The sermon explores the fulfillment of prophecies in the birth and early life of Jesus as narrated in the book of Matthew. The speaker emphasizes the significance of these prophecies in confirming Jesus as the awaited Messiah and Savior. The sermon highlights the concept of Advent, which refers to the coming or appearance of Christ. Five specific prophecies related to Christ's birth and incarnation are discussed, including the prophecy of a virgin conceiving and giving birth to Emmanuel, fulfilled by Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. The sermon emphasizes Matthew's repeated use of the word 'fulfilled' to indicate the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the life of Jesus.

Welcome to Burnet Bible Church. This week, Pastor Hopkins will be giving a Christmas sermon on the prophecies that were fulfilled by the birth of Christ from the book of Matthew. What I want to do this afternoon is I want to draw your attention to the numerous places in Matthew's narrative of the birth and early life of Jesus, where he directs us, he directs our attention to the fulfillment of prophecies found in the Hebrew scriptures in the Old Testament concerning the coming Messiah, the Christ. As we read in Matthew chapter 1 and in Matthew chapter 2, we're going to see five of them. We're going to see five of these.

Five prophecies from the Old Testament of the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, the Savior of the world. This season that we're in right now on the Christian calendar has long been referred to as Advent. Advent is a Latin word that means a coming, or it means an appearance. It is a coming or an appearance. Noah Webster says in his definition of Advent, quote, appropriately, the coming of our Savior.

And in the calendar, this is Webster going on, it includes four Sabbaths before Christmas. It is intended, says Webster, as a season of devotion with reverence to the coming of Christ in the flesh and a second coming to judge the world." Close quote. It's that first coming or appearance of Christ that we're going to be looking at this afternoon. What we'll be looking at are the five prophecies from the Old Testament of the coming of Christ in the flesh, fulfilled by Christ in the New Testament, that are documented in Matthew's gospel in chapter 1 and chapter 2. Matthew writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit would have there be no doubt in the minds of his readers that this Jesus of Nazareth who was born at Bethlehem is in fact the Messiah the Christ awaited by the people of Israel that he is Immanuel God with us the Son of God Incarnate and thus the only one who could save God's people, whether they be Jew or Gentile, from their sins.

These five prophecies related to the advent or coming of Christ and his incarnation, that is his coming in the flesh and his birth at Bethlehem are just a handful of the prophecies concerning Christ in Scripture. Stephen Lawson says, quote, there are some 1,817 prophecies of some nature in the Bible. One thousand eight hundred and seventeen prophecies of some nature in the Bible. One thousand eight hundred and seventeen prophecies of some nature in the Bible. I think he says at one point in his message on prophecy fulfilled that twenty seven percent of the Bible at the time of its writing is actually prophetic, 27 percent.

How many of these, however, are related to Christ? One scholar that I read, that I came across, cites 574 verses in the Old Testament that in some way refer to Christ either by title or by type or by actual prophecy. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans chapter 1, you remember from our study of Romans 1, that the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen by men, being understood by the things that are made, even as eternal power and Godhead, so that men are without excuse. How much more? How much more, brothers and sisters, if we have been exposed or if men have been exposed to the infallible proofs of Scripture in the fulfillment of the words of the prophet, how much more are they without excuse?

Again, this afternoon, we're going to be looking at five of these prophecies, five prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled by Christ in the New Testament and documented by Matthew in chapter one and chapter two, five prophecies related to Advent, to the coming of Christ, five prophecies related to his incarnation, that is his coming in the flesh and taking flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary at Nazareth and his birth then at Bethlehem of Judea. In a word, this afternoon, what we're going to be looking at is Christmas in the Old Testament. We're gonna be looking at Christmas in the Old Testament. And as I read Matthew chapter one, beginning with verse 18 through the end of Matthew chapter two. I want you to, again, pay particular attention to Matthew's emphasis on fulfillment.

Just look through those passages. Look at your Bibles. Look at chapter one, beginning with verse 18, through chapter two and the end of chapter two. And notice this word fulfilled, fulfilled, fulfilled being used over again. Matthew's emphasis is on the fulfillment of the words of the prophets concerning Christ's coming, written centuries before his coming into the world.

