Joseph's Exemplary Faith

Two of the four Gospels complete in the account of the birth of Jesus Christ. Luke's account is primarily from the viewpoint of Mary and Matthew gives us the narrative from the perspective of Joseph, Matthew gives details that are not found in Luke Luke includes details that are not recorded by Matthew. But together they form a full count of the record of the birth of Jesus Christ and other events that surrounded that momentous time today were going to examine Matthew's account which is a very familiar story to most of us how simple it sounds. How profound it becomes when we look into it very carefully because, as always, there are fresh insights to explore every time we open the pages of Scripture and therefore we ask that God will give us eyes to see and ears to hear, as we examine Matthew's account in five parts number one miraculous conception the birth of Jesus Christ. We are told, was as follows after his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. It is an historical account. Matthew represents it in that way we understand it to be so now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows straightforward historical narrative buttressed by the fact that this narrative follows a detailed genealogy in the first 17 verses of Matthew's gospel. The genealogy of Joseph's lineage and that can be verified for many other places in Scripture and even historical accounts outside the Bible and so is very clear that what Matthew was giving us is history. Here is the lineage here is the line of descendents, and here is the account of the birth that came out of that line, it is given to us without apology without embellishment, without any words that are mythological. This is not Once upon a time type of story.

It is not a fairytale.

It is a straight historical narrative of what took place and those who believe the Bible understand that people who want to know what happened except it is such that only those who have hearts that are steeled against God and against his word are unwilling to accept this is a straightforward historical narrative and historical account but it is also an unprecedented occurrence. Something happened here that has never happened before something happened here that is never happened since.

Here is the account of a birth that was given to a virgin who was a virgin at the time of the conception and was a virgin up until after the time of the birth of her child. It involves a Jewish betrothal which is unfamiliar to us, but was very very ordinary and that day when his mother, the mother of Jesus Christ was betrothed to Joseph, a Jewish betrothal Mary from all appearances was a very ordinary Jewish make nothing extraordinary about her as far as human accomplishment is concerned, and Joseph likewise seems to be a very ordinary Jewish male don't know much at all about the families from which either Joseph or Mary came from.

We do know that Joseph's father's name was Jacob because that's part of the genealogy before us, but other than that we don't know too much about them.

They're not the kind of people about which you would expect to find long accounts of detailed information because they are just to ordinary Jewish people that did not stand out in their society in any way whatsoever, but they had entered into a marriage arrangement that we know of.

According to the customs of that day as a betrothal that was the ordinary Jewish arrangement very different from ours today when a Jewish man and woman decided to get married and sometimes that was primarily there decision. Oftentimes it was their parents decision, and generally was some combination of those element parents very much involved with not generally to the entire neglect of the individuals who were involved but the parents were very much involved in particularly in the case of the woman, the father would make arrangements for this marriage would enter her into a legal betrothal with the husband that that he approved of and that hopefully she desired to Marion that everyone thought was going to be a good good mate for this woman. It was a legal act betrothal betrothal was actually the legal part of the Jewish Mary in our day. We have engaged engagement, which is the informal part is a private matter between the man and the woman.

The man asked the wife usually last woman to marry him. Sometimes it was the other way around with generally the they man asked the woman to marry him and there's some kind of a sometimes in our day and times and posted on Facebook is that I admire those brief people who are willing to to pop a surprise surprise Woody: proposal on Facebook without knowing ahead of time whether or not she's going to going to accept that could be pretty embarrassing when doesn't turn out that way. It is quite as private in our days. It used to be for all of the social media that we have today, but in our day. The man proposes marriage to the woman and she agrees and it private understanding of private contract generally rings are exchanged, sometimes immediately, sometimes a little bit later on the engagement ring at least is given.

And of course the announcement is made to family and friends, and it's a very informal thing until the appointed day of the wedding and that's when it becomes a legal matter, or you can be married you have to get a marriage license. Forget the marriage license. I will tell you about a marriage where that happened was someone forgot to get the marriage license but don't forget to get the marriage license that's that's vitally important because now we come to the legal part got I have the license and it's gotta be witnessed and it's got to be signed by the official as well as by the witnesses.

It's got to be returned to the courthouse.

