December 25, 2022 - God In a Manger
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
The 4 stages of life:
• 1. You believe in Santa Claus
• 2. You don't believe in Santa Claus
• 3. You dress up as Santa Claus
• 4. You look like Santa Claus
• So, Christmas is upon us....again.
• I think you're all aware of this fact.
• Every year, we know it gets bigger and bigger.
• Every year, we start decorating our houses a little earlier...
• Every year, we start hearing Christmas music on the radio earlier and earlier...
• And every year, we start seeing Christmas sales in the stores earlier and earlier...
AND EVERY YEAR we keep saying these saying SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN - because we can’t help but do these things.
US Retail Industry Sales - by 2020 - ($5.5 Trillion)
And of that number - about $783 Billion was from Holiday Retail Sales
• And so - NEEDLESS to SAY - I don't think it's a surprise that Xmas has become this man-centered THING!
• Of course that doesn't apply to everyone...
• BUT in general, yes we see that this is the case. (Mankind has - HIJACKED Christmas)
• Over the years, we've seen this thing called Christmas (the American Christmas) gain prominence...
• It's become it's own INDUSTRY...
• And I think you'd all agree that come January 1st of each year, all eyes begin looking over the horizon to see the next Christmas coming!
• Throughout the year, we see THE build up...
• ...ALL of which points to DECEMBER 25th
• We've been watching TV in June and have seen commercials that get us thinking about Christmas...
• THAT'S no accident...
• No coincidence...
• All year THIS year...we've been exposed to ADVERTISING Road Signs that point to Christmas 2022.
• And it works! - RIGHT?
• We heard the numbers!
• And EVERY year - those numbers - climbing higher and higher.
• What I want to do today is this:
• I'd like to look at some of the Biblical Road Signs that pointed to the Coming Messiah - Christ
• And so to do this, as you could guess, we'll be looking at the OT...to see what those Road Signs said...
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• We read this from Scripture and right away we might think "Christmas"...
• The birth of Jesus!
• Baby in a Manger....
• Nativity scene...
• Isn't this what we see every year?
• Jesus...a helpless babe!
• Every year the world drives by and sees Jesus...the baby.
• Next year...Jesus...the baby
• Does the world even know?
• Have we forgotten?
• ...His name shall be called - Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...
That was - GOD in a MANGER!
• It seems that we (the world) can handle Jesus the helpless baby...
• BUT can't AT ALL handle Jesus as Mighty God...
• Everlasting Father...
• Prince of Peace...
• It seems we can handle Jesus in a manger, but not as Reigning King!
• Oh but we need to...
• the WORLD NEEDS to...
• And this NEED came about in the very beginning!
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
• Before sin came into the world...mankind (male and female) lived in perfect relationship with God...BUT NOT ONLY THAT – WITH EACH OTHER
• Yes, they were naked...
• But their satisfaction wasn't grounded in their OWN appearance...
• and their DESIRE wasn't grounded in the OTHER's appearance...
• Their satisfaction was rooted in God and His presence...
• Their desire for God and God alone!
But now?
• Sin comes...and eyes shift...
• Satisfaction becomes rooted in ones OWN appearance (resulting in SHAME - verse 10)
• and DESIRE becomes rooted in the others appearance.
• No longer in perfect relationship with God...NO LONGER in perfect relationship with each other…
• No longer satisfied in HIM
• No longer desiring HIM...
• Mankind is CUT OFF...
• NO HOPE?
14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
• In verse 6 of Chapter 3, sin separates man from God...
• 9 verses later...
• in verse 15...
• We see the first ROAD SIGN pointing to Jesus Christ.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
• If you remember BACK when we discussed Abraham and the promises of the covenant...
• ...and how Galatians tells us that those promises were made to Abraham and his offspring...
• his TRUE offspring - [Jesus]
• That [Jesus] is the TRUE offspring of Abraham...
• That's what this verse is referring to....verse 15.
• I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
• In this passage alone we see a preview of the LIFE, DEATH, and RESURRECTION of CHRIST.
This book was written some 1400 years before Christ (early estimations)…
A preview of Christ
• See, Genesis 3:15 is a preview of the incarnate Christ. The expression “seed of woman” (Offspring) implies humanity.
• The virgin would conceive and bear a son (Isa. 7:14). - ROAD SIGN
• We know that the apostle John, of course, notes that the eternal Word “became flesh” and dwelt among the human family (Jn. 1:14).
• And so we have HIS LIFE....THE LIFE of Jesus!
But Jesus partook of the nature of humanity that “[through death] he might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
THROUGH DEATH...
• AND SO - We also have the [suffering] of Christ
• It talks of the woman’s seed being bruised - NO DOUBT this points to the suffering of Christ on behalf of the sins of humanity.
