The Mission of Christmas

Matthew 1 21. and she shall bring forth a son Thou shalt call his name Jesus and the reason you'll call him that is for he shall save his people from their sins I'd like to speak to you this evening on the mission of Christmas please be seated let's dive into the word of God in this month three Wednesdays of December when we have church I spoke the first Wednesday night on the Miracles of Christmas which included prophecy the census the Angelic announcement the visitation or the Zechariah Elizabeth that story with John the Baptist Simeon and Anna the wise men the provision and protection provided by the Lord the Virgin birth and I'll mention this tonight in my message but really the timing of his coming was a miracle in there are many many other Miracles surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ the message of Christmas is clear and I spoke about this last Wednesday night the angel said unto them fear not the behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people so those three components good news great joy all people that was the message of Christmas tonight I'd like to speak about this mission of Christmas why Jesus came how he came when he came and to whom he came the first is the most obvious it's in the text it's what we typically know that Jesus came into the world because we were lost in sin and because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden Romans 5 and 12 said wherever wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men and for that all have sinned when Gabriel came to Joseph to make this announcement I wanted to look at the entire passage of Matthew 1 starting in verse 18. now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise and let me pause to say in Matthew a more slanted writing toward a Jewish Christian audience and so all the prophecies 40 direct references or 60 references 40 quotes and it was because the scripture was being fulfilled Matthew wanted to make sure that every Jewish person knew that Jesus Christ was the son of God according to the flesh so Matthew was going to take that angle and now we have him speaking to Jesus now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost then Joseph her husband and we know that they're betrothed but their marriage has not been consummated there was more serious than an engagement in our culture it was contractual it had to be broken officially you couldn't just send a text message and break up if you were betrothed it was more serious than that Joseph her husband being a just man not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily or privately but while he fought on these things here's a case for not being Hasty or rash when making serious decisions he thought about it he gave God time to speak to him about it while he thought on these things the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Joseph thou son of David we see this reinforcement that he's of the lineage of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins the mission of Christmas to save people from their sins but then Matthew tells us now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying Behold a virgin not just a young woman but a young pure woman a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth son they shall call his name Emmanuel which being interpreted is god with us so Matthew interprets gives us what Emmanuel means then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bid in him and took unto him his wife and knew her not did not consummate the marriage until she had brought forth her firstborn son and she called his name Jesus this is not part of my Bible study there are some people that believe in the Perpetual virginity of Mary but Mary and Joseph went on to have at least four boys and at least two girls the four sons are named sisters are referred to we know there's more than one it's plural so Joseph and Mary went on to have a family but Jesus is born of God Amen now I want to make an observation tonight in a practical way as I was studying through this Joseph had no biological connection to Jesus in one sense the Lord did not need a father he was the father did not need Joseph the Lord could have appeared to Mary only but he made Joseph part of the plan Joseph would be the husband of Mary The Stepfather of Jesus Joseph was the head of the home and God would not consider leaving him in the dark this is what struck me today that he didn't just speak to Mary through Gabriel and Mary try to convince Joseph but God believes in order he created Authority in order and the home so he goes to the head of this home doesn't leave Joseph in the dark and we know that Joseph needed to hear from God about the role he would play because he was minded to put her away privately as opposed to publicly humiliating her so I want to say something practically to our families that we must understand the wisdom of God that he created in the family structure parents should not leave the other parent out specifically wives don't leave fathers in the dark don't protect your kids from their fathers or hide information from them now I know there are single parent homes and we always understand that you need the father's involvement he has a right to be in the conversation and you're not wise to ignore the principles of the Bible there are consequences for Disobedience and taking things into your own hands and God Almighty respected the institution that he created a marriage in Joseph and makes him part of this story and to my knowledge I've never spoken about that but it struck me strongly today as I was going through this passage so Jesus came to save us from our sins that's why he came from before the Fallen Eden there was a plan and in that in the garden after sin when the Lord curses the serpent he says to him and I will put enmity between thee and the woman between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel he there's a prophecy in Genesis 3 15 that a descendant of the woman would crush the serpent that one day a messiah would come amen and then God In the Garden of Eden shed blood to cover the sin of Adam and Eve Genesis 3 21 Adam also