001 Matthew in Seven Movements: Messiah the Advent Christmas Eve

18-Date: December 24, 2025 Lord’s Day: Christmas Eve Series: Matthew in Seven Movements: Advent Title: Hope Hidden in Plain Sight Text: Matthew 1:18-2:5a   Matthew 1:18-2:5a 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[e] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[f] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,     and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[b] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea The Reading of God’s word     The first Advent candle that we light was the candle of HOPE.  How do we define this hop? I was pondering that word hope when considering the Christmas message.  When I think of hope what comes to mind is that throughout life, I have placed my hope in a lot of things: Christmas break when I thought I was getting the new body style Ford Thunderbird (monte carlo like, then 79-82 grandpa car) HOW DO YOU DEFINE HOPE? When the Hebrew writer says, “We have this HOPE as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure,” (Hebrews 6:19) and he is referencing Jesus, what did he mean?  It sounds A LOT different that the way we use the word hope. The reading earlier is, in part, the Christmas story. If you have been a believer for even just a short time, this is well known.  But there were many HOPES in this story. Joseph’s Hope! 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed . . . This means she was engaged.  Joseph was hoping to wed Mary.  He was betrothed to her, a word that is fainting in our culture but still used occasionally.  In the time frame of Christ, this was a little different than being engaged in our culture.  If one decides not to marry, (UNCOMFY CONVERSATION) they simply break off the engagement and give back the ring. BETROTHAL - This was a legal status for the couple.  In order to break the engagement there was a formal “divorce” process.  The couple would not be living together because they were not married but this time period of betrothal several things were done: It lasted at least a year The man would go into negotiations with the father of the bride.   The families would get to know each other The man would be a house for the couple to live in once married It was during this time, while Joseph was doing all these things and they had not been together sexually, “she was found to be with child.” (1:18). This had to completely ROCK Joseph’s world – HOPES SHATTERED!  Oh I had really hoped I could marry you.  Can you imagine Joseph receiving this disheartening news.  Looking deeper into this text is reading it supernaturally.  There is no details of all that Joseph went through, but we have each suffered heart break (THE CONVERSATION).  Were there conversations between Joseph and his momma?  We are not privy to this sort of thing because it is not in the text but you know there were a lot of conversations happening. He pondered, what do I do?  Like any other person, he was thinking that Mary had been unfaithful to him and this could not stand. It appears from John 8 that this stigma surrounding His birth seemed to follow Him.  Joseph’s NEW HOPE Joseph  had hoped to spare Mary bad reputation.  He came up with an idea, “I will put her away quietly (in secret so as not to shame her) and resolved to do this quickly.” (1:19) But he was given a vision and instructed, “Jospeh, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” (1:20-22) The text gives us the inside scoop.  This was not normal conception.  When Mary asked THE ANGEL how she could give birth as a virgin, the angel replied that the power of God would overshadow her, meaning the Creator would create a child inside her, much as He created the first man in the Garden. Just as Adam had no human father, nor would Christ have a human father but would be created out of the womb of Mary by God. Mary was with child because of God.  Joseph did not know this.  Joseph then had, again, a different hope.  The Magi’s HOPE You know what the Magi were?  These were professional star gazers.  They were east of Jerusalem, which is couple hours walk away from Bethlehem.  These Magi hoped to solve a mystery. They had seen something in the sky.  Whatever they witnessed led them to believe there was a king involved and they came to worship him. In our nativity scenes there are typically 3 Magi but Scripture does not say how many there were.  It just mentions the 3 gifts that the Magi brought. I like to think there were A LOT.  I base this upon the text.  How else would an entire town become stirred. There was a stir in Jerusalem.  It says, “During the time of King Herod, Magi form the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?’ We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him” <LAST SLIDE> Herod’s HOPE Was a king and he hoped to retain his seat on the throne. We know from history that Herod was an Edomite who was force converted to the Jewish religion.  He saw an opportunity and $$bought$$  his was into power and this is how he was king.  He was so ready to protect his power and if there was any threat. His hope was in his seat as king.  That is the best he could do! Herod was known to have several assassination attempts taken upon him and this made him very unstable.  He had one of his ten wives and two of his sons (Alexander and Aristobulous) killed because he suspected them trying to plot against him and take the throne. Herod had placed all his hope in himself and his place upon the throne.  Isn’t it funny the things we HOPE in?  Isn’t it ODD how we define HOPE?  COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN HEBREWS 6 Jesus, All of this hope in the various people surrounding the life of Jesus.  Just like me, and my new college car the hope was NOT SECURE  NOT AN ACHOR.  I hope the car will increase my social status I hope I can keep my throne. I hope I can end this relationship with Mary and the public perspective not be destroye The Magi, I hope we can meet this new king. These do not define Hope like Hebrews What is the hope that the Hebrew writer had in mind when he spoke of a hope that is an anchor for the soul, steadfast and sure?  The hope of Christ Hebrews is strong. It is like it is a reality, because it IS. The hope of Hebrews is the Hope of promise in God’s word. The hope of Christ is the hope of Adam and Eve after they sinned.  God said, that the offspring of the woman would destroy our enemy.   It is then that God drove Adam and Eve out of the garden to a place.  This place is simply given the title, East of Eden. This is the same direction of The light of hope shining in the sky. It came from the east  It is in the birth of Christ that we have hope.  Why?  Because He came reversing the direction of the fall, uniting us back to the Father. One of the things that I find so fascinating about this time of year are how short the days become.  Christmas is almost on the shortest day of the year.  A day of darkness.  As is tradition, we surround our Christmas trees and decorations and string hundreds of lights.  Light in the darkest time of the year. In the darkest time of the year comes the light of Christ. In the darkest hour Jesus was born. The light of the world is our hope.  Jesus comes in the darkest of moments and becomes the greatest of hopes.  The most important part of this is how is this hope born?  Is He born in You? How differently this world will become as He is born more in this community.  When He is born into the Mayor’s building.  When He is born into the school as He is born in our homes and lives.  Our hope is the promise of God.  He was born into this world and born again in each believer.  It is hope hidden in plain sight.  Into darkness comes the light.