First Family Church VOLUME 3 ISSUE 9 DECEMBER 9, 2015 Leading Families Toward Spiritual Maturity This Week s Core Belief Jesus Christ (John 1:12): We believe in Jesus Christ, His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial and bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal future return in power and glory. We are significant only because of our position as children of God. There are times in life when we can see trials approaching like a storm in the distance. Other times, we are plunged without notice into the deepest, darkest oceans of pain and suffering. This is what Joseph experienced. The months of betrothal are when two strangers develop the deep bonds of love that will carry them through the long years of life ahead. It is not only the man and woman who are shaped and molded together during the betrothal, but their families as well. For Joseph, the suddenness of this dark night enveloped him in the span of time it takes to say three words I am pregnant. Suddenly, without warning, all of Joseph s dreams and plans for his family were shattered. He loved Mary. How could this happen? The pain of Joseph s dark night was quickly equaled by an overwhelming sense of shame. Every- Continued on page 2... www.thecompass.life/309
Page 2 Step 1 ENCOUNTER God s Word to put yourself in touch with him. Matthew 1:18-25 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. 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 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). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. Continued from page 1... one knew that Joseph and Mary were to be husband and wife. Their families had celebrated their engagement in the synagogue, and Joseph now looked to Mary s mother and father as his own mother and father. They were family. Joseph found himself in a difficult spot. As a righteous man, he knew the Law, and the Law was clear the punishment for adultery was public shame and even death by stoning. Joseph couldn t bear the thought of his beloved Mary being shamed and then stoned to death. In spite of her great sin, he loved her, too much to see her die. The other option was to quietly dissolve their marriage agreement. While less public, it would still be painful. Joseph didn t know what to do. He knew what the Law said. He new what his heart was saying to him. There was no easy way out. Since hearing the words from Mary that she was pregnant, Joseph had not slept well. One night, however, Joseph fell into a deep sleep. While he was sleeping, Joseph had an amazing dream. An angel of the Lord appeared before him and said, 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. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. When Joseph awoke, he wasn t sure if he could believe the dream or not, but it was so real. And it made sense. Mary had insisted she had done nothing wrong, that the child within her was from God, and she, too, had a miraculous vision of an angel describing a Mighty King who would be born from her and who would reign on his father David s throne forever. When Mary told this to Joseph, he scoffed at her. How incredible! Did she actually expect him to believe this. A child, born to a virgin? But now, for some unknown reason, he believed Mary, and he believed what the angel had told him in the dream. Suddenly, he remembered the words Mary had told him as she recounted what the angel had said to her: For nothing will be impossible with God. Without hesitation, Joseph immediately obeyed what the angel had commanded. He took Mary as his wife, but he did not know her. Joseph remembered an old rabbi once saying, hope burns brightest in the midst of the darkest night. Chris Eller
Page 3 Step 2 ENQUIRE the answer to these questions to better understand what the passage means. Use the questions below to guide your reading and to ensure you are grasping the key lessons and themes of the text. This is called Inductive Bible Study, in which you ask the questions, Who?, What?, Where?, Why?, When?, How? as you read the text. (Also known as the 5Ws and an H. ) 1. What happened to Mary while she and Joseph were engaged? (1:18) 2. What do you think Joseph initially thought upon hearing this news about his bride-to-be? (1:18-19) 3. What positive character qualities did Joseph possess? (1:19) 4. How did Joseph plan to handle this delicate situation? (1:19) 5. How was Joseph s ancestry significant? (1:20) 6. Why did Joseph change his plans to divorce Mary? (1:20) 7. If Joseph wasn t the actual father of Christ, who was? (1:18, 20) 8. What did the angel command Joseph to name the child and why? (1:21) 9. What significant mission in life would Mary s child have? (1:21) 10. Why is Mary s virginal conception of Christ significant? (1:22-23) 11. What does Immanuel mean? (1:23) 12. How did Joseph respond to the angelic message? (1:24) Summary Notes Write a one paragraph summary of this week s text including key areas of interest and significant instruction. Consult the commentary on the text and the notes following this page for additional help. About is a ministrty of First Family Church and is edited by Chris Eller. The purpose of is to help you better grasp the truth of the biblical text from which the weekend sermon is based. also connects readers with the principles of discipleship found in 10 Core Beliefs (doctrine) 10 Core Practices (disciplines), and 10 Core Virtues (spiritual fruit). If you would like delivered each week to your email box, you can to to www.thecompass.life and for a free subscription.