That's got to be recorded. There and all of that in our custom is attached to the wedding vows the wedding ceremony. When these two people pledge themselves before witnesses to one another in marriage. We call that marriage but in the Jewish way of doing things. The betrothal was a legal part when they entered into a betrothal that was recorded in the archives of that society and from that time on. As far as the legal part is concerned the husband is now the man is not considered husband. The woman is now considered wife and that arrangement can only be dissolved by divorce because it is a legal arrangement and then the coming together marriage is followed, the betrothal is followed by a betrothal. Which is a time of preparation and that can last anywhere up to a year. I understand it was not to last longer than a year so if the father wanted to drag his heels. He could drag them as long as one year before he finally said okay. The times come now live together as husband and wife that could last any longer than a year. The groom the new husband had that assurance, but it was a time of preparation and that's not a bad thing.

How many times do we see blue people rushing into marriage with very little prep without serious it's already legal. There already legal obligations and yet before you come together to live together as husband and wife to set up your own household to start having this marriage relationship. Let's have a time of serious preparation which can involve all kinds of things for the woman he can involve getting together all of the clothes in the kitchen utensils and whatever thing she thinks she needs to have to take into a new household and the husband can prepare a home.

If he doesn't already have one for them to move to all the things that are involved there and in our day. It wouldn't be unlikely that during this period he would have the marriage counselor in our day that takes place during the engagement.

Before the wedding, but betrothal was a time of preparation. Let's get serious about this.

Let's find out what is required in this relationship and then the time would come when it was agreeable to everyone that the actual marriage should be entered into.

Sometimes that would involve a great celebration a great wedding feast to could last as long as a week say how long did last how they decide how long it would last. Probably that would would decide the issue for most people. I learned I go through this four times my daughters. I've learned of the husband's role. The father's role is to keep your pocketbook open and your mouth shut.

Works pretty well. That way anyway, they would have a wedding feast that would last up to a week long. If the family could afford that. Sometimes it was almost no celebration at all distant. Just the decision to come together and start living as husband and wife. If finances did not allow greatness public celebration. So this is what is going on in the arrangement between Joseph and Mary, but we have this problem or this great joy.

Depending on how you understand and how you've come to understand it, but we read after his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child before they came together.

There had been no sexual relations between Joseph and Mary. That's clear from the account that that Joseph knew without any shadow of a doubt this was not it could not be his child course under the circumstances that could only cause him to assume that Mary had been unfaithful and that this child was a child of fornication, but as Matthew gives us a clear account. He's careful to tell us even upfront before he gives the official announcement to Joseph but he tells us upfront that she was found with child, but of the holy spirit that changes everything. She was found with child startling and disgraceful as that was when Matthew or when Joseph learned that information, but by the Holy Spirit. Now that changes everything from disgrace to honor when that becomes known. But anyway you look at it. This is unprecedented. This is miraculous of this is traced, it turns out to be entirely opposite of what appears to be turns out to be entirely opposite of every other similar experience down through the thousands of years of human history when a woman that has become pregnant and her husband are betrothed husband to be is not involved but in this case it was a miraculous conception and Mary was with child not of any man anywhere in all the world, but by the Holy Spirit of God, some fine, that difficult to believe.

My question to those is why do you find that difficult to believe. Don't you believe in God. Don't you believe in the power of God. Don't you believe the God who made this universe is able to do something like this is a small thing with God thing with us but a small thing with God. Reminds me of Paul before was at Agrippa and he said to him, why should you think it strange that God should raise the debt talking about resurrection from the dead. Why do you think that's difficult what he think that's impossible that the God who could do all this would have any difficulty raising people from the dead will likewise what you think this is difficult.

Why do you think the God who has all this power would have any difficulty bringing a child into this world through a different means and the way he designed originally. After all the way were accustomed to for having children is the way God designed it. That's a miracle in itself, a wonderful miracle of God's design, but couldn't the God who designed it that way also have another way of bringing a child in the world. He could have 100 other ways.

If you chose to do it that way. Why do you have difficulty miraculous conception, but the miraculous conception is followed by difficult decision. Verse 19 then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing or not wanting rather to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly notice Joseph's position. He's called her husband are not living together yet they are betrothed. Legally he is her husband. He is the husband is legally bound.

