The King’s Mission - Matthew 1:21

Unfortunately, the audio isn’t available for this sermon, but the transcript is available below.

What comes to mind when you think of a king’s mission? Conquest? Power? Glory?

As I was reflecting on this question earlier in the week, a particular king came to mind: King Nebuchadnezzar. Under his leadership, Babylon gained tremendous wealth, power, and was a place of architectural grandeur. The construction of Hanging Gardens of Babylon which were one the seven wonders of the ancient world are traditionally attributed to King Nebuchadnezzar.

He was king of the most powerful empire in the ancient world and he knew it. Remember what he said in the book of Daniel? As Nebuchadnezzar looked out over Babylon and reflected on everything he had accomplished he said to himself, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

You would expect kings’ missions to further their own wealth, power, and accomplishments in order to make their own name great and once they’ve reached the pinnacle of greatness to stop and revel in it.

Which is why Jesus fulfilling the office of a king is so different. His mission wasn’t to build his own wealth or increase his power. His mission wasn’t to take lives, but to lay down his own life in order to save his people from their sins. Jesus’ mission as a king was primarily spiritual in nature.

Remember what he said to Pontius Pilate: he told him that his kingdom was not of this world! The Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us that “Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.” Jesus’ mission as a king was to accomplish salvation for his people.

Which is precisely what Matthew 1:21 tells us. First, we’re reminded why we need salvation, second, who accomplished our salvation, and lastly we must remember how he accomplished our salvation.

If you’ve been in and around church for any length of time, odds are you already know where this sermon is going! This short verse points us to the gospel. Now, at this moment in redemptive history, things that were a bit unclear. The gospel hadn’t fully bloomed yet, but standing on this side of the cross, we know exactly what the angel is referring to here.

In case you’re wondering, the words from Matthew 1:21 come from an angel appearing to Joseph in a dream. And if you recall, Joseph had learned of Mary’s pregnancy prior to them getting married and wanted to divorce her quietly.

He didn’t know that this child that she was pregnant with was unlike any other child who was or ever will be born. And so, as Joseph went to sleep agonizing over everything with Mary, an angel appeared to him in a dream. And the angel revealed many things to Joseph about Jesus and one of the things he told Joseph was: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Why the King’s Mission Was Necessary

It’s worth noting that the angel told Joseph exactly why Jesus was coming to earth: to “save his people from their sins.” The Christ, the Messiah, the promised king of the world, wasn’t bringing political salvation.

He wasn’t going to save his people from the tyranny and oppression of the Romans. That wasn’t the mission of Jesus. As the angel told Joseph, his primary mission was to, “save his people from their sins.” Christ’s salvation is spiritual.

If you haven’t heard of Ray Comfort you should look up his Youtube Channel when you have some time. But Ray Comfort is an evangelist and he films his evangelistic encounters and puts them on the internet. In case you’re wondering, he gets folks permission to film them - so they know they're on camera.

But Ray has a somewhat formulaic approach to evangelism, and the first thing he always does is ask the person he’s speaking with if they think they’re a “good person.” To which the person he’s interviewing almost always says, “yes.” Then Ray says, “let’s put that to the test,” and if you’re familiar with Ray Comfort’s evangelistic approach he then walks folks through the Ten Commandments: Have you ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever lusted after a man or woman? You get the idea.

And the person he’s interviewing has to answer yes to every single one of these questions. And once he’s done walking them through the Ten Commandments, he asks them once again, “do you still think you’re a good person?”

Ray’s whole point in doing this is to convince the person he’s talking to that they’re a sinner. His whole point is to convince them that their sin leaves them totally hopeless. It doesn’t matter how nice you are, it doesn’t matter how many Habitat for Humanity houses you’ve built, none of that will blot out your sin when you stand before a holy, righteous God.

Every single person is a flawed sinner. The Westminster Shorter Catechism question 17 asks, “Into what estate did the fall [of Adam and Eve] bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.”

I’ve always appreciated what G.K. Chesterton said about original sin. He said, “The doctrine of original sin is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved.” The doctrine of original sin teaches that all humanity inherits a sinful nature and guilt from Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden, resulting in universal separation from God and a propensity to sin.

Of course, Chesterton wasn’t saying that other parts of Christian doctrines are untrue or something like that, his point is that we know the doctrine of original sin to be true because we experience its effects every single day.

It seems to me that pretty much everyone is willing to admit that they’re a sinner who makes a few mistakes here and there. Most people are willing to admit they’re not perfect. But what few understand and are willing to admit is that their sin condemns them. For most of us, the reality that eternal punishment is the just penalty for sin is a tough pill to swallow.

And yet, that’s precisely what Scripture teaches.

