THE GLORIOUS BIRTH OF CHRIST
Open: History and Lyrics of “What Child is This?”
What child is this who lay to rest
On Mary's lap, … He is sleeping
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
The Holy Scriptures contain the story and revelation of the coming of the King of Israel. Throughout the Bible, this incredible event is documented, declared, prophesied, and promised over and over. … making sure that every man, woman, boy and girl knows (without any doubt) that the Birth of Jesus is the greatest story ever told.
The plan of God to redeem the world is all about the Christ Child, and the Christmas Story that transcends all of time.
God sent His only Son to be born in Bethlehem. At that very moment, all of mankind glorifies “the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger”. There are many passages of scripture that proclaim the glory of the Coming of the King. This includes what was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church at Philippi
TEXT: Philippians 2:5 – 7
I would encourage us all to make this time of Christmas a special time to draw ever closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God may want to do something very special for you and your family this Christmas. Christ deserves our attention everyday of the year, but Christmas should be an exceptional time of the year for us (as we sense the wonderful presence of Christ.)
Consider this: God works on us all in various ways at various times of the year. It has been my experience that God can easily catch us off guard with what He has planned for our lives. God challenges everyday of the year.
Here is the reason why God does some of the things He does:
God desires for you and I to be more like His Son everyday.
Notice Verse 5 (of our text), “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. Simply put, we have a lot in common with Christ. Did you know that:
1. Christ came to Earth much the same way you and I came to Earth.
2. Christ lived on Earth much the same way we live.
3. Christ (also) left this Earth much the same way we will one day leave this planet.
God intended our lives to similar to the life of Christ.
God intended you to be Jesus. And that is why God sent Jesus to Earth. That is – for Christ to experience life on Earth much the same way you and I experience life.
Let me explain:
There are two primary periods of time in the Life of Christ:
The EXALTATION of Christ, and the HUMILITY of Christ…
1. The Exaltation of the King:
Luke? ?2:13-14????
“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, goodwill toward men!”
??We know that it wasn't just the angelic host (that glorified Christ). When the Christ Child came to this Earth, the Wise Men followed the Star to Bethlehem. These Wise Men came from the East to bring the Baby Jesus Gold, Frankincense and Myrh. And, when they saw the Christ Child, the Wise Men fell down and worshipped Him.??????
This was a special time in history and in the Life of Christ … when He came to Earth…the first time. The EXALTATION of Jesus was never greater than the first time He came to Earth.
Well, that is, until the Christ comes to this Earth the Second Time. This Second Time – Jesus won’t come to lie down in a lowly manger clothed in humility. When we see Jesus come to the Earth the Second Time, there will be shouts of adoration and praise that will be heard throughout the Universe!
Revelation? ?19:6? ???????
“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
Revelation tells us - that moment of the highest of praises, we will see Christ
riding on a white horse, His eyes will be as a flame of fire, and on his head will be many crowns…and out of His mouth goeth a sword…and on His thigh will be written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
All Praise and Glory be to Jesus when He came to Earth the first time, and (Praise and Glory) when He will come to Earth the second time!
God has a plan for redemption that began in Bethlehem, but the Christmas Story did not end there. In order to accomplish these great and glorious things, Jesus had to face:
2. The Humility of the King:
We see this bore out in our text. Notice Philippians? ?2:8? ????
“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
?? ????????
Just as there are days of glory, there are those difficult days when we will join with Christ and face the challenges of obedience to God. When Jesus came to this Earth, He was greeted by the angelic host. Nevertheless, Jesus knew the day would come when He would overcome Satan and his demons. The plan of redemption came with a great cost. Jesus would have to humble Himself and decide (for Himself) that He would be obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.”
Jesus would willingly give His life on the Cross … He would find Himself this time not at Bethlehem with Joseph and Mary and the wise men and the angelic host. No, rather He must carry His cross out of Jerusalem and up the hill to Mount Calvary …
It was a very long ways from the innocence and glory of that starry night in Bethlehem.
When Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, there was darkness that covered the Earth for three hours. The HUMILITY of Christ would be the most difficult time in the life of Jesus. The HUMILITY of Christ was the ultimate reason for His coming to Earth that first Christmas.
So then Jesus was first GLORIFIED in Bethlehem, and then secondly Jesus suffered the HUMILITY in Jerusalem. …
In the life of Christ - there is a Cradle where He would lie. And there is a Grave where His lifeless body would lay for three days. Jesus has willing given Himself to this world. He once was wrapped in “Swaddling clothes” but then He would be “wrapped in burial clothes and lying in a dark tomb”.
Christmas would have no significance if it were not for all that Jesus gave to us on the Cross of Calvary.
One day Jesus was “born of a virgin” and coddled by His loving mother. And then came that fateful and prophetic day when He was pulled down from the blood stained Cross.
The Greatest Gift of Christmas was Jesus and His immaculate birth. “Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace and Good Will to all.”
CLOSE: Let us prepare for The Lord’s Supper…
