Christmas at First Baptist Poinciana | Message Four | Christmas Day
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· 3 viewsThe Promise and Provision of Christ
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There’s something I don’t understand about Christmas. Why do we wrap gifts? I don’t understand, and I certainly don’t understand paying folks to wrap them. Trust me, the person you are giving a gift to is not interested in your wrapping. Now, they may placate you by noticing the wrapping and telling you how pretty the bow looks, but in the end they are going to tear it off. Wrapping paper and all the accompanying accessories are a camouflage that disguises what people are really interested in. We get all hyped and geeked when we see people wrapped well. They drive a well-wrapped car; they live in a well wrapped neighborhood. They work at a well-wrapped job, they wear well wrapped clothes, and they have well-wrapped money. But God wants to know what the wrapping is covering. He’s interested in knowing what is on the inside.
This morning - Christmas morning - I desire you to know that The Christ of Christmas still wants to know you, not the wrapping - not the masquerade - He came that you may know Him, therefore, that He may know you.
The Proclamation of His Coming.
The Proclamation of His Coming.
Luke 2:8–10 (CSB)
8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
It was proclaimed by the Prophets.
It was proclaimed by the Prophets.
Jesus is found all through the OT - it is called a Christophany .
The pre-incarnate Christ appearing to persons in the OT.
(Listed on this outline, but not mentioned are several examples of Christophany.)
46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
One of the most heart-stirring pictures on all of scripture to me is the account of Abraham and Issac. The laying down of every worldly desire to be obedient to God. Then we see God (our provider) Jehovah Jireh.
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.
It is faith that knows God will provide, it is faithless & futile to try to help God along the way.
If you want God’s hands on it - take your hands off of it.
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!
A KID wanted ten things for Christmas. His parents bought nine things but all
the kid could talk about on Christmas day was the one thing he didn’t get.
Because he thought his parents were going to get that one gift for him, he figured that they were just mean and didn’t love him. He focused on what he couldn’t have and forgot about the nine other gifts under the tree that reflected the goodness of his mom and dad. Is there some restriction in your life that is all you can think about? Is there a restriction that you can’t get off your mind? You may know that God has said to you about a certain thing, “You can’t have that.” Don’t focus on the one restriction. Focus on all the good things God has already provided
God continues to provide in the sending of Christ Jesus. The lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
It was proven by the angels.
It was proven by the angels.
9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
This is the confirmation that the OT prophecies. Micah 5:2
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.
14 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
The angels brought two important things to the scene.
The angels brought two important things to the scene.
9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
Good Tidings
Good Tidings
the angels is announcing the good news that Jesus has come, they announce His birth.
Great Joy
Great Joy
The joy which if for all people. It is not just for a few, it is for all people. The good news (or) gospel of Christ is for all, and salvation brings great joy.
The Light has come (John 1)
The darkness cannot stand against the light. (John 1)
The word is now made flesh (John 1:14)
Jesus brought us the grace upon grace that is needed for salvation. Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The Purpose of His Coming
The Purpose of His Coming
What if I told you that everything Christ Jesus did while on earth with us, every healing, every miracle, every lesson, every sermon, every event was leading to His ultimate purpose.
we are all looking for purpose in life, our meaning for being. There’s even a book titled “The Purpose Driven Life” - We want to find our purpose.
What if I were to blow your mind this morning and tell you, that you can look everywhere for purpose, but until you come fully to Christ you will have no purpose in life worth living.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
We were in need of the savior. Jesus came to seek and save each and every person that will humbly call on His name and proclaim Him the Lord of their life.
Jesus came to:
Seek - You and Me (will you be found)
Save - We must admit we need the savior. Christ jesus is our only hope. (romans 1)
Was grace that found me, I, a sinner lost, undone. Twas grace unbound me, of Christ Jesus, God’s own son. and now i live with grace upon grace, each day is sweeter with Jesus by my side and though the flesh a foe - I onward go towards the king that saved my soul - Oh happy, happy day that Jesus found me, by his grace unbound me, now heaven is in sight, I live in love and joy bright because the savior sought me and bought me, loves me and keeps me. He came to me - So that I may come to Him.
The Price of His Coming
The Price of His Coming
A LITTLE boy knelt at his bed and said his bedtime prayers. “Lord, please bless Mommy, and Daddy, and Auntie, and Uncle. Lord, give us a good day today. And please give me a bicycle for CHRISTMAAAAAAS!”
The boy’s mother heard him yelling and wondered at his behavior. She
walked into the room and said, “Son, son, you don’t have to scream. God can hear you.”
The boy looked up with big eyes and said, “Mama, I know God can hear me,
but Grandma can’t hear very well and she’s got the money for the bike.
When it comes to gifts - the greatest has already been given. JESUS!
If you have ever loved - you know that love comes with a price. We often overlook the price of love. There is the risk of loss, the risk of hurt, the risk of death, the risk of broken hearts - JESUS EXPERENCED ALL (rejections, denial, betrayal, loss, hurt, even death) BUT YET HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO GIVE HIS LIFE. Jesus is the payment for our sin.
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Shepherd's proclaimed that Jesus had come, they worshipped him, they told others.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
I want you to notice something very vital: They worshipped.
The angels worshipped (13-14)
Mary worshipped - (19) she kept these things in her heart. Worship starts in the heart. Luke 1:46-47
46 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
We see that Mary not only worshipped Jesus, but declared him her savior, and declared herself as lowly.
True worship begins in realizing who God is and what we are not. There is no place for pride, nor arrogance in the platform or worship.
Worship this Christmas!
The shepherds were proclaiming the truth of Phil. 2:5-11 , as they went and told others, after they worshipped - The one has come that at the mere mention of His name: every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It cost the love of the Father.
It cost the love of the Father.
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
With all the giving of gifts - let’s not forget the most precious of gifts given to us - Christ Jesus, given out of love. So that we can all be reconciled (or) brought back to right relationship with Holy God through the gift of Christ Jesus.
It cost the life of Christ
It cost the life of Christ
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
To only speak of the birth account today would be to only present the “band-aid” solution. The feel good message that speaks only to the joyous occasion of the savior’s birth. However, we cannot leave out the ultimate reason of His coming.
In fact - Jeremiah puts it like this:
14 They have treated my people’s brokenness superficially, claiming, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.
Our brokenness is our sin
Our real peace is found only in Christ.
“You cannot claim the Christ of Christmas without (also) claiming the Christ of the Cross.”
For in one we find the joy of his birth, the miracles of his life, the teachings of his ministry and we say - What a Friend we have in Jesus - But as the picture turns towards the cross of His death and suffering we shy away, we regret the thought- BUT:
the fact remains that Jesus came as a baby, and died as a man to set us free from the bondage of sin.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the city of David - which is only about 10 kilometers from Galgotha (calvary in latin) in Jerusalem where He would lay down his life for each of us.
From the manger the cross is in view - is not just a saying.
Jesus came for each of us. He came as the light of the world, to seek and save the lost. He was rejected then, and He is still being rejected by many- maybe even you. That does not change the fact that He came for you, He loves you, and He has come to seek and save you. Would you accept the gift of Christ today?
After this message today - you can no longer stand before Holy God and say you did not know - for you have heard the truth - will you allow the truth of the Savior, Christ Jesus to set you free today? He is calling. He is asking, He is seeking, He is Saving. Come receive the gift of salvation today.
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
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.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
You will receive No Greater gift today than the one already given to us - Christ.