Theme: Jesus is Saviour
Text: Luke 2:8-14
Happy Christmas!!
Illustration: Christmas always means a Gift.
After the Christmas holidays,
A boy told his uncle, ‘Thanks uncle, for the electric guitar you gave me for Christmas’ "It's the best present I ever got."
His uncle said ‘Oh, nice to know about it. That's great,"
Then his uncle asked, "Do you know how to play it?"
The boy said "Oh, I don't play it," because
"My mom gives me a dollar a day not to play it during the day,
and my dad gives me five dollars a week not to play it at night”.
On this Christmas eve, I would like to share three points about the special characteristics of the Saviour. Remember that we had meditated about Jesus as the Prince of Bethlehem, Emmanuel, Holy one, Grace, and a horn of Salvation. Take home message tonight is:
Jesus Saves us
Jesus Values us, and
Jesus Sends us.
1. Jesus Saves us:
The Gospel writers significant theme was Jesus, the humble man from Nazareth is the Saviour of the world, who was called Jesus to refer that he will save his people from their sins(Matthew 1:21). Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew name Joshua. The earlier saviours who were mentioned in the Old Testament had saved people from their slavery, from fear of enemies, thieves and foreign kings. But Jesus would save his people(refers to Jews) and the whole world from their sins.
1 John 1:4:14 says that Jesus is the saviour of the world. John the Baptist introduced Christ to his followers as the Lamb of God, who takes away the SIN of the World. Here two different things are put and expressed. One is Jesus will save his people from their SINS (Matthew 1:21), and He is the Lamb of God who takes away the SIN of the World.
First, he saves us from the effect of the Original Sin of Adam, which we have inherited by birth through our sinful nature(Romans 5:12, 7:25). The death came to us (Romans 6:23).
Secondly, he saves us from the sins we have committed by our knowing and unknowing acts. The efficacy of the SIN was passed on to everyone. The curse and its aftereffects are chasing us (Numbers 32:23). To save us from that common SIN and Curse Jesus came to this world as the Lamb. He is that crushed Lamb without blemish (Isaiah 53:7,1 Peter 1:19) for the salvation of the whole world. He takes us into his Kingdom (Luke 19:10).
He saves them from lame and sick (Zephaniah 3:19). Paul says that Jesus is the Saviour of all people (1 Timothy 4:10). Jeremiah 34:22 says that Jesus brings them into one flock. He saves them from their wicked ways (Ezekiel 3:18). He saves the perishing (Matthew 8:25).
Luke wrote in the Book of Acts and said that there is no other saviour than Jesus (Acts 4:12). Prophet declared that there is no other Saviour besides God (Hosea 13:4). I am your God and no other Saviour (Isaiah 43:11). Jeremiah says that the saviour is amidst of you (Jeremiah 14:8-9).
So yield to Jesus and be washed by the blood of the Lamb from the Original SIN of Adam. And be relieved from all the bondages and problems you are facing. Let this night become the night of Salvation.
Let Jesus become your personal Lord and Saviour. Let Christmas bring real meaning to you to understand who you are and how Jesus values you. Let me move on to my second point Jesus Values us.
2. Jesus Values us:
“I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!” (The Passion Translation)
Peter’s revelation from God the Father and his confession of Jesus as the Son of God becomes the “bedrock foundation” for the church. The earliest writings of the church fathers all acknowledge that the Rock is Jesus Christ, not Peter. His confession is the Rock.
Peter was fisherfolk. His original name was Simon. He was a son of Jonah and married (1 Corinthians 9:5). His family was from Bethsaida in Galilee (John 1:44). He was taking care of his mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31). Peter was a slender person, of a middle-sized, inclining to tallness, his complexion was whitish. He had a short, thick, curled beard, thin eyebrows. His eyes were black but flecked with red due to frequent weeping.
