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Friday, December 9, 2016

How Jesus' birth connects to His crucifixion and resurrection

Image result for Christmas Jesus
Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Introduction:
My aim today is to draw as many parallels as possible between the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke to the crucifixion and resurrection accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ as found in John's Gospel. The crucifixion and resurrection narratives are found in all four Gospels, and so further parallels could just as easily be discovered. Nevertheless, for brevity's sake we will focus on what the Apostle John, writing under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has to record regarding the details of Christ's death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. John 18, 19 and 20 will be our main text for the crucifixion and resurrection accounts, with connecting points being drawn from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke.   

1. The Shepherds told about the Savior born, who would die for the people
Luke 2:11 "for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."


John 18:14 "Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people."

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus, our Good Shepherd. 


2. He was Born and Died "The King of the Jews." 
Matthew 2:2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

John 19:19 "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS."

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus our True King.

3. The Roman Empire was included in His birth and death.
Luke 2:1 "Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth."

John 19:23 "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout."

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus the Ultimate Ruler. 

4. The Prediction of Mary's agony at His death spoken after his birth
Luke 2:35 "and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many  hearts may be revealed.”

John 19:26-27 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus the obedient Son.

5. The presence of Myrrh in the accounts of His birth and death
Luke 2:11 "After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

John 19:39 "And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight."

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus as the propitiation or satisfaction of the Father's wrath against sin.

6. Angels were present at His birth and resurrection
Luke 2:13-14 "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host  praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

John 20:12-14 "and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13And they said to her, “Woman, why are you  weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. "

What links these two passages together is the fact we see Jesus the victorious Savior.

Closing thoughts
Today we briefly considered the links found between the birth accounts of Jesus humanity in Matthew and Luke to the crucifixion and resurrection accounts found in John's Gospel. The six links discovered today highlighted the following truths about Jesus Christ:

1. He is our Good Shepherd
2. He is our True King
3. He is our Ultimate Ruler
4. He is the Obedient Son
5. He satisfies the Father's wrath
6. He is the victorious Savior