Page 4 Step 3 EXPLORE the commentaries to answer the questions. The Savior s Entry Into the World To our western ways of thinking the relationships in this passage are very bewildering. First, Joseph is said to be betrothed to Mary; then he is said to be planning quietly to divorce her; and then she is called his wife. But the relationships represent normal Jewish marriage procedure, in which there were three steps. (i) There was the engagement. The engagement was often made when the couple were only children. It was usually made through the parents, or through a professional match-maker. And it was often made without the couple involved ever having seen each other. Marriage was held to be far too serious a step to be left to the dictates of the human heart. (ii) There was the betrothal. The betrothal was what we might call the ratification of the engagement into which the couple had previously entered. At this point the engagement, entered into by the parents or the match-maker, could be broken if the girl was unwilling to go on with it. But once the betrothal was entered into, it was absolutely binding. It lasted for one year. During that year the couple were known as man and wife, although they had not the rights of man and wife. It could not be terminated in any other way than by divorce. In the Jewish law we frequently find what is to us a curious phrase. A girl whose fiancee had died during the year of betrothal is called a virgin who is a widow. It was at this stage that Joseph and Mary were. They were betrothed, and if Joseph wished to end the betrothal, he could do so in no other way than by divorce; and in that year of betrothal Mary was legally known as his wife. (iii) The third stage was the marriage proper, which took place at the end of the year of betrothal. If we remember the normal Jewish wedding customs, then the relationships in this passage are perfectly usual and perfectly clear. So at this stage it was told to Joseph that Mary was to bear a child, that that child had been begotten by the Holy Spirit, and that he must call the child by the name Jesus. Jesus is the Greek form of the Jewish name Joshua, and Joshua means Jehovah is salvation. Long ago the Psalmist had heard God say, He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities (Psalm 130:8). And Joseph was told that the child to be born would grow into the Savior who would save God s people from their sins. Jesus was not so much The Man born to be King as The Man born to be Savior. He came to this world, not for his own sake, but for men and for our salvation. Born of the Holy Spirit This passage tells us how Jesus was born by the action of the Holy Spirit. It tells us of what we call the Virgin Birth. This is a doctrine which presents us with many difficulties; and our Church does not compel us to accept it in the literal and the physical sense. This is one of the doctrines on which the Church says that we have full liberty to come to our own conclusion. At the moment we are concerned only to find out what this means for us. If we come to this passage with fresh eyes, and read it as if we were reading it for the first time, we will find that what it stresses is not so much that Jesus was born of a woman who was a virgin, as that the birth of Jesus is the work of the Holy Spirit. Mary was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. It is as if these sentences were underlined, and printed large. That is what Matthew wishes to say to us in this passage. What then does it mean to say that in the birth of Jesus the Holy Spirit of God was specially operative? Let us leave aside al the doubtful and debatable things, and concentrate on that great truth, as Matthew would wish us to do. In Jewish thought the Holy Spirit had certain very definite functions. We cannot bring to this passage the Christian idea of the Holy Spirit in all its fullness, because Joseph would know nothing about that. We must interpret it in the light of the Jewish idea of the Holy Spirit, for it is that idea that Joseph would inevitably bring to this message, for that was all he knew. (i) According to the Jewish idea, the Holy Spirit was the person who brought God s truth to men. It was the Holy Spirit who taught the prophets what to say; it was the Holy Spirit who taught men of God what to do; it was the Holy Spirit who, throughout the ages and the generations, brought God s truth to men. So then, Jesus is the one person who brings
