Christmas at First Baptist Poinciana

It’s that time of year once again, Christmas trees, Christmas treats, Family get togethers, busy stores, gifts, and so much more. In the hustle of it all there is a manger, there is a baby, there is a savior - and is name is Jesus, for He has come to save people from their sins. He has come to seek and save that which is lost.

Jesus - God in the flesh, stepped out of the splendor of heaven for each one of us. As we spend the next couple weeks together in the word - we are going to remember or learn that Jesus is more than the “Reason for the Season” Jesus is the reason for life, because he is life, he is the way, and He is the truth so many are desperately seeking in our culture today.

Doctrine Matters.

There has been a steep decline in the concern for sound biblical doctrine within many churches - It’s okay for everyone to believe something different is the resounding cry. Biblical doctrine is needed - it is required. This is why we read in Hosea 4:6

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

We must not only know what we believe BUT also know why according to the scripture.

Here are 2 VERY IMPORTANT Theological terms that I want you to learn today.

Theological Terms.

ETERNALITY

PREEMINENCE

Eternality - meaning that Jesus has always been, is now, and forever will be. Jesus was not created, He is not an angel, nor any other created being. Jesus was at the laying of the foundation of the worlds and creation. Col. 1:16

Colossians 1:16 NKJV

16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

You cannot be both created and the creator.

Why does this matter?

Because to deny the eternality of Christ is to deny the very deity of Christ Jesus.

It is a heresy to say that Christ Jesus was created by God, or is the arch angel Michael - or is any other person than God in the flesh come to earth to reconcile people to him.

If we fall to the trap that Jesus is created - then we ultimately deny the saving power of Christ Jesus. God alone can forgive sins, and Jesus said of himself - Luke 5:24-25

Luke 5:24–25 NKJV

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

JESUS IS omniscience includes present, past, and future. He sees all times with equal and perfect vividness, for he is the one who has made them what they are.

THIS IS THE ETERNALITY OF CHRIST - HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, IS NOW AND FOREVER WILL BE. JESUS WAS NOT CREATED, JESUS IS GOD, NOT A PART OF GOD, NOT A SEPARATE BEING - BUT GOD IN THE FLESH WAS GIVEN TO US IN A MANGER - SENT FOR ONE REASON - TO SHOW US GOD, TO BRING SALVATION AND REDEMPTION THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

PREEMINENCE - MEANING THAT CHRIST IS FIRST. IN ALL THINGS, CHRIST IS FIRST. THIS POINTS TO THE ABSOLUTE DEITY OF CHRIST - GOD ON EARTH.

Colossians 1:15–20 NKJV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE YOU SEE LOTS OF SIGNS. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE FEWER THE WORDS ON SIGNS THE BETTER THEY COMMUNICATE. WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE THE SYMBOLS. ALL THE FOOD STOPS HAVE SYMBOLS, GAS STATIONS HAVE SYMBOLS. YOU KNOW IF YOU GO TO THIS PLACE OR THE OTHER - EXACTLY WHAT THEY WILL HAVE THERE. YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE OF THE PICTURE YOU NOTICED ON THE ROAD. THEY ARE ONE IN THE SAME - THE SAME IS TRUE WITH CHRIST JESUS. JESUS IS THE EXACT PERSON OF GOD (THE IMAGE) OF THE INVISIBLE GOD. IF YOU KNOW HIM YOU KNOW GOD. IF YOU HAVE SEEN HIM, YOU HAVE SEEN GOD, IF YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS WOULD DO - THEN YOU KNOW WHAT GOD WOULD DO.

JESUS IS THE - I AM.

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

JESUS IS NOT ONLY CLAIMING TO BE GOD IN THE FLESH - BUT HE IS POINTING US BACK TO THE BOOK OF EXODUS WITH HIS “I AM” STATEMENT.

Exodus 3:14 NKJV

14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

JESUS IS THE ETERNAL WORD - THE LOGOS.

THIS BRINGS US TO OUR KEY PASSAGE TODAY. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL FOLLOW WITH ME - MANY WOULD START THE ACCOUNTS OF CHRISTMAS IN MATTHEW OR LUKE, BUT I WANT TO BEGIN EVEN BEFORE FOR THE MANGER THAT WE KNOW SO WELL - LET’S CALL IT - THE PREQUEL!

John 1:1–12 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

THIS IS THE PREINCARNATE CHRIST WE SEE IN THIS VERY PASSAGE. THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S PLAN COMING TO LIGHT.

THE PERSON

CHRIST. VERSES 1-2

PAST : IN BEGINNING

POWER : WITH GOD

PERSON : WORD WAS GOD

THE WORD - LOGOS -

Logos is the Greek word transcribed as “reason,” “word,” “speech,” or “principle.”

In Greek philosophy, it related to a universal, divine reason or the mind of God. The gospel of John connected this Greek term with the nature and existence of God and Jesus Christ.

