The Method Of Christmas Series

Intro: John 3:16 taught us that the Meaning of

Christmas is LOVE...God’s Love. Let us now focus on

the METHOD of Christmas: How did God demonstrate His

great love for us? To answer that, we turn to Philippians 2:5-11, and discover:

I. The ETERNAL GLORY He had before coming to Earth

(Phil 2:6)

*Necessitates explanation of Trinity...ONE GOD

MANIFESTING HIMSELF IN THREE PERSONS.

A. Co-Creator with the Father and Holy Spirit.

B. Limitless...eternally pre-existent.

C. All praise and adoration due the Father was

also due the Son, Jesus.

Jesus thought equality with the Father was

not something to be grasped (v.6)...i.e., He

did not hold on to it so tightly that the position

of equality was more important than His mission.

II. THE EXTENSIVE LIMITATIONS HE TOOK ON (2:7-8)

A. He "MADE HIMSELF NOTHING" (NIV)

1. Jesus who made something out of nothing

surely has the power to diminish Himself

into nothing.

B. TOOK ON THE FORM OF A SERVANT

1. He who was Equal with the Father, now

chose a VOLUNTARY DEMOTION for 33 years.

2. A Servant carries out the will of the

master...Jesus often said "I speak my

Father’s Words, I full my Father’s purpose,

I carry out my Father’s will."

3. Voluntarily submitting HIS will unto

the Father’s.

C. AND WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN

1. The God of the Universe limited Himself

to approximately 6lbs 8oz of humanity.

2. He became TOTALLLY DEPENDENT UPON TWO RATHER

INEXPERIENCED HUMAN BEINGS (JOSEPH AND MARY)

FOR ALL HIS NEEDS. (including protection from

Herod)

3. HE had to be fed, changed, clothed,had to

learn to crawl, walk, talk, become obedient,

and experienced all the NORMAL developmental

stages.

D. AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH

1. TOTAL obedience...despite temptations which

He battled without sinning, despite the

fact that He knew that the Cross was ahead

for Him

2. Picture Him in Gethsemane..."Father if it

be possible, let this cup pass from me..

Nevertheless, NOT MY WILL BUT THINE be done."

3. He endured the most inhumae form of torture

(crucifixion) IN OUR PLACE, FOR OUR SIN,

BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO

BE THE SACRIFICE. (the only Sinless Human

being, yet simultaneously fully God!)

III. THE EXHALTATION HE RECEIVED (V. 9-11)

*Because Jesus didn’t hold onto equality with God

and was willing to let that go temporarily, and

because HE was TOTALLY OBEDIENT...GOD RESTORED HIS

ORIGINAL POSITION OF EQUALITY WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS

MISSION ON EARTH...

Listen to some of my most favorite verses in the

Bible (Phil 2:9-11)

"..THEREFORE, God has HIGHLY EXHALTED HIM...and

given Him a NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME...

THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD

BOW...AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST

IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER."

**One day (and very soon) all those who terorize

this world will be forced to bow in the face of the

strength and power of Jesus Christ. They will also

be forced to admit, (confess) HE IS LORD, AFTER ALL.

PROBLEM: THAT confession will not produce Salvation...

Jesus wants us to BOW before Him now...voluntarily..

by our own choice...and CONFESS HIM now, voluntarily

by our own choice..and THAT KIND OF CONFESSION produces

Salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

Don’t wait until He returns in power and then

all mankind is forced to admit (not receive) the

Lordship of Jesus.

Conclusion:

Phil 2:5 says "have this attitude in you, which

was in Christ Jesus..." That’s our challenge...

WHAT ATTITUDE???

1.One who didn’t hold onto his very valueable position

so tightly.

2.One who was willing to become "nothing" and limit

Himself and become obedient to the Father’s Will.

3.One who considered us more important than Himself..

and proved that by dying for us and rising again

on the third day.

4.One who trusted God the Father enough to know

that the Father’s way is always the best way,

regardless of the sacrifices required.

God’s METHOD OF CHRISTMAS...HOW HE DEMONSTRATED

HIS LOVE FOR US IS FOUND IN THESE VERSES. LET US

NOW DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE TO OTHERS.