The Promised Birth of the Savior

Introduction

Well, if you have your Bibles you can open them to Isaiah chapter 7. Already, stores, restaurants, businesses, families, and so on have found themselves decorating and “getting in the Christmas spirit”. Driving around, we see Christmas lights, Nativity scenes, inflatables, and cute little signs that say “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”. All across America, people become a little more generous, a little more jolly, and a little more spiritual as we move on from the month of November into the month of December. Why? Christmas is about reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ. Many families will attend church, read the Christmas stories, exchange gifts, eat a meal, but then the New Yew will come just a few days later, we will put the Christmas tree back in the attic, take down the Christmas lights, and give it until April before we see another surge of spirituality and reflection across the country.

This year, our Christmas series will come in three parts, and our goal is to show that Christmas is more than just a “Happy Birthday Jesus” celebration for Hallmark to turn a profit on expensive cards and low-budget films. Christmas isn’t just about the mere birth of Christ, but what this promise meant for all who were waiting on it, what was accomplished by the promised one who was born, and what the means for us as we await his return. Hence, the title of the message this morning, “The Promised Birth”. Stand with me, as we read this one verse, Genesis 3:15, and we will bounce around to several passages this morning, but all of my references will be on the screen for you, so unless you want to turn everywhere feel free to stay in Genesis and follow along on the screen.

Body

The promised birth is…

(1) The Promise of a Victor (Genesis 3:15)

Genesis 3:15 “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

(2) The Promise of a Blessing (Genesis 12:3)

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

(3) The Promise of a King (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Jeremiah 23:5–6 ““Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration— “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. This is the name he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.”

(4) The Promise of the God-Man (Isaiah 7:14)

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.”

(5) The Promise of a Shepherd (Micah 5:2)

Micah 5:2 “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.”

(6) The Promise of a Savior (Isaiah 53)

Isaiah 53 “Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully. Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.”

Conclusion

We often sing the song at Christmas time, “Mary did you know”. The short answer is “Yes”. Mary indeed knew that the baby she held was the fulfillment that all God prophesied concerning the crying child she held in her arms. She knew the victor, the blessing, the King, the God-Man, the Shepher, the Savior was in her arms. The wise men knew what this birth meant which is why they brought their gifts. When Simeon held Jesus in his arms his words were, “Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have seen your salvation”. He would go on to say, “Indeed this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed— and a sowrd will pierce your own soul—that thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”. When Anna laid eyes on Jesus she knew exactly who she saw in that 8 day old child because she went on “to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem”.

The question this morning is, “do you know it”. When we reflect on the promise of this birth, do you know and understand what it is that you are reflecting on. Do you know that when your eyes on the story of this infant that you are beholding the only hope of redemption for humanity, the only King of all creation, the only one that willingly would lay down his life for your sake. If so, go talk about it like Anna did. Don’t let people miss the actual purpose for Christmas. If you don’t know it. Now you do, there is no excuse.