March 14, 2007 

Review

• Be reminded of the wonder and power of God’s story
• Examine how our relationship with Christ has been life-changing

Seven “I am” statements from John:

• John 6:35, 48 – “I am the bread of life.”
• John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world.”
• John 10:7, 9 – “I am the gate (door) for the sheep.”
• John 10:11, 14 – “I am the good shepherd.”
• John 11:25 – “I am the resurrection and the life.”
• John 14:6 – “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
• John 15:1, 5 – “ I am the true vine”
• John 8:58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

“Absoluteness” and “Supremacy” of Christ

We can’t compromise Christ

Periods of Israel’s history:

• Patriarchs - 1800 BC
• Mosaic Law - 1312 BC
• Israel’s Golden Years - 1000 BC
• The Division - 921 BC
• Defeat of Israel - 721 BC
• Defeat of Judah - 587 BC
• The Return - 538 BC
• Intertestamental Period - 400 BC

• Not only do all of these point to Christ - Biblically, they also give us an indication of how conditions were in first century Israel.
• The people that Christ came to (Jews) looked back to the Golden Years of Israel.
• Yet they were practically enslaved to the Romans.
• They saw wealth and opulence (Herod) around them but were without much hope.
• Yet they still longed for the Messiah - even if they didn’t understand what he was to be.
• Conditions in Israel were so bad that shortly after Christ (70 A.D.) Israel rebelled against Rome.

Who came into contact with Christ - who did God touch?

• At His birth
• At 12 years of age
• During His ministry
• At His death
• At His resurrection
• After His ascension
• Before His birth?

At His Birth

Matthew 1 & 2, Luke 1 & 2

Mary & Joseph

What do we know about them?

• They were of the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:16, Luke 1:27, Luke 2:4)
• They were obedient to God
  • Matthew 1:24-25 - Joseph did what the angel commanded him
  • Matthew 2:13-14 - Joseph took his family to Egypt at God’s command
  • Matthew 2:19-21 - Joseph took his family back to Israel at God’s command
  • Luke 2:22-24 - They wanted to fulfill the law by presenting Jesus at the temple
  • Luke 2:39 - They did everything required by the Law
• Their marriage had not yet been consummated - they were in the engagement (betrothal) stage
  • Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:27, Luke 2:5

Jewish Marriage Customs

Judaism considers marriage to be the ideal state of existence; a man without a wife or a woman without a husband are considered incomplete.

• Matchmaking is often the beginning of a Jewish wedding
• Mary and Joseph’s wedding was probably arranged
• Woman stayed at her father’s house during the engagement (a year or more)
• The engagement was as binding as a marriage - legally and morally
• Unfaithfulness during the engagement was considered adultery
• The engagement could only be broken by a divorce
• Deuteronomy 20:7, 24:5 - an engaged man didn’t have to go into battle
• Ketubah - a marriage contract signed before consummation
• Kiddushin - the Jewish marriage ceremony
• Chuppah - canopy under which the ceremony takes place
  • Symbolizes the home the couple will build together
  • Represents God’s presence over the marriage covenant
• Feasts last for the week following the wedding

Joseph

• Joseph was “a righteous man” (Matthew 1:19)
• Joseph was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55)
• Mentioned at the end of Luke 2 (when Jesus was 12)
• Remembered during Jesus ministry:
  • Luke 4 - "Isn't this Joseph's son?" - when Jesus was in the synagogue
  • John 6 - "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?”

Mary

“The Word of God came to Mary and her life was changed forever.”

• Mary was a virgin (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:34-35)
• Mary was “highly favored” and had “found favor with God” (Luke 1:28, 30)
• Mary was thoughtful, contemplative
  • Luke 2:19 - she “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”
  • Luke 2:51 - she “treasured all these things in her heart”
• Luke 1:39-56 - Mary visited Elizabeth during her pregnancy
• Mary is mentioned at other times in scripture:
  • Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 8 - waiting to talk with Jesus (along with his brothers)
  • Luke 2:48 - worried about Jesus after they left Jerusalem (along with Joseph)
  • John 2:1-11 - the wedding in Cana
  • John 2:12 - traveled to Capernaum with Jesus (along with his brothers)
  • John 19:25 - at the cross
  • Acts 1:14 - she joined the apostles in prayer after the ascension (along with his brothers)
• What did Mary really know/think about Jesus?

Luke 1:31-32

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
Mary & Joseph

What’s missing? What do we guess about them?

• Tradition tells us that Mary was very young
• We don’t know what stage Mary’s pregnancy was at when Joseph found out about it but the angelic visit (Matthew 1:20-21) seems to be after he finds out
• Their economic status - working class? Poor? - they offered turtledoves for purification
• Their thoughts