Page 5 God s truth to men. Let us put it in another way. Jesus is the one person who can tell us what God is like, and what God means us to be. In him alone we see what God is and what man ought to be. Before Jesus came men had only vague and shadowy, and often quite wrong, ideas about God; they could only at best guess and grope; but Jesus could say, He who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). In Jesus we see the love, the compassion, the mercy, the seeking heart, the purity of God as nowhere else in all this world. With the coming of Jesus the time of guessing is gone, and the time of certainty is come. Before Jesus came men did not really know what goodness was. In Jesus alone we see true manhood, true goodness, true obedience to the will of God. Jesus came to tell us the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. (ii) The Jews believed that the Holy Spirit not only brought God s truth to men, but also enabled men to recognize that truth when they saw it. So then Jesus opens men s eyes to the truth. Men are blinded by their own ignorance; they are led astray by their own prejudices; their minds and eyes are darkened by their own sins and their own passions. Jesus can open our eyes until we are able to see the truth. In one of William J. Locke s novels there is a picture of a woman who has any amount of money, and who has spent half a lifetime on a tour of the sights and picture galleries of the world. She is weary and bored. Then she meets a Frenchman who has little of this world s goods, but who has a wide knowledge and a great love of beauty. He comes with her, and in his company things are completely different. I never knew what things were like, she said to him, until you taught me how to look at them. Life is quite different when Jesus teaches us how to look at things. When Jesus comes into our hearts, he opens our eyes to see things truly. Creation and Re-Creation (iii) The Jews specially connected the Spirit of God with the work of creation. It was through his Spirit that God performed his creating work. In the beginning the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and chaos became a world (Genesis 1:2). By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, said the Psalmist, and all their host by the breath of his mouth (Psalm 33:6). (Both in Hebrew, ruach, and in Greek, pneuma, the word for breath and spirit is the same word.) When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created (Psalm 104:30). The Spirit of God has made me, said Job, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4). The Spirit is the Creator of the World and the Giver of Life. So, then, in Jesus there came into the world God s life-giving and creating power. That power, which reduced the primal chaos to order, is come to bring order to our disordered life. That power, which breathed life into that in which there was no life, is come to breathe life into our weaknesses and frustrations. We could put it this way we are not really alive until Jesus enters into our lives. (iv) The Jews specially connected the Spirit, not only with the work of creation, but with the work of re-creation. Ezekiel draws his grim picture of the valley of dry bones. He goes on to tell how the dry bones came alive; and then he hears God say, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live (Ezekiel 37:1 14). The Rabbis had a saying, God said to Israel: In this world my Spirit has put wisdom in you, but in the future my Spirit will make you to live again. When men are dead in sin and in lethargy, it is the Spirit of God which can waken them to life anew. So then, in Jesus there came to this world the power which can re-create life. He can bring to life again the soul which is dead in sin; he can revive again the ideals which have died; he can make strong again the will to goodness which has perished. He can renew life, when men have lost all that life means. There is much more in this chapter than the crude fact that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin mother. The essence of Matthew s story is that in the birth of Jesus the Spirit of God was operative as never before in this world. It is the Spirit who brings God s truth to men; it is the Spirit who enables men to recognize that truth when they see it; it is the Spirit who was God s agent in the creation of the world; it is the Spirit who alone can re-create the human soul when it has lost the life it ought to have. Jesus enables us to see what God is and what man ought to be; Jesus opens the eyes of our minds to that we can see the truth of God for us; Jesus is the creating power come amongst men; Jesus is the recreating power which can release the souls of men from the death of sin. William Barclay, ed., The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster John Knox Press, 1976).
