Alrighty. For the most part,
we'll be looking at the handouts this evening. But we will begin
in our Bibles. If you'd like to turn in your
Bibles to the first chapter of Matthew, I want to read again. I want to read again verses 18
through 25. So turn to Matthew chapter 1.
Beginning at verse 18, we read, Now the birth of Jesus Let me
start that again. Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused,
engaged 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 public 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 he knew her not till she had brought
forth her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus." Now,
if you'd like to look at our handout, if you would, please.
And we'll be in the handout till pretty much most of the end.
In our last study, our consideration of this text in Matthew 1, 18
through 25 was the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in
the flesh. That's what the name Immanuel
means. We see that clearly in our scriptures here. It's interpreted,
which being interpreted as God with us. And we considered the
mystery of that, the mystery of God with us. in the name of
Emmanuel, which is interpreted God with. Now tonight, I want
to consider the name of the Holy, the name the Holy Spirit told
Mary's husband Joseph to call this one for whom was conceived
by the Holy Ghost. It says in our verse there, in
verse 21, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. This Greek name
is a derivative of an Old Testament Hebrew name called Jehoshua,
or Yehoshua. And it's twice, because it actually
means Jehovah saved. In my Bible, there's an indicator
letter right above the first letter of Jesus, a little indicator
letter by T. And in the margin is a basic
meaning of that word, which indicates Savior, which goes right along
with what we see next in our text, where it says, for he shall
save his people from their sins. What a wonderful name. for the
one who shall save his people, Savior, Deliverer, Jesus, the
Christ. As we saw last week in Matthew
16, Peter calls him, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God. Now the name Christ is Christos,
meaning anointed. That is, the Messiah. And as
the Son of God, he would not think it robbery to be equal
with God the Father for all power is his to wield. Therefore, this
one who would be the Messiah, the Deliverer, with the power
of God, is able to do exactly that. He's able to save all of
his people from all of their sins, not just part, but all. Page 2. Listen to Hebrews chapter
7, beginning at verse 22. By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament, and they truly were many priests, because
they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, but this
man, This man Jesus, this is Jesus all grown up. This man,
because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore
he is able also to save them to the what? Uttermost. I don't
know about you, but I love that word. That means everything. That means purged, clean. It
means washed white as snow. Uttermost clean save them to
the uttermost that come to God come unto God by him Seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them now. That's important. That's important to see that
Christ Folks Christ is no longer in the grave He's on His throne
right now, making intercession for us. Is that not good news
for you? Buddy, I'll tell you what. If He wasn't sitting on
His throne right now making intercession for me, I'd have a lot to be
worried about still. I wouldn't care about would I
have a lot to worry about it still, though, would I? Yet He
is. He's making intercession for
us, saying, this one's mine. Back in our text there in Hebrews
7. For such a high priest became
us who is holy. This is the Lord Jesus. This
is the one who is going to be our Savior. This one who shall
save His people. He is holy. He's harmless. He's undefiled. He was not born
of Adam. He was not born of the seed of
Adam, full of sin, as all mankind are. No, he was born of the Holy
Spirit, perfect, sinless. He who knew no sin, undefiled,
it says, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens,
who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifices,
first for his own sins and then for the people's. For this he
did once when he offered up himself to a true God-revealed sinner. This is good news indeed. All
that God requires of me to cover my sin has been provided for
me in my substitute, in my Savior, in the one called Jesus, my Messiah,
my Deliverer, my Jesus. There are a few other names God
uses to describe this Jesus. In Matthew chapter 1, he is described
as the one prophesied of in the Old Testament, the one for whom
is God with us and the one who shall save, God's chosen people. In Isaiah 9, verses 6 through
7, we read this, for unto us a child is born, this is that
child, the very one that the Holy Spirit was speaking to Joseph
about. For unto us, you and I, did you
notice that? Did it say for unto the world?
