Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 1:18-25 in fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, which was written approximately 750 years before Christ.

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Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Matthew 2:1-6 in fulfillment of Micah 5:2, which was written around seven hundred years before Christ.

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And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Matthew 2:13-15 in fulfillment of Hosea 11:1, which was written approximately seven hundred forty years before Christ.

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Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Matthew 2:16-18 in fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15, which was written a little over six hundred years before Christ was born.

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In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Matthew 3:1-3 in fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3, which was written approximately seven hundred years before Christ.

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Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:12-17 in fulfillment of Isaiah 42:6-7 which was written about seven hundred ten years before Christ.

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And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Luke 4:14-21 in fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2, which was written about seven hundred years before Christ’s birth.

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This list of Old Testament prophecies and their fulfillment could go on and on.  This handful was given to illustrate a point; don’t bet against Scripture.  

There are a few sites on the web that investigate the probability of one man fulfilling multiple prophecies.  The odds that one man could have fulfilled as few as eight separate prophecies is so remote that the probability of such a thing lay within the realm of impossibility.

The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ has fulfilled a multitude of Old Testament prophecies.  He has done the impossible.

Jesus Christ not only said that He is God, His works prove it and the Scripture confirms it.

Don’t take my word for it.  It’s all there.  See for yourself.

Note:  The Bible is the most widely printed and published book in the history of mankind.  It has been and is being translated by dedicated Christian men and women into every language known to man.  If you die as an unbeliever and appear before the Great White Throne Judgment; what can you possibly say?  I chose to be willingly ignorant?

 

After Mary’s visit from the angel Gabriel and during her visit with Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, Mary exalted the the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (to make great) the Lord,

 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden [female bond (willing) slave]: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (count me happy).

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy (set apart) is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 

As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Luke 1:46 – 55

Mary’s song is full of Old Testament Scripture.  It contains parts of approximately two dozen Old Testament passages in these nine verses.  John MacArthur lists the passages in the notes of his NKJV Study Bible and he summarizes her song as follows:

Mary’s Magnificat is filled with OT allusions and quotations.  It reveals that Mary’s heart and mind were saturated with the Word of God………….These verses also contain numerous allusions to the law, the psalms, and the prophets.  The entire passage is a point-by-point reciting of the covenant promises of God.

What Mary’s song reveals about her is that she is a willing and obedient servant unto the Lord God.  She is trusting in God’s promises of provision for her own sin.  Mary is trusting in God her Saviour and she is happy!  

Mary is the Old Testament equivalent of a New Testament Spirit filled believer.  She knows God’s Word and she let’s it dwell in her richly.  The result is humility and obedience.

 Her response to the angel Gabriel in verse 38 is; Let it be to me according to your word.  This should be the believer’s prayer; Let it be unto me, O Lord, according to your (written) Word.

Note:  Although Mary’s song reveals much about her, her song is really all about God.

Word definitions are from WE Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?  hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  Isaiah 55:1-7

For through him (Christ) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  Ephesians 2:18 KJV

WE Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words:  Access is the Greek word prosagoge’ which means; a leading into the presence of, denotes access, with which is associated the thought of freedom to enter through the assistance or favour of another…….This access involves the acceptance which we have in Christ with God, and the privilege of His favour towards us.

MR Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament defines access as; the act of bringing to.

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For through him….

This is referring to Messiah Jesus.  The first three and a half chapters of Ephesians are about what believers have in Him.  Jesus Christ is the door through which we enter the kingdom.  There is no approach to God aside from the Lord Jesus.  No man can come unto the Father unless he comes through Christ.  No one can come to Christ unless the Spirit draw him.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  John 10:9

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………we both……

We both refers to Israel and the Gentiles.  Under the Law, God chose to reveal Himself exclusively to the Jews.  He chose them as a nation to be His own peculiar people, but they rebelled against God and came under His judgment.  Under Grace and the coming of the promised Messiah, the door was opened to the Gentiles and the individual Jew.  Under Grace we both have access to God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.