Page 6 Daily Bible Reading Plan WORDSEARCH all the words come from this week s text or lesson. An Unexpected Dream December 6, 2015 Matthew 1:18-25 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 12/6 12/7 12/8 12/9 12/10 12/11 12/12 Hosea 4:1-5:15 Hosea 6:1-9:17 Hosea 10:1-14:9 Joel 1:1-3:21 Amos 1:1-3:15 Amos 4:1-6:14 Amos 7:1-9:15 2 John 1-13 3 John 1-15 Jude 1-25 Revelation 1:1-20 Revelation 2:1-17 Rev. 2:18-3:6 Revelation 3:7-22 Psalm 125:1-5 Psalm 126:1-6 Psalm 127:1-5 Psalm 128:1-6 Psalm 129:1-8 Psalm 130:1-8 Psalm 131:1-3 Proverbs 29:9-11 Proverbs 29:12-14 Proverbs 29:15-17 Proverbs 29:18 Proverbs 29:19-20 Proverbs 29:21-22 Proverbs 29:23 For complete details on First Family s Daily Bible Reading Plan, visit our website at www.ffclife.com/biblereading. H P E S O J N P V P E G T H E P R O P H E T J E S Q Y N V Q X K D V Y Y E F I W H O L Y S P I R I T O I W U C S O N O F D A V I D C O N C E I V E D U S S E E C A R G S I D T G T U R W P I A X B X G D H U S B A N D C W R M V L O E M W I E D Q J N G M Q Q T H E V I R G I N P S W D C S F J H T T G A B D S K L E U N A M M I J Y W Z W Y C N E T R E P Z L H L E L P O E P S I H E V A S I O E G R R Z X Z L H B E T R O T H E D M R M H B X T F I D Y I R U I D H J P C P V S N O S J E S U S C H R I S T B R F H R K O N A M A R Y K V D V Z B S E U L O Z W C L B U M D I A R F A E B T O N O D F N R S H A X O U F S O E M A N S I H L L A C W U C I R D H Z V Y F Q D J O C W H F Q K A M M J Y N K A O H E V D O O F M W D L I H C H T I W R I G H T E O U S M A N T Y W U T F Y L T E R C E S D N J K H A K D O R V C S U S E J P K C H L W M D L I H C H F W S B O Z Birth Jesus Christ Mary Betrothed Joseph With Child Holy Spirit Husband Righteous Man Disgrace Secretly Dream Son of David Do Not Be Afraid Wife Child Conceived Son Call His Name Jesus Save his People Sins To Fulfill The Prophet The Virgin Immanuel God With Us To see the answers to the puzzle, go to www.thecompass.life/309
Page 7 Connecting the Family Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus Anticipation is a necessary and important part of every believer s life. In Old Testament times the people anxiously awaited a Messianic Kingdom. Today we should be waiting with the same urgent expectancy as did the Israelites of old. But our anticipation is the Lord s second advent the piercing of the clouds and the sound of the trumpet when victory over sin and death will be complete and final. Not only looking, but longing the blessed Lord s return to greet; Our crowns of glory to gather and cast them with joy at His feet, Not only waiting, but watching, wistfully scanning the skies; Anticipating that daybreak when the world s true Sun shall arise. Unknown The Old Testament prophecies were very specific concerning our Lord s first advent. The prophets gave the exact location of His birth (Micah 5:2) as well as the sign that He would be virgin born (Isaiah 7:14). Likewise the New Testament gives clear instructions regarding the second advent: There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth near (Luke 21:25 28 KJV). Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus is another of the more than 6,500 hymns written by Charles Wesley. It was first published in 1744 in a small collection of 18 poems titled Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord. The vibrant Hyfrydol tune was composed by a 20-year-old Welshman, Rowland H. Prichard, in about 1830. The tune means good cheer. It has been used with many of our popular hymns. Just as Christ s birth 2,000 years ago dramatically changed the course of human history, so will the return of our Lord as the King of kings. With the saints of the ages we pray, Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus. Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; from our fears and sins release us: Let us find our rest in Thee; Israel s Strength and Consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear Desire of ev ry nation, joy of ev ry longing heart. Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King; born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious Kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne. Rejoice in the truth that God s eternal promises are unchangeable: Christ was born and He will return. Sing this truth as you go Kenneth W. Osbeck Memory Time Memory Verse All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:22-23 R2R Life Distinctive Jesus Christ (John 1:12): We believe in Jesus Christ, His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial and bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal future return in power and glory. We are significant only because of our position as children of God.
