HIS BIRTH, HIS BLOOD, AND HIS BLESSINGS
MATT. 1:21
INTRODUCTION: DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS, THE WORLD HAS EXPERIENCED SOME SPETACULAR EVENTS. OUR NATION HAS GROWN FROM THIRTEEN COLONIES TO FIFTY STATES. WE HAVE WITNESSED MAN WALKING ON THE MOON. BLACKS AND WOMEN WERE GRANTED VOTING RIGHTS, A MOVE THAT WAS MET WITH MUCH CRITICISM. WOMEN WERE GRANTED EQUAL RIGHTS. THE BERLIN WALL CAME TUMBLING DOWN. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE HAVE WITNESSED SOME SPECTACULAR EVENTS INDEED. THE FREEING OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER NELSON MANDELA AFTER 27 YEARS OF PAINFUL IMPRISONMENT FOR STANDING FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT. AS SPECTACULAR AS THESE EVENTS MAY HAVE BEEN, WHEN IT COMES TO JESUS, NOTHING COMPARES TO EVENTS OF HIS BIRTH, HIS BLOOD, AND HIS BLESSINGS.
I. TEXT/BIRTH
THE ANGELIC MESSENGER GIVES JOSEPH A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS BY ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST CHILD. WHEN WE EXAMINE HIS BIRTH, WE DISCOVER THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY GIVEN IN ISAIAH 7:14 WHICH STATES, “BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE, AND BEAR A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL.” HIS BIRTH KNOWN ACROSS THE WORLD AS THE EMMACULANT CONCEPTION, DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
NEVER BEFORE HAS GOD DISPLAYED HIS POWER IN SUCH MANNER.
HIS MAJESTIC BIRTH IS THE FORESHADOW OF THINGS TO COME. NOT ONLY WAS HIS BIRTH SPECTACULAR, BUT ALSO IT OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GREAT THINGS THAT SAVIOR WOULD DO IN HIS LIFE. THE ANGEL MAKES NO MISTAKE ABOUT THE MISSION OF THE MASTER. THE ANGEL STATES, “FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” ALLOW ME TO MOCK TIME MOMENTARILY AND TELL YOU THAT JESUS WAS THE GREATEST MISSIONARY THAT EVER LIVED, THE GREATEST CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER THERE EVER WAS, THE GREATEST SOCIAL WORKER TO EVER HAVE A CASELOAD, THE GREATEST LAWYER TO EVER PLEAD A CASE, THE GREATEST DOCTOR TO EVER HAVE A PATIENT, AND THE GREATEST SAVIOR KNOWN AND UNKNOWN TO MAN. ALL OF THIS AS A RESULT OF HIS EARTHLY BIRTH.
II. HIS BLOOD
WE ARE SAVED TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE ACCEPTED HIS FINISHED WORK AT CALVARY BY THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD. THE UNIQUENESS OF HIS BLOOD IS THAT ALTHOUGH HE HAD EARTHLY PARENTS, HIS BLOOD DID NOT CONTAIN TRACES OF THEIR DNA. HIS BLOOD WAS SO DIVINE THAT IT WAS BETTER THAN THE SACRIFICES OF GOATS AND CALVES. JESUS INTIMATES IN MATT. 26:28, “FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.” HEBREWS 9:22b STATES,”AND WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION.”
THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD FULFILLS THE PROPHECY SPOKEN IN GENESIS 3:15 WHICH TEACHES THAT CHRIST WOULD BE VICTORIOUS OVER SATAN AT CALVARY.
HIS BLOOD DOES NOT COVER OUR SINS, IT REMOVES OUR SINS. THAT’S WHY THE SONG WRITER COULD PUT PEN TO PAPER AND WRITE, WHAT CAN WAS AWAY MY SINS, NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS. THERE IS POWER IN HIS BLOOD. HIS BLOOD CAN SAVE FROM THE GUTTERMOST TO THE UTTERMOST.
III. CONCLUSION/BLESSINGS
BECAUSE HE WAS BORN AND SHED HIS BLOOD, WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF DIVINE AND ETERNAL BLESSINGS. WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS THAT WE ARE ENTITLED TO? WE HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM THE POWER OF SIN, THE PENALTY OF SIN, AND ONE DAY THE VERY PRESENCE OF SIN. WE HAVE BEEN MADE TO SIT IN HEAVENLY PLACES. WE ARE HEIRS AND JOINT-HEIRS TO HIS KINGDOM. WE ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF ETERNAL LIFE. WE HAVE PEACE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE, HOPE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE, JOY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE, LIFE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE, FORGIVENESS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE.
FOR SOME, CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT RECEIVING. BUT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE IT’S ALL ABOUT GIVING. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, SO THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD COMMENDED HIS LOVE TOWARDS US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US. FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, AND UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN.
IF JESUS HAD NOT BEEN BORN, LAZARUS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RAISED, JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RAISED. IF JESUS HAD NOT BEEN BOR, BLIND BARTEMEUS WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED HIS SIGHT. IF JESUS HAD NOT BEEN BORN, HE WOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO CALVARY. AND IF HE HAD NOT GONE TO CALVARY, HE WOULD NOT HAVE SHED HIS BLOOD. AND IF HE HAD NOT SHED HIS BLOOD, YOU AND I WOULD STILL BE IN OUR SIN. WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE HE WAS BORN. WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE HE SHED HIS BLOOD ONE FRIDAY ON A HILL CALLED CALVARY. WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE THEY PLACE HIM IN A BORROWED TOMB. WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE HE GOT UP EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