Jesus saved Simon and renamed him Cephas meaning Petros, "rock." The word Keefa, the Aramaic word for “stone” or “pebble.” God turned an ordinary man into an extraordinary person through his confession.
Jesus empowered him. He has given the keys of heaven. Jesus ascertained to Peter that nothing can overcome him (Matthew 16:17-19). The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia and means “legislative assembly” or “selected ones.” It is not a religious term at all, but a political and governmental term it is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city. For Jesus to use this term means he is giving the keys of governmental authority in his kingdom to the church(R. Scott and H. G. Liddell).
According to the dictionary, the word Value means ‘the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. Human values are respect, acceptance, consideration, appreciation, listening, openness, affection, empathy and love towards other human beings. Value means esteem high.
What is your net worth? A Simple formula: “Your Assets minus your Liabilities is equivalent to Your net worth” Or in other words ‘what you own minus what you owe.
Value means appreciating their mind, soul and contributions. Today People are assessed and valued based on their position, Title behind their names, and their declared assets. The richer and powerful are having higher value in society. Whenever we value a person, we respect that person, and we never take him for granted. Your value is based on ‘what you are and the lives you can impact on’. When we value a person, we respect his/her personality.
Do people value you, and count you as worth talking to you? If not, don’t worry. There is one who values you and has given himself to redeem you.
Jesus told his disciples that they are worth more than many sparrows. (Please refer to Matthew 10:31). Joseph was sold for twenty shekels of silver (Genesis 37:28) but God raised him as food minister of Egypt. His brothers valued him as nobody but God raised him as Somebody in the Society.
God values every one of us. So, he saved us from this worst cunning world. Is it not true that you are worth more than your friend, your neighbour, your classmates, your colloquies? He values you higher than everyone around you. Don’t undervalue yourself, Keep going.
In a Sunday School, a teacher asked the students about their future value with their aim:
Tommy said:
“I want to study well, get a good job, an apartment in a high rise building, and luxury Car”
The Teacher said very nice.
Then the teacher asked Susi what is your aim. Suzi said: “I want to marry Tommy.”
3. Jesus Sends us:
Isaiah 6:8 declares the words of God, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” God asked this question, not as if he were unresolved whom to send, but that Isaiah might have an opportunity of voluntarily offering his service (Benson). No one needs to say that I am forced. “Who” implies that the messenger must be self-denial and willing to bear the unwelcome message to the stiff-necked and hardened people.
Once Jesus passed by, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting at the place of toll: and he told him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him (Matthew 9:9). He gave up his position and power and was willing to serve Jesus.
Luke writes about the Triumphal Entry in which Jesus asked his disciples to bring the tied colt for his use. The command to the owner of that colt was "The Lord needs it!" The response from the owner was recorded as no denial but just compliance (Luke 19:34).
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob spoke to Moses and gave him a glorious experience of burning Bush experience to send him to Pharoah but with power and authority (Exodus 3:10-14).
You are my witnesses (Isaiah 43:12, 45:21, 60:13). No other person can reach your friend, your colleague. The Lord gives us these good words, inspires you for what? He would like to use you. He depended upon you. So he sends you. God with this good news of the Peace, joy and grace.
Conclusion:
Jesus sought for the people knowing their importance and value. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36,37). Nothing can replace a man. God says that you are honourable in my eyes, and glorious. “Because I regard you as valued and honoured, and because I love you…”(Isaiah 43:4).
Matthew Henry states, “Where envy reigns, pity is banished, and humanity itself is forgotten.” The value of a man is lost. But, Jesus taught us through the parables the values of the lost sheep, lost coin and the lost Son (Matthew 18:14, Luke 15:9, 32). He never neglects and abandons us.
God used Nehemiah to build the walls of Jerusalem. God used Daniel to raise Daniel to be the adviser of the Babylonian emperors. God raised the little orphan girl Ruth to become the queen at the Palace of Susan. All these things will happen when you openly declare that Jesus is the Lord and saviour.