Page 8 10 Core Beliefs The Bible (2 Timothy 3:16 17): We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, and the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. God the Father (Psalm 121:1 2): We believe God is personally involved in and cares about the daily lives of His children. Jesus Christ (John 1:12): We believe in Jesus Christ, His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial and bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal future return in power and glory. We are significant only because of our position as children of God. The Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14): We believe the God of the Bible is the only true God and is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Humanity (John 3:16): We believe all people are born separated from God by sin, but God in his love sent his Son Jesus Christ as their savior. Eternity (John 14:1 4): We believe there is a heaven and a hell and that Jesus Christ is returning to judge the earth and to establish his kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the dead: the believer to life everlasting and the unbeliever to the resurrection of judgment. The Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16): We believe in the church as the body of Christ, which is composed of all believers who have accepted Christ as Savior. We believe the church is God s primary way to accomplish His purposes on earth today. Stewardship (1 Timothy 6:17-19): We believe that everything we have, including our very life, belongs to God. Salvation by Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-25; 8:38-39): We believe a person has a right relationship with God only by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. This makes believers eternally secure in Jesus Christ. Compassion (Psalm 82:3-4): We believe God calls all Christians to show compassion to those in need. 10 Core Practices Worship (Psalm 95:1-7): I worship God for who He is and what He has done for me. Bible Study (Hebrews 4:12): I study the Bible diligently to know God, to become like Christ, and to discern His will for my life. Service (Colossians 3:17): I give away my time to fulfill God s purposes. Witness (Matthew 28:18-20): I live to tell the story of Jesus and to make disciples of Him even to the ends of the earth, knowing he is with me always. Biblical Community (Acts 2:44-47): I fellowship with other believers in a small group to accomplish God s purposes in my life, others lives, and in the world. Prayer (Psalm 66:16-20): I pray to God to know Him, to lay my request before Him and to find direction for my daily life. Spiritual Gifts (Romans 12:4-6): I know and use my spiritual gifts to accomplish God s purposes. Authenticity (John 13:33-34): I know and understand biblical truths and transfer these truths into everyday life. Who I am on the inside and outside is a pure reflection of Christ and His Word. Simplicity (Matthew 6:33): I seek to live a simple life focused on God and his priorities for my life. Possessions (Luke 16:11 12): I seek to maintain an eternal perspective on money and possessions, realizing God has give me all that I have, and that he expects me to manage it wisely for His glory. 10 Core Virtues Gentleness (Philippians 4:5): I am thoughtful, considerate and calm in dealing with others. Faithfulness (Proverbs 3:3-4): I have established a good name with God and with others based on my long-term loyalty to those relationships. Hope (Hebrews 6:19-20): I can cope with the hardships of life and with death because of the hope I have in Jesus Christ. Joy (John 15:11): I have inner contentment and purpose in spite of my circumstances. Love (1 John 4:10-12): I sacrificially and unconditionally love and forgive others. Peace (Philippians 4:6-7): I am free from anxiety because things are right between God, myself and others. Self-Control (Titus 2:11-13): I have the power, through Christ, to control myself. Humility (Philippians 2:3-4): I choose to esteem others above myself. Patience (Proverbs 14:29): I take a long time to overheat and endure patiently under the unavoidable pressures of life. Kindness/Goodness (1 Thessalonians 5:15): I choose to do the right things in my relationships with others.