It’s good to see some new faces this morning. I think we have been gathering in person for the past several weeks, and we hope that we can continue to welcome more and more people back in person to worship together. And so let us continue to remember, to pray that the situation might improve, that we can move on alright from the CMCO phase. Now I thought it’s still in time for me to greet you or to wish you a what? A merry Christmas? A joyous Christmas? You might remember a hymn that said: “Joy to the world, the vaccine is found alright, and let the earth receive her jab.”.

Now that may be the reason for many people to rejoice alright this season. But for us, we know (we ought to know better) that there is joy during this time or this season only because of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is our meditation for this morning. We want to meditate on this little child who was born many, many years ago alright called Jesus Christ. And it is kind of captured by a hymn writer in these words saying: “What child is this who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthem sweet, while shepherd watch are keeping.”. Now that is really the question we want to ask this morning: What child is this?

Or in the words of Matthew alright or even our Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew chapter 22. So if you would please turn with me to the gospel of Matthew chapter 22, and here we have a question being posed, being posted alright. Matthew chapter 22, and look with me at verses 41 and 42. Now it says here while the Pharisees were gathered together, now Jesus asked them a question, and it is this. Verse 42: “Well, what do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”. Now that is the question that I want us to think about this morning. Jesus Christ, whose Son is He? Or what child is this? Now that question is I believe in a sense the most important question for us to answer.

Obviously, Jesus is putting that to the Pharisees alright in His days. He said this is the most important question that you have to answer. Jesus Christ, whose son is He? And until we know the answer to that question, now there is really no reason to rejoice alright or to celebrate Christmas or to celebrate the birth of this child. So there’s no reason to celebrate until we know who really this child is. And so that is the all-important question. And I want to deal with the question by looking at Matthew chapter 1. So let us come back now to our text for this morning in Matthew chapter 1, and here we have the answer supplied. Here we have the answer to that question: Jesus Christ, whose Son is He?

I wonder whether you have ever given some thought to that question. Now I’d like to answer that question in three parts, and the first is this: The first thing that is so important for us to realise about Jesus Christ is that He is the son of Mary. He is the son of Mary, as opposed to Him being the son of Joseph. Now that is so important. That is the emphasis in the gospel of Matthew here in this very first chapter as he gives us the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what he says in verse 1. He said this is the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. And as we look at the genealogy of Jesus Christ, now this is the point alright that he wants us to see that He comes from Mary.

And so we see in verse 16 alright- verse 16 of chapter 1. And as he records the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to verse 16, he says: “And Jacob begot (or that is who is the father alright, who gave into existence) Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.”. Now you see when you read this chapter you know from verse 1 onward, and you read verse 2 and verse 3 the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. But when you come to verse 16, did you notice a difference? Do you notice a contrast, the difference in the way Matthew describes the birth of Jesus Christ? Jesus is in other words here called not the son of Joseph but the son of Mary.

He did not write here in verse 16: “And Jacob begot Joseph, and Joseph begot Jesus”. No, it was not written that way, although all through from verse 2 it was written in that manner. Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and so on right until verse 16. And there is a change in the way Matthew describes the birth of Jesus Christ. As I say, that is intentional and that is to make an emphasis, and that is to highlight to us the difference between Jesus and the others. And so here’s the question alright: So if Jesus is the son of Mary, who is His father? Now surely that would be the question. If Jesus is the son of Mary, so who is His father?

So let us now come to read alright verse 18, now this is how it’s been described: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows”. So the focus now is on this particular child. This is a special child. He is different from all that had gone before. And so verse 18 now brings the focus on this child and His birth. And that is so unique and that is so special. And until you see the uniqueness of His birth; until you see the uniqueness of this child; until you can answer the question what child is this, whose son is He, until you can answer that question, I say you have no reason to celebrate Christmas. And so this child verse 18, they said now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this. Like what?

