This Child:God

This Child: God Matthew 1:23 Over 2000 years ago the world was radically altered forever. Regardless of whether or not you believe in God, any god, are an atheist, an agnostic, a muslim, a hindu, a jew the world was radically offered. In an event that sent shockwaves around the world, such great shockwaves that we still feel them even to this day the creator of the universe stepped out of His heavenly realm and entered ours in the form of a baby. Every since the fall of creation we had been eagerly awaiting the one who would forever more make us whole again. On that night, in a manager in the town of Bethlehem, the city of David, to a virgin girl and her husband Joseph a child was born. As we have talked about this child was no ordinary child. This child would accomplish the impossible, this child was destined to be our Savior and our King. What was so special about this child, what set him apart from all other sons born in that same area to others who were also of the lineage of David. Why this child? The answer is far more simple yet complicated than most people dare to imagine, why this child? Because this child was not just a child, this child was also God. In today’s culture the enemy has convinced us that the truth of the matter is that all gods are the same, that all belief systems are the same. That regardless of who you worship you are essentially worshipping the same deity, simply in different forms. In fact, each of these belief systems will not just tell you that you worship god, but that you must work your way up to god, that you must prove your worth through your actions. Many go so far as to say that if you prove yourself worthy, ultimately you will be your own god. There is one glaring exception to this teaching…Christianity. What makes us our faith so special are two major points, first, that God himself humble himself and took our form, he reached out to us. Secondly that thru that action he was able to become the very sacrifice that was necessary for our atonement and that as we place our faith and belief in Him he in turn imputes us, or gives us His righteousness, which allows us to spend eternity with Him. Tonight as we close out our series we will take a quick look at the reality that this child, born in a manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, is our King, He is our savior, and He is God. Matthew 1:23 About 700 years before the birth of the Christ child was foretold by the angel in a series of visits to Mary and Joseph, the prophet Isaiah acting as the mouthpiece of God prophesied concerning the coming messiah. The first of two of those that we want to talk about, found in Isaiah 7:14, is repeated back to Joseph by the angel Gabriel in the gospel of Matthew. In this specific prophecy Isaiah states that the child shall be named Immanuel, which means God with us. two chapters later in Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah also states that His name shall be called wonderful counselor, MIGHTY GOD. Back in Matthew the angel also tells Joseph that the child is to be named Jesus. This name, in the Hebrew Yeshua, or Joshua, which means the Lord saves. Three names, three times God is referenced as being involved. While each of these is extremely important and gives us a clue to the true identity of the Christ child, it is in the gospel of John where we find the clearest picture from an start of who this child was. John 1:1-18 Although this sounds nothing like the Christmas story that we all know and love and are so familiar with, this is John’s version of the story. John’s purpose in writing this was to ensure that the readers understood that Jesus wasn’t just the king of the Jews, that he wasn’t just the savior of all, that he wasn’t just a good man and teacher who did amazing things. John desired that the grand scale of who Christ was be seen. Let’s look at a few defining phrases… quickly walk thru John 1:1-18 According to the writer of Hebrews, faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of things unseen. There are no words to help you or I or anyone for that matter understand how the God of the universe became a child in a manger in Bethlehem, only faith can satisfy that this is true. As we come to know and love Christ with all of our being, we can have faith that this child that we are celebrating is King and he is savior and above all, HE IS GOD!!