Revelation 21:8, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Jesus said that, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Before a holy God your sin condemns you.

I’m keenly aware that no one likes to hear that! It’s awful, terrible news. But it’s absolutely critical that you and I grasp the seriousness of our sin. We must understand our spiritual condition.

And no doubt the angel hinted at this problem when he said, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

If you don’t understand the seriousness of sin, then you’ll never understand why Jesus would take on human flesh, born of a virgin, and lie in a manger. Understanding the seriousness and severity of sin is absolutely critical to understanding the mission of Jesus Christ.

If you don’t understand the seriousness of sin, then you’ll never understand what you need to be saved from.

One of the challenges is convincing people that dealing with their sin and turning to Christ is the most important thing they’ll ever do. Because most people want salvation from their circumstances. Turning from sin and trusting in Christ doesn’t seem nearly as urgent or important as landing a better job, improving your marriage, or finding financial success.

But the gospel has an amazing way of helping you see just how trivial the things of this world are.

C.S. Lewis captured this well in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when Edmund betrayed his family over promises of power and Turkish delights. But of course, those things never gave him what he was after. Instead, his sin kept him isolated in the cold Witch’s castle, separated from the warmth and love of Aslan.

Because that’s exactly what sin does! It promises fulfillment but it never does. You and I must see sin as it truly is – the thing that separates us and condemns us before a holy God.

Which is exactly why Ray Comfort takes the time to first emphasize the problem of sin to those he’s trying to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with. In order to fully appreciate the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have to first understand the problem which necessitated him coming to earth and taking on flesh to begin with!

Great kings go on a mission in order to solve a problem. And there was a serious problem among all of humanity that needed to be solved.

The Provision of a Savior

Tim Townsend, who works for the PCA Foundation, recently shared the following:

“In 1822, the great Austrian composer Franz Schubert began work on his eighth symphony. The first two movements are considered by some to be the most beautiful music he ever created. But there is only one problem: Schubert never finished his eighth symphony. It has become known as Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony.”

“What good is an unfinished symphony? As beautiful as the first two movements are, they leave the listener wanting more. Prior to the birth of Christ, the Old Testament felt like an unfinished symphony. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had begun a beautiful piece of music that the people of Israel listened to over and over again. God, the creator-composer, had clearly stated a day was coming when his symphony would reach its crescendo and be completed. But the people of Israel were left waiting four hundred years in silence following the close of the Old Testament.”

What I love about his illustration is that it beautifully captures the tenor of Old Testament Messianic expectation. God promised that one day, his symphony would be completed.

They knew that God would eventually send a Savior. And Joseph was one of the first people to find out exactly how God was going to do it: now through a tremendous feat of strength but through a miraculous virgin birth.

And Joseph was given very specific instructions from the angel: he was supposed to name this child, Jesus. “[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Today many people choose names for their children based upon how it sounds, or whether it’s original or not, it’s grown somewhat out of fashion to name a child strictly based upon the meaning of the name. But in the Scriptures, the meaning of names were of vital importance. Often, a person’s name would capture the essence of their character or reflect some sort of major historical event.

For example: Adam means “man” and is closely associated with the Hebrew word for “ground.” Hopefully that makes sense since he was the first man and God formed him from the dust of the ground. Another example is Abraham. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham and Abraham means “Father of many nations,” which is exactly what God promised him!

Jacob means, “supplanter, heel-grabber, or trickster.” Remember that in case I ever pull a trick or prank on you - God made me this way! In all seriousness, remember how Jacob tricked his brother Esau into giving up his birthright. And frankly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are others as well, but you get the point.

Since the angel specifically told Joseph that he was supposed to name the child, Jesus, it should come as no surprise to you that the name Jesus carries tremendous meaning as well.

Jesus means, “The Lord saves,” or “The Lord is salvation,” which of course falls right in line with Jesus’ overall mission doesn’t it? But the meaning of the name Jesus includes many Old Testament allusions as well.

In fact, there are a lot of potential Old Testament events that illustrate the salvation of the Lord, but there is one that stands above the rest and that is, the Exodus event. When God plagued the Egyptians, and led the people of Israel across the Red Sea, freeing them from the bondage of slavery so they could freely worship him – that’s the greatest example of God’s deliverance or salvation in the Old Testament.

And of course, the Exodus was a seed of the greater Exodus to come in Jesus when he would lead his people out of the bondage of slavery to sin.

But I think there’s actually a more direct Biblical allusion baked into the name Jesus. Jesus is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Yeshua or Joshua. Joshua was Moses’s right hand man who eventually replaced him as the primary leader in Israel. But Joshua had a very specific task – Joshua’s primary mission was to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land.