Unto us, that's a particular people, a people who were chosen
in Him before the world was ever created. Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. This is that son who is given
by God the Father, his only begotten son. He spared not his son. He spared not his son. With that in mind, how shall
he not give you and I everything else? If he's going to give his
son up for us, wouldn't he give everything else up as well? Unto
us a son is given. And the government shall be on
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David and
upon his kingdom to order it. and to establish it with judgment,
and with the justice from henceforth even forever, the zeal of the
Lord of hosts will perform this." Oh, I love to see God declaring
His own works. That's what we have peace with,
folks. That's what we have trust in, knowing that it was God God,
who will perform this Himself. Last part of page 2, we read,
the government shall be on His shoulder. That name sums this
up best. The name that sums this up best
is Lord. Listen to Acts chapter 2, verses
22 through 24. Ye men of Israel, hear these
words. Jesus of Nazareth. This is that
baby child, this one that the Spirit of God was speaking to,
instructing Joseph to call his name Jesus. Ye men of Israel,
hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth. a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God
did by him in the midst of you as ye yourselves also know."
Folks, they saw all those people getting fed on that mountain.
They saw the blind man who could see. They saw the man who was
laying by the pool get up and walk and carry his bed. They
saw the woman who had an issue of blood walk away healed. They saw these things clearly,
things that men could not do. Yet this man, this one by the
name of Jesus, God showed his approval of him among you by
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst
of you, as ye yourselves also know, him being delivered by
the determined." You know, folks talk about how, well, you know,
there was a pretty good crowd there taking the Lord Jesus.
Folks, if God in the flesh had wanted to, He could have stopped
all of that. Thousands and thousands of angels
could have come and picked him up and taken him away from that.
This is the good news about the Lord's crucifixion. The good news is that somebody
has to die for the sins of God's people, and the Lord Jesus did
that. Perfectly. All of our sins were
laid upon Him. It was by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God that He was delivered to that cross. Ye have taken, and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having
loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should
be holding of it. And then you jump to verse 36
of that very same chapter, and we read this. Therefore, let
all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made
that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Lord and Christ. He who has all
power. The word is Kyrios. It means supremacy. Supreme in
authority. That is, as a noun, controller. God, Lord, Master, the government,
the rule, the authority is on him. It's on his shoulders. That's what we were talking about.
That's what we were looking at. John Gill wrote this. He said,
not only of the world in general, but of the church in particular.
This child is born to royal dignity. He is king of saints. His government consists in ruling
in the hearts of his people. How do you explain that, James?
I don't know, but he does. How does he speak and confirm
to you in his heart these things? I don't know, but he does. Solidly. You're right. I can't think of
any words at the moment to explain that, but he does. Ruling in
the hearts of his people, enacting laws for them, and causing them
to submit unto them, and subduing their enemies, and protecting
them, their persons, and their properties, their rights, and
liberties, and in supplying them with everything necessary. And
this government is delegated to him from his father. It's developed upon him by him. and is not of this world, but
it is spiritual. It is righteously administered.
It is peaceable and will continue forever and is being said to
be upon his shoulders as an allusion to the magistrates having a key
or a rod laid up on their shoulders as incidents of their office
are carried about by the officers for them. And you can look at
that and see that in Isaiah chapter 9, verse 4. And it shows that
it was laid upon him or enjoined by him, by his father, though
not against his will. And it denotes a weight of honor
and care that bore by him, whose shoulders are fit for the same
and equal to it, and that he is properly that he is the prop
and the support of his church and people who are safe under
his government and protection. You know, I can sum that whole
chapter of John Gill's commentary up in this. Christ is all. He's everything we need. He's
all we need. He is all. As I consider this statement
of the government being on his shoulders, the verses in Romans
8 come to mind. as I consider the depth of what
that means, that everything is on the shoulders of my Savior,
my all, Romans 8, 28, and we know that all things work together
for the good to them that love God. I can trust that. I know
that. I know that everything that happens
is for the good to them that love God, to them who are called
according to His purpose. How could they not? The one whom
governs all that is is working it out for us. How could it not
be for our good? Could anything separate us from
the love of God and Christ Jesus? We'll look at that in a moment.
