Witnesses to the King of the Jews | Matthew 2:1-12

Scripture

• Matthew 2:1–12

About this sermon

The testimony that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, the Messiah, is not minimal. It is not as though there were just a few pieces of evidence — a few witnesses, to the uniqueness of this person. It is not as though you have a genealogy, and a story about a virgin conception, and then a regular set of events that follow. Instead, what follows is the most unique person and the most unique life ever witnessed. The testimony was overwhelming. Matthew brings witness after witness, evidence after evidence. And I think it is important to remember that Matthew is writing his account during a time when his story could be fact-checked. The events that he records were recent enough that there were multitudes of people still alive who could have argued factual errors if Matthew was trying to sell a myth. Paul makes this same point when he writes 1 Corinthians. ESV 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. The events that Matthew recorded — the events that testified to Jesus’ unique identity — were so unusual, so unforgettable, so undeniable, that the only way to avoid them would be stubborn unbelief. LOST HUMANITY IS CHARACTERIZED BY STUBBORN UNBELIEF It is well to remember that those who sought to kill Jesus never denied that He performed miracles. ESV John 11:48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." Honest seekers acknowledged the reality of the signs that accompanied His life. ESV John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." This second chapter begins with one of those events. In this one event our God works in such a way that five witnesses are produced. Tonight, we think about five witnesses that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised king of the Jews. A WITNESS IN THE HEAVENS A WITNESS FROM THE EAST A WITNESS IN JERUSALEM A WITNESS IN BETHLEHEM A WITNESS IN A WARNING

Topics

• Evangelism