to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them you cannot make a coat of skins without killing the animal that for the coat so God offered the first Blood sacrifices and then covered Adam and Eve with the covering that he provided for them not their man-made covering a fig Leaf so God in the beginning institutes blood sacrifice what would be like an atonement or satisfying the wrath of God and that we are clothed with the righteousness of God all the way back to Genesis God is laying out his plan to let us know why he would come now you can fast forward through the Old Testament but it is staying with the blood of sacrifices the sacrificial system we know culminated with the death of Jesus Christ Jesus died once for all in Hebrews chapter 10 verses 4 through 14 these verses will not be on the screen the Bible said it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins therefore when he came into the world speaking king of Jesus he said sacrifice and offering he did not desire but a body you have prepared me and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure then I said behold I have come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do your Will O God I'll speak about this a little bit later but Jesus Christ came to die to do the will of almighty God saying sacrifices and offering burnt offerings and offerings for sin you did not desire nor had no pleasure in them which are offered according to the law then he said behold I have come to do your Will O God he says it again he takes away the first Covenant that he may establish the second by that will we have been Sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all I thank God that we know why he came to take away the sins of the world now writer of Hebrews goes on to say that priests that Minister daily offering sacrifices that can never take away sins but Jesus Christ did waiting until his enemies become his footstool and he we have been perfected Forever by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ it was necessary for God to provide himself a sacrifice for sins in Isaiah 59 the Bible speaks about God looking and there was no intercessor there was no one who could come between sinful man and his Holiness so the Bible said his own right arm got salvation he did it himself in Revelation chapter 5 that speaks of the Lamb of God they're around the throne and they see this book that is sealed with Seven Seals and there's an angel proclaiming who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof and there's no man in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth it's able to open the book or even to look thereon and John in this book he this this dialogue this picture he sees is really like a movie I went much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to look thereon and one of the elders said unto me weep not Behold The Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seals thereof and I be held in the midst of the throne one of four beasts and in the midst of the Elder stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the Earth and he came and took the book out of the right hand the head that sat on the throne we're seeing the mediatorial role of Jesus Christ there's one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus so this figurative he takes his book as as this perfect sacrificial lamb amen and when they had taken the book The Four beasts and Four and Twenty Elders fell down before the lamb having every one of them Harps and golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying Thou Art Worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and as redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us Kings and made us unto God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth the purpose of the mission the purpose of Jesus Christ coming to the Earth you may hear the word the Incarnation God becoming flesh is to save people from their sins Paul expressed it like this in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 15. this is a faithful saying several of Paul's faithful sayings and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief and I include the next verse on purpose how be it for this cause Paul said I obtain Mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should Hereafter believe on him to life Everlasting in other words Paul said I'm the greatest sinner the chief of Sinners if he can save me he can save anyone on the pattern and anyone else can find forgiveness by the blood of Jesus Christ that is why he came in math in Luke 19 19 Luke 19 10 Jesus this is a story of of uh yes Nicodemus pardon me not not Nicodemus Zacchaeus Zacchaeus for the son of man has come to seek and to save that with his loss that's what happens when you don't put the context in your notes that's why he came in Luke 15 uh the really religious people were very upset that Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors that he hung out with ungodly people and so in response to what they thought he must not be very spiritual to either discern who these people are or to associate with them because certainly if God is Holy he never hangs out with bad people and so Jesus tells these three stories of the lost sheep the Lost coin and the lost son and then he says this more than once but in Luke 15 7 I say to you that likewise Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents more than over 99 just persons which need no repentance this is the mission of Christmas that lost people could be saved but I want to go into a little few other facets or aspects of the coming of Jesus Christ in this Mission and that is the second point is how he came God came into Earth as a man first Timothy 2 5. I mentioned this verse earlier for there is one God and one mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time so I want you to see that the way he came was a way of suffering of humility of humanity amen second Corinthians 8 and 9 for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich God in the highest came to Earth in the lowest amen it's interesting that while God owns everything right a cattle on a thousand hills and if he was hungry Audrey he would not ask us