Theme: Born to Give
Text: Matthew 2:1-11
Greetings: The Lord is good and his love endures forever.
Illustration:
A pastor was greeting the believers after the Christmas service.
He saw a young man who came after many months. He encouraged him to attend regularly, and told him. “It’s time for you to join the Army of the Lord. I would like to see you on every Sunday.”
The young man replied:
“Pastor, I’m already in the Army of the Lord.”
Pastor said:
“But, I only see you on Christmas and Easter?”
The young man told Pastor:
“I’m in the Secret Service.” (Adopted).
Today, I would like to share with on this Christmas Eve service that Jesus is a Historical God, Jesus is the Scriptural God, and Jesus is an Eschatological God.
1. Jesus is a Historical God
Our Christmas is not only celebration of Balloons, games, get-togethers, carols, cakes, skits, and dramas and more than that it is a time of remembering Jesus who is the central figure of the Christmas. The word Christmas spells as Christ + Mass = Christmas, a mass or a service held in honour of Jesus. The symbols of X-Mas doesn’t mean the unknown arithmetic numbers of X, Y, Z but the X refers to the first letter of Christ’s name in Greek ???st?? (christós). The word Christmas refers to the celebration of the Birth of Jesus who is a Historical Person.
Jesus was neither a mythological person nor an imaginary god. His birth narratives were not the timeless fables but an event occurred in the Historical setting. Jesus was born in the History, his birth divided the History as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini- Latin word means ‘in the year of the Lord’). The very date of 25.12.2024 refers to the very annual calendar calculated form the Birth of Jesus. So, Jesus is a historical person.
Though Jesus Christ was born in an unnatural process of procreation, but was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of her, without sin is the Miracle.
Jesus was Historical, it is proved through the secular Historians through the Evidences of the existence of Herod, Augustus, Quirinius, Pilate and Caesar.
The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, twice mentions the name and events of Jesus in his massive 20-volume history of the Jewish people in 93 A.D. Then, the Roman governor Pliny the Younger wrote to Emperor Trajan that early Christians would “sing hymns to Christ as to a god.”
Another account on Jesus appears in Annals of Imperial Rome, a first-century history of the Roman Empire written around A.D. 116 by the Roman senator and historian Tacitus. In chronicling the burning of Rome in A.D. 64, Tacitus mentions that Emperor Nero falsely blamed “the persons commonly called Christians, followers of Christus, who was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius.”
Biblical Evidences are:
Mathew 2:1: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem”
Luke 2:1-3: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.”
Herod was a Historical person, indeed he was great ruler, builder and administrator of Judea. He was politically gifted, intensely loyal to Rome, and clever enough to remain in the good graces of successive Roman emperors because of his slave mentality.
According to Matthew Jesus was born roughly two years before the death of Herod the Great (4 BCE), but Luke writes Jesus was born during the governorship of Quirinus in Syria (6 CE).
All the gospel writers place the ministry and death of Jesus during the reign of the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate who reigned from 26-36 AD. So, the common date for the death of Jesus falls between 30 and 33 AD.
Jesus was called Son of Joseph (Luke 4:22; John 1:45, 6:42), Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 10:38), or Jesus the Nazarene (Mark 1:24; Luke 24:19). Son of David, Son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
So, Jesus is historical, and many of his believers, followers are historical over the centuries, first his disciples; then the apostles; then the martyrs; then the church fathers; then the missionaries; then the preachers; and now everyone who believes in Jesus and ready to die for this faith, you and me.
2. Jesus is a Scriptural God
“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 entire Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, is about one person, one plan, and one goal. That person is Jesus, that plan is redemption, that goal is the glory of God.
Jesus came as the fulfilment of the promises made to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, and to David. He is the fulfilment of all prophecies in the Old Testament (Micah 2:13 and Zechariah 9:9).
The appearance of a star in the east affirms that he is the God of the East, west, north and the South. He is the God of all scriptures. He is the culmination of all religions expectations. He is the saturation of all philosophies on the earth. He is the fulfilment of the all scriptures.
Firstly from Hinduism, Secondly from the Buddhism, and thirdly from the Holy Quran:
The ancient sages wrote about the sacrifice of Prajapati (the Lord of all creation). it is fulfilled only in Jesus. Prajapati is called Purusa, the Man of perfection. (Purusasukta, Rg Veda 10: 90:1-16). Christ refers to Himself ‘Son of Man” (Matthew 20:28). The definitions of ‘Purusa’ in Vedic literature applied to Jesus.
‘Yajur Veda’ 32:4: “Purvoh jatah Purusah” which means one who is born in the beginning. “Jesus is the image of invisible God, the first born of all creation” (Colossians 2: 15). “Purnatvad Purusah” means the One who is perfection is Purusah is also fulfilled in Jesus.
