility, to die, and later, in majesty, to rule.

Both Matthew and Luke trace Jesus’ genealogy back to Abraham and King David as prophesied.

Among the few women mentioned are notable names like Rahab and Ruth. Rahab is highlighted as Ruth’s other mother-in-law. They were women who were Gentiles of godly character. Perhaps Matthew was trying to highlight that God looks for persons with godly character – not so much the gender, race, or background. Luke mentions that Joseph was thought to be Jesus’ father. Jesus’ father, in reality, is God.

“Jesus,” means “the Lord saves.” Jesus would bring salvation, to believers in the whole world, from sin, and eternal condemnation. He was born in Bethlehem, “the house of bread,” which bore “the Bread of Life.”

Some of the Old Testament prophesies on Christ’s birth are given below:

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son.” (Isaiah 7:14)

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us." (Isaiah 9:6)

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)

Jesus’ birth is fairly silent. Angelic messengers communicate to His parents to prepare them for this responsibility of fathering God’s own son.  Angelic messengers also tell the shepherds in Luke 2:12, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

It is around two years later that the huge contingent of royal representatives, the Magi, arrive and kings are shaken.

On that first Christmas morn, Jesus was the sign they had to look for; a babe in a manger. Even today, Jesus should be the center of Christmas.

What are other signs people look for to find Jesus? What are the dangers?

Jesus, when He lived on earth, was fully God and yet, fully man. “The Christian life is not a performance, an acting out, a profession, but the living of a god-man life. No longer I but Christ who lives in me.”