The God of Christmas
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Few years ago Time mag released their list of 100 most significant figures in history.
List includes at least a dozen “Xns”
Notable figures include: Lincoln, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Mozart, Da Vinci, Nicola Tesla, Aristotle.
But what is surprising (pleasantly) is that Jesus tops the list.
Why would a secular entity recognize Jesus as the most influential figure in human history? The answer is simple…b/c He is.
History is defined as “a chronological record of significant events usually including an explanation of their causes.” There are a host of differing perspectives on history:
Doomsday: the world will end in catastrophe and only those prepared will have a fighting chance of enduring (you’ve heard of doomsday preppers).
Existentialism: 100 yrs ago: “a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will.” This leads to the idea of the absurdity of the world from blind randomness of nearly everything that occurs and that no discernible pattern in history which leads to despair.
Guys like Herbert Spencer whose view more optimistic…philosophy was growth, progress and development of the whole of reality that everything would evolve for the better
The humanist view of history: humanism is broadly defined as pursuing life and thought without reference to God. It was described very plainly by
Julian Huxley “Man’s destiny is to be the sole agent for the future evolution of this planet. He is the highest dominant type to be produced by over two and a half billion years of the slow biological improvement effected by the blind opportunistic workings of natural selection; if he does not destroy himself, he has at least an equal stretch of evolutionary time before him to exercise his agency.”
This particular view of history is very much engrained in today’s culture. This philosophy is all around us. In fact, to throw myself on the hotseat…many of the decisions related to the coronavirus, have as their basis, this evolutionary foundation—that man must keep from destroying himself if he is to continue advancing for the next billons of years.
Not once have I heard someone relate:
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
God designed man with an active immune system that is capable (in and of itself) to fight a virus that has been newly introduced into humanity. Instead of fearing death, believers ought to rejoice, celebrate and worship God who in the midst of worldwide panic, continues to preserve life according to His purpose. Yes people are dying—but it is not out of control (but it is also not in man’s control either).
Xn/Biblical View of History?
Xn/Biblical View of History?
The record of the universe governed by the divine plan wherein God, in His providence, graciously deals with fallen man.
History is not merely a series of chance happenings. The force causing the movements of history is not impersonal but rather a loving God who acts that we might be brought into personal fellowship with Himself.
The key to history—the plan of God. Now the plan of God is His eternal decision rendering certain all things that come to pass.
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
“Have you not heard? Long ago I did it, From ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
“Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.
The plan of God which is the key to all human (universal) history, is unfolding thru past, present and future and finds its culmination in LJC. So its no wonder that the world recognizes the impact of Jesus, but those of us who know Him, see even more clearly why this is so. It points back to God’s plan.
In your Bible Galatians 4:4-5
I would like you to understand then that the God of Xmas did not come upon some fortunate timing as if there were some random, chance circumstances that brought about the good timing of the Lord’s birth…but that God was intimately and sovereignly in control of the circumstances of human history that led to that point.
I want to point out 2 things the plan of God teaches us about His character:
1) God Is Sovereign
1) God Is Sovereign
Westminster Catechism defines God: “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.”
Sovereignty is not so much an attribute of God as it is the sum of every attribute. When the collective truths of Scripture are brought together, God is proven to be sovereign over His creation.
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
For God to do this He must be sovereign.
Sovereignty’s Definition (Jerry Bridges Trusting God)
“God’s absolute independence to do as He pleases and His absolute control over the actions of all His creatures so that nothing either thwarts His will or acts outside the bounds of His will.”
How the Bible confirms God’s sovereignty:
A) Creator and Sustainer of Universe
A) Creator and Sustainer of Universe
Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.
Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who provides rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens which cry.
in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
B) God governs the world and flow of history
B) God governs the world and flow of history
Establishes govts
Determines who rules in govts
Determines the times of ruling
Rules in the decisions made
Rule the victories and defeats b/t nations
Problem: What about man’s free moral agency?
The relationship b/t God’s sovereignty and man’s free agency is a mystery. We do know that God DOES move upon the hearts and minds of rulers/people(Prov 21:1). But it is also true that He does this without violating or coercing their wills, but rather works in His mysterious way thru their wills to accomplish His purposes.