He said: “After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”. Now you see, we are given several information here about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. First, we are told that His mother and Joseph were betrothed. Betrothed, I think in the modern days we might call it an engagement or they were being engaged. But really it is more than being engaged alright. So a betrothal in those times alright has a stronger bond alright, has a deeper meaning than the engagement today. It is kind of almost like being married. And so they could be considered as husband and wife, except that alright. Except this, that they would not have consummated their marriage at that point until they were finally married as husband and wife.

So during this period of time, maybe I can use another analogy to help you understand. When you buy a house alright and you pay an earnest deposit alright, a booking fee. So once you make the fee right given the fee, you cannot come out of it alright. To come out of that agreement or to break that agreement, then you would have to pay you know some damages alright. Either your money will be forfeited or you have to pay the sum right of money back up to the buyer. Alright so it is that kind of idea. So here is betrothed. So here is Mary, we are told here in verse 18 was betrothed to Joseph, but that is before. Again the second information here in verse 18, and that is before they came together.

Now again this information is important. I know they were in a sense husband and wife, but they have not consummated alright that relationship (their marriage). They did not come together means they did not have an intimate relationship. Now that is in contrast when you look at verse 25 alright- verse 25, he says there: “and did not know her” alright. Joseph did not know her. So in other words, there is a period of time when they were being engaged and they were not in an intimate relationship then until a time, then they had an intimate relationship. And so that is being again emphasised, meaning to point out to us that here is this couple in this particular relationship. Though they are considered as husband and wife, they are not in an intimate sexual relation.

Now, so that’s the second information. They’ve been betrothed, they have not come together. And the third information is this: That though they have not come together as husband and wife, and yet Mary was found to be with child. In other words, Mary is now pregnant. Now that is the picture that Matthew is describing here surrounding the event of this birth, surrounding the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Alright so that is the picture. Now then that leads us to the question. Now if this were the case that they have not consummated that marriage and that Mary is now pregnant, the question that comes to mind is: What does Joseph think? So of course Joseph will be wondering (Now Mary comes to Joseph alright and tells Joseph one day: “I’m pregnant”). So what does Joseph think of all these?

Well we read in verse 9: “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly (Mistakenly mentioned “verse 9”, supposedly “verse 19”).” What does Joseph think? Well, there is only one explanation, is it not? Now, what would be your explanation? Well, there would for Joseph be only one explanation, and that cannot be the virgin birth. The only explanation that comes to Joseph’s mind was that “she cheated me. She slept with some other man.”. Now that would be an absolutely reasonable thought alright in Joseph’s mind. That would be reasonable to think that way. Now how else to explain alright when this girl comes to you know when your fiancée comes to you as it were and say I’m pregnant, and you had no relationship with her.

So he must have felt cheated. So for him, there was only one explanation. And therefore, there is only one cause of action. So what should Joseph do or what would he do? In fact, verse 19 tells us: “So Joseph her husband, now he being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example (that means to publicly shame her)”. Now that he could have done, but he loved her and he is kind to her. Now here we are given some insight into the personality and the character of this man. He’s a kind man and a just man. And even though he suspected this (his so-called wife has done this to him), but he didn’t want to publicly shame her.

In fact, before this in the Old Testament time, he could even stone her to death alright. Put in a public space and gather people together and stone her to death. But he did not want to do that. So there was only one cause of action for him, and that is this. He was minded to put her away secretly, which means that he has decided to divorce her secretly or quietly. Secretly means quietly, now not make a fuss out of it and quietly put her away or divorce her. Now you see, the very fact that this is the only cause of action alright that he would take is to tell us that in that betrothal relationship they were already considered husband and wife and the only way to break that relationship is through a legal divorce alright.

And so that is what Matthew tells us about Joseph’s thought alright in verse 19 and what was going through his mind. Now the other question is: What about Mary herself? Did she know how it happened? Now all these are important questions to ask at this time. Who made her pregnant? And for Mary, how did I become pregnant? Well, these all very confusing questions. Now they were living in a very confusing time of their life, isn’t it? But we are told that actually, Mary knew alright. Mary knew how it happened because if you flip with me to the gospel of Luke in chapter 1. The gospel of Luke and chapter 1, we are given that information. Luke chapter 1, look at verses 30 and 31. Verses 30 and 31 of Luke chapter 1.

