The Glorious Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies in Christmas

Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, where we are proclaiming the truth to the world.

My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to this podcast.

I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen you in the word of God.

Now, come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here today.

Well, here this evening, I wanted to briefly talk to you about a continuation of what we've been studying here on Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings, and that is the message of the prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and even during the Christmas season.

We know that many of the things that we see in the Christmas story were foretold in the Old Testament.

And we've Talked about Isaiah 7:14 about how Jesus would be born of a virgin.

We know that Isaiah 9, 6 says that there would be a son born and he would be wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace.

And I figured that we would move forward a little bit looking at some of the prophecies that are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus here in this evening's service.

So one that we like to talk about in the Christmas season is the star.

Obviously, we know that the star was there above Bethlehem, which we're going to be talking about here in a little bit.

But the Bible actually tells us in the Book of Numbers, all the way back in the Old Testament, that the Messiah would be the star coming out of Jacob or coming out of Israel.

The reference for that is in numbers, chapter 24, and I'd like you to see that with me here.

In numbers, chapter 24, we see a list of various prophecies.

And in one of these prophecies, we see a messianic prophecy, Numbers chapter 24, verse 17 says, I, I shall see.

Him, but not now.

And this is obviously talking about the Messiah that is to come.

I shall see him, but not now.

I shall behold him, but not nine.

There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the core corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Chef.

Really, what I want to focus on here is the Messiah, as it says here, would be a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.

What's that talking about there?

Well, we know that the star itself is speaking of the glory of Jesus, not just the literal glory of the light of the star, which there was that, but also the glory and the light that is Jesus Christ.

You Know that in the book of John.

I'd like you to see that here in John chapter one, the Bible says something amazing about Jesus being the light.

John chapter one says in verse number nine, and if you even go up a little bit higher, it talks about John the Baptist.

The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe.

He was not the light talking about John the Baptist, but was sent to bear witness of that light that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

So the Bible says that Jesus is the light of the world.

And so we see that as Christians today, when that light is given to us in Jesus Christ, that we can then shine that light, as the Bible says to shine our light around us, as Matthew chapter five mentions.

And so I find numbers, chapter 24, 177, a wonderful prophecy fulfilled in Jesus when it talks about him being the star out of Jacob, the star in Israel.

And we know that In Matthew chapter 2, the Bible tells us that that star rose above Bethlehem and the the wise men followed that star and found Jesus.

And we can follow the light of Jesus Christ and know that we can have salvation as well.

But also in Numbers, chapter 24, verse 17, it doesn't just say that the Messiah would be a star.

It says that he would also be a scepter.

Now what's that speaking to?

Well, the scepter speaks to the power or the authority of Jesus.

And we've talked over and over again about the power of Jesus Christ's authority and the ultimate victory and the ultimate authority that he has in the millennial kingdom and also for eternity as King of Kings and Lord of lords.

And another reference there would be In Revelation, chapter 22, verse 16, Jesus is called the bright morning star.

And so with the light comes the glory, and with the scepter comes the power.

And we know that Jesus is the fulfillment of that.

Another prophecy that we see in the Old Testament that again, many of you probably are familiar with, but I want this to be a reminder for all of us, is a prophecy found in Micah chapter two.

Excuse me, Micah, chapter five, verse two.

There's so many different prophecies that we can go to, but this is one that is one of my favorites because here we see that the Bible actually tells us, all the way back in the book of Micah in the prophets, that Jesus would be born in a place called Bethlehem.

What an amazing truth this is.

It says in Micah chapter 5, verse 2, but thou, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though You be little among thousands of Judah.

Yet out of the shall he come forth unto me, that is to be the ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

So again, this is a messianic reference to Jesus Christ.

This is a messianic reference to the one who has always been.

Again, we can connect the dots to the book of John.

John chapter one.

We were just there.

And many of you again know that reference.

In verse one, it says, in the beginning was the word Jesus Logos, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

In him was life.

And the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

So again we see the reference to Jesus in his eternality.

And again that reference to light.

And so Micah chapter 5, verse 2, reference to where the Messiah would be born.

And of course we know in many New Testament passages in, in the Book of Matthew, chapter 2, John chapter 7, that the Messiah was born in Bethlehem.

And obviously we know Luke chapter two as well.

And so in agreement with what was said here in Micah chapter two, the New Testament tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

That's another wonderful reminder that Jesus came not in the grand place of the palace, but in a lowly town called Bethlehem, born in a manger, humbled himself.

