On the Christian Church’ calendar, the weeks leading up to Christmas are called, ‘Advent.’ It is a time to reflect and prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Over the next few weeks ending at our Christmas Eve service, I want to talk to you, appropriately enough, about Jesus and answer 4 questions pertaining to Christmas: The,Where? Who? How? and Why? of Christmas or specifically questions about Jesus. This will take us into some deep theology, but hopefully give us a greater appreciation for the truth in the statement, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”
This focus on Jesus came to me after an incident down in Amish country. If you remember, a couple of weeks ago Helen and I were away for the weekend celebrating our 45th anniversary. We went down to the Pennsylvania Dutch country for that where we spent half of our honeymoon. We did the usual things one does there; We saw the Sight & Sound theater production of Moses; ate at Miller’s Smorgasbord; took a buggy ride and shopped in those quaint stores. It happened that we were in a lovely Christmas store in a Christmas village of assorted shops. The likelihood of running into an Orthodox Jew, devout Muslim or Hindu I venture would be rather slim in such a setting. So as we browsed among the trinkets, Helen was looking at some tree ornaments that said; “Jesus is the reason for the season.” But as she was making her selection, a young girl, maybe 10 came alongside, looked at the ornaments, and asked her mother in a puzzled tone, “Why does it say that?” “Why does it say, Jesus is the reason for the season?”
How sad is that, that this young girl had no idea about the truth of the saying, Jesus is the reason for the season! If our younger generations have no idea that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, then we are in danger of becoming a Non-Christian nation.
So this year, I will not be speaking about the usual Christmas story characters. No prophets foretelling, no angels rejoicing, no shepherds bowing in awe. This year I want our focus to be simply on Jesus, Jesus as the reason for the season. I will address 4 Christmas questions. The answers to these questions will take us into some profound areas and mysteries of our faith. As Pastor Greg spoke about last week, these areas are “Meat” not “Milk”, not for kindergarten Christians, but truths that will grow our faith.
Next week, the 14th, will be the question; WHO? Who is this Christ whose birth we celebrate.
On Dec.21st the question will be; HOW? How did Christmas come to pass.
Then on Christmas Eve, the question will be; WHY? Why was Christmas necessary.
But I start today with the first question, WHERE? Where did the idea Originate?
To answer this question, “Where did the idea of Christmas originate?” we must go back in time.
Past all the centuries of Christian traditions; even past the actual birth in Bethlehem.
Down the halls of time, past the prophets foretelling, past the types such as Moses.
We must continue past the garden of Eden and the first hint of Christmas.
We must journey past the creation and the foundations of the earth, to a time, when there was no time.
We must journey back to the very mind and will of the Triune God. And when we speak of the blessed Trinity it includes Christ, the second person, The logos, the Word.
Eternality is of the essence of God alone. It is part of His being. His name is, “I AM.” God always was, is and shall be, all at the same time. It must be this way. And this eternality is specifically applied to Christ. Heb.13: 8 reads;
“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today and forever.”
For, as Puritan, Stephen Charnock writes;
“...eternity is the choice perfection of God, yea, the gloss and lustre of all others. Every perfection would be imperfect, if it were not always a perfection.”
God is beyond time. Time began with creation. He was at the beginning of all things and will be at the end as well. Psa. 90:2 reads;
“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
In speaking specifically about Christ, Paul writes in Col.1:16-17;
“...all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
In this mysterious period before time and creation, The Holy Spirit revealed to the authors of Scripture certain things that happened in that holy solitude where there was only the Triune God.
What Scripture reveals is that God designed a plan, a purpose in conformity with His good pleasure. God being God did not consult with anyone about His plan. He alone is Sovereign, all-knowing, all-wise, and all-powerful. Listen to these verses from Isaiah:
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen. 14:24
And Isaiah 46:9-11;
“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other;I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning,from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.”
This plan and purpose of God included our salvation in Jesus Christ.
This plan is what theologians call the, ‘Covenant of redemption.’ It is a ‘set in stone,’ (actually in blood), agreement between the Father and the Son that addresses our redemption from sin. In this covenant, made before the foundation of the world, Christ agrees to accept a people, chosen and elect, and to come to earth to save them. This agreement is so iron-clad, for God cannot break his word, that the Scriptures can speak of Christ, in Rev.13:8;
“...the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
Christ’ atoning death was sealed within the words of the covenant. It would be realized and actualized in history, but it could not be otherwise.
Christ himself was chosen;
1 Pet.1:20 reads, “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.”
In his Pentecost speech to the crowds in Acts 2:23, Peter proclaims of Christ;
“This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to a cross.”
