But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

-Matthew 1:20-23 (NIV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

-Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

-Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it… For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

-2 Peter 1:19a, 21 (NIV)

Mathematician Peter Stoner: the odds of 1 person accidentally fulfilling just eight Messianic prophecies are 1 in 10 to the 157th power.

But there weren’t just eight… There are nearly 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that Jesus Christ fulfilled!

Messianic prophecies were written hundreds of years before Jesus' arrival.

In the Old Testament God is FOR us.

In the New Testament God is WITH us.

But today, because of the Holy Spirit, God is IN us.

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

-Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’

-Matthew 2:1-6 (NIV)

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

-Micah 5:2 (NIV)

The Wise Men were Gentile people coming to worship a Jewish king. It’s no accident that Matthew covers this, because the theme of Matthew is Jesus is King.

Gold was the gift for a King.

.Incense was the gift for a Priest.

Myrrh was the gift for One who is to die.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

-Romans 1:16 (NIV)

The wise men were bold and generous.

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.

-Matthew 2:11a (NIV)

When you are more concerned with giving than receiving, you can truly impact others.

The Bible tells us to give cheerfully. 

They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and frankincense, and of myrrh.

-Matthew 2:11b (NIV)

When you put time and thought into a gift, and it comes from a grateful heart the gift takes on a deeper meaning.

It’s tough to let God lead you if you aren’t listening to Him when He intervenes. 

The Holy Spirit wants to use you to bring peace to people who feel hopeless.

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