And we know that that is a picture of his love and his sacrifice for us.

So those are just two references there in the Old Testament.

One, numbers, that would be the reference to him being the star and the scepter, the glory and the power.

And then another reference to where Jesus would be born.

And he was born in Bethlehem.

The Messiah obviously has so many, so many references in the Old Testament.

And if we were to try to list all of them here, we would not be able to keep up with that.

But I do want you to see some of these in this study, because I believe that it's important for us to see the connection, even as we saw In Luke chapter 24, Jesus says, hey, everything is pointing to me from the beginning all the way to the end.

This is a story of who Jesus is.

This is a story of why we need him as our Savior.

It's a story of how we can know that Jesus is Lord by the truth of God that is revealed to us in our hearts and in the world around us.

And so the Messiah would be a light to the nations of the World we know that the Messiah would go through so much, not just in his birth.

Obviously in his birth there was the threat that Herod came and was killing the babies and, and they fled to Egypt.

Again, another reference that we find in the Old Testament, that the Messiah would come out of Egypt, in which we know that he fled to Egypt with his family and then obviously came back.

And then we know that Jesus fulfilled many prophecies in his life through how he taught, through what he did, and ultimately through his death on the cross and through his sacrifice for us.

One of those passages that deal with that is Isaiah 53.

The Bible says that Jesus would be wounded for our transgressions.

And, and I think that that's a passage that we should go to because again, we sometimes think of Jesus coming at Christmas.

And yes, he was born in Bethlehem.

Yes, there, there was the star.

Yes, there obviously was the announcement from the angels to the shepherds.

And the wise men followed and worshiped him through giving gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

But we have to remember that Jesus grew up.

We, we have to remember that Jesus lived that life and taught the truth.

And the Bible says in Isaiah 53 and verse number three, it says, he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from him.

He was despised, and we, we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions.

He didn't stay in the manger, he didn't stay in Bethlehem.

We know that he grew and he ministered and he sacrificed.

And it says here in Isaiah 53, again, centuries before Jesus came to this earth, a messianic prophecy.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, our sin.

I think sometimes that's a sobering thought that think that it is my sin that led Jesus to sacrifice himself for us.

And I've heard many people say that even if it was just me in this world, that Jesus would come and die for me.

And that's the type of personal love that the Lord has for us.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement of our peace was upon him.

And with his stripes we are healed.

I love the fact that we can find healing in our Savior.

We know the Bible says that he is the great physician.

And that certainly deals with our physical struggles that we face.

Maybe it's a sickness, maybe it's a.

It's a recovery process that we're dealing with, with an injury.

And certainly the Lord can heal us in the physical, and he does heal us.

And we believe that God can heal.

And that he will heal and that there will be miracles in that realm.

But even in the greater sense, in the eternal perspective, we know that we can find spiritual healing in Him.

All of us, no matter if we're healed physically or not, can find the spiritual healing entrusting in, as the Bible says in Isaiah 53, the suffering servant, verse 6.

In Isaiah 53, all we, like sheep, have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on.

Him the iniquity of us all.

The Bible says that God the Father laid the iniquity of us all upon Jesus.

Why?

Because Jesus can bear that sin.

He can bear our sorrows.

And we know that later on in the New Testament, First Peter chapter five tells us that we can cast our care, we can cast our anxieties upon him.

Why?

Because he cares for us.

And so this is a beautiful picture of a messianic prophecy in Isaiah 53, that the baby who came and was born in a manger, the star of.

Of the.

Of the people that the.

That they flocked to see.

The one who, as it says, is the light and the scepter of Israel, the one who has power, the one who has glory, is also the one who came and humbled himself and lived that life of a suffering servant so.

That we might know life.

I could take you to many passages that remind me of this truth, but I think one appropriate passage that we can go to here now, before we conclude tonight, is a passage in the book of Philippians, Philippians chapter two.

Philippians chapter two tells us what Jesus's.

Humility means for us and that yes, Jesus humbled himself as he lived on.

This earth and sacrificed himself for us.

But that one day God the Father.

Will exalt Jesus Christ, and that ultimately all in this world will exalt Jesus Christ.

Philippians chapter 2 says this, starting in verse 1.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ.

Meaning it's a hypothetical question.

It says, is there consolation in Christ?