He is the husband that he has certain societal expectations. Mary was expected to be a virgin. She was presented to him as such by her father and he expected her to be that in every way but now she's found with the child and if Joseph takes her as his wife under these conditions. That is a signal when Jewish society that he's acknowledging the child to be his and he knows the child is not it. Joseph is a righteous man. That of course means in human terms. Nobody is righteous ultimately before God is none righteous, no not one, but we speak in this language. In human terms. We talk about people who are godly. That's a godly man a godly woman that distinguishes them from other people don't. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is righteous, nobody is is perfectly godly. No one is good, ultimately perfectly, but God alone. Jesus told the rich young ruler, but we use this kind of language, and this indicates the kind of reputation, the Joseph Hannity was a righteous man.

He had a reputation for godliness. He was known to follow the law carefully, he tried to do what was right to other people and before God and if he took Mary to be his wife and he was acknowledging released was communicating that he had fathered a child prematurely before before the marriage was to be consummated properly and he had not done that and he had was unwilling to have such a disdain on his reputation. It was a dilemma. Joseph's desire was that he did not want to disgrace her.

According to Mosaic law. In a situation like this marriage should be brought before the officials of the city. The trial should be held to determine how she had come to be pregnant and when if and when it was determined that she had become pregnant out of fornication that initially was to be stoned to death. That was the law, but they lived in days of Roman occupation and the Romans had set aside much of the Jewish law that will be I should say that set aside some of the Jewish law. They allowed the Jews to carry out many things according to their law, but they certainly did not allow the Jews to carry out executions as would be required by Mosaic law on this situation. So Joseph is he's got a dilemma.

He's trying to way the different possibilities. He knows what should've happened back in the days when Moses gave the law that in the years following what Israel ruled themselves there of their own nation. He knew what the law required but now God has allowed the Romans to come in and supersede Jewish law. In some situations and it's hard to know exactly know what to do. You can't carry out the Mosaic law according to the details and into the mud minutia. All of the all the precepts of the law in this day and time was also in Mosaic law, a a permission for a private divorce going before two witnesses a man could divorce his wife by by giving her a bill of divorcement written out that he was divorcing her that was attested to by the two witnesses that was not designed for situation like this is designed for what we would call normal divorce, but again this is not a time when when all of the normal laws can be carried out. So now Joseph is waiting that could I possibly employ that provision under these circumstances, because the normal circumstances don't apply exudes a whole lot more in Joseph's decision than what we probably have thought about these weighing this he's weighing that he's trying to figure out what is the most pleasing route to two please God in the situation is does God expect me to press for justice. Complete justice.

I know what that means fact that is carried out completely. That means the death of my betrothed wife Mary, whom I love, even though I now am in a place where I don't think I can take her to be my wife or is this a time when there are other Old Testament Scriptures that ought to way in the decision, we hear the words of the prophet Micah with what shall I come before the Lord by myself before the high God, shall I come before him with burnt offerings with calves a year old with the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, 10,000 rivers of oil. Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression. The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul dear show you a man what is good and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God. That's interesting to do justly what does justice require public trial execution but that can be done under Roman law. And what about the mercy. How does that figure and how does that mitigate requirement of justice so you can see Joseph is got a lot going round in his mind. He's a righteous man. He tries to obey the law.

He does obey the law, but there are times when the law comes to Be followed through and he knows that now. What you do in that circumstance. Joseph finally came to what he thought was the most God honoring decision that was to put her away secretly is my translation says privately as other translations say to employ the Deuteronomy 24 provision to go before two witnesses in a private ceremony into give her a bill of divorcement the put her away quietly with the least fanfare possible. That's the decision the Joseph arrived at a difficult decision but he made it in a way that would appear to have carried out his reputation as a righteous man who follow law class he's still laying this.

He hasn't. He hasn't pulled the trigger on this decision yet hasn't hasn't gone to the witnesses yet he's obviously reluctant to put her away at all, but something's got to be done and as he's weighing this, we, number three, to a clarifying revelation versus 20, 21, and while he thought about these things. Verse 20 behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take you Mary your wife often wondered what what exactly was involved in that fear don't be afraid. I think I understand.

