Luke 2 v. 1 - 14
Psalm 85 v. 6 "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?"
Christmas time - Wilt thou not revive us again or revive our christmasses
Revive the:-
1. MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS - v. 11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
The miracle of his birth:- "is born" - i.e.
(a) A Personal Birth - "unto you" v. 4 "Oh come all ye faithful"
"Amen Lord we bless thee, born for our salvation, O Jesus forever be thy name adored
John 3 v. 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(b) A Physical Birth - "is born" Isaiah 7 v. 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."
The purity of his birth - "behold a virgin",
The practicality of it - "shall conceive" i.e. of Holy Ghost - Luke 1 v. 35 "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.", The personality of it - "bear a son",
The purpose of it - "Immanuel" - "God with us"
(c) A Providential Birth - "A saviour"
O.T. declares the need for a saviour Isaiah 53 v. 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." i.e. sacrifices by shedding of blood
N.T. declares the nature of the saviour - i.e.Hebrews 7 v. 26 "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;"
Whole Bible warns of the neglect of the saviour Hebrews 2 v. 2 & 3 "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"
(d) A Pre-eminent Birth - " Who is Christ the Lord"
Think of:-
The greatness of the birth - "Christ the LOrd"
The grace of the birth - "A saviour"
The glory of the birth - "unto you" i.e. didn't come to save angels
Luke 19 v. 10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
2. MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS - v. 10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
i.e. Its a:-
(a) Message of Peace - "Fear not" - Note v. 8 & 9 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."
They were afraid at:-
The presence of God - v. 9 "lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them"
The power of God - v. 9 " the glory of the Lord shone round about them"
The purity of God - v. 9 "they were sore afraid"
Habakkuk 1 v. 13 "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?"
v. 10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
(b) Message of Praise - v. 10 "behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy"
Note:-
The joy of the messenger - "Behold" ,
The joy in the message - "good tidings of great joy",
The joy of the multitude - v. 13 & 14 "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Hymn 45 "Rejoice, rejoice, be glad in the Lord and rejoice"
Nehemiah 8 v. 10 "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Habakkuk 3 v. 17 & 18 "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
(c) Message of Pardon - v. 10 "Which shall be to all people"
His Pardon is:-
Universal - "all people", unequivocal - "shall be" , unquestionable - "to all people"
Mercy there was great and grace was free, pardon there was multiplied to me, there my burdened soul found liberty, at calvary
(d) Message of Purpose - v. 11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
The plight of the world - "a saviour", the light of the world "a saviour", the life for the world - "Christ the Lord"
3. MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - v. 11 "a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
i.e. He has:-
(a) A Saving Claim of your Life - "a saviour" - Matthew 1 v. 21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
(b) A Sanctifying Claim on your Life - "Christ" - anointed One - John 4 v. 24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
(c) A Supreme Claim on your Life - "the Lord" - Romans 14 v. 9 "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."
4. THE MEANS OF CHRISTMAS - God used:-
(a) A Virgin - Luke 1 v. 31 "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." - borrowed womb, borrowed room (last supper), borrowed tomb - for purity
(b) A Vision - Matthew 1 v. 20 & 21 "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." for purpose
(c) A Visit - Luke 2 v. 9 "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid." for impact -
Psalm 85 v. 6 "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?"
(d) A Voice - Luke 2 v. 10 & 11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." for proclamation
