All right, this is a wonderful
passage. It is the announcement of an angel dealing with Joseph,
who was to be the husband of Mary. So in Matthew 1, 18, we
read down through there, and then particularly look at verse
21 as we pass by that contains our text today. All right, here
it is. Now, the birth of Jesus was on
this wise. In other words, this is how it
happened, this is how it came to pass. When, as his mother
Mary was a spouse to Joseph, His mother, Mary, was a spouse
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 privately. 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." Here's our text. And she shall bring
forth a son, that shall call his name Jesus, or he shall save
his people from their sin. Now watch verse 22. Now all this
was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth, and so forth. Now, verse 21, thou shalt call
his name Jesus, or he shall save his people from their sin. And as I said, we want to kind
of juxtapose this text to universalism as it is alive in the world today. I think one of the greatest books
that God ever helped a mortal man to write was one written
by John Owen in the 16th century that he titled, The Death of
Death in the Death of Christ. And I want to use some of his
points that it might get us on our way today. His premise being
this. that the death of Christ was
absolutely effectual to accomplish that which God had willed and
purposed by it. Now, among his first two points,
he raises the question, number one, What was the intention of
God with regard to the death of Christ? In sending his son
to the death of the cross? What was the intention of God
in giving his son into those cruel hand and that awful, awful
shame and suffering of the cross? Perhaps you answer, it was to
save sinners, to save them from everlasting ruin and damnation. Or perhaps some would frame the
answer in another way by saying that Jesus died upon the cross
that he might give all a chance or an opportunity to be saved. In other words, he died to make
salvation possible unto all, to remove the obstacle that stand
between man and God in order that sinners might be saved.
Most of universalists contend that the death of Christ was
meant to be universal absolutely for everyone without exception
brought into the intention of God to that end. Now the second
point that Owen raises is the matter considered What was the
actual accomplishment of the cross? The first one is, what
did God intend? And now we move on to say, what
has been the actual accomplishment of the death of our Lord? are all being saved, all throughout
the world. It's God sweeping up all and
everyone into the kingdom of God and salvation. In other words,
is the blood of Christ in the process of saving all without
exception. Now, there are some who believe
in ultimate restoration, that all eventually will be restored
and reconciled unto God, that all will eventually be saved. Yet most universalists believe
that many will perish, and many will perish for whom Christ has
died upon the cross. that their pardon is available,
if they will accept it, thus all might be saved. And because
of that, they see no great contradiction to what God and Christ intended
in the atonement and what is actually accomplished by the
death and atonement of our Lord. So that universalism, that's
consistent with Arminianism, is left with only two choices
as they look at the death of Christ and what was a conflict. One, they can believe that all
will be saved because they say Christ died for all men without
exception. Or two, they can believe that
the will of God in regard to saving sinners by the death of
Christ is not done, that what God intended has not been accomplished. But it has been frustrated and
it has been defeated in part, that God has not done or there
has not happened what they say God intended to be done to provide
salvation for every child of Adam. Of course, this is not
the case. And so we are left to conclude
by looking at it through the eye of our minionism that the
Father and the Son and the Spirit and the church and the preacher
and the people of God have failed in their purpose to rescue all
fallen sinner. Now, of course, universalism
does not openly lay that charge at the feet of God. They would
protect the image of God, the honor of God, they imagine in
their mind God's integrity by laying the blame upon sinners
who refuse to accept the freely offered salvation. By not using
their free will aright, they have therefore, by being stubborn
and unyielding, not accepting the death of Christ, brought
about their own ruin. Now, some take the blame even
further, blaming Christians for not being more aggressive witnesses
and soul winners, and blaming the church that they have not
been more missionary-minded in their ministry. So that a universalist
make two arguments as to why all are not saved. Number one,
they say because of the sin of unbelief, because they have not
believed. And they say that unbelief is
that which stands between them and God and the eternal life,
that they have not believed. Number two, because their will
is resisting the offer of life that is made through Christ and
His death upon the cross. We answer, as did the Puritan
exegete John Owen, is this unbelief a sin or is it not? And if Christ died for all their
sin, then he died as surely for their sin of unbelief as their
drunkenness, or their murder, or their covetousness, or whatever
else we might name. I believe there are some who
say that Christ died for every sin except the sin of unbelief. Therefore, when one believes