“Sa yat purse asmat sarvasmat sarvan papmana ausat tasmat Purusah (He who burns out sin before all is Purusa” (Brhadaranykoponisad 1.4.1).
The Chandogyopanisad 1.6. 6-7 says: The Sacrificial Man should be closely tied to the sacrificial pillar (Sathapathabrahmana 3.7.3.1). The blood of the Sacrificial Man should be shed, according to the Vedas. The Sacrificial Man should return to life after the sacrifice. (Brhadaranykopanisad 3.9.28.4,5). Fulfilled in Jesus’ resurrection.
The Katopanisad written around 600 B.C. says, “the one who knows this Purusa becomes free and attains immortality(ch.6.8).
The Svetasvataropanisad firmly declares that “there is no other way to enter into eternal life.” (ch.3.8). The same thing was told by Jesus: “I am the way, the truth and life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).
The ancient sages prayers are found in the Brhadaranykopanisad, (1.3.28):
“asatoma satgamaya (from unreal lead me to the truth)”
Jesus said: “I am the truth” (John 14:6).
“tamasoma jyotirgama (from darkness lead me to light)”.
Jesus answered: “I am the light of the world’ (John 8:12).
“Mrtyorma amrtam gamaya (From death lead me to immortality)”
Jesus: “I am the resurrection and life; he who believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25).
Father Bede experienced the life Sadhus and Sanniyasis, he searched scriptures and proved the subject of love, subject of forgiveness leads to Christ alone. He raised one question in midsts of devotees and seekers of God, ultimate being.
Who is He?
Who is that?
It refers to whom?
“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The Buddhist Literature:
Gautama Buddha had prophesied the coming of a second Buddha whom he named Metteyya. This prophecy is contained in Lagavati Sutta1. It reads as follows: ‘He will be the leader of a band of disciples numbering hundreds of thousands, as I am now the leader of bands of disciples, numbering hundreds…’ The Pali name ‘Metteyya’ is the same as ‘Mashiha’ in Hebrew. The Metteyya is Jesus Christ.
The Holy Quran references:
Surah Ali-Imran: Remember when the angels proclaimed, “O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honoured in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to Allah. [Surah Ali-Imran; 3:45]
There are 37 verses that cover many of the different abilities that Allah gave Jesus, as well as what people thought about him, his attributes, and his history.
Jesus said to Emmaus walkers, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).
Herod and the priests searched scriptures, have understood the messiah is born but their hearts were far away from God.
“A man may be persuaded of many truths, and still hate them because they interfere with his ambition or sinful indulgences. Such a belief will make him uneasy, and the more resolved to oppose the truth and the cause of God.” (Matthew Henry). Herod is the best example to it. What about your faith in Christ.
3. Jesus is the eschatological God
“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.” “They saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.”(Matthew 2:2, 11).
‘King of Jews title for Jesus was used exclusively by Magi, then by Pontius Pilate and Roman Soldiers and Gentiles’ (Pulpit Commentary).
It is attested by the biblical references in Matthew 2:2, Mark 15:2, and John 19:14-15. We know that Saul was the first King of the Jews, and Zedekiah was the last king of the Jews before their captivity to Babylon. After Thereupon, Jews expected the arrival of Messiah (Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9:6-7 and Psalm 22:27-31). Now the King has arrived.
The wise men fall down before the child in a gesture of deep respect and submission. Their worship was clearly specified for Christ alone. Giving gifts to a king or other superior was a common Middle Eastern practice and a sign of great respect. The gifts included gold, frankincense, and myrrh. All three gifts were quite costly. Many scholars and commentators say that gold represents Jesus' royalty, Frankincense symbolizes His divinity and priesthood, and Myrrh foreshadows His death and resurrection.
‘According to the Ethiopians, these wise men were three, whose names they give us; the name of him that offered the gold, was Annoson; he that offered the frankincense, was Allytar; and he that offered the myrrh, Kyssad.’(Bible Study Tools).
Jesus is the eschatological person. He said: “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me... And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18, 20).
He said in Mark 8:38 reads: “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels”.
Further he told in Mark 14:25: “I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God”.
Paul says that Jesus is the only Sovereign, the KING OF kings and LORD OF lords, immortal and invisible (1 Timothy 6:15). He is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5). He has a name inscribed, “KING OF kings, AND LORD OF lords (Revelation 19:16). All the nations would come and worship him (Isaiah 66:23). Jesus is the Eschatological KING! Hallelujah!!
Conclusion: Jesus is the Historical person, Jesus is the Scriptural person, and Jesus is the eschatological person.