Now in verse 30, we are told that the angel (that’s the angel Gabriel) said to her: “Now do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold (verse 31), you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.”. So the angel came to Mary and told her that she would have this child and she shall call His name Jesus. Then in verse 34: “Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?””. How is it possible that I can suddenly have a baby? Verse 35: “And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”.

Now you see, Mary knew because the angel actually told her about that. Now, why didn’t then Mary tell Joseph, you might ask? Now, Joseph, he’s thinking of divorcing his wife because he thought that she cheated him. Now Mary knew all these while what actually happened to her. She could have told Joseph as it were and say: “Darling, you know what? I’m pregnant.” And I say: “What? Pregnant?” “Wait, let me explain myself alright?” “Okay, tell me the story.” Conceive of the Holy Spirit. A virgin birth. Now you might ask: Why didn’t Mary tell Joseph? Probably she didn’t tell, but what could she say? Now if today people were to ask you about the birth of Jesus Christ and you said to people now He’s born of a virgin, it’s almost like there’s no need to tell. Nobody will believe.

Maybe that is what Mary thought alright. Nobody will believe, not even my husband. Now not even my husband will believe. Now it is in a sense a very unique birth. It is a story that nobody will believe even until today. In fact, there is a survey done. We are not talking even about the non-Christian world. I’m talking about the people in the church. Sixty-five percent alright- only sixty-five percent of students in the seminary alright (the survey has found)- in seminary believed in the virgin birth. Only 65 percent. Now there are thirty percent of the priests alright of the church of England. Thirty percent of them denied the virgin birth. And you can just go on, and we’re doing certain surveys.

They said even in the church, people are finding it so difficult to believe Mary’s story if Mary were to tell us now this is a child of the Holy Spirit. Now, this is the virgin birth. So what could she say? Now, what do you think? What would you tell people? Now how is that possible? Now how is that possible? Now, these are the questions. Now if Mary were to tell, then Joseph said: How is that possible? Now, what would she say? Actually, there is an answer, verse 20 in Matthew chapter 1: “So but while he thought about these things, now behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream”.

Now it took an angel to explain to Joseph or it took an angel to tell Joseph alright the truth because nobody else would have told the truth to him. Probably he would have believed nobody else alright. And so we are told that the angel came and he appeared to Joseph in a dream, and he said this to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”. That is the explanation. There is no other explanation for the virgin birth. No scientific explanation, no human explanation, except the explanation supplied by God Himself.

Does it matter? Is it a big deal that Jesus should be born that way, that His birth is unusual? It’s not like all the others described earlier on in this chapter. Or in other words, does it matter? Is it a big deal that Jesus should be born of a virgin? Well, it does. And that’s why the Bible wants us to see this. And that’s why Matthew is here in this passage here bringing our attention to this very special birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, one who is born of a virgin. I say it matters at least for two reasons.

One, because Jesus had to be sinless. It matters because Jesus had to be sinless. If Jesus was born like any other, then He would not be sinless because the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 5 (Romans 5:12) which says: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, thus death spread to all men, because all have sinned”. Why is that that every human on this world have sinned? It’s because we are born with a sinful nature, because we are born from Adam alright. We are descendants of Adam. Through that one man’s sin alright, we all inherited a sinful nature.

Now if Jesus was born like any other man alright, then He’ll be born of… He’ll be a descendant of Adam. Then He would have the sin nature. And so because He had to be sinless, now He cannot be from that line. He had to be born of the Holy Spirit or conceived of the Holy Spirit. Now secondly, why does it matter that Jesus should be born of a virgin? Because like I say He had to be sinless, and only a sinless man can save us. Only a sinless man can save us. Now turn with me to the book of Hebrews to Hebrews chapter 7, and here we are told in verse 25.

