T’was The Night Before Christmas Series

There’s probably no one here who is not familiar with Clement Moore’s famous poem …

“T’was the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.”

It’s become a traditional Christmas Eve piece.

Yet, few people know that the Book of Hebrews also contains what is known as the “true rendition” of the story; “The Night before Christmas.”

This passage is one of the most intriguing passages in the Bible because it contains the words that Jesus communicated to God the Father on the day Jesus left heaven to come to earth to become the Savior of the World.

In Hebrews chapters 8 and 9, we have captured a glimpse of Jesus after His visitation to earth and have seen Him now, serving as the High Priest, making intercession for us in the heavenly tabernacle.

Yet, Hebrews chapter 10, now rewinds the story line and takes us back to the night before Jesus left His heavenly home and came to earth to become the Savior of the World. It helps us capture a glimpse of Jesus before His visitation to earth -- it literally lets us in on the conversation Jesus had with the Heavenly Father before coming to earth.

This story is more than a story from someone’s imagination; it is revelation from God. The Bible tells us that it really happened. Here we have a record of the conversation God’s Son had with God the Father on that first Christmas Eve.

Let’s focus specifically on Hebrews 10: 5-7 and let’s listen to Jesus words Jesus said before coming to be born as a baby in Bethlehem.

“Therefore, when He (Christ) came into the world He says, Sacrifice and Offering You have not desired but a body you have prepared for me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins you have taken no pleasure, then I said, Behold I have come ( in the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do your will, O God.” Vs. 5-7

Transitional Sentence: In this passage we are reminded of what God provided for us through Jesus. What did God provide for us through Jesus?

I. He Provided A Body to Die For Us

vs. 5- “But a body you have prepared for me....”

Explanation:

In verse 5, before Jesus was born, He said something very intriguing. He said: “A body you have prepared for me...”

In this passage we are reminded that Jesus was God and with God from the very beginning. John 1:1 says: “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

This passage tells us that God who is a Spirit; was given a body. Jesus is deity wrapped up in humanity. The little baby of Luke 2, is the great God of Genesis 1. On Christmas God took on a body through the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus clearly communicated that he was God. Have you read how He introduced himself? He said in John 8:58 that he preceded Abraham saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

How did Jesus see Himself? He saw Himself as God with a body. Why a body?

He explains it when He says: “Sacrifice and offerings you did not desire.” Vs. 5 What does this mean?

Some people could take this statement of Jesus and say: “This means that the Old Testament sacrifices were inappropriate yet this is not what it means. It means that the Old Testament sacrifices were inadequate and incomplete.

In verse 1 we are reminded of this fact as we read: “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come are not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year make perfect those who draw near.” vs. 1

They were not wrong, but were a preview of the perfect sacrifice that was to come.

They were a glimpse, a foretaste, and a glimpse of the true sacrifice of the body God prepared for Jesus to sacrifice on the cross for you and me.

Illustration: Going to the movies to watch the previews

Do you like to go to the movies?

When we go to the movies, we go for the “Feature Presentation.” Yet, what we have to endure is the “previews.” Often, we sit there for 45 minutes of previews.

Can you imagine someone going to the movie, only to leave after the previews? Can you imagine someone saying: “I saw the previews, that’s enough for me.”

That would be crazy wouldn’t it?

Application:

The writer of Hebrews is speaking to people who had heard about Jesus’ sacrifice of Jesus, but were rejecting, walking away, and ignoring what He did on the cross.