Christmas is Jesus
Christmas Eve service
December 24, 2016
River Bend Baptist Church
Merry Christmas! - Peace on Earth - Good will to Man
The story of Jesus’ birth starts long before Joseph and Mary were visited by the angel.
Prophets, hundreds of years before Jesus was born told about the future Messiah.
Isaiah 7:14 – Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name
Emmanuel. – God with us
Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government
will rest on His shoulders and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
God has a plan for His world and that plan included the birth of His Son, Jesus, in a small Judean village called Bethlehem.
Joseph and Mary
For God to bring about His plan He needed to use some people - His plan always involves people – back then and even today.
God uses Joseph and Mary in extraordinary ways.
Mary:
Luke 1:28 – the angel spoke to Mary; “You have found favor with God and you will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
Mary says yes, what she really says is – “I am the Lords servant”
What great faith that God would use her.
That God would do something through her which would change the world.
Joseph:
The Bible tells us He is a righteous man - a man of faith - a man who trusts in God.
He is also a hard working guy- a carpenter by trade and he is looking forward to starting the next part of his life with Mary as his wife.
That’s when he finds out Mary is pregnant and this creates a crises deep within him. And while he is trying to make the right decision an angel visits him - listen to what the angel said.
Matt. 1:20 – “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your
wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Joseph follows the words of the angel and takes Mary to be his wife.
This first Christmas comes because Joseph and Mary want God to use them.
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas let God use you.
-to serve your neighbor
-to love that family member who can be difficult to love
-to bring Joy and Peace to those around you
Joseph and Mary are the earthly parents of the Son of God. I wonder if they thought everything would go smoothly - reality comes quickly.
Caesar Augustus decreed a tax throughout the Roman world and that included the nation of Israel, so a very anxious Joseph with a very pregnant Mary make their way to Bethlehem; Joseph’s ancestral home – He was related to King David.
I can only imagine it was a “long trip” and to make matters worse when they arrived in Bethlehem there was no place for them to stay so they ended up staying in a stable.
-I don’t think this was Mary’s first choice
-But the labor pains start and before the night is over Jesus is born.
I’m always amazed how God works out His plan
-I’m sure the stable was not Joseph or Mary’s plan but it was God’s.
Shepherds and angels
Another part of God’s plan includes Shepherds and Angels.
Right outside Bethlehem were some Shepherds taking care of their flocks.
All of a sudden an Angel appears…
Luke 1:10 –
Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.
Did you notice how the angel describes this baby “He is Christ the Lord”; “Savior”
-“Christ” means Messiah – the Anointed one of God
-Lord signifies a person who has authority over us
Jesus is the “Anointed One”, He is the promised Messiah and He is our Savior and Lord.
The Angel goes on and tells the shepherds…
- “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
Then the sky became full of light and a host of angels….
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of whom His favor
rest.”
When God does something incredeible it seems like all of heaven breaks out in praise.
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas break out in praise.
When the shepherds heard this incredible news they go to Bethlehem. They find Jesus just as the angels described, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger – they are so moved by what they saw and what this meant that on their way back to the fields they told everyone they met what had happened and those people were as amazed as the shepherds were.
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas become so moved by the message of the angels and the meaning of Christmas that you tell others.
Wisemen – ornament and star
But the shepherds were not the only ones to come see Jesus. The Bible tells us about the Wisemen, they are the Magi who come from the East.
Now they are kind of late – they make it to Bethlehem 12 to 18 months after Jesus is born. In fact when they arrive, Joseph, Mary and Jesus are now living in a house and the Bible calls Jesus a child and not an infant.
Have you ever wonder why the Wisemen come?
Matt. 2:1-2 – After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asking, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.
The Wisemen…
-know the prophecies about a future Messiah
-believe the Star they see is the sign of this prophecy
-they come to Jerusalem to see Him
After leaving Jerusalem the star reappears and they follow it to Bethlehem…
Matt. 2:10-11 – On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him, then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
The Wisemen came to see a King, who saw was the King of all eternity,
and they worship
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas worship Jesus.
-see His splendor and His glory
-worship Him like the Wisemen
But not everyone will
-some people will be too busy
-some people will reject what God has done
-some people are just filled with too much hurt or hate to
believe that God could love them – but He does
Herod - crown
There’s another person who is a part of the Christmas story we need to consider and that is Herod, and Herod did not want to worship.
All he wanted to do was eliminate a threat to his kingdom, to get rid of anyone or anything who…
-got in the way of his power,
-inconvenienced his life - his rule - or his way.
Herod is so concerned for himself that he is blind to see what God is doing all around him.
Many people are like Herod. They are so preoccupied with their life, their stuff, their dreams, their wishes and wants that they are blind to what God is doing.
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas see what God is doing all around you.
-Christmas is not just about Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.
-Christmas is also about God revealing Himself to you right now
-See what God is doing around you and join Him.
Con: Each of these people had a part in the Christmas story…
-What’s your part?
-Will you celebrate?
-Will you worship?
-Will you be amazed at what God has done?
-Will you be filled with wonder at what Christmas means?
-Will you let God use you?
-Will you tell others?
But there is one important part in the Christmas story, one more ornament.
This ornament is always in the background although it really is the main reason for Christmas.
Cross
Christmas is not only about…
-Joseph and Mary
-A stable and a manger
-Shepherds and Angels
-Wisemen and even Herod…
Christmas is about the cross as well.
Jesus is born to bring salvation and He can only bring salvation if He goes to the cross.
APPL: As you celebrate Christmas make sure you don’t forget the cross.
