The First Coming of Jesus

Sunday Morning Bible Study

December 19, 2010

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision

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· New Elder: Tom Franz

We’re going to take a two week break from the Gospel of John to talk about the Coming of Jesus. This week we’re going to talk about His First Coming. Next week we’ll talk about His Second Coming.

His First Coming is what we celebrate at Christmas.

To be honest, for most of us, it’s way too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that Christmas is all about the gifts.

And gentlemen, just a reminder, Christmas is almost here. Be very careful about your gift choices.

Video: Stay out of the Doghouse

Actually, Christmas is not really about us getting or giving gifts, it’s supposed to be all about Jesus, God’s great gift to mankind.

But to be honest, sometimes we don’t always get some of the details about Christmas right.

Video: Christmas as told by preschool kids

One of the things that seem to get lost in the telling of the story of Christmas is the fact that His birth, life, and death were all foretold hundreds, sometimes thousands of years before they actually took place.

In case you think it’s not that big of a deal that these things were foretold years before they took place, take a look at some of our “contemporary” predictions, like the psychics in the tabloids.

We might like to joke at the psychic predictions in the tabloids, but how often do people go back and actually check to see how many came true?

Here’s some from “Nikki”, the “Psychic to the Stars – from 2008.

You have to give her some credit. For 2008 she did predict “a sex scandal in Washington D.C”, and that year we found out about John Edwards’ unfaithfulness. Amazing. She also predicted wild fires in California, and that came true as well (as it does just about every year).

More than a few things she didn’t get right … like:

Category 5 hurricane wipes out Miami.

The US will invade Iran.

A biological attack on the United States

A giant crocodile will devour many people in Southern Florida.

When Matthew wrote his gospel, he was writing to a mostly Jewish audience, and he took more pains than the other gospel writers to show how Jesus fulfilled the ancient Jewish prophecies of the coming Messiah. I found 14 documented prophecies.

1. Born of a virgin

(Mat. 1:18-25 + Is. 7:14)

(Mt 1:18–25 NKJV) —18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Matthew quotes from the prophet Isaiah:

(Is 7:14 NKJV) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah wrote 740 years before Jesus.

One of the things that the world does not want you knowing about Christmas, is that it was a complete God-involved event.

I want to show you today that the coming of Jesus was much more than just a baby being born in a stable. It was an event of epic proportions. Biblical proportions.

Paul wrote,

(Ga 4:4–5 NKJV) —4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

It was just at the right time that God sent His Son.

Jesus came to “fulfill”, His coming was a fulfillment of many ancient prophecies.

Some might think that Mary claiming to be a virgin was just a convenient story to cover up the fact that she had been sleeping with her boyfriend and accidentally got pregnant.

No. God had predicted hundreds of years earlier that there would be an event just like this.

The fact that Jesus had no earthly father is a hint at His origin. He is the Son of God. Literally.

2. Born in Bethlehem

(Mat. 2:1-6 + Mic. 5:2)

(Mt 2:1–6 NKJV) —1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Matthew quotes here from Micah 5:2. Micah wrote around 700BC.

Micah also adds another insight to this “ruler” when he writes,

(Mic 5:2) …out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

This ruler will be a person who has no beginning. He would come out of eternity past. There is no one who has existed since the beginning of time other than God. There is no other explanation of the birth than God Himself taking on human flesh and being born in a manger.

3. Out of Egypt

(Mat. 2:7-15 + Hos. 11:1)

(Mt 2:7–15 NKJV) —7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

It was the prophet Hosea (Hos. 11:1) who said that God’s “son” would come out of Egypt. Hosea wrote around 720 BC.

4. Death of children

(Mat. 2:16-18 + Jer. 31:15)

It was Jeremiah (31:15) the prophet who would speak of the death of children, which is what took place when paranoid Herod had all the young children put to death in an attempt to kill this baby king. Jeremiah (31:15) wrote around 580 BC.

(Mt 2:16–18 NKJV) —16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”

5. Nazareth

(Mat. 2:19-23)

We don’t know the prophet that Matthew would quote from, but there was apparently a prophecy that Jesus would be connected to Nazareth, the city where He would grow up in.

