The Gift of the First Advent: Love That Saves
The Power of the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewThis sermon, “The Gift of the First Advent: Love That Saves,” part of The Power of the Gospel series, explores why we needed a Savior and how Jesus fulfills that need. Starting with Isaiah 2:2 and its connection to the Song of Moses, it highlights God’s plan to redeem humanity from sin. Drawing from John 3, it emphasizes the necessity of being born again, contrasting Adam’s sin, which brought death, with Christ’s obedience, which brings life. The message calls listeners to reflect on salvation, share the gospel, and recommit to following Christ. It reminds us that the First Advent is more than a manger scene—it’s the ultimate act of love that saves, offering eternal life to all who believe.
Notes
Transcript
Opening Thoughts
Series: The Power of the Gospel
From Paradise to the Manger: Wy We Needed a Savior
The Gift of the First Advent: Love That Saves
Introduction
This morning, our Bible reading came from Isaiah 2:2, a prophetic vision of hope and restoration. But did you know that Isaiah’s words echoed the Song of Moses—a celebration of God delivering His people from the tyranny and slavery of Egypt? This connection reminds us that God has always been in the business of saving His people.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how to share the gospel message effectively. Two weeks ago, Brian Clark, author of Just A.S.K., shared a simple and powerful method for engaging others with the gospel:
1. Ask permission.
2. Share the gospel.
3. Keep the conversation going.
We also considered a gospel checklist that highlights the key truths when you sit down to share the gospel with someone:
• The sinfulness of man,
• The salvation of God,
• The Savior of the world,
• And the sinner’s decision.
(Clark, Brian. Just A.S.K.: A Complete Soul-winner's Guide (p. 194). Living Faith Books. Kindle Edition. )
Last week, we turned to Romans 5, reflecting on the sinfulness of the first man, Adam, and the free gift of salvation through the second man, Christ.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Today, as we continue in the Christmas season, we celebrate the ultimate gift of the First Advent: Jesus, Emmanuel—God with us. But Jesus didn’t come simply to live among us; He came to save us. Over 33 years, He perfectly fulfilled the righteous demands of God’s Law, bore the penalty for our sin on the cross, and rose in victory, defeating sin and death forever.
This is the power of the gospel—the love that saves. As we reflect on the miracle of Christmas, we’re reminded that this isn’t just the story of a baby born in a manger. It’s the story of a Savior who came to rescue us, offering the greatest gift of all: eternal life.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
It’s so easy to tell the story of Jesus in American because of the holidays everyone recognizes.
Christmas: The coming of Jesus to Earth.
The Virgin Birth
A Spiritual Line of Humanity
Easter: The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Died for our sins.
Buried for 3 Days.
Rose again from the dead.
Ascended back up to Heaven.
Next week we will spend some time on the Second Advent (coming of Christ)
The choice of believe and receive the resurrected King
Living by faith as we look for his second coming
Exposition
The Fundamental difference between Adam and Christ
The Fundamental difference between Adam and Christ
Key Thought: Where in Adam all die, in Christ all shall be made alive.
Last week we ended with the death of Jesus for sinful humanity, but that is the beginning of the gospel and not the end.
The natural pattern of death to life
The natural pattern of death to life
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
The natural pattern from flesh to spirit.
The natural pattern from flesh to spirit.
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
“We are spiritual beings having a fleshly experience not fleshly being trying to have a spiritual experience.”
“We are spiritual beings having a fleshly experience not fleshly being trying to have a spiritual experience.”
Everyone will have some kind of everlasting eternity
Everyone will have some kind of everlasting eternity
Eternal damnation separated from God
Eternal damnation separated from God
Eternal life in the Spirit with God.
Eternal life in the Spirit with God.
The natural pattern perishable to imperishable.
The natural pattern perishable to imperishable.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
These bodies go back to dust from whence they came.
These bodies go back to dust from whence they came.
19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
This answers the question of cremation.
This answers the question of cremation.
Is it a sin to be cremated?
Should we bury our dead with the head facing East because the Lord will return from the east?
The story of the Cowboy who dies in the field with his cattle and no one knows it.
You must be Born Again.
You must be Born Again.
There is no greater example of witnessing than Jesus with Nicodemus in John 3. Let Jesus preach for you.
How can a man see the kingdom of God?
How can a man see the kingdom of God?
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
How can a man experience a second birth?
How can a man experience a second birth?
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
How Can these things be?
How Can these things be?
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
Spiritual birth is not a natural thing.
Spiritual birth is not a natural thing.
30 And 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 bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 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.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
Receiving Christ’s life for your life
Receiving Christ’s life for your life
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Believing in the name of the only Son of God
Believing in the name of the only Son of God
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Concluding Paragraph:
The story of Christmas is the story of God’s incredible love and power to save. From the fall of Adam to the birth of Christ, the gospel reveals God’s plan to redeem and restore humanity. Jesus came to offer us life—a life born not of human effort, but of the Spirit. He lived the righteousness we could never achieve, bore the punishment we deserved, and conquered death to give us eternal life. As we celebrate the First Advent, let’s not just marvel at the baby in the manger but embrace the Savior who calls us to be born again. This is the love that saves—the gift of the gospel, the power of God unto salvation.
Next Steps:
1. Reflect on Your Own Salvation Story: Take time this week to reflect on how the gospel has transformed your life. Write it down or share it with a friend to deepen your gratitude and boldness in sharing your faith.
2. Practice Sharing the Gospel: Use Brian Clark’s Just A.S.K. framework to engage someone in a spiritual conversation. Ask permission, share the gospel, and keep the conversation going with love and patience.
3. Recommit to Following Jesus Fully: Take inventory of your spiritual life and identify areas where you need to surrender more fully to Christ. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you live out your new life in Christ each day.
Prayer Response:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible gift of Jesus, who came to save me and give me new life. I confess my need for You and my gratitude for the love that sent Christ from heaven to earth for my salvation. Help me to live as someone born again, reflecting Your grace and truth in all I do. Give me boldness to share the gospel with others and compassion to love them as You love me. Lord, may the power of the gospel continue to transform my life and the lives of those around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