For whom he did foreknow, page four, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his son. Folks, we're conformed
to Christ. We're as perfect as He is. By
Him being made our sin, by Him being made sin for us, we were
made righteous, the righteousness of God in Him. Conformed to the
image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. I can't
help but think about what the free willers of this world think
about. And yes, they do call themselves
free willers. I had a man on the ship. Some
of you may recall there was a Bible study that I decided to attend
on the ship, on the cruise that Kathy were on. And a guy stood
up against me in the Bible study and declared himself. He looked
right at me. He says, and yes, I'm a free
willer. And he called me a Calvinist. So obviously, he thinks Calvinists
aren't free willers, which I know some people who say they believe
in Calvinism, and they're still free willers. Them he also called. And whom he called, them he also
justified. And whom he justified, them he
also glorified. What shall we say, then, to these
things? If God before us, who can be against us? And I've shared
with you many a times, that includes me. If God is for me, can I be
against myself? Can I turn myself away from the
power of God with his irresistible call to me when he says, John,
come forth? Did those men along the seashore
that were to become the disciples and the apostles, did they not
put everything down and leave their father and their nets and
go with Jesus? Why? Because the irresistible
power of God is irresistible. He makes us willing in the day
of his love. You know, I remember one time
Bill and I were talking about that. And I mistakenly said,
he makes us willing in the day of his power. And Bill stopped
me and said, no, no, no, no, no, wait a minute. He's always
had the power. He said, but there was a day
when he shined his love. And that's where he makes us
willing. There's a pretty big difference
in saying that he used power to change me or where he used
love to change me. You know what I'm saying? If
God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own
son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with
him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Folks, that's my governor. That's the one who everything
in the world to me is on his shoulders and under his sovereign
rule. That's my Lord. That's my God. John 5, verse 18 through 24,
we read these words. Therefore, the Jews sought more
to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said
also that God was his father, making himself equal with God. This is our Lord. This is the
Lord. This is the governor of everything.
Then answered Jesus, and said unto them, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what
he seeth, the Father doeth. For what things soever he doeth,
these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son,
and showeth him all things that himself doeth. And he will show
him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the
father raises up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the
son quickeneth whom he will. For the father judges no man,
but hath committed all judgment unto his son, that all men should
honor the son even as they honor the father. He that honoreth
not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him."
Now, folks, there are religions out there who say that the Lord
Jesus is a God. They believe in more than one
God. Jesus Christ is God Almighty in the flesh. He is all-powerful,
all-knowing. He that honoreth not the Son
honoreth not the Father which hath sent them. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him
that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into
condemnation, but is passed away, is passed from death unto life. Next we read in Isaiah chapter
nine, verse six, his name shall be called Wonderful. When I think
of God's grace in saving a wretch like me, could there be any better
name for my Lord? There is no other name I could
give more praise to than the name of my Savior. Page 5. Now I know my love for Him is
because He first loved me. If not for His love, I would
still be lost in darkness. The darkness that I loved, running
from Him, running straight to my own destruction, dead in trespasses
and sin. Oh, the praise in my heart for
this wonderful Savior. Oh, the praise in my heart for
the wonderful precious blood that He shed on my behalf in
my stead on that cross so long ago. Oh, the praise in my heart
for his wonderful comfort that he sends me through his word,
declaring my sin is forgiven, declaring from his throne I have
paid the price. This one is mine. What else could
we do but call him wonderful? What other word? You talk about
words that can't describe how the Lord causes us to know these
things. There's a song. I know whom I believe. And in
that song, I think it's the first verse, it says, I do not know... I gotta find this. Hang tight, folks. This is a
Bible study, we're not having a... Amen. We can take a break for just
a moment. I've got to share this with you. James asked me a question at
the beginning, before service began, about what words can we
use to express how the Lord moves in our hearts. And he was having
a discussion with somebody, and they were talking about the same
thing, but they couldn't put it into words. I know whom I've
believed. I don't want to guess it, answer
it. That's probably the answer to his question. I think I got
an answer why we were doing this. We're going to look at that in
a moment. You'll see there's a section
in here where I mentioned that we get our answers through God's
Word, you know. But listen to this. Listen to
the word of this one. I know not why God's wondrous grace
to me he hath made known, nor why unworthy Christ in love redeem
me for his own. I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart, while believing in His Word wrought peace within
my heart." I don't know how that happens. I don't know how to
explain that to you, but I know in me that that is so. He brings
peace to my heart through the teaching of His Word, to knowing
that He is on His throne and nothing can thwart His Word.
Let's go on now in page 5. Oh, here's that part next, remember? Should I think the Lord answered
the question already? Counselor, you got a question?