(Mt 2:19–23 NKJV) —19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

We don’t know who Matthew was quoting from, but he’s saying that Jesus’ life in Nazareth was also a fulfillment of prophecy.

6. Preceded by a forerunner

(Mat. 3:1-3 + Is. 40:3)

(Mt 3:1–3 NKJV) —1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”

When Jesus was about 30 years old, He would not start His ministry unannounced. Isaiah (40:3) the prophet (740 BC) foretold that there would be a “forerunner” who would prepare the way for the Messiah. This was fulfilled by John the Baptist.

7. Ministry in Galilee

(Mat. 4:12-16 + Is. 9:1-2)

(Mt 4:12–16 NKJV) —12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

Again Matthew quotes from Isaiah (9:1-2). Zebulun and Naphtali were tribes that had settled in the north, in the area of Galilee. There was an ancient trade route known as “the way of the sea” that ran right through the town of Capernaum, which would function as Jesus’ home base during His ministry.

8. Healer

(Mat. 8:16-17 + Is. 53:4)

Jesus’ ministry of healing was part of Isaiah’s prophecies about the Messiah (Is. 53:4)

(Mt 8:16–17 NKJV) —16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

9. Compassionate

(Mat. 12:14-21 + Is. 42:1-4)

The prophet Isaiah even gave a hint at Jesus’ personality.

(Mt 12:14–21 NKJV) —14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

Isaiah spoke about the personality of the Messiah. He would not be a pushy, self-centered ruler. He would have compassion on those who are hurting.

12:20 A bruised reed He will not break

Is that you? Are you bruised like that woman caught in adultery?

Jesus didn’t come to crush the wounded soul, He came to save it.

Some of you have the mistaken notion that God is out to destroy you. That’s not correct. He’s out to save you.

Matthew goes on to document more prophecies.

10. Unbelief among the people

(Mat. 13:13-15 + Is. 6:9)

(Mt 13:13–15 NKJV) —13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

Remember all the amazing miracles we’ve been looking at in the book of John? Even with all the amazing miracles, people would not believe. Isaiah (740 BC) predicted this.

11, Teaching with parables

(Mat. 13:34-35 + Ps. 78:2)

(Mt 13:34–35 NKJV) —34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

Asaph the song writer prophesied about this, writing around 980 BC

12. Entering Jerusalem on a donkey

(Mat. 21:1-5 + Zech. 9:9)

(Mt 21:1–5 NKJV) —1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

It was the prophet Zechariah (9:9) who prophesied that the King would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, not a conqueror’s horse. Zechariah was one of the latter prophets, writing around 520 BC.

13. Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver

(Mat. 27:3-10 + Jer. 32:6-9, Zech. 11:12,13)

(Mt 27:3–10 NKJV) —3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

Matthew records that when Judas betrayed Jesus, he did it for money, thirty pieces of silver. After Judas realized what he had done, that money was taken and used to buy a potter’s field.

All prophesied by the prophets Jeremiah (580 BC) and Zechariah (520 BC)

14. Clothing divided by lots

(Mat. 27:35 + Ps. 22:18)

(Mt 27:35 NKJV) —35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Lastly, Matthew (27:35) records that when Jesus was crucified, that the soldiers cast lots (like throwing dice), gambling for who would take Jesus’ clothes.

This prophecy was written by King David (Ps. 22:18) around 1000 BC, one of the most bizarre passages in the Bible. It details the thoughts of the Messiah while on the cross, yet was written several hundred years before crucifixion was even invented.

It’s from this very psalm (Ps. 22) that Jesus quotes from as He hangs on the cross.

(Mt 27:46 NKJV) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

This was the first line of Psalm 22. Ancient Jewish worship leaders would tell the congregation in the synagogue which song they were going to sing next by quoting the first line of the song. It’s almost as Jesus is saying to the people watching Him die, “Look up Psalm 22”.

Lesson

A rational faith

These were just the prophecies that Matthew mentions in his gospel. We know there are many, many other prophecies concerning Jesus’ life. Some have counted over 300 different prophecies that relate to the first coming of Jesus.

Some folks make it sound as if Jesus was just a nice guy who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They say that it was a darn shame that He ended up being put to death by the Romans. They say that the disciples, and especially the apostle Paul, later came up with these crazy ideas that Jesus was something special as a way to compensate for this tragic accident of Jesus being put to death.