C) God has power over nature, weather and natural disasters
C) God has power over nature, weather and natural disasters
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.
God asked Job: (8 million strikes/day)
“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
“He covers His hands with the lightning, And commands it to strike the mark.
D) God never permits acts contrary to His will
D) God never permits acts contrary to His will
Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord.
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
If there is a single event in all the universe that occurs outside God’s sovereign control then you cannot trust Him. The OT writers believed it was inconceivable that anything could happen independently of the will and working of God.
Ex. “It rained” was unknown in OT… “God sent rain”
Now, where does that put sin and evil? God is not the author of sin or evil (contrary to His entire being) yet He includes it as part of His permissive will so that in dealing with sin and evil He will be glorified.
2) God Is Good
2) God Is Good
By that I mean God is loving, caring and personal.
You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes.
Ps 121
Mt 5:43-48—God’s love directed toward sinners b/c they are created in His image.
It is in this love that His care is manifest as God works out the eternal plan of redemption…to deal with man’s sin.
So that…in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4). Again, the universe is governed by the divine plan wherein God, in His providence, graciously deals with fallen man.
There is purpose to history/God’s plan “My purpose will be established…” History moves thru goals and purposes which reflect God’s sovereign will. There is no clearer example of this than in the person Jesus Christ. He is literally the center of history. He is the its focal point. All history leads up to Him, all history points back to Him and the purpose for which God sent Him…to redeem the world.
The incarnation of Jesus (His birth) as part of the divine plan manifesting the sovereignty and goodness of God bears several realities that I want to leave you with this morning. I think they shape our understanding of Xmas and in particular heighten our understanding of the God of Xmas.
1) Incarnation was Designed in Eternity
1) Incarnation was Designed in Eternity
Like every element of God’s plan…it is eternal. It is not that God had to come up with “plan B” b/c His original purpose failed.
Eph 3:8-12
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
The incarnation, the life, the ministry and the cross of Christ was all authored in eternity past—and God is fulfilling its purpose.
2) Incarnation Was Free On God’s Part
2) Incarnation Was Free On God’s Part
In other words, His decision to send forth His Son into the world to redeem fallen man was without human input. No one advises God. And therefore His plan and purposes are not flawed as they would be if man had been involved.
Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
3) Incarnation Is For God’s Glory
3) Incarnation Is For God’s Glory
The great motivating factor for What God has chosen to do and what He does is for His glory.
“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.
“But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Salvation, being sovereignly designed by God, initiated by Him also serves a secondary motivation to fulfill His love for mankind. God offers salvation to those He loves (Jn 3:16)
4) Incarnation was Efficacious
4) Incarnation was Efficacious
The birth of Jesus and all the events that lead up to that and flows from it came to be b/c they were part of the divine plan and no one could oppose it. Satan has tried.
Garden of Eden
Cain and Abel
Attempting to corrupt line of Adam (Gen 6)
Annihilating the Hebrews in Egypt
Exterminating the Jews in Esther
Infanticide ordered by Herod as he saw he’d been tricked by the Magi.
Later Satan tried to prevent Jesus from going to the cross (Mt 16:21-23)
Then his involvement in the death of Jesus…
In every attempt, God overrules those who seek to oppose His plan. And His plan is never frustrated but actually accomplishes what God designed.
5) Incarnation is Unchangeable
5) Incarnation is Unchangeable
The birth of Jesus, designed by God from all eternity and carried out 2000 years ago set in motion the climax to His plan of redemption in which sinners are reconciled to God has not been interrupted, has not changed at all.
God does not change His mind, He does not come up with a better solution to your sin. He still says:
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Frankly, that is the only way for you to be saved.
This is the God of Xmas…all too often our thoughts (maybe not intentionally) exclude Him as our gaze is fixed on the Lord Jesus. But I want to remind you that the birth, life, death & resurrection and ascension of Jesus was God’s plan. Because He is the sovereign God, it came to be precisely according to His design and because He is good, eternal blessings actually do come to those who put their trust in Christ.
Be the one who does that this Xmas!