Christmas Is More Important Than You Think!
ABC Christmas Program • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Couple’s new baby party
This is what we have done with Christmas.
Whether Jesus was actually born on Dec 25th or not is beside the point. The Church decided long ago that it was important to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Why? Because the birth of Christ isn’t about a cute little baby being born in a manger.
The birth of Christ is about the incarnation!
Define incarnation:
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Incarnation
Incarnation. Literally, “in flesh”; theologically, the doctrine that in Jesus of Nazareth God took on human flesh and became the divine God-man. Historically, the doctrine of incarnation was central in the christological debates of patristic times and has recently come to the fore again in academic circles. Biblically, it expresses the mystery of Jesus’ identity.
And while this term isn’t in the Bible, the concept certainly is...
John 1:1 - explains that God has always existed in the person of Jesus Christ.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 - explains that this Jesus, at a point in history entered our world in the most fascinating way. He came into the world the way you came into this world. He was born. God was born! What??
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Deity put on humanity. Why?
In Galatians 4, the Apostle gives us powerful reasons why the incarnation was necessary.
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
There are four important implications of the incarnation
1. He was born of a woman - He shared the DNA of his mother Mary, but not Joseph...
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Luke’s genealogy demonstrates that His lineage (through Mary) goes all the way back to Adam. Jesus is the second Adam.
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. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
2. He was born under the Law -
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
He did for you what you could never do for yourself. Fulfill God’s law!
3. He was born of a woman and born under the law for a reason - to redeem, adopt and give us His Spirit and to adopt!
Redeem - to secure deliverance of, deliver, liberate (BDAG, 343)
Adopt - of those who believe in Christ and are accepted by God as God’s children (BDAG, 1024)
Receiving His Spirit - The one who took on our humanity gives us His divinity by having Him dwell in us!
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
4. Why would God become one of us?
Verse 7 is clear.
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, you are free from slavery (to sin). You are his child! He has promised you everything!
Friends - Christmas isn’t about Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, beautiful lights, children, gifts, or chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Christmas is about God doing everything He can to save you from eternal hell.
You, my friend, you need to make a clear choice.
Christmas is the time for you to reflect on WHY God gave you the BEST gift he could. He did so because you have the GREATEST need!
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.
What will you do with Jesus?
Just at the right time in history, God brought His plan to fruition. God the Son, who has existed in the Triune God-head for all eternity, would become a human being!
He, God Himself could have chosen any means by which to enter this world and He chose the way that would most relate Him to us. He was born! Just like you, just like me!
He endured all the indignities that accompany this process, our God, the God of the universe subjected Himself to conception, growing in a human womb and finally being birthed. This is how our God came into our world.
The baby didn’t stay a baby! He grew into a man. Not just any man, but the one and only God/man.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
And this God/man wants to redeem you! He wants to adopt you and make you God’s child! He want to give you all that He has. To set you in a right standing with God and to save you from an eternal hell.
The choice is before you. Will you choose the Christ of Christmas - the greatest gift know to all of humanity, or will you choose cheap substitutes that will never satisfy!
So, you can see, Christmas is more important than you might think because through Christmas, your redemption is possible!