Reason for the Season

Introduction

We are a little over a week away from Christmas. We are full swing in the Christmas season with Christmas decorations, and carolers, and Christmas music.

For many of us this season brings a sentiment of joy

Family, good food, break from work, There is this feeling that this time of year brings.

But for some of us this season may bring a sense of sadness and disappointment

Deceased loved ones, strained family relationships

Constant reminders of others’ happiness during this time can serve as a painful reminder of the happiness and love that’s lacking in our own lives.

Constant reminders of others’ happy seasons can additionally serve as a painful reminder of the happiness and love that’s lacking in our own lives.

Whichever category you fall into, this season should ultimately remind you of the hope and purpose we have in Christ.

Family is nice, good food is awesome, getting off work is incredible, but all these things are just extra, but our greatest joy in this season is centered on Christ and what he represents! Amen!

Jesus Is the Reason

I’m sure most of you have heard the phrase, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season!”

Every year as a family we would read the account of Jesus’ birth, and many of us know the story.

Angel appeared to Mary

Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem, and there is no room for them in the inn, so he was laid in a manger

You have the angels who appear to the shepherds saying “Glory to God in the Highest” and telling them of the savior’s birth.

You have the wise men who came from the east

We even have our nativity scenes that we set up each year at this time.

It is this cute little story that we read about, that we portray in plays and dramas, and it is an awesome Biblical account of God coming to earth as a baby.

In the sense that he receives all the glory and honor

He came and restored hope and purpose for a lost humanity

But catch this, you and I, are also the reason for the season, but in a very different way

Jesus is the reason in the sense that:

He receives all the glory and honor

He came and restored hope and purpose for a lost humanity

Its the account of his coming to earth and his birth

We are the reason for the season in a very humbling way

We are the reason for the season in a very humbling way

We are the reason for the season in a very humbling way

We were a lost humanity, that had no hope of reconciliation or purpose apart from God moving on our behalf.

You and I are the reason Christ, because we were lost, and without power to change that.

But God came down in the form of man, as a baby, to save you and I and to give us hope and purpose!

So we are gonna talk about this hope and purpose that we have in Christ

But in order to see the full beauty of this hope and purpose, we have to understand the gravity of our situation before Christ.

Paul paints this picture beautifully in

Dead in Sin ()

Dead - We couldn’t save ourselves

Being dead in sin, we had lost all responsiveness toward God and had no ability to please him

We were sons of disobedience that carried out the desires of the body and mind, both of which were held in captivity to sin!

The worst part is that we could do nothing about it!

This is not saying that good works didn’t exist prior to salvation, but it is saying that it didn’t count towards any merit on our behalf, and that it wasn’t done for the glory of God.

What are some examples of good works?

Even if someone lives their whole life pursuing and acting on these works, they are still no closer to being saved from the penalty of their sin.

The Prophet Isaiah says that all our works are as filthy garments.

Even if someone lives their whole life pursuing and acting on good works, they are still no closer to being saved from the penalty of their sin. They would still be no closer to reconciliation.

Were sons of disobedience

We were sons of disobedience that carried out the desires of the body and mind, both of which were held in captivity to sin!

Children of Wrath (vs 3)

Because we were dead in sin, this now meant that we fell under the wrath and judgement of God, and had to pay the penalty for sin.

Can someone tell me what those penalties were?

Physical death

Spiritual death (symbolized by eternal separation from God)

Since we were created for God, but now were separated it means that our very purpose had been lost. We were hopeless and purposeless

Let this picture fill your mind!!

ESV Commentary - “No hopeless fate looks any grimmer than that which awaits the forlorn company of mankind marching behind the “prince of the power of the air,” to their destruction under divine wrath!”

And we couldn’t do anything about it!

Story About Dream

But God.....(-7)

Who likes Christmas? What do you like about it? Have you ever heard the saying that Jesus is the Reason for the Season?

