The Why of Christmas
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
It’s finally December 25th.
Christmas is here.
Many have been waiting for this day with much anticipation; specially the children.
As a church, for the last four weeks we’ve been considering the meaning of Christmas - which in theology is an attempt to understand the meaning of the incarnation.
Incarnation is a theological term that refers to the idea that God, being eternal, invisible, all powerful, became man, took on human flesh, 2000 years ago.
Christmas is a time when the many christians around the world come together to behold this miraculous event - the miracle of the incarnation, when God came to earth, to be born of the virgin Mary.
On this Christmas day, I want to consider with you, for a brief moment, the reason why all this happened?
When you think about it, Christmas, the incarnation, the birth of Jesus Christ is a very unusual event:
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was recently engaged with a young woman named Mary.
Before they became husband and wife, he is receivs a heavenly messenger, an angel, announcing that Mary is pregnant with child, and that this is part of God’s plan.
How can this be?
It is impossible for a woman to have a baby when she is still a virgin.
..and yet, the angel announces that Mary is indeed pregnant. It is God who has worked this miracle in her womb.
There is a baby in her womb, that will be born in nine months.
He is not an ordinary baby
He is not an ordinary baby
We must understand he is no ordinary baby.
He was conceived in his mother’s womb through supernatural means.
He had no earthly father.
He is like us in the sense that he was a human - he had real human flesh.
But at the same time, he is so unlike us.
He is unlike us because he was born conceived by the will and power of God.
He is unlike us because although he experiencd a real human life, there was something that he never experienced - sin.
Sin is any deed, thought, or intention that goes against God’s will.
Sin tarnishes our soul and puts us under God’s judgement.
Sin separates us from our creator and condemns us to a life of shame and darkness.
He is the savior
He is the savior
These very serious truths help us understand why Jesus came - why Jesus was born.
Look at the second part of the angel’s message to Joseph:
»Y dará a luz un Hijo, y le pondrás por nombre Jesús, porque Él salvará a Su pueblo de sus pecados»
This baby was given a name, the angel proclaimed what his name should be.
His name identifies his mission and why he came to be born 2,000 years ago.
His name literally means - God saves.
So why the virgin birth, why the story of Bethlehem, why the angelic worship? All of this hapenned because God has sent his son on a mission to save us from our sins.
Remember what we said about Jesus…and how he is not like us? He had no sin.
Because Jesus had no sin, because he needed no forgiveness - he is able to save us from our sin.
Had Jesus sinned, he could do nothing for us. He would need a savior himself.
Therefore, please understand that the reason why God sent his son:
Was not to give humanity a reason to get together and have a nice brunch on Christmas morning.
Was not to have endless lists of gift buying.
…God sent his son to save us from our sins.
However, in order to experience what God has to offer, in Jesus Christ, we must:
Recognize we are sinners - recognize we have offended God in many ways.
…recognize that we cannot do anything to justify ourselves before God.
…recognize that the baby born in Bethlehem, is the savior that God sent.
…33 years after his birth…that baby would fulfill his mission by dying on the cross for all those that believe…thereby forgiving sins through the shedding of his precious blood.