What's so amazing about Christmas?
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GO AHEAD AND TURN TO....
MATTHEW CHAPTER 1...
I WANT TO PREACH A MESSAGE TO YOU THIS MORNING.....
IT’S REALLY JUST A THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MY ATTENTION
‘THAT THOUGHT IS THIS……
WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS?
THE ANSWER THAT I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS MORNING
IS THE MOST AMAZING FACT IN THE WORLD TO ME
AS I WAS REALLY READING AND THINKING ABOUT THIS FACT
I BECAME OVERWHELMED AT THIS FACT
WHEN I TELL YOU THIS FACT ABOUT CHRISTMAS
IT’S THE MOST AMAZING FACT IN THE WORLD
IT’S THE MOST AMAZING FACT…EVER
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT...
THE WHOLE WORLD MARKS TIME ACCORDING TO...
CHRISTMAS....
IN ESSENCE…THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
THE WHOLE WORLD REFERS TO....EVEN OUR HISTORY BOOKS
IF YOU GO INTO OTHER COUNTRIES....THEY WILL TALK ABOUT.....BEFORE CHRIST
SO MANY YEARS BEFORE CHRIST....B.C.
AS WELL AS SO MANY YEARS....A.D.
NOW....A.D. DOES NOT MEAN...
AFTER DEATH
MANY PEOPLE THINK IT DOES
IF THAT WERE THE CASE…THERE WOULD BE A 33 1/2 YEAR GAP IN THE CALENDAR
A.D. STANDS FOR THE LATIN WORD...
ANNO DOMINI
IN ENGLISH IT MEANS.....
THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
SO…THE WHOLE WORLD.....
MARKS TIME AS BEFORE CHRIST WAS BORN
AND ONCE HE WAS BORN…NOW
WE ARE IN 2023 A.D.
ISN’T THAT AMAZING???
SO…..THERE IS SOMETHING AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS……what is it?
IS IT JUST THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
IS IT JUST A GOOD TIME TO GET A GOOD DEAL ON SOMETHING
IS IT JUST THE FAMILY GATHERING.....WHICH IS GOOD
IS IT JUST THE EATING....WHICH IS GOOD
IS IT THAT THE WHOLE WORLD GIVES AT THIS TIME
WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS??
LET’S READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY AND THEN I’LL TELL YOU WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS
Matthew 1:18–23 (NKJV)
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.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
THERE IS A PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED HERE FROM ISAIAH
UNDERSTAND THIS….
ISAIAH HAS THE MOST MESSIANIC SCRIPTURES
MESSIANIC SCRIPTURE IS SCRIPTURE THAT IS FORETELLING OF THE MESSIAH
ISAIAH HAS THE MOST PROPHECY THAN ANY OTHER BOOK IN THE BIBLE
SO....LETS GO BACK TO WHEN THIS PROPHESY WAS GIVEN
AND LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS PROPHECY
THIS WAS AT A TIME WHEN…SYRIA
NOT ASSYRIA
SYRIA WAS BESIEGING…JUDAH
WHAT THIS MEANS IS...
THEY WERE BUILDING UP SIEGES SO THAT THEY COULD GET READY FOR BATTLE AGAINST JUDAH
LIKE THEY WERE BUILDING AND PREPARING THEIR ARMIES TO FIGHT AGAINST JUDAH
ISAIAH GIVES AHAZ A WORD...
NOW AHAZ WAS NOT A GODLY KING
HE WAS NEVER A GODLY KING...
BUT ISAIAH GIVES HIM A WORD THAT SAYS.....
“LISTEN THIS IS GOING TO COME TO NOTHING” “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THIS ATTACK FROM THE ENEMY”
NOW…AHAZ DOESN’T BELIEVE IT…THE REASON HE DOESN’T BELIEVE IT IS...
BECAUSE HE IS ACTUALLY DOING A BACK DOOR DEAL WITH ASSYRIA
REMEMBER SYRIA AND ASSYRIA ARE TWO DIFFERENT NATIONS
AND HE IS LITERALLY PLANNING TO SELL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AS SLAVES FOR HIS OWN FREEDOM
SO AHAZ THINKS HE’S GOT IT WORKED OUT
SO ISAIAH GIVES HIM A WORD FROM GOD
AND THEN ISAIAH ADDS THIS PART AS PART OF THE WORD
10 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SPIRITUAL ANSWER
I WILL REMIND YOU IN A MOMENT…WHY IT’S NOT A SPIRITUAL ANSWER
13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 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.