For him, as I've already explained to take Mary would be a public admission that the child belongs to him and that was an assault upon his righteous character in his public reputation, and he feared to besmirch his reputation in that way. But the angel says don't fear to take you Mary your wife again.

See, she's called his wife, even though they have come together. Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sin and angel of the Lord and angel of the Lord not the angel of the Lord. An important distinction when you read about the angel of the Lord. That's Jesus Christ coming as an angel but when you read about an angel of the Lord. That's one of tens of thousands of holy angels that are messengers that God employs, and this was one of those in the angel came and intervened by means of a dream which was just one of many ways that God communicated his word to his people throughout the Old Testament there were visions.

That's one person was awake. There were dreams that was at night when the person was asleep. There was the inward clarity of thought that obviously came from God to the person that was chosen as a messenger of God recognized was not his thoughts was not his words. It was God who was directing this course for many people. There was the words of the prophet, the God given to him that came to them and that was the word of God. But in this case, God chose to speak to Joseph during his sleep in the night in a dream. Joseph son of David, don't pass too lightly over that that term is found a number of times in the Scriptures, primarily in the Gospels and this is the only time that it does refer to Jesus Christ the son of David, Jesus, but here the angel of the Lord says to Joseph, son of David that is significant that of course causes us to take a more careful look at the genealogy. We tend to skip over that. Not paid attention to my Bible reading schedule. Whenever there is a chapter in genealogy. That's usually combined with another chapter because the person who put that schedule together assumes that you not to really read that this kind of zip over it so will go ahead and leptin chapters together and the most people skip over genealogies, but we shouldn't do that. There's a lot of information there and it's all the word of God and notice verse one of Matthew.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, Jesus Christ called the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Genealogy of Jesus. He is a son of David, the son of Abraham, the drop down to verse 16 and Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ the genealogy even has is so precise that it makes it clear that Jesus was not the physical descendent of Joseph, like all the other people were in the genealogy, but he's in the line of David. Here is a commoner, a carpenter, a blue-collar worker of no fame or reputation of Jewish society, but these royalty. He traces his line back to King David. Suppose that if Israel were their own nation not under the Romans at this type Joseph might be caring of Israel. Certainly qualified to be wise and important because he's going to adopt Jesus as his own and that means legally. Jesus is the legal son of Joseph, who is in the line of David.

This is one of two lines of royalty that flow to Jesus because Mary's genealogy shows that she also was on the line.

And so, from his birth mother mother actual physical birth Jesus is in the line of David and legally from Joseph his adopted father line. The and that's why the angel says Joseph son of David, this is important. Don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife. That which is conceived in her is of Holy Spirit. Now Joseph understands changes everything. He realizes that that which is appeared to be disgrace is actually the highest honor, the highest honor that could be bestowed upon the Jewish woman was to be chosen to be the mother of the Jewish Messiah and his wife Mary had been chosen by God for that privilege, amazement, amazement, astonishment must have overcome Joseph at this time so he takes his responsibility seriously. He will, as we see in a moment, take Mary under his roof and in the betrothal. Bring her into his home so that they are now considered legally married, fully married, everything is fine and he according to the words of the instructions of the angel is going to name Mary's son. The name will be Jesus, which is a great form of Joshua which Joshua means Jehovah is salvation. What you see again in Jewish custom, the man who named the child is the father of the child and Joseph by doing this is not admitting to to biological paternity. But what he saying is I take this child is mild. I adopted child legally.

He is now my legally adopted son and I demonstrate that publicly by naming him. I take that responsibility gladly.

And his name shall be Jesus because, as Joseph understands he, Jesus will save his people from their sins.

He is emphatic in the Greek.

He and only he he and no one else. This one, this child shall save his people from their sins.

Jesus comes. We all know to bring salvation. Jesus comes to bring joy Jesus comes to bring light, Jesus comes to bring life and all the wonderful things we think of a Christmas let's not forget that for all of this to be beneficial to be received. Jesus has to come first to deal with sins. Sins have got to be dealt with for all of these wonderful benefits to phone Jesus is his name because he will save his people from their sins.

Then will have the benefit of life by joy, victory in eternity with the Lord and he comes to save whom the angels message is very clear. He shall save he will save his people from their sins. Not no doubt when Joseph heard that phrase he was he was accustomed to thinking in terms of the nation of Israel. The Jewish people.