they're no longer guilty of the sin of unbelief. Why do they
not apply that logic to other sins? Murder. If they stop, they're
no longer a murderer, and so on down the line. Now, if Christ
died for all of their sins, then he died as surely for their unbelief,
as for their lust, or their murder, or their drunkenness, or their
thievery, or their lying, or their idolatry or whatever we
might name. Which is greater? Which is the
supreme will? Is it the will of man or is it
the will of God? I would just remind you how easily
Paul, or rather Christ, overcame the most stubborn will in the
New Testament, Saul of Tarsha. His will was nothing to the power
of God when he came unto Saul in that great converting experience. Now, with these things behind
us, let's raise three questions for our consideration that will
give us a wide opening on the subject of salvation. Number one, can those that God
loves perish. Scripture and Universalist put
great emphasis upon the love of God. It's their favorite doctrine. But can those that God loves
perish? Secondly, can sinners perish
that Christ has died for? He carried their sins in his
own body to the tree. Can those people perish for whom
Christ died? He bore their sin? He paid their
debt. He bore the curse of the law
for those he died for. He had been made sin. So therefore,
can sinners, notwithstanding these things, fall into eternal
damnation? So this question is can some
or can many or can any that Christ died for perish in their sin
forever being lost? And the third question is can
those some for a time be in a state of grace and then fall out or
send away that day of grace. This is a common belief among
a very large segment of Christianity in our day. Thus there are many
that will quickly answer yes to all question. Yes, they can
perish that God loved. Yes, they can perish that Christ
died for. And yes, some can perish that
are already in a state of grace. Even so, some, yea, many, who
would answer no to the third question would still answer yes
to question one and two. But then think, some even holding
that one can become a believer, be converted, have grace, know
Jesus, have grace in the heart and in the soul, and in such
a state, if they died, would go to heaven, only later to fall
away from that and to lose that grace. So, let's return to these
issues later in our study. after we consider the verse that
we read for our text in the beginning. Matthew chapter 1 and verse 21
said, this is a part of the instruction of the correction of the comfort
and guidance the angel gave unto Joseph. And it concerns the glorious
incarnation of the Son of God in flesh through and by Mary
where we read in verse 18 The birth of Jesus was on this wise. First of all, we read Joseph,
it became evident, it became known to Joseph that Mary was
with child and knowing himself not to be the father of that
child and because he was a just man and did not want to shame
her and was minded to put her away quietly and privately, for
he imagined that he had found some uncleanliness in his beloved."
You'll see that in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 24 and verse 1. If he married and finds some
uncleanliness, to put her away. Now the angel of God interposed
at this point because all things were going according to the counsel
of God, telling Joseph in verse 20, that which is conceived in
her is of the Holy Spirit of God. We have two main accounts
in the New Testament of this conception of the human nature
of Christ. One here and one in Luke chapter
1, verse 26 through verse 38. Luke's account is from the standpoint
and the perspective of Mary, and Matthew's account is from
the perspective of Joseph. The angel tells Joseph that the
Holy Spirit had given Mary conception. We believe that in verse 20,
that she would give birth to a son whose name would be called
Jesus, and that he would save his people from their sin. That's in verse 21. Furthermore,
in verse 22, and 23, this would be a fulfillment of the prophecy
of Isaiah, which declared that a virgin would be with child,
that she would give birth unto a son, a thing never done in
the world before. But something else. He shall
be called Immanuel. That literally means God with
us. that the very, very bold prophecy
of Isaiah predicting that a virgin woman, not even a wife, who had
never known man, should get with child and bring forth a man-child,
yet not a common and an ordinary son, not one in and after the
image of Adam, but he would be God manifest in the flesh. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse
16. Now we might say here for emphasis
and for added effect that the incarnation of the sinless person
of Christ, by the incarnation is the core and the foundation
of Christianity and of faith. You take that away, there is
no redeeming Savior or any. The very foundation of Christianity
rests upon this incredible thing. the incarnation of the Son. It is a much-emphasized truth
in the Scripture, taken as an actual fact and truth, so that
if any absolutely reject this, then thou hast neither part nor
lot in this matter, as Peter said in Acts 8 and verse 21. Or to put it bluntly, They can't
be a Christian who deny the incarnation that Christ is virgin born and
is very God, God and man. Now our focus is upon verse 21
and the words again are directed toward Joseph. And they concern
the one or the son that his betrothed one, Mary, would bear. And again, looking at the verse,
there are three definite statements that are found in this very verse. Number one, she shall, underline
shall, she shall bring forth a son. No question about it.