OK…SO THIS IS WHERE THE SCRIPTURE IN MATTHEW 1 COMES FROM....
SO… HE SAYS “LISTEN DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE ENEMY....”
“GOD IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU”
AHAZ... SOUNDS TO BE SPIRITUAL AND SAYS..
I WILL NOT ASK FOR A SIGN BECAUSE I’M GOING TO TEST THE LORD
HE DID NOT SAY THAT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO TEST GOD
HE SAID THAT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO TRUST GOD
YOU SEE IF GOD GIVES YOU A WORD....
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO TRUST HIM FOR THAT WORD
OH MY LORD…AMEN?
SO…
ISAIAH IS PROPHESYING SOMETHING
THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW IS GOING TO HAPPEN 740 YEARS LATER
THE DATE OF THIS PROPHESY IS ABOUT 740 B.C.
HE SAID...
GOD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A SIGN
A VIRGIN IS GOING TO CONCEIVE
SHE WILL HAVE A CHILD AND HIS NAME WILL BE CALLED....
“GOD WITH US”
LET’S JUST THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE...
HOW IS THAT A SIGN TO AHAZ AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID?
HOW IS THAT A SIGN?
BECAUSE IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN FOR 740 YEARS
LET ME TELL YOU HOW IT’S A SIGN....
IT’S ACTUALLY A SIGN TO EVERY GENERATION
BECAUSE HERE IS WHAT HE IS SAYING...
THE MESSIAH IS COMING....
WE KNOW THAT THE MESSIAH COMES THROUGH THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
AND THROUGH THE HOUSE OF DAVID
BUT THE MESSIAH......WATCH THIS...
HASN’T COME YET
OH MY LORD.....
SO…THE SIGN…AHAZ…
IS THAT THERE IS NO WAY THE ENEMY CAN SUCCEED AGAINST YOU
BECAUSE GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU
AND HE IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET
LISTEN TO ME CHURCH....
THIS IS THE SAME SIGN THAT YOU AND I HAVE TODAY...
THAT GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES
AND SATAN CAN NOT SUCCEED AGAINST US
UNTIL GOD’S PURPOSES ARE FULFILLED FOR US
IT’S THE SAME SIGN
LORD HELP US THIS MORNING....
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE....
SATAN CAN NOT TAKE YOU OUT
NOW....HERE IS WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS OF MINISTRY....
I DON’T WANT TO BE A DOWNER BUT
I HAVE TO GIVE YOU TRUTH
ARE YOU READY???
SATAN CAN’T TAKE ME OUT...
BUT “I” CAN TAKE ME OUT
OH COME ON..
WHEN I’M WEAK
WHEN I’M TEMPTED
WHEN I’M UNDER ATTACK
I CAN DO SOMETHING STUPID
AND IT CAN TAKE ME OUT OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR MY LIFE
AND SO CAN YOU
THE GOOD NEWS IS...
SATAN HIMSELF….CAN’T TAKE ME OUT
OK…SO…
HERE IS WHAT HIT ME THAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS...
THIS BLOWS ME AWAY
GOD BECAME HUMAN
THAT BLOWS ME AWAY....
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE
GOD…BECAME HUMAN
THIS IS WHY CHRISTMAS CHANGES EVERYTHING
CHRISTMAS......THE WHOLE WORLD COUNTED DOWN FROM CHRIST
AND NOW THE WORLD COUNTS UP SINCE CHRIST CAME
THE WHOLE WORLD
BECAUSE GOD BECAME HUMAN
NOTICE I UNDERLINED THE WORD “GOD”
THE REASON IS THIS..
THERE IS AN ATTACK TODAY
MORE THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN
ON THE DEITY OF CHRIST
WELL PASTOR, WE BELIEVE JESUS WAS...
A GOOD MAN
HE WAS ONE OF THE PROPHETS
HE WAS A PROPHET LIKE OTHER PROPHETS OF OTHER RELIGIONS
......NO......
HE WAS, IS, AND WILL BE...
GOD
IT’S THE SAME QUESTION THEY HAD EVEN WHEN JESUS WAS ON THIS EARTH
AND I THINK HE BROUGHT IT UP
SIMPLY FOR THIS PURPOSE...
SO THAT EVERY GENERATION WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION....
Matthew 16:13 (NKJV)
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
IN OTHER WORDS...
HE WAS BORN OF A WOMAN
A HUMAN
Matthew 16:14–16 (NKJV)
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
NOTICE THIS.....
THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD
YOU ARE FULLY MAN
AND FULLY GOD
BY THE WAY....THE QUESTION
“WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?”
HE IS ASKING YOU…CHURCH
AND YOUR ANSWER WILL DETERMINE...
YOUR ETERNAL DESTINATION
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION....
WHO DO YOU SAY THAT JESUS IS?
A GOOD MAN
ONE OF THE PROPHETS
OR THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD
SO…WE KNOW HE WAS GOD BECAUSE OF THIS...
HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
IT’S CALLED THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
IMMACULATE....WE DON’T USE THIS TERM MUCH…BUT
IT MEANS THE SAME AS IF YOU WERE TO SAY..
“YOU HOUSE IS IMMACULATE”
IT SIMPLY MEANS
CLEAN, PURE, WITHOUT SPOT
SO HE WAS CONCEIVED
PURELY
BECAUSE HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
A WOMAN…YES
BUT NOT A MAN
Matthew 1:18 (NKJV)
she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20 (NKJV)
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
THE EGG WAS FROM A WOMAN
BUT THE SEED WAS NOT FROM A MAN
THE SEED WAS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
THIS IS IMPORTANT
THE BIBLE SAY....THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS
GO TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION
IT NEVER SAYS THE INIQUITY OF THE MOTHERS
NOW LADIES…DON’T SAY...
I KNEW IT
I NOW HAVE PROOF THAT ALL THE BAD STUFF CAME FROM HIM
HERE IS THE POINT...
INIQUITIES PASS THROUGH THE SEED
IT IS PASSED THROUGH THE FATHER
SO…HE WAS BORN OF A WOMAN
BUT NOT OF A MAN
WHY???
SO HE COULD BE FULLY HUMAN
AND FULLY GOD
THE DEITY AND HUMANITY OF CHRIST
GOD BECAME HUMAN.....WOW
THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING FACT I KNOW
NO OTHER RELIGION
AND I DON’T LIKE USING THIS WORD
BECAUSE RELIGION IS....
MAN’S ATTEMPT TO GET TO GOD
CHRISTIANITY IS....
GOD’S ATTEMPT TO GET TO MAN
But,
NO OTHER RELIGION CAN SAY...
OUR FOUNDER IS GOD
HE IS GOD
GOD BECAME A MAN
NOW…
HE WAS BORN OF INCORRUPTIBLE SEED
THE SEED HAD NOT BEEN CORRUPTED
DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST
YOU ARE BORN AGAIN OF INCORRUPTIBLE SEED?
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
UNDERSTAND THIS...
GOD DID NOT JUST SEND “SOMEONE” TO REDEEM YOU
GOD CAME HIMSELF....WOW
THERE IS THIS STORY I WAS READING OF A JUDGE WHO HAD THIS FRIEND....
THIS FRIEND ASKED HIS FRIEND....THE JUDGE
IF HE COULD TAKE CARE OF THIS SPEEDING TICKET HE GOT
AND SO THE JUDGE SAID…YEAH I’LL TAKE CARE OF IT FOR YOU
A FEW WEEKS LATER HE SAW THE JUDGE AGAIN
AND HE SAID...”HEY THANKS FOR DISMISSING THAT TICKET FOR ME”
THE JUDGE SAID....”OH I DIDN’T DISMISS IT”
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN’T DISMISS IT....WHAT DID YOU DO?
THE JUDGE SAID....OH I PAID IT
THE GUY SAID...”I DIDN’T WANT YOU TO PAY IT....I WANTED YOU TO.....DO YOUR JUDGE THING”
HE SAID....LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION...
WERE YOU GUILTY???
THE GUY SAID YES I WAS
THE JUDGE SAID THIS...
“JUSTICE DEMANDED THAT THE PENALTY BE PAID”
IF I’M A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE
I CAN’T DISMISS THE CHARGES AGAINST YOU
BUT I CAN PAY THEM MYSELF
CHURCH....SO MANY PEOPLE THINK...
THAT GOD DISMISSED THE CHARGES AGAINST US
BUT HE DIDN’T
HE PAID THEM HIMSELF
GOD BECAME HUMAN
SECOND POINT IS SIMILAR…BUT A LITTLE DIFFERENT
2. GOD BECAME HUMAN
THIS ONE BREAKS ME
HE WAS BORN….CHURCH
HIS LIFE DEPENDED UPON
OTHER PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF HIM
HUMANS
THE CREATOR BECAME THE CREATION.....
