The Purpose of Christmas: True Victory in Life's Greatest War!

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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, In two sermons we have covered John’s introduction to who was coming at Christmas - had to get it straight - Jesus before His birth - eternal Word Wisdom of God - remember WITH, TOWARDS God, and coming to bring us into that kind of fellowship with eternal God! But then as the Son of God , God’s Second Self becomes flesh and blood, takes to himself our human nature - miraculous conception by the power of the Holy Spirit with the human nature of Mary - as he comes into the world - remember the new thing God is doing - tabernacling in our lowest places ,- need to behold glory of God in face of Christ, need to receive new grace available in greater than Moses - remember - let this living Middleman - the God-man - without humanity - need to turn to him reveal the heart of God. That’s whom we are receiving at Christmas - and John says that’s the reason I wrote my gospel - believing Jesus truly Son of God, Messiah - have that new life, life from above in His name. But this morning, we turn to John’s last description of the birth and Coming of Christ, in the book that for Christians who are waiting for His second coming, for Christians have this life, but so much in this life seems against them, against Christ,
We could celebrate this Christmas as nice remembering of what God did in the past and leave it there. We could just make it about warm fuzzies of our own good will, our own family and friend time - but John says, you got to put the coming of Christ, got to respond to it, by putting it in context of what God did with Christmas, what He is doing with it now, and what God will do with Christmas in the far future.
Let’s look at what God did with Christmas back then, according to John in the book of Revelation. How is is his first advent described here. What was God’s plan with Christmas back then, 200 years ago.

A. The Past Reality: God was Sending a Jewish Male-Child to be Messiah for All-Nations to Crush the Dragon-Serpent Satan

Our passage and the Christmas story is in the setting of the cosmic, spiritual and very real warfare that effets everything - your life my life, our dying, sickness and suffering, it effects the nations of the world - geopolitical situation we are in, effects the culture we are part of and what we are living for. Great war going on there , but it doesn’t begin there. It begins with Rev 12:1
Revelation 12:1 ESV
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Like the opening story of Creation there is a woman - Eve - the mother of the living. And Powerful picture - mother and child. And in this chapter not just round yon virgin mother and child, not just Mary and the male-child Jesus, end of the chapter, we see this mother has numerous offspring after the Christ-child’s life and ministry on earth is over. Who is this lady? She is clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet, and look at her head in John’s vision the woman has a crown, diadem of twelve stars. Where in the OT have you heard of sun moon, twelve stars - bowing down . Joseph’s family, Jacob - whose name is Israel! story! What is this symbolic OT imagery - this woman represents - God’s people - Israel - not just ethnic Israel - but the True Israel of God - those who inwardly circumcised hearts, those children of Abraham a by faith - through all generations - and in the OT true Israel beginning with Eve, is promised to get pregnant to have miracle child that will bless all families of the world, who will crush evil and establish righteousness, born to be a powerful Deliverer. This woman is pregnant, OT prophesy - that Israel would be bearer of the Messiah, all through history.
You know Genesis 3:15. God says to Eve, she will bring the seed - but God will give the gift of standing against the evil and the evil one for Eve and seed. Holy Enmity with Eve’s seed a gift - Holy War, completely just… unfolding map of this conflict = the Bible - seed from Eve passes down scores of generations - Israel pregnant with Christ for thousands of years… BASIC FUNCTION OF ISRAEL
Isaiah 26:17-19
Isaiah 26:17–19 ESV
Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O Lord; we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen. Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
Isaiah 54:1
Isaiah 54:1 ESV
“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
This is Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:20-23 to the one through whom the Holy Spirit conceives the very Seed of God, the Eternal Son of God, so that he takes on Human Flesh!
And look now is the great sign - its Christmas - she cries out and gives birth - and there is the baby Jesus - God in flesh the God head see, born the … deity . Israel has given birth to the one long promised not just to people of their religion, but to the whole world!
But look now if you want understand the purpose of Christmas, why does God in flesh come like this. The answer is in the next great sign.