We know that there's comfort and consolation in Christ.

So if that be the case, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship.

Of the Spirit, if any bowels and.

Mercies, meaning if there's any of this.

What do we do?

Fulfill My joy that you be like minded.

So the Bible calls us all to.

Be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

This is speaking of unity.

And so to have unity means we have to have humility, the humility of Christ, verse 3.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory.

Don't let anything be done in conflict or selfishness, but in lowliness of mind humility.

Let each esteem one, let each esteem.

Other better than themselves.

Meaning this we're to put others before ourselves.

Selflessness, as Jesus demonstrated.

Look not every man on his own.

Things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, meaning let this way of living be in.

You, which was also in Christ Jesus, the suffering servant, the humble servant, who.

Being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, meaning He, he is God.

He he is not just a creation of God, who is a good man.

But he is God.

But verse 7 but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made.

In the likeness of men.

This speaks of the humility of Jesus.

He he poured out his himself to us for us, and being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled.

Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God.

Hath highly exalted him, meaning the Lord exalts his name, and given him a name which is above every name, that the name of Jesus that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.

Of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Meaning, yes, Jesus humbled himself in that period of time on this earth.

But we also know that he is.

Glorified, and that we are to glorify.

Him, and that we are to shine the light not on ourselves, but ultimately shine the light that he has given us back to him.

The Bible says in Matthew chapter 5, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.

And the rest of that chapter there in Philippians, chapter two, speak speaks of shining as light in this world, just as God has given us the light, as John chapter one says, that we're to shine that light to others around us.

And so the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus are not there for us just to take and to use as intellectual information for us to pile in our brains and to tell others about, even though that's Very important.

The prophecies fulfilled in Jesus are there for us to be confirmed and to be challenged to share that light with others so that they can experience and that they can know the love and the light of Jesus Christ, so that they can trust in him, so that they can lead others to Christ.

And so I challenge you here this evening.

May this study in the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus not just be an intellectual endeavor of knowing more prophecies and having a more proof of the Scriptures, even though that's an important thing, but may it be personal to us so that we take the head knowledge that we understand and move it to our hearts.

And then in our hearts, knowing the motivation behind our service, we can be motivated to use our hands and our feet and our lives for the cause of the Gospel, for the cause of the truth.

And so we can shine our light among others so that they may see our Father and that they can follow him through in their lives.

And so I encourage you to think about that here this evening when we look at these prophecies.

This Wednesday night, we will continue our study in the Messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus.

So tonight, just by way of review, we looked at numbers, chapter 24, that spoke of Jesus being the star and the scepter of Israel, that speaks of his glory and his power, his authority.

And then we looked at Micah, chapter five, looking at where Jesus would be born, he would be born in Bethlehem.

And then we looked at Isaiah 53, the suffering servant, the humble servant.

And we know all of those are, all of those prophecies are fulfilled there in the New Testament and in the book of Luke, in the book of Matthew, in the book of Philippians, all over we see the fulfillment of who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

And that's an exciting thing to celebrate here in this Christmas season.

So what I'd like to do right now is to pray, and then I'd like to close with a few announcements.

And then we will turn off the live stream here tonight.

And we will hopefully see each other here very, very soon.

So let's pray.

Lord, I thank you for this time that you've given us as we study here tonight, what it means to know these prophecies from the Old Testament that are fulfilled in your son, Jesus Christ.

Lord, thank you for the fact that we can see these things and know these things intellectually.

But Lord, help us to understand and internalize and personalize these prophecies for our faith in you, Lord.

And I pray that we can grow our understanding of the fact that the prophecies shine light upon your truth.

But that light that lives within us, as we saw in John Chapter one, can be a beacon of hope to those around us.

So Lord, help us to shine that.

Light boldly and brightly in this world that we have in this time, in this dark place that we live in today.

Lord, I pray that even in this Christmas season that we can be reminded of your faithfulness and that we can share the message of faithfulness to all those around us.

And so we just love you and we thank you for the opportunity again to virtually come together tonight.

But Lord, we do pray that we can be reunited again in a physical, personal way here very soon with our church family.

We ask all these things in Jesus name, Amen.

Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast.

I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you.

You would like to find out more information about our church or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org or find us on Facebook or YouTube.

You can also email me directly at Josh Massaro at middletownbaptistchurch.

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Thank you so much.

God Bless.

Have a wonderful day.