What Christians Celebrate at Christmas - Matt. 1:18-25

Introduction - Christians Must Celebrate Christmas Distinctly from the Culture

Let us draw our attention to Matthew 1:18-25

This passage contains four great truths that frame the birth of Christ. These truths tell us what should be celebrated at Christmas.

The Culture has reinterpreted Christmas

Christmas is not about a generic sense of joy, goodwill, love, peace, family, giving, and relationships

3. Christians must celebrate Christmas Distinctly

Christmas attacks modern sensibilities about reality(God who is very active in the world he created), morality, sin, and its consequences. (law and judgement)

Christmas is about serious theological truth with the gospel at the center. The birth of Christ is scandalous, not because it is miraculous, but because it is so gracious - God becoming man to rescue sinners.

What are we actually declaring and celebrating at Christmas?

(18-20) A Miraculous Conception

We declare the Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit.

The creator becomes a creature by the hand and breathe of God.

This was necessary due to original sin - Jesus is the second Adam

This idea is ridiculous to the modern ear…but consider what apologist Glen Scrivener wrote, “Christians believe in the virgin birth, atheists believe in the virgin cosmos.” Choose your miracle!!!

(20-21) A Meaningful Name

The lineage of King David - Messiah

2 Samuel 7:8–16 (ESV)

8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall 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. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

This is so very important, Jesus is the promised King who will reign forever on the throne of David. The rule of Jesus extends much further than the rule of David, for his rule will extend over the entire earth.

Jesus is a king now and his throne is in heaven. He rules over his people in our hearts and through his church. At his second coming

2. Then namesake of a mighty warrior - Joshua , the Lord Saves

Jesus is a Savior!

Jesus is a warrior king who came to vanquish our greatest enemies and deliver all his people safely into his kingdom.

He does not conquer by military conquest - but by the conquest of the heart through the proclamation of his life, death, and resurrection.

(21) A Menacing Mission

He will save his people from a dreadful enemy - Sin

He comes to save unworthy benefactors - His People

He will save them from THEIR Guilt - atoning blood

He will save them from SINS DOMINION - by union with him through the Holy Spirit

He will save them from the CONSEQUENCE - by becoming a curse, taking upon himself the wrath of God on the cross, and dying and being laid in the tomb.

He will save them from eternal death and give them eternal life by the resurrection from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:12–22 (ESV)

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

I recently watch a film that recounted a true story of the war in Afghanistan. The story was about a US sergeant and an Afghani interpreter who was promised Asylum in the US for helping us in the war. Through a series of events the interpreter went to extraordinary lengths to save the life of the sergeant who was critically wounded. Later on after recovering the States the sergeant discovered the US had not kept its promise to bring the interpreter and his family to the US…they were in danger because of the Taliban. So he keeps the Covenant and goes in as a private citizen and rescues the interpreter and his family.

Jesus has extracted his people from sin and death - he accomplished his mission and it is finished. If you are believing in Jesus today, trusting in him, he has rescued you from your sin and you are securely in his kingdom!

One of the interesting things about the Christian life is that Jesus saves us, and then leaves us for a time in this present world among our enemies. We see our sin, we see the devil at work in various ways, and we see death all around in this world.

When you doubt - don’t look within and don’t look around - you will see your enemies both within and without - look above where Christ is seated.

Colossians 3:1 ESV

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

(22-24) A Magisterial Nature

The prophecy is plain, and yet without explanation. It is a mystery that is necessary for salvation and it must be believed and accepted as stated in the Scriptures.

Mary was a virgin who bore a Son - a human son. Jesus is perfect man.

He was hungry, thirsty, he loved, he wept, he suffered, he laughed, he loved, and was angry, in all these things we see his humanity except without any taint of sin.

His theological name is Immanuel. - It means that Jesus is perfect God.

He has power over nature - he could turn water into wine, a simple lunch into a feast for 5000, he commanded weather and waves,

He has power over life and death - he could heal any disease, cure any deformity, and even raise the dead.

He has power over all spiritual forces - angels, demons, and Satan - he could command them all and resist the devils strongest temptations.

He has the power and authority to forgive sins!!!!!

Perfect Man, Perfect God - Our creator became our second Adam, our saving representative, our new head and king. And Jesus is forever perfect man and perfect God…he has all the majesty of the Godhead and all the manliness of a human king.

We sing with David O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Conclusion: Christmas Without These Truths Becomes Anti-Gospel

What happens when we strip Christmas of these vital truths? We lose the gospel!

Watch how the culture uses the word Believe - Believe in the magic of Christmas, Believe in Santa Claus, Believe in your Christmas Miracle.

Christmas says - Believe in Christ, your savior king, God who became man to rescue you from sin and death - Believe in him, believe the truths in this text

SHE WILL BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS, FOR HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.