In Isaiah 53, there is a vivid portrait of Jehovah’s abused servant, the Christ (cf. Lk. 22:37; Acts 8:32-35). Twice the prophet speaks of the promised Messiah being “bruised” (daka) and wounded as an offering for sin (53:5, 10). ROAD SIGN
• AND SO - The death of Jesus, planned even before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:19-20), was previewed in this miniature “gospel”… in Gen 3
• So we have the LIFE an DEATH of Christ, but where do we see the RESURRECTION of Christ in GENESIS 3:15?
Resurrection implied
• The fact that only Christ’s “heel” (in contrast to the serpent’s “head”) was to be injured, obviously alludes to the Lord’s resurrection from the dead.
• Christ’s death would not terminate the divine mission.
• So in Genesis chapter 3, we see a ROAD SIGN pointing to the LIFE, DEATH, and RESURRECTION of Christ.
• And so you might think...ok, that's cool.
• LISTEN - 9 verses after sin saturates mankind...THE GOSPEL is seen...
• That's VERY cool!
• But listen...that's not even scratching the service of the number of road signs we find in the OT pointing to Jesus Christ.
• The number of OT ROAD SIGNS that point to Jesus ranges anywhere from 65 to close to 600 predictions of Christ.
• We're not going to look at all of these, obviously, but let's look at some.
• Christ is the Seed of woman and in Genesis 3:15 we are told He will one day crush Satan.
• In Exodus we find the story of the Passover Lamb, and Christ is the sacrificial Lamb given for us.
• In Leviticus we read of the high priests making sacrifices for the people, and Christ has become our High Priest, making the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins.
• In Deuteronomy Moses prophesied of a prophet who would come that would be greater than Himself. Jesus is that Great Prophet.
• In the book of Joshua, Joshua met the Captain of the Lord's host. That man is Jesus Christ.
• In Judges, the leaders were judges who delivered God's people, each of them typifying the Lord Jesus.
• Boaz, the kinsman who redeemed Ruth's inheritance, is a picture of Christ.
• David, the anointed one, pictures Jesus and Jesus is described as being the Son of David.
• In 2 Samuel when the king is being enthroned, the entire scene is descriptive of the Lord Jesus.
• The books of Kings speak of the glory of God filling the temple and the Chronicles describe the glorious coming king, both referring to Jesus, the King of Kings.
• Ezra depicts Jesus as the Lord of our fathers.
• Job says clearly that the Redeemer is coming!
• Esther offers a picture of Christ interceding for His people.
• Christ appears time after time in the Psalms, including when David describes Him as "the Shepherd."
• Isaiah details His glorious birth.
• Jeremiah reveals that He will be acquainted with sorrows.
• Joel describes Him as the Hope of His people.
• Amos tells us that Jesus is the judge of all nations.
• Obadiah warns of the coming eternal kingdom.
• Jonah offers a picture of Jesus being dead for three days, then coming back to life to preach repentance.
• Zephaniah says that He will be the king over Israel.
• Zachariah is the prophet who speaks of Jesus riding on a colt.
• Malachi is the one who calls Him the Son of Righteousness.
Can you see it? The entire Old Testament points toward Jesus as Savior, and if you miss that, you've missed the entire point of the Scriptures. Jesus is the Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy.
• All of these prophecies....these ROAD SIGNS...meant to help us see Jesus.
• And so the question for us now, as we approach another Christmas Holiday...is this:
Do the road signs in my life point to Jesus, or somewhere else?
• ALL of these prophecies meant to point to Jesus Christ...
• The power of God the Father on display in fulfilling HIS plan....
• as He sets all these ROAD SIGNS in their place throughout history...
WE Can't forget who He is that is depicted in the manger...
Not just a baby - year after year...
If all Jesus is in our lives is a baby in a manger, then we don't know who lies in that manger...
• What did Isaiah 9:6 tell us about that baby...
First thing we’ll see is this:
SLIDE: Lying In The Manger: Wonderful Counselor
Lying In The Manger
Lying In The Manger
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• First thing to know is this - God needs counsel from NO ONE!
13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
• So what is this saying?
• God knows all things!
• He doesn't learn anything from anybody, or any situation...
• He knows what is right...
• ...and pure...
• ...and so when the bible tells us that He will counsel us...
• THAT’S GREAT NEWS!
The World doesn’t THINK SO!!
The world finds God - OPPRESSIVE!
why?
Because the world - LOVES - sin
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
• God will instruct us...and YET - so often we run to other places for help
• We don't run to Him!
• We don't run to His word to see what we should do...
Where do we often run?
to the culture (what’s popular)
to Furtune 500 companies… Best Business Practices
Secular thought
Academic Constructs
Philosophical perspectives
What has worked for the world - Physically!
So - if our friends tried THIS technique to FIX their marriage and it worked…well then it must BE THE RIGHT THING
LISTEN =
• God guides and directs us by the Word and the Spirit...
through the Word...