It was no mistake. There was no accident. Jesus didn’t “become” the Christ. He was the Christ.

It was all very carefully planned out before the world was even created. The coming of the Messiah was well documented by the Old Testament prophets.

What are the odds?

Peter Stoner wrote a book called Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963), that applies the science of probability to the prophesies of Jesus.

First, Stoner looks at just eight of the prophecies and considers the probability of just these being fulfilled by one man. (from Evidence That Demands A Verdict… pg.174-176)

Being born in Bethlehem (Mic.5:2)

Preceded by a messenger (Is.40:3)

Entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Zec 9:9)

Betrayed by a friend (Ps.41:9)

Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zec 11:12)

Betrayal money thrown in the temple, buying a potter's field (Zech 11:13)

Dumb before accusers (Is.53:7)

Crucified (Ps.22:16)

Stoner concludes that the odds of any man that might have lived down to the present time fulfilling all eight of these prophecies are 1 in 10¹⁷. That's a one with seventeen zeroes after it!

To grasp the size of this number Stoner writes:

“Suppose we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wished, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.”

That’s just the chances that EIGHT of the prophecies could be fulfilled in a single person.

If we take 48 of the prophecies, the odds increase to 1 in 10¹⁵⁷ (That’s a “1” with 157 zeroes after it). I’m not sure we can even comprehend that number.

What's that like?

Stoner writes, "We must select a smaller object. The electron is about as small an object as we know of. It is so small that it will take 2.5 times 10¹⁵ of them laid side by side to make a line, single file, one inch long. If we were going to count the electrons in this line one inch long, and counted 250 each minute, and if we counted day and night, it would take us 19 million years to count just the one inch line of electrons. If we had a cubic inch of these electrons and we tried to count them it would take us, counting steadily 250 each minute, 19 million times 19 million times 19 million years, or 6.9 times 10²¹ years".

"With this introduction, let us go back to our chance of 1 in 10¹⁵⁷. Let us suppose that we are taking this number of electrons, marking one, and thoroughly stirring it into the whole mass, then blindfolding a man and letting him try to find the right one. What chance has he of finding the right one? What kind of pile will this number of electrons make? They make an inconceivably large volume"

And yet there were over 300 prophecies of Jesus. There is a very good, rational reason to believe in Jesus. He is the Promised Messiah.

Lesson

A secure future

There are times in my life when I get worried about what’s up ahead. Maybe you worry a little bit too?

Will the economy turn around?

Will my marriage survive?

How will my kids turn out?

Will the terrorists attack again?

You and I may not be able to see very far into the future, but God sees the future.

Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

I remember as a young man worrying about my future.

In high school I was worried about being drafted into the Viet Nam War.

I remember wondering if it would be possible for me to find the right girl to marry.

I remember as a young newlywed worrying about having kids. What if the next World War started? What kind of a world am I going to be bringing my kids up in?

Through each of my fears, I’ve watched God take me through. Now I look back on some of those questions and wonder, “What was I worried about?” God knows what He’s doing.

Illustration

When Corrie Ten Boom was a little girl in Holland, her first realization of death came after a visit to the home of a neighbor who had died. It impressed her that someday her parents would also die. Corrie’s father comforted her with words of wisdom. “Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?” “Why, just before we get on the train,” she replied. “Exactly,” her father said, “and our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things too. Don’t run out ahead of Him Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need—just in time.”

Corrie would eventually be imprisoned as a young girl in the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbruck. She learned that her father’s words were true.

Isaiah wrote,

(Is 40:27–31 NKJV) —27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Lesson

God’s gift for me

His death wasn’t an accident. It happened on purpose. It was a fulfillment.

He actually came to this planet for that very moment.

He came to die for our sins.

The ancient prophet Isaiah saw it:

(Is 53:5–6 NKJV) —5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

This is the good news. Jesus came to die for your sins.

This is why God can offer you forgiveness – your sins have been paid for. All you need to do is to accept the gift.

What do you do when someone gives you a gift? Do you unwrap the present? Or do you leave it wrapped under the tree?

The gift doesn’t really become yours until you accept it.

I encourage you to accept God’s give of forgiveness.