Hebrews chapter 7, in verse 25 which says: “Therefore Jesus Who is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, now since He always lives to make intercession for them.”. Now Jesus is able to save to the utmost (that is forever), to save us completely, to those who come to God through Him. Why? He says, verse 26: “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is” what? “Who is holy, and harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens”. The reason why Jesus is able to save us to the end, to the utmost, to completely save us is because He is holy. He is without sin. He is undefiled. He is separate from sinners.

Verse 27: “Who does not need 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 for all when He offered up Himself.”. In other words, He is different from all the other priests in the Old Testament. The high priests in the Old Testament, they were only a picture of Jesus Christ, but they were sinful pictures. And because they had sin and when they come and mediate and come before God on behalf of the people, he had to first offer sacrifices for his own sin or for their own sins.

But not Jesus Christ. He is sinless. He is the undefiled perfect Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. And so that’s the reason why Jesus had to be born of a virgin, for He had to be sinless and only a sinless man can save us. No other one in this world. There is no other name on Earth by which we can be saved. Now that leads to the second thing I want to say about whose son He is. What child is this? I said first of all He is a child or the son of Mary.

Secondly, Matthew tells us He is the Son of God. He is the Son of God. Remember earlier on in Luke when the angel came to Mary and say that this child alright is the Son of God. So who is this son of Mary? Now back to Matthew chapter 1. See the angel explains alright in verse 23. Verse 23: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child”, as the angel explains to Joseph alright. This is a fulfilment. “The virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name” what? “Immanuel, which is translated (or which means), “God with us.””. In other words, this child who is born of the virgin, He is God. He is God Himself coming down to this world to be with us. He is God with us. That’s why the angels say you shall “call His name Immanuel”.

If Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, then Christmas must be about God coming to us. Nothing less than that because that child who is so special, He’s not just an ordinary human being. He is God Himself, for He is Immanuel. Remember the psalmist in Psalm 8:4, and he exclaimed with this word. Psalm 8:4, he says: “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?”. Now it is an amazing thing. It ought to be an amazing thought that every time if you think that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, which means it is about God visiting us, God coming down to us. Now surely we would exclaim like the psalmist: “What is man?” Who are we that God should come?

Now if suddenly you know the king comes and visits us, now who are we that this morning you should suddenly come and pay us a visit? Now even if a king comes, we would be surprised. But this is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Master of the Universe and He comes down and He visits us. And that is Christmas, and that is about the birth of Jesus Christ. You see or in the book of Genesis. Now, this is what it means in Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3, and here we read in verse 8. Now this is what it is about. Genesis 3:8, here it is about men when they have first fallen from the state of innocence when they had rebelled against God by a blatant disobedience.

And then we read in verse 8: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”. Now that is a very sad thing to note about Adam and Eve when they sinned against God and then they hear God coming to them. They were running away from God. They were hiding themselves from God, and that is what people on Earth are doing. That God has come to us but we are not running to God but we are running away from God and we’re hiding ourselves from God.

Then verse 9, it says here: “Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Adam, where are you?””. Where are you? Now you see, that is the picture. The picture of Christmas. It’s God coming to us. It’s God calling out to us. Adam or whoever you are, where are you? Why are you running away? Why are you hiding yourself? It’s God with us, God coming to us. That is what this child is about. He is the Son of God. He is God Himself coming to visit us. And thirdly, who is this son of Mary? What child is this?

And thirdly, we are told back in Matthew chapter 1 alright in Matthew chapter 1. He is the Saviour of the world. This son of Mary who is the Son of God is the Saviour of the world. Why Christmas? Why did Jesus come to this world? Why was He born in a manger? The reason is this, Jesus said. “I come that they may have life and that they may have it abundantly.” The Bible tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”. Why was Jesus born? Why did God come down to Earth? Why Immanuel (God with us)?

