Christmas Baby Jesus
Valley Grove words 1629
December 1, 2017
Philippians 2:9-11
In the movie Talledega Nights the race car driver Ricky Bobby asks the blessing over a family meal. He said, “Dear Lord baby Jesus thank you for this bountiful meal from Dominos, KFC, and Taco Bell. The family objected to him praying to Tiny Baby Jesus and told him that Jesus was a man and he had a beard. Ricky Bobby said it was his right to ask the blessing however he wanted to and that the Christmas baby Jesus was the one he liked best. Then the family all chipped in as to how they pictured Jesus. Ricky Bobby’s sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, said they pictured him as a ninja fighting evil, another guest pictured him in a tuxedo tee shirt because he liked to party, Ricky Bobby pictured him as an 8 lb. 6 oz. baby in a manger because he liked the Christmas baby best. As the family squabble over how they thought Jesus looked, I remembered a scripture in Luke 2:52 that “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.” Jesus did not stay a tiny baby for long in the manger. He grew in four different specific ways in order to be prepared when the time came for his ministry on earth. We, too, often picture him in a certain way. Scripture reveals many things about Jesus as he grew up leading to his ministry. Sometimes we discover things about him whereas we had previously limited him. One man came to him for healing and said, “Lord, I know you can do it if you will.” One translation says that Jesus answered and said, “Of course I will.” He let the man know that he was not only able but that he was willing. There were many such incidents that showed his willingness to do great things for people. Jesus took the limits off when he said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” This also applies to us, but so often we have a difficult time grasping it because we say, “I know he can do it, but I don’t know if he will do it for me.” Think of this translation, “Of course He will.”
Another thing to remember in scripture is “God has given him a name that is above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-11).
Jesus has the Name and the power and authority. God has given him the Name above every name but we find in scripture that he didn’t keep it all to himself. He passed it on to his disciples to use His Name when requesting something. Praying in the Name of Jesus is powerful because when we pray in His Name we pray with his authority. John 16:23-24 says “In that day you will no longer ask me anything but truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be full.
Story: A boy in a movie theater stopped breathing and people panicked and the boy’s father frantically said, “David breath! David breath!” A woman’s husband boldly walked over to the boy and spoke with authority and said, “In the Name of Jesus, David breath.” In a moment David began to breath.
The believing prayer brought results. David was OK because of faith in the Name of Jesus.
Story: One time Paul Harvey told about a three year old boy I a grocery store with his mother. She said sternly, “No chocolate chip cookies so don’t even ask. In the store she put him in the little child’s seat in the art and wheeled down the aisles. He was quiet for a while until he got to the cookie aisle, stood up and said, “Mom can I have the chocolate chip cookies?” With a strong voice she said, “I told you not to even ask! No! Sit down and be quiet. I said NO!”
Finally arriving at the checkout lane the little boy knew he had to do something. It was his last chance. He stood up and shouted as loud as he could, “In the Name of Jesus may I have some chocolate chip cookies?”
Everyone around him laughed and applauded that little boy. Because of the generosity of the other shoppers the little boy and his Mother left the store with 23 boxes of chocolate chip cookies. He was happy. There is authority attached to using the Name of Jesus.
What does it mean to have the authority of Jesus? Too often we pray very weak prayers interspersed with ifs and maybes. Jesus comes to our assistance when we all on His Name. Mark 16:17-18 says, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My Name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all and they will lay hands on the sick people and they will get well. ”Jesus has given us authority to us His name. Mark 3:15 “and to heal the sick and to cast out demons.” Matthew 10:1, “And he called his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction.”
People say that was for the 12 and does not include us. But Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-19, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given unto me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. The subject of the sentence is “You”. Mark 3:15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.”
Why don’t we see the miracles like the Bible says we can?
1. Because we don’t take our authority and speak in the Name of Jesus.
2. We don’t ask. When did you pray for a blind person last?
3. We don’t believe it can happen for me.
Remember the chocolate chip cookies. Remember the boy who quit breathing. Go lay hands on the sick. Boldly ask. “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy” (Hebrews 4:16).
It is time for us to get tiny baby Jesus out of the manger. He is a man now. He has a beard. He grew in wisdom and knowledge and in favor with God and man.” He didn’t keep his Name above all names to himself. He gave us the authority to speak out His Name when we pray. Say out loud “in the Name of Jesus I take authority over this disease and cast it out.” Say, “Be healed in the Name of Jesus.” Quit praying little wimpy prayers “if it be thy will.” Scripture says that “he is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9). It is His will to save all people. It says in Matthew 15:22-29 that healing is the children’s bread. It is His will to heal so we don’t have to weakly say if it be thy will. We can boldly say, “Be healed in the Name of Jesus. We don’t have to say, “Lord I need a good job if it be thy will.” We can say, “My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.” My bills are met.
I don’t have to fear tomorrow and terrorism and violence. “He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways” (Psalms 91:11). We do not have to fear sickness and disease. “No plague shall come nigh thy dwelling” (Psalm 91:10).
Let’s get baby Jesus out of the manger and see what is available for us at this 21st century Christmas season.
How do you see Jesus? Do you limit Him? We need to shake off the limitations as we walk with him day by day. He is willing to do for us every bit as much as He did in Bible days and more so since he said, “When I go away I will send another comforter and he will guide you into all truth”(John 15:26). We take what is rightfully ours by faith. We have been given the power and the authority and the right to use the Name of Jesus.
How do you see Jesus determines what you receive from Him. Do you see him as your healer? As your provider? Jesus once asked Peter, “Whom do men say that I am? (Mark 8:27). Peter said, “Some say John the Baptist and some say Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But Jesus pushed—“Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15). Petr replied, “the Messiah, the Son of the living God and Jesus answered, “this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in Heaven. The people of Nazareth saw him as the carpenter’s son in the natural but not the Son of God, not as God in the flesh. As a result he could do no mighty miracles (Matthew 13:58). Bad teaching shapes the way we think. People today see him as a good person. Jesus made some statements about himself when he said I AM;
The Bread of life (John 6:33)
The Way, Truth and life (John 14:6)
Living Water (John 4:14)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
He became:
Our Shepherd (Psalm 2:1)
Our righteousness (I Corinthians 1:30)
Our redeemer (Galatians 3:13)
Prayer: Jesus reveal yourself to me today.