Not a daughter, but a son. She shall bring forth a son. Number two, you shall call his
name Jesus. Give him the name Jesus. This shall be his name. 4, verse
3, or reason 3, he shall save his people from their sin. She
shall bear a son, he shall be called Jesus, he shall save his
people from their sin. Now notice you already have that
there are three shalls in that one verse of scripture. She shall
or will You shall or will, he shall or will save his people
from their sin. These three declarations, three
things that are of a positive nature and are certain to come
to pass because God has purposed it. and they concern the incarnate
Christ, these things would shortly come to pass, and in the order
in which they are set forth here, shall bear a son, shall call
his name Jesus, and he shall save his people from their sin. Now, the third point is our focus,
but let us consider the first two, working our way onto the
third one, if we will. Number one, The angel tells Joseph
that Mary, his spouse, shall literally will bring forth a
son. She was already with child, which
in verse 20, notice how he guards the virgin birth here, is by
the Holy Spirit, he tells Joseph. This is a work of the Holy Spirit. And she would give birth to a
son. She has not been unfaithful and
unclean. This is a work of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son,
a male child, a man child, which of course she did, as we know
the scripture. In Luke chapter 2, 5 through
7, she brought forth her firstborn. She became great with child,
and then the time of her birth had come, and it occurred. Secondly,
he was to be given the name Jesus. Call him Jesus. Not one of the great names of
the Old Testament, David, Abraham, Moses, or one of the great men,
but Jesus. And it was so. He was called
Jesus in Matthew 1, 4 through 25. And Joseph did as the angel
had bidden him and called his name Jesus. Thirdly, He is Jesus. He shall or will save his people
from their sin. As surely as the other two occurred,
so would the last month. It was not that Mary would try
to have a son, nor was it that Joseph might name him Jesus,
but each was definite and a settled matter. Now, let's recall the
small connecting word that you see in verse 21, and that would
be the words and, and far. Let's look at it in verse 21,
especially the far. For in the last part of the verse,
and the significance of the name Jesus, why would God have his
only begotten son named Jesus? You shall call his name Jesus. Now watch. For, because, or since
in view of the fact he shall save his people from their sin. Now the word Jesus actually means
Savior, as we'll see later. We read something interesting
in Luke chapter 2 and verse 21, when on the eighth day after
his birth, the holy child Jesus was taken into the temple and
was circumcised according to the law, a part of the humiliation
of our blessed Lord. And his name was then officially
given. His name was called Jesus, which
was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb
Luke 1 and 31 tells you much the same. The same as with John
in Luke 13 and verse 60 and verse 63 where very weak. Now why What
is this incarnate one called Jesus? Why has he been given
that name? What's the significance of it? He has a special chosen assigned
name given unto him by God. No other name will suit him but
the name of Jesus. Now, you know, we read that all
biblical names have a special particular meaning. It was so
particularly in the Old Testament. And each one of them told something
usually about the person or about their life or their calling or
of their circumstances. So it was with Jesus. The name means Savior. And it's very much like that
name, Joshua, in the Old Testament. Transliterated over into the
New Testament, it would be one and the same, Savior. See that
in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 8, which though translated in
the King James as visa, yet has reference to Joshua in Hebrews
4 and verse 8. Now Joseph and Mary are not free
to choose the name for their son or child. His Heavenly Father
has given him the name Jesus before he was ever born. His name is Jesus. Jesus is the one that has been
born of her. Joshua, the one that is a savior. Linsky said that the name means
Yahweh is helper. Yahweh saved. And notice in Matthew
1 and 23, another name used is Immanuel. For this shall be Immanuel
with us. That's what the name Immanuel
means, God with us. Or by the incarnation, God was