You got a question, a spiritual question? You need counsel? Folks,
there is only one place that you can trust for truth. The
Word of Truth. Listen to John 17, verses 13
through 17. And now come I to thee. This is the Lord Jesus Christ
praying to His Father. This is what I call the Lord's
Prayer. The other one the Lord is teaching
to pray. This one He is actually praying for you and I. He says,
And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the world,
that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. This is the joy
that we have fulfilled, knowing that he's the king of kings,
that he rules all things sovereignly. I have given them thy word, and
the world hath hated them, because they are not of this world, even
as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil. They are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. You got questions? You want to know something spiritually?
Listen. Sit and listen. A wise pastor
once told me, someone comes to you looking to you for spiritual
advice. He says, tell them to come to
services. Sit. Sit under the preaching
of God's Word. Listen. Listen carefully to everything
being said. Reading the Word of God as it's
being preached. Keep coming. Keep listening.
God will answer your questions through the preaching of His
Word. This wise pastor told me he's been practicing that Since
he started preaching over 20 years ago, or not quite, no,
I think he's just under 20 years, he says, I've been practicing
that. That was one of the things that my pastor taught me, he
said. I've been practicing that all
this time. He says, you would not believe how often it works
out. He said, almost every time. Sometimes it takes a little bit
longer. Sometimes the Lord teaches you a little patience. But if
you keep coming to where God's people are gathering together,
learning of Christ through the preaching of His Word, God will
answer your spiritual questions one way or another. He may have
just answered James a little bit ago, which I could not have
done. Uttermost. Uttermost. The Lord communicates
with you in the uttermost. There is no question. is complete,
the uttermost. OK, that's a good word to apply
to that. Excellent. The mighty God, the everlasting
Father. Midway, page 5. As we have seen
already in John chapter 5, he that honoreth not the Son honoreth
not the Father which hath sent him. Our last study was all about
the mystery of God manifesting himself in the form of flesh.
But I want to make one more point about this. And I'm going to
do that by reading from John chapter 10, verses 23 through
33. Bottom of page 5, we read, and
Jesus walked in the temple of Solomon's port. Then came the
Jews round about him and said unto him, how long dost thou
make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and ye believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me, but ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give
unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand, My Father which gave them
me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out
of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Then
the Jews took up stones. See, people take that and they
say, well, maybe he's just talking about how he and his father are
of one mind and they're of the same blood. No, he's talking
about I and my father are one. And listen, the Jews that were
standing there, they knew it. Watch what comes next. Then the
Jews took up stones again to stone him. And Jesus answered
them, many good works have I showed you from my father. For which
of those works do ye stone me? And the Jews answered him. They
knew exactly what he was saying. They knew that He was declaring
Himself to be God Almighty in the flesh. For good works we
stone Thee not, but for blasphemy, because that Thou, being a man,
makest Thyself God. Folks, that's the greatest words
on earth. That's the greatest words of
anything. He is God. That assures us. That assures
us that everything he did was perfect and acceptable. That
his sacrifice was acceptable and satisfactory. God doesn't do anything partway,
folks. He doesn't do anything partway.
What he has purposed, it shall be done. The fact he is God and
cannot be thwarted is the only peace peace we have, a child
of the Most High has. He is God. He took our place
and was condemned in our stead. Brother Rick, last night I believe
it was him, made a point. We were in Christ before the
world was. We were in Christ when He walked
this earth. We were in Christ when He was
crucified on that cross. We were in Him when God the Father
raised His Son from the dead. We are in Him now as He sits
on His throne, making intercession for us as our High Priest. Child of God, hear His word. And may the Prince of Peace,
this is our peace. We just mentioned it, I mentioned
it a moment ago. This is our peace, is that He is God. Hear
these words, and may the Prince of Peace, another name given
to us, given for our comfort in this valley of death we pass
through. Romans 3, verse 24. Being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption, our Redeemer, our
kinsman Redeemer that is in Christ Jesus, in Christ. We're redeemed
in Him. Chapter 8 verses 1 and 2, there
is therefore now no condemnation. You can't be condemned. The things
that you have done that you deserve to be condemned for has been
our Lord Jesus Christ was condemned for them. He was condemned in
our stead. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus. who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. Romans 8, 38 through 39. For
I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us. from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Page 7. 2 Corinthians 2.14, two more here
for you. Now thanks be to God which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ. Remember what I said a moment
ago? Christ is our all. Folks, if
Christ is not your all, then He's not your God at all
either. If He is your all, it's because
He has made Himself to be your God. Now, thanks be unto God, which
always calls us to triumph in Christ. Ephesians 2.13, but now
in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometimes were far off, ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Folks, we could spend a lifetime
studying the names he fills out, the names that he fills. We're
talking with Jamie. Last night, I think it was, I
was telling her what we were going to look at tonight in tonight's
study. And she said, well, you could just about put everything
as his name. I said, that's right. To a true
child of God, he is our all in all. Just about everything. Savior,
provider. And we can look at all kinds
of different things as the names of God. But we'll go on for now.
