Our Lord would have all His people
rich in high and happy thoughts about Him.
It is His pleasure that His espoused ones should be delighted with His
beauty. We are not to regard Him as a
bare necessity like bread or water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and
ravishing delight. To this end He has
revealed Himself as the “pearl of great price” in its peerless beauty, as the “bundle
of myrrh” in its refreshing fragrance, or the “rose of Sharon” in its lasting
perfume, as the “lily” in its spotless purity.
As a help to high thoughts of
Christ, remember that beyond the skies, where things are measured by the right
standard, Christ is held in the highest estimation. Think how God esteems the Only Begotten, His
unspeakable gift to us. Consider what
the angels think of Him, as they count it their highest honor to veil their
faces at His feet. Consider what the
blood-washed think of Him, as day without night they sing His well deserved
praises. The more loftily we see Christ
enthroned the more lowly we are when bowing before the foot of the throne, the
more truly will we be prepared to act our part towards Him. High thoughts of Him increase our love. Therefore, think much of your Master’s
excellencies. Study Him in His primeval
glory, before He took your nature on Himself!
Think of the mighty love which drew Him from His throne to die on the
cross! Admire Him as He conquers all the
power of hell! See Him risen, crowned,
glorified! Bow before Him as the
wonderful, the counselor, the mighty God; for only thus your love to Him be
what it should.
This Christmas Sunday morning we will be actively engaged in
just such an enterprise as we look at the fourth descriptive name of Jesus that
Matthew gives us – the Deliverer (Mt. 2:13-15). Drawing upon his knowledge of
God’s word and the audience to whom he was writing, Matthew sets forth in three
verses a principle feature of Jesus’ glory.
As many of you know, Matthew writes his gospel using the
template of the Pentateuch – the books of Moses. Indeed, the similarities between the five
books of Moses and the 29 chapters of Matthew are impressive. But nowhere is the parallel more clearly seen
than in Matthew’s presentation of the aftermath of Jesus’ birth. Immediately following the announcement of
Jesus’ birth to Joseph in a dream, Matthew launches into the story of Herod’s
depravity, the visit of the Magi, and the flight of Joseph and his family into
Egypt. And it’s here in verses 13
through 15 that we see a fascinating picture of Jesus as God’s greatest
Deliverer.
It’s a serious and shortsighted mistake to limit Jesus’
deliverance to one’s conversion experience.
While being born again by the Spirit of God is essential, it is only the
beginning of the full scope of the deliverance offered to us in Christ. A fuller vision of His deliverance is our aim
this week.
In preparation for Sunday’s message you may wish to review
the last three Sunday’s messages on Jesus’ identity in Matthew – “Immanuel”
(Mt. 1:18-23), “Shepherd” (Mt. 2:1-6), and “Comforter” (Mt. 2:7-12;
16-18). In addition you may wish to
consider the following:
1. The
significance of Moses to Israel.
2. What
similarities can you identify between Moses and Jesus?
3. Without
Moses where would Israel be?
4. Why
does the angel come to Joseph in three dreams in Matthew and to Mary in a
vision in Luke?
5. What
is the significance of the timing of this second angelic nocturnal encounter?
6. What
is the significance of Egypt in the life of God’s people?
7. What
was God’s purpose in delivering Moses from the Nile? Whose idea was it?
8. The
Hebrew word for Deliverer is “Moshia”
stemming from “Yasha”. Can you find the meaning and connection of
these words?
9. What
is the significance of the unusual order of the angel’s words in verse 14?
10. What is the
significance of the timing of the angelic announcement and the escape into
Egypt?
11. Why does
Matthew only quote the second half of Hosea 11 in verse 15? What problem has this posed through the
years?
12. What role
do the hands of the deliverer (Moses and Jesus) play in their deliverance?
13. How is the
deliverance of Jesus greater than the deliverance of Moses?
See you Sunday – Merry Christmas!