And I want you to particularly hone in on these these five passages as I read these five passages that cite the fulfillment of prophecies in the Old Testament, chapter one, verse 22, and chapter two, verses five, and 15, and 17, and 23. And if you want to underline those before I go through them. I'll just go through them really quickly. If you want to underline those words about that these are prophecies that are being fulfilled, you could start by underlining chapter one verse 22 where Matthew writes, that it may be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, that it may be fulfilled that which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. And then in chapter two, moving on, verse five, he writes, for thus it was written by the prophet, For thus it was written by the prophet.

And then in 2.15, he writes that it may be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. And then in chapter two in verse 17, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet. And then finally in chapter 2 and verse 23, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets. Again and again, Matthew directs the readers of his gospel to the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of Christ. So if you would follow along with me now as I read and then we'll pause at the time that we come to each of these prophecies and show they are the fulfillment of prophecies that were written centuries before in the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament.

So we begin with chapter 1 and verse 18 where we read, now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. It happened like this, When as his mother was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a public example and was minded to put her away privately. But when he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, unto Joseph, in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, reminding him who he was in the lineage of the royal house of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. Don't be afraid, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Then verse 22, now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Here's his first bringing in of a prophecy from the Old Testament saying in verse 23, Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. God with us. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet from Isaiah chapter 7 in verse 14, which was written over 700 years before the birth of Christ. 700 years before the birth of Christ.

700 years before the birth of Christ, you have a prophet speaking under inspiration of the Holy Spirit saying, this is what's going to happen. Something that is unheard of in the history of the world, something that is impossible except it be of God. Isaiah wrote in Isaiah chapter 7 of verse 14, therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name, Emmanuel." Isaiah's prophecy tells us two things. Christ will be born miraculously of a virgin and he will be Emmanuel, God with us. He will be God in the flesh, the Son of God in the flesh.

Or as the old Christmas hymn puts it, he will be God with a man abiding, now abiding. Offspring of the virgin's womb, veiled in flesh the Godhead's sea, hailed the incarnate deity, pleased his man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Back to our text from Matthew picking up with verse 24, then Joseph being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife, and knew her not, till she had brought forth her firstborn son, and called his name Jesus. Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and were come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled in all Jerusalem with them. We looked at this more closely a couple of weeks ago. And when he gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. Here comes the prophecy. Where is the Christ to be born?

Well, let's look at the Hebrew scriptures. Let us tell you where he is to be born. And they said unto him in verse 5, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet." That's where it's going to happen. It was told us ahead of time. And thou, Bethlehem, verse 6, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel." Jesus' birth at Bethlehem was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah, the prophet, from Micah chapter 5 in verse 2.

So if you flip back to Micah chapter 5 and verse 2, you'll read it in Micah's words, But thou Bethlehem, Ephrata, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel. And don't miss this, whose goings forth, this is Micah's words, whose going forth have been from of old, even from everlasting. From everlasting. Not only are we told the location of the birth of Messiah, the city of Messiah's birth will be Bethlehem. Micah says, look, he's not only going to be born at Bethlehem, he's going to possess the incommunicable attribute of eternality.

He's going to be God in the flesh here again. He will be one whose goings forth are from everlasting, that is from eternity, even from eternity. Picking up with verse 7, we read, then Herod, when he had privately or privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search diligently for the young child. And when you've found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also.

Liar, liar, pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire. All the kids are looking at me right now, going, what's he doing up there? Herod was a liar. He didn't want to go worship Jesus. He wanted to kill him, right?

He wanted to destroy him. When they heard the king, these kings of the east, they departed and lo the star which they saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over the place where the young child was, and when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were coming to the house, they saw the young child with his mother and fell down and worshiped him. This is also a prophecy. The Old Testament says that kings will bow down before him, right?

Kings will come and they will bow down before him. They will be drawn come to his light. But we won't go into that. And he fell down, they worshiped him, and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and no not honey, myrrh, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should...