We could spend a lifetime studying the names that he fills. But
for now, I want to look at one more. Matthew 13, verse 54, we read,
and when he was come into his own country, he taught them in
their synagogue. insomuch that they were astonished. They were astonished. They sat
there in their synagogue and listened to the Lord Jesus, the
Christ, the Messiah, listen to him teach in their synagogue. And they were astonished. And
he said, whence hath this man? They said, and whence hath this
man this wisdom? Where did this man get this wisdom
and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Now this is why I wanted to look
at this last thing, folks. This is the grace of God in shining
His wisdom in His Son. Is not this the carpenter's son?
Is not His mother called Mary and His brethren James? You and
I could be asking that very same thing. Isn't that the guy that
was born to Mary? to the one who made tents for
a living, worked out, or was a carpenter for a living? Isn't
that, that's what we could be doing. We could be saying that
same thing right now, couldn't we? I know I could be right there. Is not this the carpenter's son?
Is not this, is not his mother called Mary? Is his brother James
and Joseph and Simon and Judas and his sisters, are they not
all with us? These things. Folks, I am not
a wise man. I'm thankful God gave me an ability
to drive a truck, because that's the only thing that I could do
very well in this world. I'm not a wise man. You can't
even say that I have street smarts about me, because I would mess
that up too. But the one who loves me, the
one who gave himself for me, is all wise. He knows everything. Everything
was created by him, for him, and through him. How shall he
not know all things? He is all-wise, as far as I'm
concerned, all-knowing, all-power. He is my wisdom. I don't need
anything else. If God has purposed it, and He's
purposed all things, as far as I'm concerned, as far as what
He has told me in His word, then that's all the wisdom that I
need. I can trust it. He has it all
under control. Look with me, if you would, in
your Bibles. I told you we'd come back to your Bibles one
more time. Look over at 2 Corinthians 2. Turn over to 2 Corinthians
2. You get Romans, 1 Corinthians,
and then 2 Corinthians. I'm sorry, 1 Corinthians 2. I
said 2. 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, we begin
reading in verse 6, how be it we speak wisdom among them that
are perfect, those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this world. Did you catch that? Not the wisdom
of this world. Over in verse 20 of chapter 1,
we read these words. Where is the wise? Where is the
scribe? Where is the disputer of this
world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Here,
Paul says in verse 6, how be it we speak wisdom among them
that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of
the princes of this world, that come to naught, but we speak
the wisdom of God in a mystery. That means I don't understand
it, but God has said it. I don't need to understand everything
God has told us. Some people do. I don't. I just
trust that it is so. This simple man trusts the Word
of God because God has given me the gift of trusting Him,
the gift of belief. By His grace, He has gifted the
ability for me to look at His word and say, it's so. We speak
the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which
God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of
the princes of the world knew, For had they known it, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the
heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him. But God hath revealed them unto
us. by His Spirit, for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. One more,
if you would, look at the last three verses of 1 Corinthians
chapter 1. That no flesh should glory in
His presence, but of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God
is made unto us. God Almighty, God the Father,
has made His Son my wisdom. He has made unto us wisdom, this
One who is Lord, this One who is the Savior, this One who is
Almighty God in the flesh, is all our wisdom. He is all our
righteousness. God has made unto us wisdom and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption. That according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Amen. I'm going to heed to my
own statements there that this wise pastor shared with me. If you have any questions about
tonight's study, join us next week, and the week after, and
the week after, and eventually the Lord will answer your questions. Amen.