HE GREW UP
HE WENT TO SCHOOL
HE HAD FRIENDS
HE WAS A HUMAN
WHY????
WHY DID HE BECOME A HUMAN?
THIS IS THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 (NKJV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
THE WORD IS JESUS
1 John 4:2–3 (NKJV)
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
2 John 7 (NKJV)
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BELIEVE THAT HE BECAME A HUMAN?
BECAUSE IF HE DIDN’T BECOME A HUMAN
THEN HE DIDN’T REALLY DIE FOR MY SINS
JESUS CHRIST WAS FULLY MAN
AND FULLY GOD
HE REALLY WAS SCOURGED FOR ME AND YOU
HE REALLY DID BLEED
HE REALLY DIED
HE REALLY DID RISE FROM THE GRAVE
CAN YOU GIVE A SHOUT OF PRAISE THIS MORNING
14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.
DEATH NOW HAS NO POWER OVER THE BELIEVER....
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT HIM BEING HUMAN IS...
HE KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL
HEBREWS TELLS US...
WE DON’T HAVE A HIGH PRIEST THAT CAN’T SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES
BECAUSE HE HAS IN EVERY POINT BEEN TEMPTED AS WE ARE
HE KNOWS CHURCH
....WORSHIP TEAM JOIN ME....
THE FAMOUS MESSIANIC SCRIPTURE THAT WE USE A LOT AT CHRISTMAS.
WILL SHOW US THAT HE CAME AS A MAN BUT ALSO CAME AS GOD
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
DID YOU SEE IT???
FULLY MAN
FULLY GOD
GOD REDEEMED US….HIMSELF
HE DIDN’T SAY IF YOU DO THESE FIVE THINGS. YOU GET TO GO TO HEAVEN
HE SAID...
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT I DIED ON THE CROSS AND ROSE AGAIN
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT I AM THE SON OF GOD
I DIED …..FOR YOU
SO YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN
WHEN I THINK ABOUT HIM PAYING FOR OUR SINS PERSONALLY….wow
I THINK ABOUT..
WHAT IF ADAM HAD NOT BEEN WITH EVE WHEN SHE SINNED
NOW.....HE WAS WITH EVE
HE DIDN’T PROTECT HER
HE DIDN’T TEACH HER THE WAY HE SHOULD HAVE
BUT JUST AS AN ILLUSTRATION...
WHAT IF ADAM HAD BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GARDEN
WHEN EVE SINNED?
IF HE HAD NOT BEEN WITH HER WHEN SHE SINNED
THEN A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE
GOD WOULD HAVE WENT TO ADAM AND HAD TO SAY....
I’M SO SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS SON
BUT YOUR BRIDE HAS SINNED
AND SHE IS GOING TO DIE
WE KNOW THAT DID NOT HAPPEN
BUT I THINK A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT DID TAKE PLACE
I THINK THAT GOD THE FATHER...
HAD TO SAY TO GOD, THE SON
AFTER ADAM AND EVE SINNED
I’M SO SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS SON
BUT THE BRIDE THAT I CREATED FOR YOU
HAS SINNED
AND SHE IS GOING TO DIE
I THINK JESUS SAID
BUT I DON’T WANT HER TO DIE
BUT SON, SHE HAS TO DIE…SHE HAS SINNED
THE PENALTY FOR SIN…IS DEATH
THEN JESUS SAID...
I’LL DIE FOR HER
I’LL DIE SO THAT SHE CAN LIVE
‘CHURCH…
CHRISTMAS IS THE AMAZING STORY THAT...
GOD BECAME A HUMAN AND DIED FOR YOU AND ME
THAT CHURCH…IS WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT CHRISTMAS
......stand to your feet.....
HE PAID THE PENALTY....
SO YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO
CHURCH..... SATAN NO LONGER HAS THE POWER TO TAKE YOU OUT...
BUT YOU CAN TAKE YOURSELF OUT
MAKING A CHOICE TO LIVE FOR HIM
IS CRUCIAL TO YOUR ETERNAL DESTINATION
HEADS BOWED, EYES CLOSED
IF YOUR HEAR AND YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS
RAISE YOUR HAND
A PRAYER FROM....
PSALMS 31...
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You have I sinned and done what's evil in Your sight, so that You're proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. Surely I've been a sinner from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I'll be clean, wash me, and I'll be whiter than snow. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You. FORGIVE ME,
CLEANSE ME,
CHANGE ME
IN JESUS NAME I PRAY......Amen.
