Who is Jesus?
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Merry Christmas! Yesterday many of us celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God! Because of this wonderful gift we can Rejoice, and Celebrate, and here is why, because Christ has come to give us new life.
One of the great things that I read about yesterday is the birth of Christ and in Matthew chapter 1 we are told that when Mary conceived and brought forth her child they called him Immanuel, which means God with us. Immanuel is one of several names that we know have been given to Jesus. Here are several others that we read about that tell us who Jesus is.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
But as I was reading about who Jesus is I was reminded how all the prophecies had come to pass about Jesus. His coming as well as his death and resurrection. But there may be some here today that still wonder why did this have to happen?
Ultimately the ‘why’ of Christmas helps answer the bigger question: why did Jesus come? Jesus came to atone for our sins. The disciple John said it this way about another description of who Jesus is.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
But what does this really mean? What did it look like? Isaiah 53 perfectly lays out why Jesus came, what it meant, and how it would look.
In the Old Testament we know from Scripture that God had this plan to take His people out of Egypt. It was there that we begin to really see how this sacrificial system was put into place. Hebrew or Jewish families when preparing for Passover, would select a perfect lamb, and then bring it into their homes and care for it. The children of those households, which undoubtedly were like most children, would have bonded with the lamb. The little creature surely brought them comfort and joy. Yet, as they welcomed it into their homes, fed it and took care of it, within a few short days their joy was crushed by the stark reality of what that lamb meant for their lives—it would be sacrificed to pay for their sins. And down through the pages of God’s Word we see this repeated over and over again. A lamb would have to be offered up for the sins of the people.
The reason why I share this with us today is because we need to know that Jesus was our substitute, he was the lamb who suffered and died for our sin. Here is how the prophet Isaiah describes what Jesus did for us.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
So, What can we do too today to respond to this wonderful news? Well there are a couple of things. In just a moment we are going to stand and remember what the Lord has done for us by taking communion. So, we can be reminded of these words from Luke.
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.
For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
But also, I want us to be reminded that because of what Christ has done for us we can have victory over sin. Because of the Lord’s death and resurrection we can continue to walk in faith and trust in God’s plan for our lives. Here is how Paul describes what this looks like.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
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,
in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Christmas is about the celebration of Jesus, our Savior. As Steven Lawson from OnePassion Ministries said, “Jesus did not come to create a holiday. He was born to die for sinners.” What good news this is for us, that through Jesus there is no longer condemnation. What a truly amazing gift that we get to celebrate. Take time today and through out this week to give thanks to the King of kings, the Prince of Peace, the author and perfecter of our faith.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(Close in Prayer and lead into Communion)