HERE WE SEE A DOCTRINAL TRUTH -

THE FATHER CREATED THE WORLD THROUGH THE WORD (LOGOS) JESUS. WHO IS THE ETERNAL EXPRESSION OF GOD. HEB. 1:2

Hebrews 1:2 CSB

2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

THE WORD WAS WITH GOD - ETERNAL FELLOWSHIP. AND …

THE WORD WAS GOD - THE SAME DIVINE NATURE. (JOHN 1:1)

SO WE NOW KNOW THAT JESUS WAS PRESENT AT THE MOMENT OF GENESIS 1:1 AND WILL REGEIN AS KING OF KINGS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. HE IS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA - THE FIRST AND THE LAST.

PERMANENCE - WE HAVE SEEN THE PAST, POWER, AND PERSON OF THE WORD - JESUS

NOW WE SEE THE PERMANENCE OF CHRIST.

HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALIVE AND IS HIMSELF GOD.

John 1:3 CSB

3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

WE AGAIN SEE PERMANENCE IN CREATION IN VERSE 3 - ALL THINGS - PLANETS, STARS, PEOPLE, = ALL CREATED BY THE WORD. THE LOGOS.

Colossians 1:16–17 CSB

16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.

I WANT YOU TO GRAB AHOLD OF THAT WORD - LOGOS. AND THE DEFINING CHARACTER OF THE WORD MEANING - “REASON OR PLAN”

LET’S APPLY IT: FROM THE VERY BEGINNING - GOD HAD A PLAN TO RECONCILE US TO HIM. TO PROVIDE US WITH SALVATION. IT WAS AND WILL FOREVER BE THROUGH THE WORD. (JESUS)

THE REASON.

John 1:4–5 CSB

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

CHRIST IS THE LIGHT THAT ISAIAH SPOKE ABOUT 740 YEARS BC WHEN ISAIAH SAID ISA 9:2

Isaiah 9:2 CSB

2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.

WE WERE ALL AT ONE POINT WALKING IN DARKNESS. IF YOU HAVE NOT COME TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION - YOU ARE STILL IN DARKNESS.

DARKNESS = SIN

LIGHT = DISPELS DARKNESS - THE LIGHT OF THE WORD IS JESUS.

CHRIST IS GREATER THAN ALL DARKNESS (NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU THINK YOU ARE)

THE PREPARATION

John 1:6–9 NKJV

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

I AM SO GLAD SOMEONE TOLD ME ABOUT JESUS. AMEN!

JOHN THE BAPTIST.

SENT FROM GOD

HAD ONE MESSAGE VS 7 JOHN GAVE PROOF OF CHRIST SO THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SAVED.

PREACHED THAT MESSAGE VS 8

JOHN POINTED THE WAY - WE ARE ALSO TO POINT THE WAY. VS 9 -

JOHN POINTED ONLY TO ONE. CHRIST JESUS! HE WOULD GIVE LIGHT TO ALL MANKIND

LATER JESUS SAYS “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD” JOHN 8:12

John 8:12 NKJV

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

THE PEOPLE OF CHRISTMAS

John 1:10–12 NKJV

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

IT’S SO EASY TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOSPEL DURING CHRISTMAS - BUT IT IS THE TIME THAT IT IS ON EVERYONES MIND. WE SEE MANGERS, WE HEAR SONGS, MORE HEARTS ARE OPEN, AND WE MUST BE READY TO SHINE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST ON A WORLD THE SO NEEDS IT. JUST AS IN THE FIRST FEW VERSES OF JOHN WE CAN IDENTIFY 2 GROUPS OF PEOPLE. AND WE EACH FALL INTO ONE OF THESE GROUPS.

VS 10 - JESUS WAS WITH GOD WHEN THE WORLD WAS CREATED, YET THE WORLD DID NOT ACCEPT HIM. HAVE YOU?

VS 11 - THE FIRST REJECTION JESUS FACED WAS FROM HIS OWN PEOPLE AND FAMILY.

MINE AND JAMIE’S FIRST DATE & FEELING OF REJECTION.

JESUS COME SO THAT WE COULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND RECONCILIATION (OR BE PUT BACK IN PLACE) WITH HIM THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS.

THE CROSS WAS PRESENT AT THE CRADLE.

VS 12 - THOSE WHO CAME TO CHRIST AND ARE STILL COMING TO CHRIST WERE AND ARE MADE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.

THEY BECAME CHILDREN OF GOD BY BELIEVING ON HIS NAME.

OH - THE POWER OF A NAME.

AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS

HE HAS GIVEN HIM A NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES.

HE WAS THE WORD IN THE BEGINNING ONE WITH GOD THE LORD MOST HIGH.

HE IS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA

HE IS THE PREEMENENT, ETERNAL, PERFECT IMAGE OF GOD ON EARTH AND HIS NAME IS JESUS.

Romans 10:9 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”