All I Want for Christmas

Call to Worship

Psalm 90:14 “14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”

Because we have been made satisfied by God’s mercy we will sing today!

This week I was at my kids band concert. They play We Three Kings and God Bless you Merry Gentleman. I wanted to burst out in singing.

Thankful to be in a place today with those who will fully understand what has caused us to want to sing.

Bible Reading Introduction

Note about next Sunday / 10-11:30 am / Reading with the kids, songs, celebration

Thank you for those who gave up a nights sleep to get the flooring in

So where do we take our text today? Turn where you think we should go and we will see how many come to the same conclusion.

Isaiah 7.

Luke 2.

Luke 19:10 “10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 19:10 KJV

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

There is no place in God’s Word that could not be the starting point for a message that would point the purpose of Jesus coming to die for our sins.

We will look primarily at one verse in Romans 15 today.

I would like to strongly encourage you to consider what a God-centered Christmas really is and how it will help bring hope to you for the new year.

Romans 15:7–13 (KJV)

7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Take Note

v. 7 Receive one another “to the glory of God”

v.8-9 Jesus became the suffering servant unto the Jews so that the “Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy”

Sermon Introduction

How would you answer this question?

All I want for Christmas is my ...

Two front teeth

New phone

Snowy day, a book, and a fireplace while someone cleans my house

If you have been around church any length of time, you should know by now that the answer to what is the chief end of man or any day is “that God would be glorified”

Jesus came for us. But he came for our sins and He came for God’s glory. Let us not get confused.

Defining Glory

God’s glory is a big deal in Scripture

more like defining beauty than it would be to define Coca Cola

There are some words in our vocabulary that we can communicate with not because we can say them, but because we see them.

The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness.

It can be demonstrated in our lives. “wedding vows”

It shines brightly in the story of Christmas

Ever been to a museum and tried to look at art. Others really saw something. You just counted to 10 and said wow then walked on to the next. I do not want you to do that to the birth of Christ.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ there are 4 reasons, from this passage, we should bring glory to God

Another way to say this is when we look down at the manager we should bring glory to God for the at least the following reasons

God is revealed to us

The Word is Vindicated

God’s Mercy is Demonstrated

Father’ Purpose is Accomplished

God is revealed to us

Christ came to show the truthfulness of God. Romans 15:8 “8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”

What does it mean for God to be truthful?

Humans we are inconsistent. We lack integrity. I want to be loving but I do not always act in a loving manner.

God’s attributes are perfectly displayed at all times.

God never diminishes any aspect of Himself when He acts in mercy or if he acts in judgement.

He is always just and always merciful. He is always wrathful and always loving.

“All of God’s acts are consistent with all of His attributes. No attribute contradicts the other, but all harmonize and blend into each other… God being who He is cannot cease to be what He is, and being what He is, He cannot act out of character with Himself.” AW Tozer The Pursuit of Holiness

Simply put: All that God does agrees with all that God is

1 Timothy 3:16 “16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Jesus coming to earth is God manifested to us

See God’s commitment to justice.

See God’s view of sin. It is severe, and it deserves punishment.

See the wrath of God being poured out, and at the same moment, see the mercy of God, and the love of God towards sinners.

Transitional Statement: What God had to say to us was not only or mainly what Jesus said, but who Jesus was and what he did.

The Word is Vindicated

What Word? The ones that you hold in your hands today

Larry King was asked who he would might like to interview and what would he ask? He said it would be Jesus and ask if he was really born of a virgin.

Jesus came to show us that God is true to His character, and also that God is faithful to His Word. Romans 15:8 “8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”

The patriarchs are fathers of the faith in the Old Testament. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

In Abraham all the nations of the earth are going to be blessed. Gen 18:18 “18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?”

Abraham had to think “a great nation” I would be happy at this point at just being a “great grandpa”

God reiterates that same promise to Abraham’s son, Isaac. Genesis 26:3 “3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;”

We get more information about how this will happen when the promise comes to Jacob. Genesis 35:10 “10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.” So this is why in the New Testament when God is speaking to Jewish people, they are called the people of Israel, or called the sons of Abraham.

The blessing will come in the form of a King. Genesis 35:11 “11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;”

We could trace throughout the rest of the Old Testament, King David, who would come from the line of Judah, to Solomon, and so and so on, all the way to the New Testament.

We could look at the lineage given in Matthew 1:1 “1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Do not discount this as just a history lesson. This is huge. Not only did God come to earth so we could know Him but He did it in such an undeniable way as the fullfillment as a promise that we would know that it was Him

Jesus coming is the fulfillment of Scripture

Theme of Peter’s message in Acts 3:24-26 “24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

Peter’s saying is, you know these promises that God gave to the patriarchs long ago. Well, now God has raised up His servant, Christ, as the fulfillment of those promises.

