2022 Wk 51: Lesson 3

Joint Service with our Nazarene Family

Intro

(Sing)

1 'Christ, the Lord, is risen today!' Hallelujah! All creation join to say: Hallelujah! Raise your joys and triumphs high; Hallelujah! Sing, you heavens, and earth reply: Hallelujah!

Words: Charles Wesley

Matthew 28:5–6 NLT

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Many know the story of Jesus.

they have read it

watched movies, and

even acted out the scriptures in plays

They laid his body in a Tomb and three days later...

the nails could not hold him and

the grave couldn’t keep him down.

Hallelujah!

But this is not how it started—He was first laid in a manager.

Lets go back about 2000 years ago around 33 years before this grave moment to the beginning when Jesus was born.

3 Key Points*

Movie References:

Liam Nelson-Taken

The Babe laying in a manger was actually the Savior of the World.

John the Baptist saw Jesus and this is what John chapter one says...

John 1:29 NLT

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

This echo’s the what the Angel said to Joseph in Matthew chapter one...

Matthew 1:21 NLT

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

How will he save his people?

He will Rescue and Deliver them.

From the old to the new testaments we see this prophetic word.

OLD:

Isaiah 59:20–21 NLT

20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the Lord. 21 “And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!

NEW:

Romans 11:26–27 NLT

26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

Yes— the baby in the manger, Jesus

Luke 2:7 NLT

7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Dear friends, we tell the Good News because the heart of the Baby resides in us.

Not cooing as an infant, but to let the Savior work through us to seek and to save the lost.

Let's never stop witnessing, evangelizing, and sharing the Goodness of God.

The Babe laying in a manger was actually the Redeemer of the World

Jesus came to this world for a particular reason— to Rescue and Deliver All who were LOST. That means he came for you and me.

Hear Job's infamous prophecy of his Redeemer, who will raise him from the dead.

Job 19:25–27 NLT

25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!

This Redeemer who will stand upon the earth is Jesus.

Elsewhere, in Isaiah, we see this word connected with another messianic prophecy.

Isaiah 59:20 NLT

20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the Lord.

The Babe will Buy Back— to Redeem

Jesus is referred to as the Redeemer, no doubt carrying on the Old Testament understanding of Kinsman-Redeemer like that of Boaz in the story of Ruth and Naomi.

Jesus is our Redeemer, to buy us back from sin, a broken relationship with Father God. Yes— Jesus has done what man could not do. For our many works—good or bad will never measure up

We need a Savior to rescues us, but we also need a Redeemer to set us in a proper relationship with our Father God.

WE NEED A RELATIONSHIP not RULES!

WE NEED A REDEEMER not A RULER WITH A HEAVY HAND!

WE NEED JESUS!! OUR MEDIATOR.

1 Timothy 2:5–6 (NLT)

5 For,

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

The Babe laying in that manger was the Savior of the World and he was our Redeemer to by us Back from Sin...

AND LASTLY.

That Babe laying in a manger was actually the Shepherd to the World

A shepherd's role is to preserve the sheep by leading them to pasture and water, to protect the sheep by fending off predators, and to rescue the sheep that wandered off.

Psalm 23:1 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

You may not have looked at it this way, but that Babe in the manger was the One who would lead, guide, protect, and care for us—His sheep.

Ezekiel prophesies of the Davidic Messiah, that he will rescue Yahweh's flock.

Ezekiel 34:23 NLT

23 And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.

Malachi prophesied of this messianic Shepherd who would be born in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:4 ESV

4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Matthew quotes Micah's prophecy he is called,

Matthew 2:6 NLT

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”

Jesus is truly that Shepherd. His heart is not hard. His Shepherd's crook is not bloody.

Matthew 9:36 NLT

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

3 Additional Thoughts

He is our Savior

When Jesus was in his hometown of Nazareth, he read from a portion of Isaiah's prophecy that laid out his mission as the Savior of the World— Your SAVIOR!

Luke 4:18–19 NLT

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

He is our Redeemer

Galatians 3:13–14 ESV

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:13–14 TPT

13 Yet, Christ paid the full price to set us free from the curse of the law. He absorbed it completely as he became a curse in our place. For it is written: “Everyone who is hung upon a tree is doubly cursed.” 14 Jesus, our Messiah, was cursed in our place and in so doing, dissolved the curse from our lives, so that all the blessings of Abraham can be poured out upon even non-Jewish believers. And now God gives us the promise of the wonderful Holy Spirit who lives within us when we believe in him.

He is our Shepherd

Revelation 7:17, the Lamb who is slain also serves as the Shepherd.

Revelation 7:17 NLT

17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

1 Peter 2:25 NLT

25 Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

Making it personal

Turn to Jesus

John 4:25–26 NLT

25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

Acceptance of Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 NLT

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Isaiah 1:18 NLT

18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

Forgive Others as He has Forgiven You

Matthew 18:21–22 NLT

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

Walk in His Redemption

Romans 8:9–10 NLT

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.

Demonstrate His Love to the World

Romans 5:5 NLT

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Live a Life that Lights the Room or Path for Yourself, but also for Others to See.

Colossians 1:10–12 NLT

10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

YOU SEE--JESUS IS THE GUARDIAN OF OUR SOULS!

I think that is worth telling—WHAT ABOUT YOU?

We are not on this journey alone this Christmas season.

The Babe is truly:

Our Savior,

Our Redeemer,

Our Shepherd

Closing

Let’s close today with that second verse of

“Christ the Lord is Risen Today”

Verse 2

Love's redeeming work is done! Fought the fight, the battle won: see, our Sun's eclipse has passed, see, the light returns at last!

Christmas brings light to many neighborhoods around the world.

And 2000 years late, Christ is calling us out of Eternal Darkness today and he desires to bring us into the Light of the Father.

1 Timothy 2:4 ESV

who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus to be our Savior. You know how much we need saving!

I pray that you might put in our hearts a desire to extend your salvation to those around us.

Let us never rest, but always be witnesses to your great salvation.

We pray in the name of Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep. Amen.

*Jesus Walk Bible Study Series, Names and Titles of Jesus A Discipleship Study, Chapter 7, Jesus our Savior, Shepherd, and Redeemer by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, http://www.jesuswalk.com/names-jesus/07_shepherd.htm.