Title: The Meaning of Christmas
Theme: To show through the names of Christ the true meaning of Christmas
Text: Matthew 1:18-23
As I said at the beginning of the month of December I was going to dedicate the three weeks before Christmas as being sermons preached on Christmas. Two weeks ago I preached on The Gospel of Christmas(Fear not, Rejoice, Peace), The Way of Christmas(How Christ came into the world, through the virgin birth and the importance of believing in the virgin birth because It is how Christ is Holy, and how he if fully man and fully divine) And this week we are going to talk about the meaning or purpose of Christmas. What was the reason that we celebrate Christmas. What was the purpose of Christ coming into the world? Born of a virgin. I believe we find it in these verses.
In these verses we see two names of Christ mentioned. Two names in reference. As we know from the Old and New Testaments there is a lot to learn from the meaning of names. So let us look at these names.
I. Immanuel-"God with us" The Hope
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us.
This is just a repeat of the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14. It reads.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
Isaiah was talking to the ungodly king Ahaz. God wanted to give him a sign. A sign to give hope to the people. But Ahaz did not want a sign. A sign would prompt belief and commitment to God so Ahaz wanted to avoid any knowance of God. But Isaiah gives him a sign anyway. The sign is that there will come a Messiah and he shall be born of a virgin. A virgin shall conceive. And with this his name shall be called Emmanuel. Emmanuel meaning God with us.
Here we see the first and foremost meaning of Christmas. Christmas means that God is with us. God came down to be with man.
A couple of years ago I read a story about a man who lived in a farm house way out in the country. One year there came a big storm. As he was sitting and looking out his window he saw a flock of birds for some reason down on the ground looking for food. Knowing it has snowed he said to himself that there was no way that these birds could find food in the snow. So he decided to throw some food out to the birds. So he took some seed and threw in the yard. But the birds would not come close to the food. He went over and tried to shew them to the food but they just flew away until he left. Then he said to himself how can I get the birds to eat when they are afraid of me. I know if I become one of them then I could tell them.
Now this is what God did. To be able to communicate his gospel more clearly to us he decided to be one of us. This is Christ. Immanuel God with us. If we look at nature we see a God that is above us. (For he takes care of all creation.) If we look at the law we see a God who is against us. (For we must obey the law or it seems to be punished by God, because whenever we follow the law then we are under it and away from God). If we look at the Gospels then we see a God who is with us. (A part of us in our own nature but divine enough to save us from the sin of the world.)
Let us think about this for a minute. Christmas means that God came down and took the form of man. Almighty, all powerful, all knowing God came down to be a part of us. He put aside his power, might and knowledge to be a part of us. Oh what love. Oh what grace. And to think it even gets better than this. Not only did he become flesh but he died for us.
John 15:13-AV Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends.
What more love could you have but to lay down your life for another person. What love. This is truly the meaning of Christmas.
But we also see a second meaning of Christmas. This is found in verse
II. Jesus-"Our Salvation" The Realization
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn
son: and he called his name JESUS.
Here we see the name of Immanuel the earthly name it is Jesus. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew word yeshua or Joshua. Joshua means "the Lord is salvation". Placed early in the New Testament it becomes the foundation of it. Here we see the second meaning of Christmas and that is Jesus our savior. Not only did God send his son to be apart of us and to live among us to bear our iniquities but he also sent his son to give of salvation through his death a resurrection.
If Christ came to save us then there must be danger in this world. If you were to save someone from drowning then they must be in water about to drown. So what was it that we needed to be saved from? The bondage of sin.
John 8:31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in
bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the
Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free
indeed.
Christ came to set us free no
Isaiah 53:4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
All the pain and suffering that Christ bear was for us.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all.
All have gone astray. All have turned to his way as it also says in
Proverbs 14:12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof [are] the ways of death.
7 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 shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall
declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
He died for us.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in
his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any]
deceit in his mouth. 10. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath
put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he
shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the
LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his
soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore
will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the
spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and
he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and
made intercession for the transgressors.
Here we see the true meaning of Christmas. Not just to celebrate a baby born in a manager in Bethelem. Not to celebrate the giving of gifts but to celebrate the giving of the gift the gift of life.
Now I ask you do you believe it. Do you believe what is said here today? Then the next question is have you committed yourself to him. Christmas time to me is a time of commitance. Some people like to make News Years Resolutions but I make Christmas Resolutions. Every year I say to God I want to draw closer to you. Let us stand. Will you say that. If you will I would like you to come down. If you would say God this year I will do my best to draw closer to you than I ever have I want you to come forward.
During this time of year we have a lot of family traditions that will be carried on from generation to generation. We will decorate a tree, (hopefully live), we will open presents, we will have a family dinner, we will sing Christmas carols, and we will decorate our houses. But most of all let this be a time of reflection. Reflection on the Christ child. This is a day that is symbolized for the Birth of Christ. Let us remember his birth on this day.
Chorus: There’s Just Something about that Name
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s Just something about that name.
Master Savior Jesus, Like the fragerence after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s Just something about that name.
Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away, but there’s just something about
that name
Jesus is the Sweetest name I know
Jesus is the sweetest name I know, and he’s just the same as his lovely
name.
And that’s the reason why I love him so, for Jesus is the sweetest name I
know.