Answer? Verse 25, and then we are told here: “and Joseph did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.” And then in obedience to the angel, he called His name Jesus. He called His name Jesus. This is the second time that this is kind of being noted here that His name should be called Jesus. Now Jesus, or literally means alright Yahweh saves. Yahweh saves. The Old Testament equivalent is Joshua alright- Joshua. Now that is what Jesus means. Now there is no need to guess because it is clearly told to us in verse 21: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS”. So that is this emphasis here that He has to be called Jesus (Jehovah or Yahweh saves). He shall be called Jesus.

Why? “for He will save His people from their sins” because He is the Saviour. He shall be called Jesus because He is the Saviour. That is the reason why this name ought to be given to Him. Do you remember when this name was first given, the word ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah’? Well, it was first given in Exodus chapter 3. In Exodus chapter 3 (well turn with me there to see), the first time that this name of God was being revealed to Moses. And here we see that this name was given to Moses in what context? Why was that name given? Why did God reveal that particular name to Moses?

Well, the context is this: The context we are told in Exodus 3:7- “And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So (verse 8) I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to a place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.”. In other words, God is saying the reason that this name is given to you is to tell you that I am the Saviour.

I’m a God who has come to save because I’ve seen the suffering of My people. I have seen them in bondage in Egypt. I have now come to deliver them. Now that is the picture that God looks down upon this Earth and He sees us. He sees us in our pain, in our suffering, in our helpless and hopeless state, and He said I shall come. I shall come because I’ve seen the oppression of My people. I’ve come to save them. That is the reason why Jesus came to this world. It is to be our Saviour. That leads to one last question: But how? How that little helpless as it were baby, born in a manger, is going to be the Saviour of the world? How is that going to happen?

Turn with me now to Matthew chapter 27. You see at the very start of his gospel, Matthew tells us that Jesus shall save. And then at the end of his gospel, he tells us how. He tells us how, and this is how He is going to be our Saviour. Matthew chapter 27, beginning in verse 39. Verse 39: “And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads”. The scene is that of the Lord Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, and people were passing by. And then we are told verse 40: “saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”.

They were mocking Him. They were saying to Him if you are really whom You claimed to be; if You are really the Son of God, save Yourself. Come down from the cross. Can you hear? Can you not hear many people saying the same thing? If Jesus is indeed God; if He is whom He claims to be, save Himself. Verse 41: “Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.”.

Let Him come down now. Let Him save Himself if He is really whom He claims to be. He cannot even save Himself, and now He tells us He wants to save others. Now you see, what Matthew is telling us is this, that if Jesus had saved Himself on the day. It’s not that He could not save Himself. But if He had saved Himself that day, He would not be able to save us. He will not be able to save because the only way to save us is by His dying on the cross for our sin. That is the only way to pay the penalty on our behalf.

And so it’s not that He cannot save Himself but He would not save Himself. And He would not come down from the cross because the only way to save us is by taking our place and die on our behalf. He saved us by giving His own life. Now that is how He is the Saviour of the world. The world needs a Saviour. You and I need a Saviour. The Bible tells us He is here. He has died, and He has risen. So what must you do? What must you do?

Matthew tells us as he continues his story in the second chapter, and this is what he wrote: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.””. That is the only appropriate response. The only appropriate response to this child who is so special- born of a virgin, who is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. The only appropriate response is to come and say: Where is He who is the King of the Jews? For we have seen His star and we have come and bow before Him and to worship Him. Let us pray.

“Our Father in heaven, we want to thank You for Your Word to give us truth, to tell us how it all happened, that the Lord Jesus Christ came to be born not son of Joseph, but son of Mary because He is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. And we pray Lord that You might impress this truth deeply in our heart and cause us (those who have come to Him in faith) to rejoice in this truth and to have that zeal and excitement to want to share this with all around us.

And for those who have yet to come to see Him as He truly is, we pray that this faith will be given to them. Their eyes may be open to this wondrous truth of Jesus Christ, who is a merciful, wonderful Saviour of the world, for we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.