Have anyone ever seen the fourth wise man? It's fictitious, but I think it has some really good... It was very well thought out. We watched it yesterday. At any rate, you'll know why I said that a moment ago, but they presented him gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. He comes to Joseph again in a dream. He's constantly leading Joseph, the adopted father of Christ, and he leads him in a dream and he says, arise, take the young child and his mother and get out of here, get into Egypt. Why? Because I know something you don't know.

Go there until I bring you word for Herod is going to seek to destroy Jesus. He's going to seek to destroy Christ and the young child to destroy him. He's going to seek the young child to destroy him. So he gets up and goes, verse 14, he arose, he took the child and his mother by night and he departed into Egypt and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled. Here it is again.

So that it would be fulfilled, what was written, that which was written, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. This is the prophet Hosea saying, out of Egypt have I called my son. Out of Egypt have I called my son. This was in fulfillment, Matthew says, of the prophecy of Hosea, which you find documented in Hosea chapter 11, in verse 1, where it's written, out of Egypt have I called My son. This reference, this references Israel, obviously, being called out of Egypt in the Exodus, right?

So it's referencing that. Yes, Israel was called out of Egypt in the Exodus, But the words my son, don't miss that here again. My son, my son, my son. We see Hosea referencing Christ, God's son, who is the true Israel. And he is called out of Egypt here.

He flees into Egypt, he comes out of Egypt, he was called out of Egypt. Verse 16, and Herod when he saw that he was mocked with the wise men was exceeding wrath, he sent forth, he slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and all the coast thereof, two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, verse 17, prophecy fulfilled. Prophecy fulfilled. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah, the prophet, saying, in Rama there was heard a voice, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Herod attempted to destroy Jesus in his rampage against the innocence of Bethlehem, but the Lord will protect his anointed, his Christ, who in his death and resurrection will save his people from their sins.

Jesus will be protected and all those in him will be saved. But when Herod was dead, verse 19, the angel of the Lord appears in the dream and Joseph again, here he is again, now rise, get out, take the child of his mother, go into the land of Israel, that when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, being warned of God and a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee, and he came and dwelt in the city called Nazareth. Here it is again, that it might be fulfilled. Let this encourage you, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, he shall be called a Nazarene. People look at this and they say, okay, well, where's the prophecy?

Is there a direct chapter verse prophecy here? Well, you have to understand the word Nazareth comes from a Hebrew word, netzer, which means branch. So they understood very clearly what he was talking about. It points to the multiple prophetic references of Messiah by the prophets of old as the branch, capital B, as in Isaiah 11.1, for instance, where the prophet speaks of a branch from the root of Jesse, right, who's the father of King David. And Jeremiah 23, 5, where God says to the prophet Jeremiah that the days are coming when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, capital B, netzer, Nazareth, Nazarene, and he shall reign as king.

Matthew tells us in this prophecy or relates this prophecy and says that Jesus came to dwell in the city of Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets he shall be called a Nazarene, Netzer, because he is the righteous branch, the offshoot of Jesse, the seed of David, who will be, as the old Christmas hymn again puts it, born a child and yet a king. We come to our close when we we think of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the location of Christ's birth at Bethlehem alone by the prophet Micah, we see not only the fulfillment of Christ's place of birth, but listen, a full display of God's sovereignty, of His sovereign control over kings and kingdoms and all events on earth. He's in control of it all. Not only could Herod not destroy the Christ child after his birth at Bethlehem, Herod will also be the tool in God's hand to enforce the shifting of entire populations under the decree of Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed to make sure that Jesus the Christ will be born in Bethlehem. God not only foreknows all earthly events but foreordains them according to his good pleasure for the purpose of bringing to pass his sovereign decrees Christ will be born at Bethlehem.

Bethlehem, by the way, how many know what Bethlehem means? We know what Beth-el means, right? Beth-el is God. Beth is house. House of God.

Okay, everybody understands that from the Old Testament? Well, Beth-lehem is house of bread. Jesus, think about that, Jesus is born at the house of bread. That bread which comes down from heaven that if a man eats he shall never die is born at the house of bread. Jesus will be born in Bethlehem of Judea, just as the Scriptures foretold.