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……….have access……….

Having access refers to having the freedom to enter God’s presence through the assistance or favor of another.  When we are in Christ, the Holy Spirit takes us by the hand as dear children and ushers us into the presence of the Father. 

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……..by one Spirit……

There is only one Holy Spirit.  If anyone is being led contrary to the Scripture, he is not being led by the Holy Spirit who is the author of Scripture.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. II Peter 1:21 

Believers are exhorted to ….believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  I John 4:1  

The Holy Spirit is God.  He cannot lie.  He will not contradict Himself.  To be led contrary to Scripture is to be led by another spirit not of God.

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…….unto  the Father……

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Galatians 4:6

  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…….

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.  Romans 4:1-12

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Note: It has been said that water baptism is the circumcision of the New Testament.  It should be noted from the passage above, that Abraham had saving faith before he was circumcised.

From my wife today:

Are we thankful to God; our Creator and Sustainer,……or are we just thankful?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father…….. James 1:17

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Heard on the radio this morning:

If we have tomorrow, only what we were thankful for today,…..what would we be left with?

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A characteristic of the Spirit filled (controlled) believer:

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  Ephesians 5:20

 

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.  Galatians 6:12-15

And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.  Matthew 15:15-20

It is biblical to view offensive language as a symptom of a person’s spiritual condition.   Too often, however, I believe our Christian evangelical focus becomes not the spiritual condition of the unbeliever, but his/her offense.

When the offense of the unbeliever becomes the focus, conformity to the believer’s standard of behavior becomes the goal.  What good is it for the unbeliever to change his speech while remaining unconverted?

The Great Commission is not about cleaning up unbelievers.  If you and I get unbelievers to stop engaging in fornication, drunkeness and blasphemy, they will still die and go to hell.

Biblical evangelism is not concerned with outward conformity. The goal of biblical evangelism is an inward transformation brought about by trusting Jesus Christ as one’s only hope of salvation.   

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 

Note:  When did you last love a profane person?

I have been hearing from many believers that their consciences will not let them vote in the current election for either candidate. I understand how you feel because my conscience began to bother me about my political choices in the 1980’s.  So I did a study of Scripture about the purpose of government from God’s point of view and my responsibility as a citizen.

We are told in I Peter 2 that one of the purposes of government is to punish those who do evil, and reward those who do good.  The other passage is found in I Timothy chapter 2 where it says we are to pray for our leaders that we may live a quiet and peaceable life, godly and dignified in every way.  So in the 1990’s I began to look at my responsibility to vote in this way.  Which vote will move the country in the direction that Christians may lead quiet and peaceable lives, godly and dignified in every way?  Only once in my adult life have I been able to vote for a political candidate about whom I could say this person’s worldview, mindset, and character are something I can endorse.  I realized that the day would come when I could not vote for an individual, but I did not want the depravity of our nation depriving me of my vote.

I would never urge you to go against your conscience, because the Bible clearly says whatsoever is not of faith is sin.  But if you find yourself in the same situation as I found myself, ask yourself this question:  Will my not voting move our country in the direction that I would want it to go?  If not, then use your vote to move the country in the direction you think it should go.  Notice, I have not encouraged you to vote or not to vote if that is your conviction.  I have not suggested anyone for whom you should vote because, as a believer, I want you to be a good steward of the citizenship with which God has entrusted you.

And finally, the reason I’m more concerned about the stewardship of your citizenship than I am about the election is because of Daniel chapter 4.  Remember the story?  Nebuchadnezzar had become proud because of all his accomplishments, and so God allowed him to act like an animal, eating grass for seven years.  He gives the reason for doing so in verse 17 …to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men.  So ultimately God will determine who wins this election, not our vote.  So please prayerfully consider the stewardship God has entrusted you with, and use your voting opportunity to glorify God.

If you have any questions, drop me a note at heritagebaptistnorthsioux.com.  

Have you prayed for your governmental leaders today?

Pastor Larry

(Used with permission.)