the Earth Is His and the fullness thereof but in the days of his flesh Jesus Christ owned almost nothing in Matthew 8 there was a man who wanted to follow him a certain scribe and Jesus told him the foxes have holes the birds of the air have their nests but the son of man doesn't even have a place to lay his head he borrowed he was not a man of means in this earth Philippians 2 and 5 speaks about how he came this condescension if you ever knew the song how I loved him how I adore him the great Creator became my savior what condescension bringing us Redemption well Philippians 2 5 talks about this let this mind this mind of humility be in you which also is in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation his mission was to save people but in that mission he came as humble and lowly as you could fathom he made himself of no reputation took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross at the time of his crucifixion he takes takes Peter James and John aside in the Garden of Gethsemane Matthew 26. he's very sorrowful and heavy and he prays if it's possible that this cup of suffering death and becoming sin pass from me I think it's the whole package of everything Calvary meant nevertheless not as I will but as thou Wilt I read from Hebrews earlier that twice there in the volume of the book it is written I've come to do thy will o God he came in the lowest possible form of humanity the disciples slept he prayed again three times the Bible said he prays his prayer I will do the will of God at any cost when Isaiah looks ahead Isaiah 53 this this uh Isaiah this chapter of the suffering servant he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is dumb so he openeth not his mouth Hebrews 2 speaks of him that he did not take on him the nature of angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham it behooved him to be made likened to his Brethren he chose not just to come and save us but to be like us to feel what we feel and experience every experience of Life as a human being and the reason Hebrews says he did that Hebrews 2 17 said he might be a merciful and faithful high priest and things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himself have suffered being tempted he is able also to help or the King James says Sakura suffer them that are tempted Hebrews again 4 15 we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin and because he came like that he tells us let us therefore come boldly into the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need the mission of Christmas was that Jesus Christ came to save Sinners but to show his love for us he didn't just come into the world but he came like us to Bethlehem to a Manger to a poverty-stricken young couple he came like that I humbly serving lowly dying feeling our infirmities that was the mission of Christmas he also came in the fullness of time it is amazing you know there's people who say I guess there's a song right he may not come when you want him but he'll be there right on time and the Lord seems to like to stretch our trust in him to the breaking point remember Saul was waiting on Samuel Samuel didn't come at the appointed time released from Saul's perspective he didn't come early in that morning that last day seventh day I believe so he offered sacrifice to his presumptuous entered into an office that did not belong to him God seems to do that but Galatians 4 4. but when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law the fullness of time like the picture of a woman about to have a baby and the fullness of that time the the world ready for a savior now I mentioned this earlier that this is an amazing Miracle of Christmas as well if you go back to the Book of Daniel chapter 9 Daniel says that 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city and he gives the reasons to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in Everlasting righteousness to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy that's a lot of purposes of God in these 70 weeks of years 70 times seven years and he tells them that from the going forth of this command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the prince there shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks the street shall be built again in the wall even in trouble sometimes and after the 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut off there is this prophecy in Daniel and it is tied to time it is tied to God's time clock so not only did he come not only did he come from a virgin in a lowly way but he came at the precise point in human history that was designed by God that the Messiah would be cut off and then everything that unfolded in prophetic uh the prophetic word of God 70 weeks and we know that we're living in a pause between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel's prophecy the times of the Gentiles waiting for the fullness of the Gentiles to come in Luke 21 24 my notes that Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled this is an amazing thing that God has never been caught off guard he's never had to react from Genesis 3 from the foundation of the world he knew when he would come and it is an amazing thing that God is totally in control of time and he chose to make his entrance into Earth at a very dark time morally I've spoken about this years ago but J.W Shepherd one of the classic books on the Life of Christ speaks of this time as a time of great moral degeneration that 2 000 Lords in Rome had 1.3 million slaves that they treated with cruelty in the Empire there were six million slaves some rich people marriage was the exception immorality infidelity ungodly priests were supposed to be representatives of religion Rome oppressing the Jewish people philosophies of the Greek had failed Greeks had failed them Emperors that were Monsters of crime you can Google this or you can search it in history books about the herodian family the family of the herods and all of the atrocities that they committed these were vicious evil people think about King Herod killing all the baby boys two years of age age and younger around Bethlehem to try to Stamp Out Jesus Christ this was the world