The physical descendents of Abraham is being the people of God and here comes the one that he knows is the promise Jewish Messiah for the angel to say he will save his people from their sins. He no doubt is thinking he will save the Jewish people.

The Jewish nation from their sin as we think about what happens here. We realize that the Jewish nation as a whole and is a majority doesn't turn from their sins and are saved from their sin. Some are most start.

So then what does the angels declaration mean, doesn't mean he will offer to save the Jewish people from their sins. He would he would like to save the Jewish people from their sins. He would desire to save the Jewish people from their sins, if they will only let him or the words of the angel stand. We have to find another explanation he well say yes people from their sin with the angel said that drives us to ask the question, who are the people of the angels talking about. Obviously not all physical Jews, some but not all, but he will save his people. The last week we learned from the words of Jesus himself other sheep I have which are not of the Jewish fold them. Also I must bring. There are Gentiles sheet that haven't even heard the gospel yet, but they are his sheep. They belong to him and he must bring them because he must save them. He will save his people from there's so his people are his sheep is people are his bride from every tongue and tribe and nation.

Jew and Gentile is people are the father's gift to him those who have been given to him by the father as Jesus prays in John chapter 17. These are Jews and Gentiles. The elect of God from eternity past have been given to Christ they already belong to him. There I had. They belonging to him will be safety comes to save his people from their sins. And he exactly angel says that he's come to do so would move number four to a prophetic fulfillment.

Verses 22 and 23 so all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, well, which is translated, God with us. I see first of all, a significant reminder concerning the nature of prophecy that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet that we recognize this is a quotation from Isaiah 713, quoted almost word for word here.

Not exactly in every word in verse 23 behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and so those words were spoken in later written by Isaiah the prophet so whose words are the some would say with her. Isaiah's words. Who does the angel say these words belong to the angel says that the God's words the Lord's words the Lord has spoken through his breath don't miss that. That's very important spoken by the Lord through the prophet, God shows a messenger because they are the words of the Lord.

They must be fulfilled and they will be because they are the words of a genuine prophet called and chosen by God and and utilized by God to communicate his words.

They must be fulfilled because every word of a genuine prophet must come to pass, or else he is identified correctly as a false prophet, so they must be fulfilled.

They are the words of God. They must be fulfilled there. The words of the genuine prophet of God.

So this prophecy written 700 years prior to the birth of Christ tells us that a virgin will be with child. This is only an example of the New Testament clarifying what to some people seems to be a little cloudy and ambiguous.

In the Old Testament because the word.

The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for virgin. Behold, a virgin shall bear a child is the Hebrew word which can mean what we mean by the word virgin, but technically means a young woman in her young maiden and does not in every case have to mean a virgin, though it's hard to find an example of the Old Testament were doesn't mean that but nevertheless it's just ambiguous enough to give the critics that opportunity to say sleep. This is not requiring a virgin birth. Yes it is, how do we know because the New Testament scriptures say so in the New Testament when it says a virgin shall conceive the Greek word is Parthenon's and there's no other no other use of that word except an actual virgin, as we understand that word to mean. In other words, this is one of many occasions the old tests in the New Testament clarifies and helps us to interpret accurately what is spoken in the Old Testament Scriptures all go together. That's all God's work and it's an unfolding revelation is progressive and there are some things that may not be completely clear.

In the Old Testament, but if we will allow the New Testament to help us understand the Old Testament then will be more likely to understand the Old Testament right that if we interpret the Old Testament standing on its own and then we get in the New Testament can't make things Make things fit very well just sort of set things aside with put them in different categories so that we don't have to try to harmonize some of these things that don't go together very well. I'd say that's the wrong way to go about it allowed the New Testament to interpret the old allow the New Testament clarity of Parthenon's to make clear in what way the word Alma is used in Isaiah's prophecy. There are other indications as well.

What kind of assign Lord himself shall give you a sign kind of assign is that if a young married woman or young woman. As a child. Not much of assign happens all the time. But what about naming him Emmanuel.

