Special: Christmas 2022

Good morning family and friend! Merry Christmas! If you are visiting with us today, thanks for joining us to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

And, despite how cold it is outside… it should warm your heart to know that God went through great lengths to reach you… because He loves you and wants to be in relationship with you.

On this 25th of December 2022, we gather to celebrate the birth of the miraculous. God who came from heaven into His own creation… God incarnate…

Isa 9:6 reads, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. [meaning He will govern all the nations… as Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords] And His name [His character] will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

That’s who we celebrate today!

Last night, Ty did a fantastic job teaching through Luke 2:1-14… today… I’m also teaching from Luke backing up to Luke 1…

So, go ahead and please turn in your Bibles to Luke 1… as we look at the background of the Messiah and His Forerunner… John the Baptist.

As well as their families… and the impact and excitement they experienced… as prophecy was being fulfilled in their midst…

Isa 7:14 prophesied, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Mary, the mother of God, miraculously conceived as a virgin and gave birth to Immanuel.

Immanuel meaning “God with us.” That’s who we celebrate today…

Jesus… He is God… and He came to be with us, so that all who place their faith in Him, can be with God for all eternity.

What was life changing and miraculous to them… is the reason we gather today…

The Christ… our Messiah was born… come to save the world… and reconcile our relationship with the father in heaven!

Let’s pray and then look at the account of “The Birth of Our Lord”… our message title today!

Luke 1:5-10 “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea,

Herod the Great… brilliant architect… but a cruel tyrant of a leader. He ruled from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C., and Jesus was born during his reign… placing Jesus’ birth somewhere around 6-4 B.C.. So, during Herod’s reign there was…

a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. [This is John the Baptist’s father.] His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

John’s parents were godly people who lived holy lives. They observed the OT commandments… and were upright in His sight.

The name Zacharias means “Jah has remembered” or “The Lord remembers.”

The name Elizabeth is the Gk. form of the Hebrew name “Elisheba” meaning “God of the Oath” or “my God has sworn.”

Both names were fitting, because they had a trial in life… yet God had not forgotten them… He would remember them… He would keep His promises to them…

Look at V7…

V7 “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.”

Despite living a life set apart for God, they lived out most of their years childless, which carried a heightened stigma in that day.

It was a reproach against their family… and they had no heir.

But, despite this trial… despite them living most of their lives with their prayers not being answered… they never forsook the Lord…

Day-by-day… they remained faithful to Him.

A good model for us today… when life throws us a curve.

And, in His timing… He would move in this impossible situation…

V8 “So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.”

There were numerous priests in Israel at this time, so this chance for Zachariah to serve in the temple was a one in a lifetime opportunity.

And, many people had gathered… Zachariah would be the focal point of the nation… talk about the pressure to not mess this up!

I’m sure he and Elizabeth went through their checklist of the day…

rehearsing his role…

laying out his clothes the night before…

setting his alarm clock…

all things were in order…

Yet, they could not prepare for God… you could have all things that you can control in order, but you cannot control what God will do next… or what He wants you to do next…

Look at V11…

V11 “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zacharias was fearful upon seeing the angel and rightfully so…

But, the angel assure Him to not be afraid, and tells him his prayer has been heard…

Was this a prayer for a son? Or, a prayer for Messiah to come?

Both of these prayers would be answered.

The Angel reveals what the ministry of Zacharias’ son will look like… he will will be set apart from the world… he will preach a message of turning to God… and prepare the hearts of many for the coming Messiah.

And, look at Zacharias’ response…

V18 “And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. [good news… same Gk word for “the Gospel”] 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

What does it take for a man or woman to believe?

Zacharias was a holy and devout man… yet he did not believe even an angel…

All he could see was his earthly limitations… he was old… and his wife… well Zacharias doesn’t call her old, but “well advanced in years.”

John has learned well… look at him honoring his wife.

If you’ve doubted God before… you’re not alone. In the presence of the Angel Gabriel… Zacharias doubt.

And, his doubt came at a cost. Gabriel who stands in the presence of God and was sent to bring this good news… now…

… because of Zacharias’ doubt… pronounces a season of silence upon Zacharias…

When going to the house of God… in Ecc 5:2 Solomon suggests… , “Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.”

Solid advice for anytime, but especially for Zacharias as he stood in the temple… in the presence of Gabriel.

… perhaps in his inability to speak… he will think more… to ponder the miraculous… his wife conceiving in her old age… the appearance and proclamation from Gabriel…

… words that would be fulfilled.

Just as their names proclaim… “God remembers”… He’s the “God of the oath.”

Well… as all this happens inside the temple… the people outside the temple are starting to wonder what happened to Zacharias…

V21 “And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. 23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

And, so Elizabeth… in her old age indeed conceived… and she went into seclusion for five months…

V58 indicates she kept her pregnancy quiet from neighbors and relatives… and they only heard about this miracle when she was full term.

