Dakota Community Church
December 07, 2008 (pm)
The Greatest Gift of All
Who is this Jesus we are celebrating, a mythical legend, the most notable person on the pages of history; or the genuine Son of the living God?
His birthday gave the world a new era dividing the past from the future at a focal point.
His spirit has given the world its most immortal paintings.
His love has inspired the world’s masterpieces of art, sculpture, and music.
His influence has inspired earth’s greatest philanthropies.
More books have been written about him than have been written about all of the kings who have ruled from earthly thrones.
Isaiah 9:1-7
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
A child is born, but a son was given.
Who is this son that was sent?
1. A supernatural son.
Matthew 1:22-23
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us.
Christianity is built and based on a supernatural Christ. You can have Buddhism without Buddha and Confucianism without Confucius, but you can’t have Christianity without Christ.
Christianity is more than a creed or code. It is a fellowship with a risen and living Christ.
Those who would reject the virgin birth, explain away Christ’s miracles, and deny his resurrection have only a pale, powerless, poor anemic human Christ who has no power with which to save a sinful race.
Humanity did not and still does not need another good human teacher, we need a savior.
We need a debt paid.
Genesis 6:5-6
The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.
We have a supernatural problem, God sent a supernatural son.
A child is born, but a son was given.
Who is this son that was sent?
2. A sinless man
Hebrews 4:12-15
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Christ refrained from all willful transgression.
He was the very essence of personal purity.
Luke 23:14
Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.
Matthew 17:5
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
John 14:28-30
"You heard me say, ’I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
The resurrection of Christ was a public demonstration of the divine acceptance of his substitutionary death on the cross.
A child is born, but a son was given.
Who is this son that was sent?
3. A suffering servant
Isaiah 53:1-7
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
The prophet Isaiah foretold the substitutionary death of the suffering servant of God.
The angel told Joseph that the unborn child of Mary was divine and that he would be the Savior of his people (Matt. 1:21).
When John the Baptist introduced Jesus to his disciples, he called him the one who would bear the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Jesus defined his objective for coming into the world in terms of giving his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life voluntarily for his sheep (John 10:11).
Paul declared that while we were still rebel sinners against God, God loved us and Christ died for us (Rom. 5:6).
The sinless one, by a divine decree, was made to be sin for us that he might suffer in our place and we might be saved from the penalty of sin (2 Cor. 5:21).
He who was rich beyond imagination became a pauper that we, through his poverty, might be made indescribably rich (2 Cor. 8:9).
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
4. An all-sufficient savior
He takes care of the past by the pardon of every sin and the forgiveness of every transgression.
He takes care of the present by his abiding presence.
He takes care of the future by providing a home at the end of the road.
Conclusion
Have you received the royal Guest into your heart? It is time to let him in. Do not ignore him or shut him out. Accept God’s greatest gift by receiving his Son as the Lord of your heart and life.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