He will be of the seed of Abraham. He will be of the seed of Isaac. I could go through and give you all these references. I didn't have time to get every single one of these references, but he will be born of Abraham, of the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, of the seed of Jacob, just as the Scriptures foretold. He will come from the root of Jesse He will come from the lineage of David just as the scriptures foretold He'll be conceived and born of a virgin which we already looked at magi will worship him kings will bow down before him and come to the light of his appearance.

I think that's Isaiah 16 verse 3. It's one of the references. He will be carried into Egypt and brought out again. We saw that just as the scriptures foretold. But the prophecies don't end here.

They don't end with his conception and birth in early years. The prophecies go on and on and on. He will be preceded by a forerunner who will come in the spirit of Elijah. It's John the Baptist, right? He comes in the spirit and the power of Elijah.

He will give sight to the blind. We learn from the ancient prophets. He will open deaf ears. He will raise dead people to life again. He will be rejected by his own people.

All these are things that were foretold in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Jews and Gentiles will conspire together to destroy him. It was all written in the pages of the Holy Scriptures before it came to pass. He'll be betrayed by a friend. It's all prophesied.

He'll be sold for 30 pieces of silver. He'll be marred beyond the visage of any man, Isaiah says in Isaiah chapter 53. He'll be spat upon. It's prophesied. His beard will be plucked out.

He'll be lifted up to die. Crucifixion hadn't even been invented yet. His hands and feet will be pierced. They pierced my hands and my feet. It's all in the Old Testament.

Men will cast lots for his garment. Not a bone of his shall be broken. Even his words on the cross were prophesied. He will cry, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And he will die for his people.

He will bear our sins, and he will carry our sorrows. For the transgression of God's people, he will be stricken, again, Isaiah 53. His flesh will not Decompose in the grave and he will rise again to see the light of life just as the scriptures foretold, proving that his sacrifice for our sins was accepted of God. And brothers and sisters, he will come again. He will come again.

He's coming again just as the scriptures foretold. Just as everything else has fallen out exactly as God said so it will be and this Christ who was born at Bethlehem will come again one day and he will take everyone who is in him by faith united to him will take all of us home to be with Him forever and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I pray that as you spend time with your families today and when you awaken tomorrow on Christmas morning that you'll once again open these scriptures and share with your families the purpose for which this day has been set apart, Christ. And the purpose for which this season has been set apart by the Christian Church for 2,000 years to praise God for the gift of His only begotten Son. And I pray that every one of us will be filled with joy as we continue in this season of Advent to consider His coming, His incarnation, His birth at Bethlehem, and that He came into the world on a mission to save His people from their sins, and that He has accomplished the mission for which he came into the world.

Let's pray. Father, we do thank you, Lord, that we can see Christmas in the Old Testament, that we can see Christ all throughout the Old Testament. Lord, and we know that It's ultimately all about Him. It's all about Him. It's all about Him.

And Lord, our hearts rejoice this morning, God, when we consider, Lord, these prophecies of old, Lord, that were fulfilled in the coming of our Lord Jesus, that He came just as it was told in the Scriptures, just as the prophets foretold, and that He came on this mission, Lord, which we thank you for this morning, that we are all who believe in Him, a part of the purpose for which He came to save us from our sins. O God, we thank you, Lord, that our Lord Jesus came and that He suffered and that He died and that He rose again from the dead and that He paid the penalty for our sins and that He's not only saved us from the penalty of our sins but from the power of sin to control us and to animate us and to enslave us. We thank you God and we pray God that you would help us Lord as we we go our way today Lord and as we wake up tomorrow on Christmas Day that we remember Christ Jesus was born at Bethlehem and that he came into the world to save sinners like us and that he fulfilled the mission for which he came into the world and that our hearts Lord would be filled with praise and with glory as we consider this wonderful time of year and what we are celebrating in the birth of Christ.

For we ask it in Jesus name, we ask it in Christ's name, amen.