manifest in the person of his son in the flesh. He was made
flesh. and dwelt among us. The only
one worthy of this name is the incarnate Son of God. But also noted that he is given
the name Jesus, there is this reason why God would have his
name to be called Jesus. And it is introduced again by
the little word for, or literally, because or since. Call his name
Jesus or Savior because he shall save. his people from their sin. Spurgeon put it like this. He
is what his name is called. He is the Savior. He does what
his name implies. He saves because his work answers
and agrees to his name as Savior. Number one, he saves. And the word saved or saved or
saves appears very frequently throughout our New Testament. The word in Matthew 121 is sadzo,
which means to deliver, to make safe, to rescue from danger,
and to bring to a place of safety, to grasp and deliver, and to
make whole. is the meaning of the word, to
preserve. And at different times in the
New Testament, we see that the word is used both of temporal
deliverance, as when the disciple said in the boat, Lord save us,
or we perish in the strong storm. It is also used, however, of
spiritual salvation and of the saving of the soul. Number two,
he saves from sin. He delivers from the bondage
of sin his people by dying for them. He rescues from the enslaving,
condemning power of sin by the power and authority of his death. Not just from earthly affliction
and troubles, not from political oppression and persecution, but
from sin and everlasting destruction. And from sin in both its dominion
and its curse. so they can no longer have dominion
over his people and it cannot curse his people because is that
stance between them and that. Number three, who are they that
he saves? And let's look at this more closely
and particularly what could be clearer. His people. He shall save His people. This is a clear and a distinct
statement, I believe, describing definite atonement. He shall
save, not try to save, not make it possible, not remove obstacles
to their being saved, but to really, actually, literally save
them, to put away their sin. to deliver them from this present
evil world. Galatians chapter 1 and verse
4, to bring many sons to glory. Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 10,
as surely as he would be born, as surely as he would be named
Jesus, so surely would he save his people from their sin. No more could the third one fail
than the first two shalls fail. For it is a trustworthy, it is
a reliable saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners. 1st Timothy chapter 1 and verse
15. But we must consider the question
further, what is meant, who are meant by his people. We look at that, his people. Who are his people? And are they his before or after
they are saved? Are they his before or after
they are saved? Are they his to be saved or are
they his because they have been saved. Now the text puts it in
proper perspective. He shall save his people from
their sin. They are his people before they
are saved and before he died for them and before he was incarnate
in the world. Who are his people? These, this
people. Does it refer to the Jew? Some
think that, yet not all of them are saved by a long shot. Does it refer to everyone in
the world, every nation, tongue, and nationality? Very clearly,
not every Jew is saved, neither is everyone in the world being
saved or has been saved. There is an intentional distinction
that is made here. His people. He shall save from
sin would have been truth, but here He shall save His people
from their sin. 2 Timothy 2 and 19. The Lord knows them that are
His. In John 17 and verse 6, Jesus
said this, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou
gave me out of the world. Thine they were, and you gave
them unto me." Now this is just another way of expressing the
doctrine of election. They were yours, you gave them
to me. You gave me the people out of
this world. So his people are one and the
same with the elect. And they were chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1, 3, and 4,
and they were given unto Christ in two senses, if we may make
that distinction. In two ways they were given unto
the Lord Jesus Christ. Number one, they were given by
way of charge. He's their surety. These he answers
for. And number two, they were given
to him by way of reward. as a reward for his death. He
would see the travail of his soul and would be satisfied. He is a surety for them. He,