Elizabeth rejoiced how the Lord dealt favorably with her… overjoyed in her pregnancy… expecting a son who would fulfill prophecy… her burden now lifted.

Much to rejoice in.

But, this would not be the only miraculous birth… Elizabeth’s cousin would also be paid a visit from Gabriel…

V26 “Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed [or pledged… like a heightened engagement] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

Glimmers of Messianic prophecy being fulfilled is on display in this verse…

Earlier we read Isa 7:14 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Mary was the virgin who would miraculously conceive.

Mentioned here is Joseph was a descendant of the house of David (as was Mary)… this is significant because of a promise… better a covenant made 1000 years prior with king David…

2 Sam 7:12-13 God promised David… “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

For a 1000 years the Jews were waiting for this promise to be fulfilled… for their Messiah to come from David’s line…

Jesus fulfilled this promise.

And, marvelous are the words of Gabriel next…

V28 “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.

Mary was highly favored and blessed among women for she was chosen for the miraculous conception… and to bear the Messiah.

She would call His name Jesus… a name packed with significance.

His name means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.”

His Hebrew name is Yeshua. A combination of “Ya” for “Yahweh”, the name of God… and the verb “yasha”, meaning “rescue,” “deliver,” or “save.”

Yeshua in English is Joshua… in Greek… Iēsŏus (ee-ay-sooce´)… which in English is Jesus.

“The Lord is Salvation.”

In V32, Gabriel describes Jesus…

V32 “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

He indeed was and is great.

He will be called the Son of the Highest…

In Jewish thinking… a son was a carbon copy of the father… this points to Jesus’ equity with the Father…

He will be given the throne of David… fulfilling the Davidic covenant.

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end…

Which we await upon His second return and ushering in of the Millennial kingdom and into eternity… the new heaven, the new earth, the new Jerusalem.

Mary also questions Gabriel, like Zacharias, but she lacks doubt… she honestly inquires…

Look at V34…

V34 “Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”

When God presents you with an impossible situation in life and informs you that He wants to use you to accomplish it… your response should be as Mary’s “Let it be to me according to your word.”

Mary did not understand HOW God would use her as a virgin to bear the Messiah…

So she asks “How can this be… as a virgin?”

Gabriel does not rebuke her, and cause her to be mute… as he did Zacharias… for she did not doubt.

Gabriel answered her… “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you...”

How can this be? - The Holy Spirit.

When there’s an impossible situation in your life… how can God fix it? -The Holy Spirit.

A medical situation… an addiction… a broken relationship… financial woes…

How can God fix it? -The Holy Spirit.

And as Gabriel said to Mary… maybe He is saying the same to you today… “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

I stand as a testimony of one who’s heart was changed… I stand as a testimony of one who was delivered…

And, many of you have your own stones of remembrance of God’s faithfulness…

Oh how the Holy Spirit moved in your life.

You’ve experienced the miraculous… “… with God nothing will be impossible.”

And, we gather today… and stand as a witness over 2000 years after the birth of Jesus… our Rescuer… our Deliverer… our Savior…

To testify… there is still a faithful remnant of believers in this world.

We still honor and adore Him. And, we thank you Lord for sending your Son… for fulfilling prophecy… for making a way to restore our relationship with You! Thank you Jesus!

For the sake of time… I’m going to close out this service reading through the rest of this chapter as a narrative with less commentary…

V39 “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Three people in this chapter were said to be filled with the Holy Spirit… John (V15), Elizabeth (V41), and Zacharias (V67).

One mark of a Spirit-Filled life (according to Eph 5:18-19) is “… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...”

Not surprising… there are three songs in this chapter and two songs in the next…

The first comes from Mary… The Magnificat…

V46 “And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

With that… Mary displays her grasp on Scripture. Her heart is for the Lord… and she is basking in the blessing of the coming Messiah…

I hope you are basking in His blessings this Christmas morn.

V56 continues… “And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. 57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. 59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. [as was their custom] 60 His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.”

Silent now for nine months… Zacharias is obedient to the instructions from Gabriel to name his son John (V13)… and immediately his voice returned…

And, the first words from his mouth… He praised God!

And, he continued praising God is what is known as the “Benedictus”… meaning “Blessed.”

V67 “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring [the dawn… the Messiah] from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

What a song or prayer of praise!

V80 “So the child [John] grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

In case you miss our Christmas Eve service where Ty covered the next 14 verses in depth, I am going to close just reading through Luke 2:1-14.

I don’t want anyone leaving today not hearing those verses… I want to ensure you get the value of the price of your admission…

Luke 2:1-14… Christ is Born…

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 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!”

Praise you God for sending your Son Jesus… “The Lord is Salvation”… the only one who brings peace between earth and heaven.

Let’s pray!

Merry Christmas!

May God bless your families richly… and may your families experience peace and goodwill as you celebrate our Lord today!

Thank you for joining us, and God bless you as you go!