Here Paul utters the greatest short phrase in the history of human speech....But GOD…rich in mercy!Jesus coming to earth as a baby in a manger, to die on a cross and pay the penalty for our sins is the essence of the Christmas story and the “But God” in our hopeless situationThere are three attributes of God that are mentioned here:Rich in Mercy, Great Love, Saved by Grace (vs. 4)He reached out in mercy and grace because of His great love for usJohn 3: 16 - For God so loved the world....Can anyone tell me the difference between mercy and grace? Or are they the same thing? Mercy means that God does not give me what I do deserve; grace means that He gives me what I don’t deserve.By grace I have been SAVED, RAISED UP, and SEATED WITH CHRIST.Saved from the penalty of our sinRaised us up, meaning that just as Christ rose from the dead we are new men spiritually, and one day will also have renewed physical bodies that are not cursed by the sin.Seated with him speaks of the authority we share with him because we are seated with him.

ESV states that here, “Paul utters the greatest short phrase in the history of human speech”....But GOD…rich in mercy!

Jesus coming to earth as a baby in a manger, to die on a cross and pay the penalty for our sins is the essence of the Christmas story and the “But God” answer in our hopeless situation

Rich in Mercy, Great Love, Saved by Grace (vs. 4,5)

Rich in Mercy, Great Love, Saved by Grace (vs. 4)

He reached out in mercy and grace because of His great love for us

- For God so loved the world....

I love this definition that explains the meaning of mercy and grace.

Mercy means that God does not give me what I deserve; grace means that He gives me what I don’t deserve.

By grace I have been SAVED, RAISED UP, and SEATED WITH CHRIST.

Saved from the penalty of our sin

Raised us up, meaning that just as Christ rose from the dead we are new men spiritually, and one day will also have renewed physical bodies that are not cursed by the sin.

Mercy:

Aren’t you thankful for Christ?

Seated with him speaks of the authority we share with him because we are seated with him.

When preparing for this sermon, I thought back to a dream that I had when I was anywhere from 10-12 years old.

And he goes on to say that it is all by grace, it has absolutely nothing to do with anything that we have done to earn it....it is wholly the grace, mercy, and love of God!

Backstory

Paul’s Prayer (Hope and Purpose)

Paul prayed that the eyes of their hearts would be opened to these 3 things: Eph. 1:17,18

:The HOPE to which he has called you

Everybody say “HOPE”

Present:

We have hope in this life, because God has defeated death and sin! So in this life now, sin no longer has dominion over us.

Explain our dire situation before Christ

We are no longer children of wrath

Future:

When I am grounded in this hope, things may be hard, but Hope keeps my head up, looking to God

Hope of a future with God, free from pain, sin, and death

One day we will be with him in glory and perfection!

The riches of his glorious Inheritance in the Saints (Intrinsic Value/Purpose)

Notice is says “His” inheritance!

Read ESV footnote

Not only do I have incredible hope in Christ, but I find ultimate purpose in the fact that Almightly God loves me, wants me, and considers me to be His inheritance. Think about that for a second!

God wants you!

You have to know in the depths of your heart that you have incredible purpose in Christ! You have intrinsic value and purpose simply in the fact that God wants you!

Talk about an opinion that matters! What about the opinion of the Creator of the universe?

Do you know how many young men and women grow up today without a healthy father figure in their life, that just long to be approved, and accepted, and reaffirmed by their earthly father?

Your worth is not found in your popularity and the approval of those around you

how much you have achieved and accomplished

in the possessions you have acquired, or in the relationships you have formed or are a part of. It is found in the fact that God almighty wants you!!!

When you get this, it doesn’t matter what happens in your life, it doesn’t matter the type of betrayal you experience, who mistreats you, who hurts you, as painful as those things are....at the end of each day you can say my God still wants me!!!

And as a child of God, you bring glory to His name!

The immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe (Purpose in Action/Calling)

Paul gives us a visual of this power

Skip to vs. 22

We are his body here on earth, the fullness of him

He has commissioned us to be a part of bringing the Gospel to those around us! And he has given us immeasurable power to carry out his commission!

We are a part of something that is so much bigger than you could ever imagine or dream of!

When you place limitations on yourself, you in turn are placing limitations on Christ. I understand that apart from Christ we are nothing, but we are not apart from him we are in Him, and we have been made partakers of his dominion and power!