like Judah for Benjamin of old, in Genesis chapter 43, bound
himself as a guarantee of the safe return of his little brother
Benjamin. They became his charges. Remember,
Judah pledged In Genesis 43 and verse 9, I will be surety for
him of my hand. Shall you require him? If I bring
him not before you again and set him before you, then let
me bear the blame forever. Unquote. There's the work of
assurity. Assurity, Christ therefore is
responsible for those that he has made assurity for in the
covenant of grace. By way of reward, those that
he died for are the travail of his soul, the fruit of his suffering,
and of his death. The reward of his suffering,
the death of the cross. He prayed. In John chapter 17
and verse 4, the greatest prayer in the Bible, I will that they
also whom thou has given me be with me where I am that they
may behold my glory, end quote. There he definitely expresses
the desire that those given him might be with him in a state
of glory. The Lord shall have all that
he died for. What a wonderful truth of the
scripture. None of them shall be lost. His
sheep shall never perish, for he shall bring them one and all. They shall never be plucked out
of his hand, John 10, 27 through verse 29. He's able to save to
the uttermost them that come unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them, Hebrews 7 and verse 25. He has shed his blood a ransom
for many. Matthew 20 in verse 28. Ransom,
a price. Ransom means a price. Buying by a price. The Son of Man came to give his
life a ransom for many. To pay the price of their deliverance
from the slavery of sin and the servitude of the devil and of
the flesh. and of the world. Have you noticed
in reading the great prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 53 and verse
11, there is a statement and a connection that we ought not
to miss. It is this, my righteous servant
shall justify many. Now that's a great truth. We
understand that. That's gospel truth indeed. But watch what goes after it.
My righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their
iniquity. And the bearing of their iniquity
is the ground of Him justifying them and justifying many. So there's a connection between
His bearing their iniquity and justifying the many. That's why He justified them,
or that's how they're justified. by or through the Lord bearing
their iniquity away. They're justified as a result
of the Lord bearing their sins. So can we say that all whose
sins he bore will ultimately be justified in Christ and by
Christ and through His death. Christ's death cannot be in vain
and cannot miscarry in the case of any for whom His blood was
shed. His blood cannot miscarry. Justice demands those that Christ
died for be saved from their sins. And so they are. You know, Arminians and Universalists
are not troubled. They are not troubled at all. by double jeopardy in the case
of the punishment of sin. That though Christ paid the debt
of every man, that's their doctrine, that's what they say, yet they
may suffer again for those same sins in hell that Christ died
for. double jeopardy. They may have
it required of them again, though Christ has paid the debt and
answered it one and all. He shall save his people by giving
and providing everything needed, including the faith by which
they believe. that their belief, yes, is a
sin, and that, yes, Christ died for that as well as all sin. So the question comes back, universalism,
can those perish that God and that Christ have loved? Can any
perish that Christ has died for, shed his blood for? Can any be
in grace and still perish? Well, if you answer yes, then
I'm going to tell you this, there's no comfort, There's no hope,
there's no real assurance in any of these, and it depends
on your will, effort, striving, and success. How odd that Armenians
speak so freely. of the love of God and then say,
those that he loves may perish in hell. It's their leading doctrine. God loves you. And their second
one is Christ died for you. And yet in both cases, they believe. Those that God loves and those
that Christ died for may perish in their sin. That's Arminianism.
That's Universalism. I'd rather stand upon this. He
shall save his people from their sin. Thank God for that great
announcement. And it came from an angel of
God, from the very presence of God. He shall save his people
from their sin and save them He has, He is, and He shall. Thank God for that great comfort. He shall save His people from
their sin.