Thank you for joining today as we seek God’s wisdom together. Let us begin with prayer.
“Lord Jesus, I ask that you search our hearts and see if there be anything wicked in them. We ask that your Holy Spirit show us what you are saying to us today. I ask that the words on this page would jump out to us as you speak to our hearts and minds truth and life. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Matthew 2:13-23
“Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” 14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night and left for Egypt. 15He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happened so that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” 16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.” 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20“ Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23and came and settled in a city called Nazareth. This happened so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.””
What the Word is Saying
In the final installment of the infant narrative by Matthew we are given eyewitness account of the enemy at work to thwart the plan of God. At the same time, we are shown how God overcomes the plans of the enemy so that His will, will be done. The Magi visited the Child and left him gifts worthy of His royal heritage. Then they are warned in a dream not to return to Herod and went back to their country another way. Simultaneously Joseph is warned in a dream to flee Bethlehem to Egypt because Herod is going to try and kill Him. Joseph the obedient one immediately jumps out of bed packs up the family and leaves. What a picture of Divine Providence.
First of all, in His omniscience God knows what is going to happen and has a plan in place to protect His Son. Secondly, you have willing obedient players in the story doing what they are told seemingly without question. The gifts left by the Magi presumably provide the finances the family will need to live on while exiled in Egypt. They are provided by Gentiles, which makes one think how unfortunate no one of Gods people recognized the event and provided help to the family. Joseph for His part is not a man to question the hand of God. He merely hears the word and acts on it.
You have to think most outsiders looking at the situation would think what you are doing Joseph. Clearly, you are outside of the will of God. You have married a woman with a child in her belly that is not yours. The child is born and now you are fleeing to Egypt because you believe God told you to. You stay there for at least a year and a half before returning to your homeland. When you do you return to the non-descript town of Nazareth instead of Bethlehem or Jerusalem where the Child who you believe to be God’s own Son should be exalted to His Kingly position.
What faith! I am not sure any of us would be able to follow those directions without some doubt as to what is occurring. What a mighty God we serve. HE is aware of everything we are going through. Just as He was intricately involved in Jesus’ infancy. He is intricately involved in your story. Nothing happens that He is not already aware of. It is why we should not worry, because His will is perfect, and He will do it.
If you have not received Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I implore you to do so now. All He asks for is for you to accept the free gift He gave you. Therefore, humble yourself and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of all. He alone is all powerful and you submit to His authority. Next you must believe He did what He did. That is; die on a cross and rise again from the dead. These are both actions of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for with evidence not seen. Meaning you believe even though you don’t have physical evidence to prove it. I know you made it to this page for a reason and the Holy Spirit is working on your heart. The Father has drawn you and He alone can reveal to you the truth of what I am saying. I know that He is now, and you need to take a step of faith and pray these words with me.
Right where you are; say these words out loud: “Jesus I confess that you are Lord of all, I yield my will to your will for you are greater than me. I believe you came to this world and lived a sinless life; I believe you suffered and died on cross for my sins, I believe they put your lifeless body in a tomb, and three days later you rose from the dead. I confess to you that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive me. I also ask that you send me your Holy Spirit to give me power to live a sanctified life and to lead me into all truth. In Jesus name, Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer, I urge you to contact us here so that we might come beside you and hold you up in prayer as you begin your journey with Jesus. I assure you that we have all been where you are. We may have committed different sins, but we are just as guilty, nonetheless. We all needed forgiveness and someone else supported us as we began our Journey with Him.
Perhaps you have been struggling with worry and doubt about what is occurring in your life. You don’t feel the presence of God in your heart or are unsure of what He is asking you to do. I exhort you to seek His face and He will give you peace. No matter what is going around you whether it is the threat on your adopted son’s life as Joseph experienced or whatever mountain you face in your life. Know God has a plan for you, and He will see it to completion in Jesus Name, Amen.
Thank you for joining me today as we searched the scriptures for What the Word is Saying. I pray that God will send His Holy Spirit into our lives anew and fill us again with His love and His purpose for us. So that we can fulfill the mission He left us in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” lockman.org.
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