Not only was Christ’s death part of God’s plan, but also those for whom he would die. In the Ephesians passage we read, 1:4-5 Paul writes;
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will...”
It doesn’t matter which school of theology you embrace, whether Calvinist or Arminian, who disagree on the process, but both agree there is a CHOSEN people, chosen before creation. Christ speaks of this choosing in John 17:2; Jesus prays to the Father;
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your son, that your son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people, that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.”
These chosen people given to Christ will be saved because this is God’s eternal will. Jesus says in Jn.6:39;
“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up on the last day.”
This was all part of the Covenant of Redemption between the God the Father and God the Son before the world began. This plan and purpose would unfold in, what the Bible calls, “the fullness of time.”
So we must journey back now. From the mind and plan of the Almighty, past creation, through the Garden of Eden and witness the Fall, later the flood.
In passing we look upon Moses and the Prophets pointing us forward.
Until we arrive in Bethlehem and the birth of Christ, the first Christmas. Christmas is not an unique but isolated event. No, it is an essential link in the chain of God’s eternal plan and purpose in Christ Jesus.
So what does all this have to do with you? At least three wonderful truths are ours. First, we are BLESSED by God’s grace and should be encouraged. 2 Thess.2: 13-17 reads;
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[b] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
What a blessing to know that God, for no other reason than that He chose to love us, chose us to be saved. As a believer, Your named has been etched in the Lambs book of Life with the indelible blood of Christ before the foundations of the world. WHAT A BLESSING!
In addition to, “I am blessed”
Secondly, It should shout to you: “I AM IMPORTANT!” I am no accident. I have a purpose. The great and awesome God, sovereign of the universe, who planned everything according to his will and good pleasure - included me!
Turn with me to a familiar passage in Eph.2, starting at v.8. We read;
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not of works, so no one can boast.”
A wonderful verse which speaks of our salvation. But I want you to look at the next verse, v.10;
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
The Greek word translated, “workmanship” implies, “Work of art.” As believers we are God’s ‘work of art!” That should make you feel special. But did you catch those last words? Having been saved by grace through faith, God has prepared good works for us to do, prepared in advance. You have a calling, a mission to come alongside the Spirit of God and to fulfill your purpose in God’s eternal plan.
Maybe your saying to yourself, “How could God use me? I’m just ....this or that” Such a thought says more about you and your view of God, than about God. God delights to use the weak things to overpower the strong things. He is pleased to use simple truths to confound the arrogant. And He uses regular people, like you and me, as ambassadors for Christ to speak to those within your own world, your own circle of contacts. All that is needed is a willing heart and surrendered life.
Let me tell you a short story. “A nobody named Kimball.” (attached)
Edward Kimball was ‘just’ a Sunday school teacher in a small church in Mt. Vernon, Boston. But he was a good SS teacher and open to being used by God in the lives of his students. He had no idea what an important role he had in God’s plan. When one thinks of the ten’s of thousands that came to faith through the preaching of Moody, Meyer, Sunday, Ham and Billy Graham which started with the dedication of a “nobody named Kimball’ one can admire God’s handiwork.
And each one of us can be used by God, where we are, in what we are doing, right now. And although we may never see the effects of our labor in this life, stories like this speak to how important little things in our eyes are part of God’s eternal plan for bigger things in His. It seemed like a little thing, a baby born in a manger in a small town. But God had a plan. He has a plan for you. You are important.
The third thing we should take from this is CONFIDENCE. In a world often filled with turmoil and confusion, daunting and dangerous, we need to be reminded that it was into such a world the Christ child was born as well. Though we don’t understand many of the ‘why’s of life” by faith we hold onto the fact that God is still in control and His plan will be accomplished. Isa. 55: 8 reminds us;
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.”
It’s as if God is weaving a beautiful tapestry. But while he sees the good side, we are looking at the back side, all a jumble with threads and making little sense. Even when we just can’t understand, we can still be confident that God’s ways will not fail.
This also gives us confidence when we seek to share the Gospel with others. Isa.55:11 assures us:
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Talk about confidence! When you share God’s word, you never fail! It will accomplish what God desires and has purposed! That’s His promise.
So, WHERE did the idea of Christmas originate? Yes, in the mind of the Triune God. And when we look upon the manger scene and celebrate Christmas, see it as part of God’s eternal plan and purpose FOR YOU!
You are blessed by being CHOSEN.
You are IMPORTANT in God’s plan.
You can have CONFIDENCE in God’s promises.
All this is why, “Jesus is the reason for the season.’