B. The Present Reality: Male-Child Messiah was Born to Engage the Enemy in Real Battle!

DO you see and understand the Second Great Sign. It too must be understood not just in the moment of the Chrsitmas story - but this sign spans the years and years of all human history from the Fall to your week this week to the Very End. Rev 12:3
Revelation 12:3 ESV
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
Do not rush to see Satan at work in Jesus life tie or rush to the very last days. This symbol o the Red dragon, with 7 heads, and ten horns, and on his heads, seven diadems. He is identified not just as a geopolitical player in the 21st century geopolitics of middle east, or the Last Times Antichrist. Who is the dragon,
The great setting of battle between good and evil in whole cosmos - the serpent/dragon boasted… various historical events fit into mighty battle as aspects… OT symbols… dragon, Devil and Satan Rev 12:9
Revelation 12:9 ESV
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Go back to the garden, see Satan tempting Eve and then Adam and through the the whole human race, push God out, you can be your own gods, live life independently - why did he do that? Go back further - before the garden, yet still created heavenly realm, there is Satan, limited created as an angel, but powerful, twists, and rebels, wants to be like God Himself, leads 1/3 of the heavenly realm in rebellion, Rev 12:4
Revelation 12:4 ESV
His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
Can you picture that tail of Satan like a great Bullorck monster - whipping it around, trying to catch you and i in circling web of lies deception, pull us down with him, pull others angels, get at God - live without and separated . Tail still whipping around today, and more furiously as fills the earth with its influence. As Christ raised and caught up - Satan thrown from the heavenly place, thrashing desperately, madly, like a washed up hockey player,being bested, out of frustration - seeks to mess up others!
And listen John says, you want to understand the purpose of Christmas look at this second great sign. There is the dragon before Isreal, before Mary giving birth to Jesus messiah. And he seeks to devour Christ - the only one who can bring your life and my life back to light, back to the life back to living with God. The only one who defeat the darkness, suffering and death unleashed in this world - that Satan uses to keep us deceived and enslaved to fear and sin!
But you want to really know what Christmas is about, watch how that male-child of Mary, deals with the devil for you and for me from His birth to His death, resurrection and ascension. Rev 12:5
Revelation 12:5 ESV
She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
That one little phrase at the halfway point the turning point of the book of Revelation - from the Christ, to his people in the lasts days. This phrase sums up Christ’s whole earthly saving ministry for you and me! Christ lifted up - Stan pushed down!
Satan, through Herod try to swallow him up. Satan on all out frontal attack in the desert as became man- spiritually guerrilla warfare in temptation - all would be lost if get the Messiah to sin - just like you and i did, like Adam and Eve did. But Jesus takes it all on - in our very weakened human nature - withstand and is victorious - Look He sends out his proclaimers of his grace and teaching - sends them with the gospel of the kingdom with all its healing and forgiving, and world restoring power!
And look the 12, and then the 70 disciples come back and look what Jesus says: Luke 10:18-19
Luke 10:18–19 KJV 1900
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Christmas is about this Christ - this God man - defeating the power and the work of Satan. 1 John 3:8 he came to destroy the work of the devil! - kept you in power of sin, in fear!
But look again at the Male-child, in our human nature - take on punishment of sin, wrath of God, death, hell - and Satan says Don’t do it for them, think of yourself, tries to get him to be king without a Cross, Get behind me Satan. And he dies and Satan thinks he’s triumphed but God has caught him up, salvation accomplished, his people salvation one, and what’s this He rises caught up by God. Not just resurrected to begin the eternal kingdom, but look he ascends where - to the right hand of God the Father -
And why? Do you remember where Satan was in the OT - remember the story of Job, where did Satan have access in the heavenly realms. And what is he called the Accuser of God’s People. Oh listen - to his sulphury influence even in your thoughts, even as he tried to whisper to the Christ - are you really Son of God, and your really child of God - wouldn’t be suffering, and to us wouldn’t have sin, struggle, God’ won’t accept your doubting faith. Satan accuses - just like he did Job. But here is the purpose of Christmas, the Messiah comes into this world, and something is changing in the position of Satan. No longer access to condemn God’s people. Who in a new way is at the Father’s right hand. Always in the bosom of the Father, but now taken your flesh and blood, assumed your human nature, now your brother in every way like you understanding you, representing you, - not ashamed to go beside Father - Jesus came to be your advocate.
Look at the rejoicing we are to be doing because of Christ’s first coming: Rev 12:10
Revelation 12:10 ESV
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
And in real way not just thrown down from his position with holy angels, now with Christ’s ministry, with his death resurrection , ascension, now Satan is thrown even out the heavens where he can accuse us. where is he thrown.
As Christ goes up, Satan is pushed down. He is defeated in the decisive battle Colossians 2: 15
Colossians 2:15 ESV
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Now in most real way as Col 2:9-10 puts it:
Colossians 2:9–10 ESV
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
This is the purpose of Christmas, and John quotes Psalm 2 to underline it back in v.5 He is born to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Those who oppose and rejected his way of truth and light and grace, those who align themselves with the devil deceived to live without and against God, just empty clay pots that will be smashed, but Christ reign by His Word and His grace, and all those who from every nation, kiss then Son as Psalm 2 says, come before the King of the nations, kiss the signet ring, - I choose your way of grace and righteousness is repent and submit to your gracious kingdom! - They will rejoice and look what they will enjoy from the Christ-child King:
Psalm 2:12
Psalm 2:12 ESV
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
And that brings us to the last way we are understand the Purpose of Christa and experience this male-child Saviour and King!. After his triumphant victory, aster He is caught up to God, what happens next?