All the promises of God are found bundled in the manger . 2 Cor 1:20 “20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

Transitional Statement: In the nativity scene, we see a demonstration of the truthfulness of God’s Word.

God’s Mercy is Demonstrated

Romans 15:8-9 “8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”

This is not just for one people; this is for all peoples—

Gentiles, the nations, every people—tribe, every language, every nation will glorify God for the mercy He has shown us in Christ.

Jesus is the light of the world. Isaiah 9:1-2 “1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

Galilee (of the nations) of the gentiles

No one expects this. Remember John 1 - Nazareth?

Always been a pecking order. People look down on Galilee / we look down on Alabama

Every kind of need and pain was touched by the mercies of Jesus in his few years on earth.

He is truly “with us” Matthew 1:23 “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.”

Jesus suffers pain, rejection, loneliness, betrayal, and every pain we could ever face.

Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners because he was the incarnate display of the Father’s tender compassion for sinners.

Transitional Statement: The aim of the incarnation was to magnify the mercy of God so that Jews and Gentiles (all people) would glorify Him.

God’s Purpose was Fulfilled

Luke 19:10 “10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus came. We are found. God is glorified!

Just think, the story of this rescue mission starts with a baby and ends with God being glorified by every nation.

Romans 15:8-9 “8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”

Looking at the choir at First Baptist Jacksonville when the doors opened. Choir became full with members from a predominately black church down he road. It was a beautiful sight. pastors told of racial division and tension that would have prevented that. The division between Jews and Gentiles would have been more severe.

Transitional Statement: There is room in that choir for all of us today! Jesus came so that you would one day sing of His mercy. Do not get distracted by the lesser gifts. Being able to sing of His mercy is the greatest gift any family will ever share.

This is why Christ came.

Jesus came to show us that God is true.

He came to show us God is faithful to His work.

He came to demonstrate the mercy of God,

To unify a people for God

and ultimately to fulfill the purpose of God.

NOW - look at what this produces in our hearts

All three divisions of the Old Testament Luke 24:44 “44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”

the Law of Moses,

the Prophets

the Psalms

Three great Jewish heroes:

Moses,

David

Isaiah

Romans 15:10–13 (KJV)

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Prayer for us as we have as we celebrate Christmas

Romans 15:13 “13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

As we give Christmas back to Jesus for God’s glory we receive hope for the new year!

Why does this give us hope?

God Will be True to His Character

No matter what happens in 2023

God will be loving.

God will be merciful.

God will be good.

God will be purposeful

God Will be Faithful to His Word

when God makes a promise, He keeps it—guaranteed, He keeps it.

none of us have a promise in 2023 that our health will be good.

None of us have the promise that our job will be secure.

None of us have a promise that the finances will be there, and the world around us will be safe.

We do not have promises like that.

But what we have from God are promises that are far, far, far greater than these things. Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

We have the promise God will here us when we cry out to Him. Romans 8:15 “15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

God Will be Constant in His Mercy

Romans 15:9 “9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”

And God is merciful to all peoples.

Though we were once not a people, we were enemies of God, now in Christ we receive mercy.

God will show His love through His people.

We’ve seen how God has brought together different types of people into the church, and designed the unity of different types of people and His church around the gospel, to be a display of His glory.

This is what makes the church beautiful. Not that we’re united by the lesser things of this world. We’re united by a gospel—we’re a gospel-driven community.

God Will Use Our Lives to Accomplish His Purpose

What this means is that as we give ourselves to that same purpose; making His glory known among all peoples of the world.

Conclusion

Why Christmas? Why did Jesus come?

Yes, He came to free us, and to serve us, and to bring us life, and to seek us, and to save us.

Jesus came because of our sin.

But deeper than that, ultimately the reason why He came is the same reason why we live.

The reason why Jesus came is the same reason why we live, and that reason is the glory of God.

Let us remember this this coming weekend and ever weekend. In the story of Christmas we are the sinner that Jesus came to seek and to save. God and not us, or our children, or our families, deserve to receive the glory and praise.

Prayer

Christians

Christians, let me encourage you to “prepare Him room”.

Do not let the business of this season keep you from doing that which you were created to do.

Unbelievers

The story of Christmas is so much more than just the back story on a fun, family holiday.

You were created to “glorify God for his mercy”

You can look into the nativity scene today and see why.

That baby came to die for you.

Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost.

He will live a perfect life, suffering great pain, to die for you.