Advent Christ

Advent Christ

The Child King

Merry Christmas

Isaiah 42:1-4, 7:14

Read the Passage & Pray

Intro - For you, what part of Christmas puts you in the Christmas Spirit?

What is your favorite part of Christmas?

For me it’s the lights.

For others:

-Christmas songs

-Santa Clause

-Gifts

-the Christmas food and sweets

-the red and green Christmas clothing, hats and antlers.

-Maybe for you the family being together. Makes Christmas for you.

Transition - But when you read the scripture.

When we look at the spiritual focus of Christmas we see the baby.

Can I tell you something - It is very easy to miss God when you look at the Christmas child.

-Why? There were at least a billion babies born before Jesus and there would be billions of babies born after the Christmas Child.

-It is so easy to miss God who came in the flesh and think “This is common, He is just one of many infants.

-If you are not a “baby person”, its even easier for you to miss the Christ Child.

Transition - But this wasn’t any infant. In fact

Here is the miracle part -

The God who spoke the universe and planets into existence.

The God who created the tiniest detail of life...

The God who is Spirit and had no flesh, no physical body...

Became a baby.

-In a miracle the Son of God became human.

-100% God - 100% man.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

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.

Immanuel means God with us.

Transition ...

Even in Bible times it was easy to miss the birth of this Child King, The Child Savior.

Jesus was not publically announced as a King, except to some dirty shepherds who were nobodies in the eyes of society.

Transition -

But the prophecies about Jesus would tell of His greatness.

Look at how our passage in Isaiah describes Him.

First we see His great power as God.

Greatness and Power seen

vs. 1 Justice to the Nations, those who have rebelled against Him will be held accountable.

-Recently I was at a Christmas Dinner and we got telling stories of our childhood. I told a funny story of something I did to my brother that ended in the worst spanking of my life.

-There were times that we needed justice served in our lives for our own good.

-God is not only a God of love, but when he returns there will be justice for those who have rejected Him.

vs. 3, Tells of His greatness

Bring forth Justice to those ho have taken advantage of the individuals who are weak, poor, and taken advantage of.

vs. 4 He will reestablish His Law, He will be the one who will rule the earth that He has judged.

-He will rule as a mighty King.

-These things point to Jesus second coming.

-When Jesus comes again to rule and to reign.

Transition - But in this prophecy we also see glimpses of what Jesus would be like when He came the first time to earth. And what we see is great humility.

Humility seen in:

42:1, “my servant”, Matthew 20:28

Matthew 20:28 (ESV)

28 “… the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

42:2, “Not cry aloud or lift up his voice.

No yelling, He doesn’t bring attention to himself.

-We all know loud people who draw attention to themselves.

-Jesus was not loud and boisterous. He didn’t bring attention to Himself.

-Jesus was meek & mild.

43:3, Jesus will not break a bruised reed or quench a burning wick

-This bruised reed is a picture of someone who is week and hurt.

-In gentleness & tenderness, Jesus will not break you.

-The wick that is quenched or snuffed out is a picture of someone who not able to produce anymore, someone who has physically, emotionally, mentally almost burned out. Jesus does not throw that person to the side.

-He treats you with value and respect.

-He is a tender Savior. He cares for his own. He gently loves.

Transition - What can we conclude from this? That when Jesus came the first time, He came in humility.

We see this in the symbolism of God in bodily form as a child.

His first appearing was not to be the King (That comes in his second appearing)

-Jesus first came as a humble servant. He served you!

How? By becoming what you needed most - THE SAVIOR.

-Will you trust Him as your Savior?

Illustration

Jesus was born and was placed on straw in a box nailed together by a few pieces of wood. We call this a manger. A feeding box for animals.

But - Jesus didn’t come for the purpose of being placed in a wooden box.

He came to be laid on the wood of a cross.

That nails of the cross were not meant for the wood, they were meant for His hands and feet.

John MacArthur says it this way...

Quote “... Those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant’s head with sparkling eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear. Jesus was born to die.” Unquote

Christ Jesus went to the cross to make a payment for sin.

Jesus took the punishment for sin on Himself, so He could save you..

Have you given your life fully to Him in faith?

-If not, tonight is the night. Now is the time.

If you have given your life in Faith to Jesus, do you adore Him?

Do you lift Him in your heart in splendor?

I’ll close with this illustration -

Many years ago in a church Christmas play a little boy named James was chosen to play the part of the Bethlehem Inn Keeper. The Bethlehem inn keeper was to tell the Mary and Joseph that there was no room in the inn and to go away.

James had just 3 short lines.

James was excited, nervous, and ready for the big night.

He had his 3 lines memorized perfectlty.

The big night came. The Christmas play started, the scene came that James was in began. James was ready.

As Joseph and Mary approached the inn, there stood James at the door with his lantern, he said his first line,

“What do you want?”

Joseph said, “We seek lodging sir, we have asked everywhere in vain, we have been traveling and are very weary. As you can see my wife is pregnant and could deliver the baby anytime now.”

James aggressively said his second line, “Go away, we have no room for you here.”

Joseph begged, but James made it clear, as the innkeeper delivered his third and final line, “Stop bothering me, there is no room, now leave.”

At this point Joseph placed his arm around Mary and they slowly walked away. As James watched, His heart began to stir. It just wasn’t right.

James yelled out, “Wait! Don’t go! Bring Mary back!”

Joseph and Mary turned around and walked back to James.

Then came a line that would forever be remembered, with tears in his eyes James said, “You can have my room!”

The tender heart of James was moved by God in a special way.

James made room for the Savior.

I wonder in your heart if you have room for the Savior.

-We love the lights, the music, and the Family at Christmas....

-But we are called Adore the Savior.

Do you adore Him?

-And if you have not trusted Him will you trust Him now?