Hebrews 4 tells us that the rest that the people of Israel experienced in the Promised Land was simply a precursor of the eternal rest believers will one day experience in heaven.

And once you understand the Promised Land as a taste to heaven, suddenly a beautiful parallel will begin to emerge. Yeshua of the Old Testament led his people into the temporary salvation of the Promised Land, but the New Testament Yeshua leads his people into the eternal salvation of heaven.

The name Jesus reveals his mission of salvation. Jesus came to save.

There seems to be a critical misunderstanding among both those who profess to be Christians and even those who do not - because the entrance into Christianity has become nothing more than stating that you believe in God. So people actually think, “I think there is a God, therefore, I’m a Christian.” Or maybe they think, “I believe Jesus was a real person, therefore, I’m a Christian.” The Bible tells us that even the demons believe that! Simply, acknowledging the existence of God is insufficient.

That is a gospel-less Christianity.

You and I need a perfect Savior to stand before God on our behalf. There is no salvation apart from Jesus.

How the King Accomplished His Mission

Any good king is supposed to have a mission, and seek to accomplish it. Whether it’s conquering a foreign land, or establishing trade agreements with another nation, or coming to a peace treaty, a king is supposed to accomplish a mission.

We don’t have kings here in America, if my memory serves me correctly, I think there was a war fought to get out from under the rule of a king. We have an adversarial relationship with kings, but we love Presidents and Congress here in America! I’m being sarcastic in case you’re wondering.

But like a good king, Presidents should seek to accomplish an ambitious mission. Perhaps you remember back in 2003 when George W. Bush climbed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in order to declare victory in the war in Iraq.

And do you remember the massive banner that hung behind his head as he declared victory? The massive banner behind him read, “Mission Accomplished.”

Jesus had a specific mission as well, didn’t he? He was supposed to save his people from their sins. And I’m sure each of us here knows how he did it: He paid the penalty for your sins on the cross.

If you can remember back to 2003, George W. Bush’s massive “Mission Accomplished” banner was controversial because the war in Iraq raged even as he gave the speech on for years after he declared victory and that the mission had been accomplished.

The fact that the war in Iraq raged after he declared victory and that the mission was accomplished cast tremendous doubt on his message didn’t it? How can you claim that a war has been won if it’s still being fought?

In a similar way, as Jesus hung there on the cross his disciples had to think that this wouldn’t accomplish the mission! In fact, it looked like mission failure, because the King didn’t accomplish what he said he would do.

And yet, the curtain that hung in the temple was torn from top to bottom, from heaven to earth, symbolizing that everyone that was once excluded from the presence of God could be brought near by the sacrifice of Jesus. The punishment, the torment, reserved for our sin, he took upon himself on the cross.

You have to trust that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross atones, removes, and cleanses you from your sins.

What at first glance appeared to be a mission failure turned out to be mission accomplished. His sacrificial death and then resurrection demonstrated that everything went perfectly according to plan. The cross was God’s plan all along.

And when the angel told Joseph that Jesus would save his people from their sins, he meant it in the fullest most complete way possible.

We’re freed from the guilt of sin. That is, our sins are forgiven and no longer held against us.

To return to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, once Edmund was rescued from the Witch, Aslan speaks to him privately, away from the others. The conversation is not described in detail, but its impact is clear: Edmund is forgiven and restored. Aslan does not publicly shame or scold Edmund; instead, he graciously gives him a fresh start. The text notes that Edmund is changed, and his actions afterward demonstrate repentance, humility, and courage. It’s a significant moment because it reflects themes of atonement and reconciliation.

It’s a beautiful picture of what happens when we turn from sin and trust in Jesus Christ! Our sins are forgiven and we’re restored into fellowship with the living God.

But Christ also frees you from the power of sin, which means, you’re no longer under sins control or dominion. Having the bonds of sin broken, you are free to live for Christ.

It’s what the Apostle Paul talks about in Romans 6:14 when he says, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

The grace of God frees you from sin.

But the sad truth is that sin still affects our daily lives. Even when you’re a believer, you still sin. It’s what Martin Luther meant when he said Christians are “simul justus et peccator,” which is a latin phrase that simply means, “at the same time righteous and a sinner.” Our sin still affects our lives, the sins of others affect our lives. We experience the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve and the pain of sin every single day.

But one day, when we’re in glory with Christ, we’ll be completely free from the presence of sin as well. The pain, heartache, and suffering that we all experience in this life will one day come to an end. Jesus is going to save you from sin, completely!

The mission of the king wasn’t to simply relieve the pain of sin in your life. Trusting in Jesus isn’t like taking an aspirin because you need some temporary relief from shoulder pain or something. The mission of the king was to set you free from sin – totally! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Amen. Let’s pray together.