into which Jesus Christ came and he would come to overcome the world he would come at a time of great Darkness Isaiah 9 and 2 spoke about that day the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light they that dwell in the shadow the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined the writer Matthew quoted Isaiah in Matthew 4 the people which sat in darkness saw great light from that time he said Jesus began to preach repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Jesus came into the darkness to be the light of the world John 1 and 5 and the light shined in the darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not in the fullness of time Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins but I also want you to think about those to whom he came John 1 and 9 says he's the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world he was in the world the world was made by him and the world knew him not he came to his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave him power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor of the will of men the flesh nor the will of man but of God Jesus came first to the lost sheep of the House of Israel now I'm not going to try to unpack this whole concept this all throughout the gospels but the syrophoenician woman that comes to him you know asking for a miracle and he said it's not proper to give the children's bread to dogs and she says yes Lord but you know even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the master's table but Jesus is worse to her in Matthew 15 24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel his first mission was to his own to his own people the Jews when he was rejected by those who should have accepted him he reached out to others in Matthew 22 there is a parable of the kingdom it is told in terms of a king giving a marriage for his son and he invites all the guests who should have come to that wedding supper Matthew 22 if you're taking notes the Bible said in Matthew 22 3 they would not come can you imagine getting an invitation from the president from a king from the governor and just saying you know not having a what we call it Atlanta West not having a holy ghost excuse a real legitimate excuse you just won't come they would not come and he sent other servants he gave them another chance come to this dinner they're bitten I prepared a dinner I've got ox and fatlings everything is ready come into the marriage but they made light of it boy be careful when you make light of spiritual things they went their ways one to his farm another to his merchandise and the rest of him took his service and entreated him spitefully and slew them when I was reading this I thought of Stephen's sermon when he said which of the prophets have you not killed and stoned them I mean everyone that God sent there's that story when last of all he sent his son the Jews rejected those that God sent them so they slew him this is a parable of Israel but when the king heard thereof he was angry Roth sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their City I think this probably refers to this to the to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D but it's Matthew 22 verse 7. then he said to his servants the wedding is ready but those that were Biden were not worthy now I love what Jesus says those that were invited refused to come but Jesus now says they were not worthy to come their rejection of him made them unworthy no one is worthy to be saved but if you will receive the gift of eternal life you can have it he makes us worthy right but rejection made them unworthy so he tells them go to the highways and as many as you can find bid them to the marriage this is the mission of Christmas go find anybody you can there's another Parable not this one that talks about the halt the blind the lame and you can see these Misfits and outcasts hobbling into to that Feast this is a similar story but different different Parable so those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they found and I love this phrase both bad ain't good they didn't say oh you look bad you are bad pass you by this is the gospel of course that if that person responds God can make them good we should not decide whether or not they get to say yes or no they invited everybody and the wedding was furnished with guests in John 10 16 Jesus said and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and they shall be there shall be one fold and one Shepherd what a prophecy of a gentile Jew Church an offless Church the mission of Christmas the book of Acts Chronicles the Journey of Jewish rejection we know that by and large National Israel rejected Jesus Christ turned him over to the Romans and he was crucified but the book of Acts closes after a series of rejections by Jews here and there with Paul saying to them the Holy Ghost spoke to Isaiah saying go to this people and say hearing you will hear and not understand seeing you will see and not perceive for the heart of his people has grown dull their ears are hard of hearing their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and hearth their ears unless they should understand with their hearts in turn so that I should heal them this is speaking of national Israel and Paul is quoting this prophecy of them and Paul says this is the very last chapter the very end of the book of Acts therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles and they shall hear it now this is an amazing thing I'm talking now about the mission of Christmas but specifically to whom Jesus Christ came in Romans 11 25 the Apostle Paul said that we should not be ignorant of the mystery that you should not be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles have come in in other words we most of us are Gentiles non-jewish people we are here tonight say by the grace of God because the Lord came to save everybody to seek and to save the Lost he came not just for Israel but he came because of us in Romans 11 11 Paul speaks about The Stumbling of Israel that they stumbled not that they should fall but to provoke them the jealousy and because of that salvation has come to the Gentiles and