You know that you can so you can scan the Old Testament from front to back, and all the genealogies that hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of names were given to people. The Old Testament and you will not find anybody is called Emmanuelle doesn't speak about the Kings son or grandson or some other young woman in Jewish society. In Isaiah's day is going to get pregnant and have a son. This tells us what that means. If you have trouble figuring it out. Just look at the New Testament tells us what it means there is clarity here and the sun shall be called Emmanuel, God with us, and yet the angel told Joseph to call the child Jesus. Now there's something make a contradiction out of maybe not. What did Jehovah mean what did Jesus mean Jehovah is salvation or Jehovah saves while now you see this is a Jehovah in heaven saving through the instrumentality of this child.

This is Jehovah is the child Jehovah saves Jesus saves Jesus saves his people from their sins.

You can see that this nails the meaning of the word Emmanuelle and clarifies it further. But what were told in Matthew which brings us finally to an exemplary obedience.

When Joseph received this information in verse 24 then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son and he called his name Jesus immediate obedience. He woke up and took his wife.

Sounds like you did in the very same day bang bang into the betrothal. Began the actual marriage took her into his home, took her under his protection took her under his full responsibility and liability.

She is his wife and he's going to take full responsibility for her as I faithful obedience and immediate obedience, but it is also were glad to see a persevering obedience. He was one of these kind of people who obeyed today and then lost his desire for obedience know is obedience goes on and on and on and on. He took Mary his wife and he kept her a virgin. It's going to take several months. Probably not an easy thing to do. We been waiting for this marriage for a long time looking for the day when she would be brought into his household and when they could begin normal marriage relationships send now he takes her into his household, but he's going to keep her virgin until her child is born because he knew it was the right thing to do, persevering, obedience, self-control. He's not the victim of helpless strong urges that must be fulfilled as so many people in our day. Think that if they have a desire it has to be acted upon if they have an urge it has to be fulfilled if they have a feeling it has to be pursued, not your godly love, your righteous man like Joseph.

He's an example to all of us.

We all need by the help and grace of God to exercise self-control over our emotions, our emotions don't drive us. We decide what direction we shall go with or without our emotional consent will do what's right regardless, we will do what's right regardless of what other desires and urgings we have wife because it's the right thing to do. We exercise self-control.

We wait until marriage that's almost unheard of in our day and time. The young people of Europe. Christian wants to please the Lord given away till marriage before you have sex because that's what God says to do, you will control your desires and you will follow God's plan. Your obedience will be obedient in your obedience will be persevering.

He knew her not until she gave birth to a son. Mary's virginity clearly is not perpetual is the Roman Catholic Church teaches.

He kept her virgin until she gave birth to a son, and then marriage relationships followed in the normal matter. Following the birth of Jesus Christ. In fact, God bless that marriage union with we know of at least four sons and no less than two daughters aware of in Scripture. Mary gave birth at least seven times the first time from a virgin conception in six times by her relationship with her husband Joseph.

Joseph took her unto himself and kept her virgin until the child was born and that he took the responsibility of the father and now owned this child as his legally adopted son when he named him Jesus and everyone recognize the significance of that act. What an exemplary faith Joseph sets before us, may we follow in his tracks over so many things in this account should stir us up to greater faith in the wisdom and power of God.

What a God we serve. What a God has written the Scriptures what God has done these things.

Let us believe him should give us a greater commitment to the word of God. The written word of God see how completely the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled down to the minutest detail and that's what's true of that one particular little prophecy great big prophecy that is found in a few words is true of the whole Bible you can believe it. All you can stick your soul should drive us to facing site saving faith in the gospel of Christ. God came Jehovah came, God with us in the body of a little baby grew up with a sinless life and died the vicarious death upon the cross and rose again bodily from the grave and ascended back to heaven where he rules this universe upon the throne of God for he is God and those who trust in him have all their sins for all washed away all clans. This passage should prompt us to be obedient to the instructions of God promptly and persevering way to honor the one who gave his life to honor the one who gave us eternal life to honor the one who gave us his son, shall we pray Lord God would amazing account would amazing truth help us oh Lord to embrace it to the saving of our soul and help us oh Lord, to proclaim it to the world beyond that others may know by the work of your spirit may come to Christ to have life everlasting.

We ask it in Jesus name, amen