Christmas can so easily be lost in
• "I'm Dreaming Of A While Christmas"
• “Frosty The Snowman,”
• “Jack Frost Nipping At Your Nose,”
• “Santa Finding Out Who’s Naughty & Nice,”
• “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire,”
- Christmas can be lost on
"Black Friday"
"Small Business Saturday"
"Cyber Monday"
- Where Does the Christmas Begin?
❶. Does Christmas Begin in Luke?
- Mary the first to know about Jesus
Luke 1:30–33 (AV)
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
- Luke is the favorite of Christmas
Luke 2:7 (AV)
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:10 (AV)
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.
Luke 2:11 (AV)
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
❷. Matthew's Christmas Truth
- Joseph found out next
Matthew 1:21–23 (AV)
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
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. - (Is. 7:14)
- Revealed to wise men from the east
Matthew 2:1–2 (AV)
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew 2:2 (The Living Bible)
2 “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.”
- It would have taken time to travel from the east to Jerusalem
- No longer at the stable but in a house
- Between 40 days to two yrs.
Matthew 2:16 (AV)
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Matthew 2:11 (AV)
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
- They worshiped and gave expensive gifts
- Gold for a King
- Frankincense for incense for worship & healing
2 Corinthians 2:15 (NIV)
15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
- Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction.
- Mixed with wine as a sedative
Mark 15:23 (AV)
23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
- Also used for burial embalming – Jesus death
- What about the other two Gospels – Mk. & Jn.?
❸. Is Christmas Suggested in Mark?
Mark 1:1–4 (AV)
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
- Mark's first word is "Beginning"
- Same word used in Ge. 1:1
- The birthday of the universe
- Paul speaks of Christ as the firstborn
Colossians 1:15 (AV)
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Mk:1:1 – The beginning of the Gospel
- Used secularly to announce an important event such as the birth of an heir to the King,
- Used in Is.52:7
Isaiah 52:7 (AV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Isaiah 52:7 (NKJV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
- This was the message the angel brought to the shepherds
Luke 2:10 (AV)
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.
- Jesus used the same message when he began his ministry after coming out of the wilderness
Luke 4:18 (AV)
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Beginning of the gospel of Jesus
- Remember both Mary & Joseph were to call him Jesus
Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Christ "The anointed one"
- Heaven's sent messenger ot the world that needs salvation
Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God
- In capitals
- Mary was told of the Son of God
Luke 1:35 (AV)
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 first human using Jesus title "Son of God"
- Centurion – After Veil of Temple torn
Mark 15:39 (AV)
39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
❹. The Christmas Truth In John
John 1:1–5 (AV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:14 (AV)
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:12 (AV)
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- Christmas does not begin in Bethlehem
- Christmas begins before the creation of the world.
- If we get Christmas wrong
- We get the Gospel wrong.
I. Jesus Is Eternal
II. Jesus Was with God
III. Jesus Is God
IV. Jesus Is Life
V. Jesus Is Light
VI. Jesus - The Word Became Flesh
❺. Who Do You Say Christ Is?
Yes, Jesus was that little baby born in Bethlehem, wrapped in rags.
- But He is so much more.
He is:
• The eternal One,
• The Revealer of God,
• God himself,
• The Bringer of light and life,
• Grace and truth.
• He is the Word who became flesh
- How should we respond to this truth during the Christmas season?
- We will give gifts and get together as a family. -We must recognize and celebrate the fullness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
❻. Don't Fear
- Three times told to fear not
1) Fear Not Only Believe
Luke 1:30–38 (AV)
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
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.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
2) Fear Not Only Obey
Matthew 1:19–20 (AV)
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 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.
3) Fear Not Because You Are Important To Him
Luke 2:8–11 (AV)
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
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.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you 2good 1tidings of 4 great 3joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
- Finding Christmas is the greatest treasure to be had
- This past week the San Jose has been found
- Spanish ship sunk by the British in 1708
It was off the coast of Cartagena Colombia SA
- In 1000 ft of water
- She was carrying 116 chests of emeralds, two tons of platinum and the personal wealth of the Viceroy (King) of Peru
- President, Juan Manuel Santos, who didn’t hold back his excitement.
- “This is the most valuable treasure that has been found in the history of humanity
- He is wrong the most valuable treasure to be found is ours through Jesus Christ
- Worth more than the world itself
