Decisions That Made Christmas

Title: Decisions that made Christmas.

Introduction.

In 5 days from now we will celebrate the birth of Christ. Now of course nobody knows for sure what day of the year Jesus was actually born but the bigger point is that we do know he was born and that fact changed everything.

The title of today’s sermon is “Decisions that made Christmas.” It’s important to always remember that Christmas did not happen by change. Christmas could only happen because certain decisions were made. Since we all have benefited greatly from those decisions it’s only right that we take this time to recognize and honor the decisions that made Christmas.We want to start by recognizing and honoring the very first decision that made Christmas happen.The Bible tells us that this decision was made before the foundation of the world and was first revealed to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

1. God’s decision: To send us His Son.

Galatians 2:4-5 tells us a lot about God’s decision to send us His Son at Christmas.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Here in these verses we find the answers to the following 2 questions. Why did God send His Son 2000 years ago and not say 1000 years ago? What did God send His Son to do?

Why did God send Christ 2000 years ago and not say 1000 years ago? 2000 years ago was when” the fullness of the time had come.”

2000 years ago was the perfect time to send Jesus.2000 years ago 4 things made it the perfect time to send Jesus

1. A common language (Greek)

2. A good road system (roman roads)

3. A time of relative peace (Roman rule)

4. Prophecy

“Thus there was fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile in Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.” (Matthew 1:17)

B. What did God send Christ to do?

“God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”

5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

God sent Christ at Christmas time for 2 reasons

1. To redeem us from the law

To redeem means to “To buy us back…”

People say that there is way too much emphasis on buying at Christmas.But in a sense Christmas is all about buying.Christmas is all about God sending His Son to buy us back from the Law of Sin and Death!

And you will call him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.

2. In order to adopt us as His sons and daughters

God sent His Son in order to have more Sons and daughters

Yet to those who received Him. To those who believe in his name. He gave them the right to be called children of God.

God’s decision to send his Son was to buy us back from our sins and make us sons and daughters of God.

2. Christ’s decision: To humble Himself and become obedient to death.

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

The two greatest examples of the humility and obedience of Christ are found here in these verses

1. The Cross – The time of His Death (v8)

2. Christmas – The time of His Birth (v5-7)

Paul describes for us what Christmas looks like from Jesus’ perspective

6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men

A. At Christmas He takes off his divinity and puts on humanity

B. At Christmas time He leaves the splendor of Heaven for a stable on earth

Why? For only one reason: To die on the Cross for our sins!

He made His decision in order to change our destiny! He came to Earth so that we could all go to Heaven!

That’s why the Devil made it his mission to try and kill the child Jesus.He wanted Jesus to die in his crib before he could die on his cross.

3. Mary’s decision: To believe for the impossible