then he said now their fall is the riches of the world their failure riches for the Gentiles how much more their fullness it's an amazing passage Romans 9 through 11 and he's saying that we've been crafted in now amen we have this opportunity for salvation because of the mission of Christmas the Apostle Paul wrote to Gentile Christians in Ephesians 2 and he said remember that in time past you were called gentiles according to the flesh by the circumcision they called you uncircumcision in that time you were without Christ aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world that's how you were before Christ but now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off have been made nigh have been brought close by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who had made both one Jew and Gentile and have broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of Commandments contained in ordinances for to make in himself of two two peoples Jew and Gentile one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby and he came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that are not Gentiles and Jews he turns that around and we both have access to him by one spirit and we are No More Strangers we are no more foreigners but we're fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God Paul's right here to say man there are some times when I am preaching and even recently I don't remember in which message but I sense that many people feel like they're that odd person now nobody understands really who they are what they feel what they're going through I know that Satan is an accuser that most people feel unworthy and without the blood of Christ we are beat ourselves up but I thank God that by his blood I've been brought close to God Amen that I've been made worthy by his sacrificial death that is the mission of Christmas and it is not based on my righteousness or worthiness not anything that I bring to the table except my will in Repentance confessing and forsaking my sins and it is a blood of Christ that saved me and made me worthy to stand in the presence of God amen A Christmas Story demonstrates the scope of God's reach he came to lower class Shepherds and he came to upper class Gentile wise men you know the star and the journey and gold frankincense and myrrh and all of that this old man Simeon and this old Widow Anna who come into the story it is dedication God had the entire spectrum of society in mind when he came in his ministry he reached all classes and all cultures from fishermen to tax collectors from religious people like Nicodemus and Joseph of armatheon the Rich Young Ruler that he reached for to immoral people like the woman at the well like the woman caught in adultery he came for disease and infirmed people like the rich man's son Peter's mother-in-law the paralytic the of Bethesda the man with the withered hand the man born blind Bartimaeus the blind man the deaf and the dumb man that heard a young boy with epilepsy he came for sick people like that he came to raise the dead to life again like the son of the Widow at nane jairus's daughter jairus's daughter in Lazarus among others that were raised from the dead he came for demon-possessed people like the demoniac of gadera and others out of whom Devils were cast he came for Jews for Samaritans for Gentiles he came for us to throw that gospel net out into the sea and having a fine mesh pull it all in we'll sort him at the shore but don't leave anybody out that is the mission of Christmas that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief but his mission has become our mission amen First John 3 16. hereby perceive we the love of God this is how we know God loves us because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren John writes a lot about loving one another and the dimensions of love amen Jesus Christ came to reconcile amen the world to himself second Corinthians 5 18. and all things are of God or of God with reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and have given to us the ministry of reconciliation of bringing people back to God John 20 21 Jesus to his disciples and again Jesus said Jesus to them again peace be unto you as my father had sent me even so send I you Matthew 10 Jesus sent his disciples out to preach he said go preach saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand here's what I want you to do he said I want you to heal the sick I want you to cleanse the lepers raise the Dead cast out Devils freely you have received freely give God's mission was to be with us in Christ Jesus then God chose to be in us through the power of the Holy Ghost so that he could work through us to make us partners in this mission and then I want to pause and Ponder just for a moment that the mission of Christmas was that Christ Jesus came into the world to save me and Christ Jesus came into the world to save you the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in colossae Colossians 1 21. this just phrase and I should have put this in my notes for the media but Paul said and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by Wicked Works yet now hathy reconciled so here's what I want to say to you tonight and you and you and you and you and me that were sometimes alienated and enemies from God he came to reconcile us this is what Gabriel told Matt told Joseph in the Book of Matthew 1 21. she shall bring forth the son Thou shalt call his name Jesus Jesus means Jehovah saves Jesus Saves the Lord has become Our Savior that idea jehoshua Joshua saved us from our enemies Jesus will save us from our sins the name Jesus is the savior the Lord our savior call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins and First Timothy 1 and 15 is your standing please First Timothy 1 15. this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief so tonight while I think we all understand his mission and our mission that his mission is our mission tonight I really felt to to end this Bible study by reminding you that you were his mission that he did all of this for you because he loves you even when you were dead in sins even when you and I were unworthy and that is the mission