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
and through the Spirit...
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Think about this:
• When we read about Christ healing a blind man, we don't find Jesus just touching him and making him better...
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud
7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
• Why was he blind?
• v3 - that the works of God might be displayed in him...
• Jesus could have easily just touched the guy, and said - "You're HEALED!"
• ...but He didn't!
• What's the FIRST word of verse 4?
• "WE"
• We must work the works of Him who sent me...
• Jesus rubs mud on his eyes, and tells him to go wash in the pool...
• Why did he tell him to do that?
• Why did Jesus heal him this way?
• Because WE have a part to play...in this
• Jesus WANTS obedience!
• Jesus anointed this blind man's eyes with mud and told this BLIND guy to go wash it off...
• The world would look at this exchange and say - ABSURD!
• But what did the guy do?
• He obeyed!
• Jesus COUNSELED him...
• Counseled him to tell him what Jesus wanted of him...
• That's where the test begins...
• Is the blind man going to trust Jesus?...and obey?
• DO THIS - and you will be healed!
• We, now, have the WORD of God before us...ever present as our guide...
• We now, have the Holy Spirit...ever present as our guide...
• Do WE trust His counsel?
• He's asking US to obey...
• He IS the wonderful counselor...
• That baby in a manger that we'll see this week...He's ALL GROWN UP NOW...
• ...our wonderful counselor...
• Are we daily visiting the pool to wash our eyes of this world?
• He's called us to go.
• This is who HE is.
Who else, according to Isaiah 9:6 is this baby in the manger?
We’re going to see this;
SLIDE: Lying In The Manger: Mighty God
Lying In The Manger
Lying In The Manger
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• That little helpless baby in that manger IS God!
• Psalm 45:6 states this clearly...(OT)
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
• Now, we read this and we might say - Well, it doesn't explicitly say that the YOUR in this verse is Jesus...
• It just says - Your throne, o God, is forever and ever...
• You're right, but let's look at what Hebrews 1:8 says...
8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
• Clearly, Jesus is God...
• God in the flesh...
• ...And BEING God, He is...
• Judge:
27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
• In the OT, final responsibility for judgment is assigned to God.
And, in the OT, we see that God alone can save...
• But the NT shows us that Christ is savior!
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
• That baby in that manger is Mighty God...
• Mighty to Save
• Which really points to our NEED for a savior...
• We must not forget this at this time of year...for our sake and for the sake of the world...
Not only is Jesus Mighty God...but he's also:
SLIDE: Lying In The Manger: Everlasting Father
Lying In The Manger
Lying In The Manger
• Now, we read this and might think....Wait a second!
• Why is Jesus called Everlasting Father, when we believe in the trinity...which is the belief that:
• The Father is God
• Jesus is God
• The holy Spirit is God
• BUT...
• The Father is not Jesus
• Jesus is not the Father
• Jesus is not the Holy Spirit
• What Isaiah is saying here in saying that Jesus is the Everlasting Father...is that:
• Jesus has these characteristics of God the Father...
• In the ancient Jewish culture, names had meanings.
• So if we think about American Indian names we might have - "Running Wolf" or "Fighting Bear."
• The same with Jewish names.
• They had meanings.
• Isaac, for example, means "laughter."
• Noah means "rest" or "peace."
• So, when Isaiah is speaking of the name of the coming Messiah and says His name will be Mighty God, Eternal Father, etc., it is telling us about the characteristics of the Messiah to come in a prophetic manner.
• So back to Christmas, we see that the baby in a manger is more than just a baby in a manger...
• His name will be called:
• Wonderful Counselor
• Mighty God
• Everlasting Father
• and finally...
SLIDE: Lying In The Manger: Prince of Peace
Lying In The Manger
Lying In The Manger
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• The peace that Isaiah is referring to here is more than just a "PEACE between men"...as in a peacekeeper...
• It's more referring to the status of mankind before God...
• See, apart from Christ, we are enemies of God...
• We are hostile toward Him!
• But listen to Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The first gift of justification by faith in Jesus, is PEACE with God.
• No more condemnation...for those IN CHRIST.
• God's wrath removed...
• ONLY thru faith in Jesus...
• That baby in that manger…
• IS mighty God! - able to save your soul - AND in saving your soul, brings PEACE with God...
• IS the Prince of Peace - reconciles us to God...for only a short time?
• IS Equal with God - eternal, everlasting
• Calls for obedience – HE IS THE wonderful counselor - gives us wisdom, guiding us through life
• And so through all the glitz and glamour that is Christmas...
• This is who that baby truly is...
SLIDE:
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
• And so yes, rejoice this holiday season...but rejoice in truth...
• The world needs the truth of who that baby truly is...
Let's pray...