NJ - Christmas 2020

Christ our Savior is born

Christmas 2020

Introduction:

Christmas is a time were people celebrate many things. As believers in Jesus Christ it is a time for us to celebrate His birth. The continuation of Gods plan, to restore us back to relationship with Him.

Open in Prayer

Matthew 1:18–25 NKJV

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Point 1.

The birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour

The birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour was foretold in the book of Isaiah.

Matthew 1:23 NKJV

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Point 2

God had a plan from the beginning

The fall of man (Adam & Eve)

God had a plan from the beginning to restore our relationship with Him

The birth of Jesus was a continuation of that plan for you and I

Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:45–48 NKJV

45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.

Point 3

Adam Was the First Man

These two names of Jesus compare Him with Adam. Adam was the first man who was created. The Bible says that God made Adam out of the dust of the earth.

Genesis 2:7 NKJV

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Adam had one nature - that of a human. He had the possibility of disobedience and did disobey God. After the sin of Adam and Eve animal sacrifices were brought to God. Yet the blood of animals could not take away the sin of Adam and his race. God had to have perfect human nature sacrificed in place of sinful human nature.

Point 4

Jesus The Last Adam

The Lord Jesus is the last Adam and the Second Man.

He is the last man to be without a sin nature.

His nature was both human and divine.

He was from heaven.

The Bible says that Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Summary

Adam, the first human, was created perfect from the dust of the ground. But Adam disobeyed and brought sin into the world. Jesus is the "last Adam" in the sense that He was the last man who did not have a sin nature. Although He was like Adam in that He did not have a sin nature He was different from Adam in that Jesus was from heaven. Consequently, Jesus was able to be the sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world.