C. The Future Reality: Protection & Provision for those who Endure & Conquer with the Lamb

At this seam at the half way point of the book of Revelation, God is showing John a vision of the past, present, but especially the future - so live better in the middle of their current reality where so much brokenness, suffering, evil still at work. What has been happening these 2000 long years with the Christ-child and you and me, the human race? What’s been happening with the wounded dragon? What will happen , what are we to do about Christmas?
And this is kind of the transition point of the book of revelation too, from the Lamb to the followers of the Lamb. What happens when the Dragon is fatally wounded and crushed, and Christ is caught up to God and this throne (v.5), and the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ get established? Where are God’s people and where is Satan? Look at Rev 12:6 in the wilderness … but being NOURISHED BY GOD
Revelation 12:6 ESV
and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
And this is where the great application of Christmas and this passage came to John's first readers and to us. What is the message that Christ has for His church in this world. Satan defeated but not yet thrown in the lake of fire, unable to thwart and defeat Christ. So what does does Satan do next? Who is he pursuing?? That’s v.11 -17. Rev 12:13
Revelation 12:13 ESV
And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
There is Satanic fury turned against all who would follow the Lamb who is the Lion and the King. John describes it like an unrelenting flood. As Satan is thrown down to earth, he is really and truly powerful and influential in your world, in your life, even in our homes, even in the church The last verse describes how we have to live in this last age: Rev 12:17b
Revelation 12:17 ESV
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
That’s what the repeated time reference to 1,260 days represents. Else where 3 1/2 years, and else where as in Rev 12:14
Revelation 12:14 ESV
But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
Where does that time reference come from? Prophesy of Daniel after 70w, this time times and half time, is the period before Christ’s return and the kingdom comes in fullness. This is the time John's fellow believers lived in, and Satan attacking the church and seeking to discourage and turn away people from Christ. But what is the reality of Christmas future in this verse, God came to be with us physically in Christ 2000 years, ago, But now spiritually lives with us with us still - and this is the picture of the Exodus - Exodus 19:4
Exodus 19:4 ESV
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
That’s the promise of Isaiah 40:31, Christ says by His Holy Spirit come to you will never leave or forsake you - bear you up! Time we also live in. How close to the end? That’s is not the point of Rev 12. But God sends us this greatest assurance and mission for our times: Rev 12:11a
Revelation 12:11 ESV
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
And look at v14 God gives the woman his His people the true Israel of God, two wings of the great eagle - to this place where she is protected and nourished until Christ comes again. Do you believe it - in the midst of this world - conquer the evil and the suffering and evil in this world by holding up and out the Blood f the Lamb and word of our testimony to what Jesus does! Look at v.16 the serpent may send unrelenting raging river of tests and trials - but God assures us the earth will come to the aid of his people - flood swallowed up just before us. That’s the purpose of Christmas - that the blood of the Lamb that alone can heal - the testimony to and about Jesus - that we hold to it, we share it - overcome er s in the midst of the strife o this world, and God says, I will be your refuge and strength - but you will contribute to the final defeat of Satan as you stand strong in thees times for Christ!
You look back and believe Christmas past, you by faith understand its significance in the battle and victory that’s in Christ. So now look ahead this Christ, understand your place in this battle and with your allegiance to Christ, his testimony, his call to a hurting, world, that is so -without- that is not toward God , lives aliened worse than any social alienation from each other, from God. Let’s trust we are protected and provided for as we stand in witness and service to the Lamb!
O Come receive Him Christ the Lord, your King! 345 Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Read Paradise Lost, as God metes out first punishment on Satan, how much Satan in the heavenly realm wants to get back at God - and how?
goal, like himself , usrup God’s role in life - be gods yourself… not just measure right and worng, but walk independently of God’s Soveriegn REIGN!
like Enlightment..
but beatuiful animal, maybe colours, walked upright? thrown down like rebel angels… 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6 Isaiah 14:12-15
Two characters - but what does the Male-child have in his hand Rev 12:5
Revelation 12:5 ESV
She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
- Psalm 2:9 a rod f Iron - Handle’s Messiah - he shall dash them, to pieces with .. Kiss the Son - nations swayed by Satan will be broken … voluntary submission to Son only hope!
And what is Satan’s goal = abort = serach and destory “devour and kill him” Rev 12:4 - so that the world can’t be saved and delivered - Paradise Lost - Satan’s aim to spite God… as soon as can’t prevent, from time of Abel, Seth’s line corrupted even … Noah Shem… Israel in Egypt -swallow up the male-childs… King David, - that seed. Esther and Haman- stamp out Messianic line… King Herod and what does the male-child and the holy family have to do? Rev 12:6 … w try to swallow up Him and His work
Revelation 12:6 ESV
and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
3 1/2 years= the cause of the suffering the 7 churches of Asia Minor going through,
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