Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Two readings from Matthew's Gospel
- A sense of wonder in our heart
- The First reading considering the appearance of the angel Gabriel
- Speaking to Joseph in a dream - to reassure him
- To call His name Jesus
- Fulfillment of prophecy
- God conceived in the womb of a woman
- The Reading of the Wise Men
- They had come to worship Jesus
- They quote from the prophet Micah
- The wise men following the star to find Jesus the young infant
- The bow the knee and worship Him
- The story did not end there
The exile of the Lord Jesus
- He went for protection
- He went to fulfill ancient Scripture
- Imagine what it meant for Mary and Joseph
- What resources did they have?
- Who went with them / how did they go / when did they go?
- Where would the lodge and where would they hide?
- They were going to their place of lockdown and isolation
- Jesus Christ had a difficult life
- It began in poverty
- He was taken to Egypt
- He returned to Nazareth
- He grew up in obscurity
- He faced opposition when He began His public ministry
- He was forsaken by His own disciples
- He went to a cruel cross
- He can sympthathise with those who call upon Him
- Think of our difficult circumstances over this year
- Those who call upon Him sincerely, will find His comfort
- Mary's life would be difficult - fleeing to Egypt and seeing Him on the cross
- Yet she loved Him
- She found forgiveness in Him
- All her hope was in Jesus Christ
- They patiently waited to return to their own land
- Why Egypt?
- It was spoken of Israel that they would come of Egypt
- Jesus is the 'new-Israel'
- Egypt meant the land of slavery, bondage and oppression - for 430 years
- God raised up Moses to bring them out of Egypt
- Jesus was to go into a place that symbolises bondage
- There are places that are symbols of the evils of the world
- Remarkable parallels between Israel and Jesus Christ
- Israel - taken down by Joseph for protection and brought out by Moses
- Jesus Christ - taken into Egypt (by Joseph) to be preserved and then brought out
- Israel came through the baptism of the Red Sea and then spent 40 years in the wilderness
- Jesus Christ after His baptism spent 40 days in the wilderness
- God made a covenant with Israel and loved them - yet they broke His laws
- Many did not fulfill their part of the covenant
- Jesus comes as the new-Israel to fulfill the covenant
- Jesus is the new exodus - coming to bring His people out of the bondage of sin
- Jesus is the blood of the New Covenant - the Passover Lamb
- "Out of Egypt I have called My Son"
- The relevance to us:
- Not just a story but true - all prophecy fulfilled exactly
- There is a great wickedness that comes out in war
- There is great corruption in governments
- Their is wickedness in the hearts of human beings
- Consider the video - we go to the manger in Bethlehem, to the light of the world
- We can trust and believe in Him
- The message is to all people
- Our sin was placed upon Jesus who went to the cross and punished in our place, that we might go free
- God will not sweep sin under the carpet - it must be dealt with
- Jesus cried 'it is finished'
- He rose from the dead
- As Christians, we have good news - John 3:16
- Will He be on the throne of your heart?
- May we bow our knee to Jesus Christ