1. A reminder to consider others Please:  Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only  Use the nursery or cry room if your child is fussy  Get up during the preaching only if absolutely necessary (please sit in back if you must leave early)

2. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

3. Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above Sing praise to God who reigns above, The God of all creation, Sing praise to God who reigns above, The God of all creation, Johann J. Schutz / © Public Domain, ARR, ICS,UBP CCLI License No. 378119 # 97

4. The God of pow’r, the God of love, The God of our salvation. The God of pow’r, the God of love, The God of our salvation.

5. With healing balm my soul He fills, And every faithless murmur stills: To God all praise and glory! With healing balm my soul He fills, And every faithless murmur stills: To God all praise and glory!

6. The Lord is never far away, But, through all grief distressing, An ever-present help and stay, Our peace and joy and blessing. The Lord is never far away, But, through all grief distressing, An ever-present help and stay, Our peace and joy and blessing.

7. As with a mother’s tender hand He leads His own, His chosen band: To God all praise and glory! As with a mother’s tender hand He leads His own, His chosen band: To God all praise and glory!

8. Thus all my toilsome way along I sing aloud His praises, That men may hear the grateful song My voice unwearied raises. Thus all my toilsome way along I sing aloud His praises, That men may hear the grateful song My voice unwearied raises.

9. Be joyful in the Lord, my heart! Both soul and body bear your part: To God all praise and glory! Be joyful in the Lord, my heart! Both soul and body bear your part: To God all praise and glory!

10. Let all who name Christ’s holy name Give God all praise and glory; Let all who own His pow’r proclaim Aloud the wondrous story. Let all who name Christ’s holy name Give God all praise and glory; Let all who own His pow’r proclaim Aloud the wondrous story.

11. Cast every idol from its throne, For Christ is Lord and Christ alone; To God all praise and Glory! Cast every idol from its throne, For Christ is Lord and Christ alone; To God all praise and Glory!

12. What God’s almighty pow’r hath made His gracious mercy keepeth, By morning glow or evening shade His watchful eye ne’er sleepeth. What God’s almighty pow’r hath made His gracious mercy keepeth, By morning glow or evening shade His watchful eye ne’er sleepeth.

13. Within the kingdom of His might, Lo! All is just and all is right: To God all praise and glory! Within the kingdom of His might, Lo! All is just and all is right: To God all praise and glory!

14. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

15. A reminder to consider others Please:  Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only  Use the nursery or cry room if your child is fussy  Get up during the preaching only if absolutely necessary (please sit in back if you must leave early)

16. Jesus’ Childhood Matthew 2:1-23; Luke 2:39-52 Jesus is the:  Son of God by the Holy Spirit,  Son of man by Mary,  legal heir to David’s throne by Joseph During His childhood, additional prophecies are fulfilled and Jesus exhibits both His humanity & deity

17. The Coming of the Magi Matthew 2:1-2 The Magi were a tribe in Media in the 7th century BC with a religion with many similarities to the Jews By the 6th century BC, they became religious & political leaders in the Persian kingdom Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel their head after he had interpreted the king’s dream (Daniel 2 & 4)

18. The Coming of the Magi Matthew 2:1-2 They composed the upper house of council in the Parthian empire & determined who would be king They would have known about the promise of a future Jewish Messiah through Daniel’s influence They knew the timing of the Messiah’s birth by the sign of the star in the prophecy of Numbers 24:17

19. The Coming of the Magi Matthew 2:1-2 They went to Jerusalem instead of Bethlehem because they expected the king to be there by then They came to worship the one “born king of the Jews” - the Messiah (Matthew 2:2)

20. The Trouble of Herod Matthew 2:3-8 Herod was troubled because he was jealous and evil - and so Jerusalem was also troubled (Matt 2:3-7) Herod was an Idumean and could not be a legitimate “king of the Jews”

21. The Trouble of Herod Matthew 2:3-8 Herod was jealous with a habit of killing any perceived rival - including friends, relatives and sons Herod tries to determine the exact location of the child through the Chief priests, scribes and Magi

22. The Magi Worship Jesus Matthew 2:9-12 The Magi rejoice at seeing the star again and finding Jesus with Mary in a house The significance of each gift:  Gold for a king,  Frankincense for a priest,  Myrrh for His burial

23. The Magi Worship Jesus Matthew 2:9-12 The Magi traveled a great distance to find Jesus; The Jewish leaders would not even go a few miles. Which response marks your life?

24. Escape from Herod Matthew 2:12-18 God warned both the Magi and Joseph of Herod’s plan to murder Jesus In the warning, the Child is placed in the position of prominence with the mother mentioned second The warning is prophetic Joseph was specifically told to go to Egypt which would fulfill the prophecy of Hosea 11:1

25. Escape from Herod Matthew 2:12-18 A typico-prophetic prophecy uses a person or event in the OT as a type of something in the NT Prophetic types are only revealed by divine testimony in the NT - this one through the apostle Matthew Joseph obeyed with out debate or hesitation leaving that very night - the trip financed by the Magi’s gifts

26. Escape from Herod Matthew 2:12-18 Herod’s foolish jealously results in excessive rage when the Magi do not return Herod slaughters all male babies ≤ two years in and around Bethlehem fulfilling another prophecy Matthew cites Jeremiah 31:15 as a prophetic type of the slaughter by Herod

27. Return to Nazareth Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:39-40 Herod the Great dies a horrible death in the Spring of 4 B.C. and God tells Joseph to return to Israel The move to Nazareth fulfills a prophecy that was not written down in the Hebrew Scriptures Other examples of such prophecies / quotes - Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18, Jude 1:14, Acts 20:35

28. Jesus in His Father’s House Luke 2:41-52 They traveled the ~70 miles from Nazareth to Jerusalem each Spring for Passover & the Feast Boys 11 or 12 often began attending Passover and at 13 were required to attend (Exodus 23:14-17)

29. Jesus in His Father’s House Luke 2:41-52 Luke 2:43-45. Joseph & Mary began their journey home not realizing Jesus was still in Jerusalem Luke 2:46-48. After three days of anxious search, they found Jesus with the teachers in the temple

30. Jesus in His Father’s House Luke 2:41-52 They should have trusted God,  They were used to protecting Him,  All parents should trust God The teachers in the temple were astonished at Jesus’ level of understanding

31. Jesus in His Father’s House Luke 2:41-52 Luke 2:49-51. His parents do not understand Jesus’ point in identifying Himself as the Son of God Jesus was still young and submitted to His parents and continued to grow physically, mentally & socially

32. Conclusions Jesus grew physically and mentally like any human, but the worship of the Magi, the fulfillment of prophecy and His character showed that He was also deity

33. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

34. As with Gladness Men of Old As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright William Dix / Conrad Kocher © Public Domain ARR UBP – CCLI License No. 378119 # 290

35. As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led to Thee

36. As with joyful steps the sped To that lowly manger bed; There to bend the knee before Him whom heav’n and earth adore;

37. So, may we with willing feet Ever seek the mercy seat.

38. As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin’s alloy,

39. All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee our heav’nly King.

40. Holy Jesus, every day Keep us in the narrow way; And, when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last

41. Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds They glory hide.

42. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