Unwrapping Christmas: The Savior

INTRO: Christmas is Jesus. He is the reason we celebrate. It’s not about Santa Clause, gifts under the tree, or even time with family. Christmas is about Jesus. Yet, we celebrate Jesus for more than his birth or incarnation. True, we tend to focus on this aspect, but realistically, Jesus is the center of our faith, the object of our worship.

In fact, Luis Alvarado has a big sign at his driveway that he keeps up year-round which says “Jesus is the reason for the season”. I think it’s appropriate that he keeps it up year-round, for every season is indeed held together and celebrated because of Jesus.

And so, as we continue to march toward the 25th of December, we again want to take time to remind ourselves of WHY we celebrate Jesus. Last week we looked at Jesus as Messiah or the anointed one. We looked at the significance of Jesus’ anointing as our perfect prophet, priest, and king. Today, we look at another designation, “Savior”.

In Matthew 1, we read of how Joseph was in the midst of planning a secret divorce because his bride-to-be was pregnant and it was not his baby. But, then Joseph was illumined as to this birth and specifically to the identity of this child.

Let’s read verses 20-21;

Matthew 1:20–21 NASB95

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Do not be afraid, for this is no ordinary child. In fact, you will be in charge of naming him and you will name him “Jesus”

Jesus is the Greek word for the name Joshua as it is found in the Old Testament. In Aramaic or Hebrew, Jesus would have been called “Yeshua” because the J is actually pronounced as a “Y”. (Perhaps you’ve heard this pronunciation?)

Yeshua or Joshua means “Yahweh is Salvation”

Joseph was to name the child who was to be born to Mary “Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”

Jesus, is the tangible, touchable, really real salvation from God.

This morning, we want to interrogate this assertion by asking questions of Who, What, Why, and How. While many of you have heard of Jesus and the Christmas story, this message today will give a clear picture of why Jesus is the reason for every season: why we sing JOY to the world, why we celebrate and worship.

So, if you picked up a bulletin on your way in this morning, I invite you to use the provided sermon guide as we walk through the message together this morning. The sermon is Entitled “Unwrapping Christmas: The Savior”.

The first question we want to ask is

What Does Jesus Save From?

Verse 21 says that Jesus will save His people from their SINS.

This is His mission. In Luke 19:9, Jesus told Zaccheus that He came to seek and to save the lost.

His mission was not to save us from our sickness, though in compassion Jesus healed many and still heals.

His mission was not to save us from poverty, though in his generosity, He provides for our needs.

His mission was not to save from persecution. He actually tells us that we will face much trouble in this world, but we have comfort knowing He has overcome this world.

No, his mission is to save us from our sins. This begs the question: What is sin and why do we need to be saved from it?

Sin is anything that is not aligned with God’s perfect standard and character. This can be actions or attitudes. Intentional or unintentional. Conscious rebellion or even inaction when what is right requires action.

And sin has consequences. The wages of sin, Paul tells us in Rom. 6:23, is death. Now, this death came about into humanity from Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. This death is necessary because our flesh is corrupted. But the death that we need to be concerned with is what John describes as ‘the second death’

Revelation 21:8 NASB95

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

ILL: I’ve met many folks who just don’t see why we need to be saved from sin. They figure that if God is good, there wouldn’t be this kind of seemingly cruel punishment. Indeed, hell is a harsh reality that we just don’t like to talk about. Yet, Jesus is clear when he talks about the judgment that leads to eternal suffering in the place He describes as place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

But Jesus didn’t come to simply alleviate a penalty for sin, but to save us from sin. To rescue us from the oppressive rule and reign of sin in our lives as we walk this earth. We are saved from sin NOW and in eternity. We are free NOW from sin and as we take time to celebrate Christmas, we can rejoice as we share in His victory over sin.

Discuss: What does it mean to be saved from sin now?

This leads us to ask yet another question:

How Does Jesus Save?

In order to demonstrate this, I’d like to point you to the book of Hebrews this morning. We read this passage last week as we looked at Christ’s role as priest. But it deserves another look this morning.

Hebrews 9:11–15 NASB95

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Jesus, the perfect priest (as we learned last week) offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, being fully God and fully man, in order to cleanse us and to redeem us.

We call this “Substitutionary Atonement”. And it’s best understood as we look back to the sacrifices made in the OT which alleviated guilt temporarily and allowed for communion with God. But Jesus didn’t enter a man-made temple, but the perfect temple in heaven. And what he offered was the highest price- far greater than my sinful life, he offered His perfect life in place of ours!

Look over to

Hebrews 9:24–28 NASB95

For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

This was God’s redemptive plan! Jesus is Savior because He saves us from our sins by paying the price on our behalf. And folks, as people saved by Him, we ought eagerly await His return when His Kingdom comes in full.

Discuss: How do the Old Testament priests and sacrifices inform us of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement?

Now, there are still more questions: Next we ask

Why Does Jesus Save?

This is a question that is difficult to wrap our minds around. I mean, to me or you, it’s irrational.

We certainly do not deserve to be saved.

We cannot earn or repay for our salvation.

Psalm 8:4 NASB95

What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

Yet even so, Jesus said in

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

It is because God loves you and He loves me that He gave His son!

Jesus taught that there is no greater love that can be expresses than to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13).

Consider thus how Paul explains God’s love in

Romans 5:6–8 NASB95

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

ILL: Can we just pause and drink this truth in for a moment? The God of creation- who is greater and more mighty that we can imagine, who is all-knowing and all wise, who has need of nothing or no one, YET He looks on you and on me with love. The word love here is describing a sacrificial, patient, generous, compassionate kindness that is undeserved and immeasurable. Friends, do you know He loves you like this?

This love of God is indescribable… that’s why we tend to respond in either disbelief - How could this be true? or we respond in absolute awe as John describes

1 John 4:19 NASB95

We love, because He first loved us.

Jesus saves us from our sin through His sacrifice because He loves us with an everlasting and indescribable love.

Discuss: How have authors and artists attempted to describe God’s love? Spend time marinating on God’s love for us!

Finally, we must ask the question

Who Does Jesus Save?

Matt. 1:21 says that Jesus will save “His people”. Who are His people?

His people are those who have surrendered to His Lordship and accepted his gift of salvation. Let me read to you from Romans 10

Romans 10:9–13 NASB95

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; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

This is the message of Hope. That “Whosoever” will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!! (13)

Look again at v. 12- There is no nation or people group that is not included. There is no political party that is excluded. There is no social or intellectual class that is excluded.

Friends, the Good News about Jesus is for WHOSOEVER!!

But let’s not fly over what it means to call upon Him- More than 1-800-Save-me… it is a call to believe and to surrender to Jesus every part of our life. Salvation is becoming a citizen of Heaven and submitting to the King.

But there is a problem. There are at least 16k people in Transylvania County who consider themselves not religious and even more who have not called upon the name of the Lord.

Romans 10:14 NASB95

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

Jesus is Savior. He is the only one who saves from sin. He is the Way the Truth, and the Life! And we, His people are bearers of this good news!

Because Jesus is the reason for our Joy, we MUST take the opportunity to share Him with others.

Perhaps you are here this morning and the Good News of Jesus our Savior has become clear to you. If you have been stirred by the Word the the Lord- if the Holy Spirit is moving in your heart this morning, I urge you to call upon the name of Jesus.

Here in a moment, we will have a time of invitation as we sing. I’d love to walk with you as you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord.

Won’t you come?

Discuss: What Romans 14-15 role are you filling? How?

Let’s pray.