The Words of Christmas – Bring Forth A Son…
The Doorway to Eternity
Matthew 1:21-23 December 22, 2002
1. The Sunday before Christmas and excitement is in the air
2. Christmas means many things to many people – time off – bonus money – travel to
family - rest and relaxation – for children presents and stuff
3. Christmas is celebrated in a many ways – from traditional(cut tree on Christmas Eve
and decorate as family happening) – big lunch and gathering – just laying around
being at home and together
4. Whatever Christmas means to you individually – to believers it means something that
is often overlooked and understated
5. What happened there in Bethlehem did something that affects each of today – whether
believers or not
6. If you look at history – all of history (all) is like a door that is hinged upon what and
who Jesus Christ is
7. His death, burial and resurrection are the hinges upon which the door of history hangs
8. But His birth are the pins that hold the door in place – without the pins – no death
burial and resurrection
9. It is upon those pins that a door not only hands – but is allowed to swing open and to
close
10. What we celebrate in just three days is more than just a time honored story found in
Luke 2 – it is more than a children’s play or a musical presentation – what happened
that night in the deserts of Bethlehem under a star that shone so bright – was a
present from God to the world – it was the doorway to eternity
11. Had the birth not occurred – then the crucifixion could not have happened
12. Had the birth not occurred – then the resurrection would not be a possibility
13. Man would have still been going to a legalistic High Priest once a year to have his
sins forgiven – with no way for man himself to come to God alone
14. You must understand that everything we believe – everything we hold dear and
sacred is bound in these swaddling clothes in a manger
15. Those words….and she brought forth….means so much, because she brought forth
to you and to me the doorway to eternity
I. TO BRIDGE A PARTITION:
A. The phrase…and she shall bring forth in v. 21 indicates first of all a bridging of a
partition
1. The Birthing Process:
a. When a young mother to be gives birth – there is a remarkable chain of events
that occurs
b. When this mother lies down on that delivery table – she is literally taking the
chance of loosing her own life to give life to her child
c. It is one of the most remarkable and miraculous sights known to man
d. Through hours of pain, anguish and coaxing – this mother’s body prepares to
separate itself form the young life that has been growing in it for nine months
e. From a microscopic organism to ten fingers and ten toes, two eyes and a nose
this tiny human enters into a world of chaos, confusion and controversy
f. Remember that the birthing process is a separation process – it always separates
the child from the mother
g. It always separates the child from the nourishment and nutrients that was
provided for it in the mother’s womb
h. The birthing process tears that baby from the safe environment it lived in for 9
months – it is a radical and extreme means of entrance into this world
i. In the same way – Jesus was torn from His heavenly home – although He willingly
came – coming here was still a radical departure from heaven
j. His birthing process was two fold – being separated from His heavenly home and
then being separated from the womb of His mother Mary
k. Therefore it was a doubly painful and agonizing
l. Yet there would be a third separation – that would be the day He died on a cross at
Calvary and with the voice of separation and pain He cried to heaven…Father why
have you forsaken Me?.....
m. Separation is traumatic and distressing – so was Jesus’ leaving heaven for earth
2. The Bridging Process:
a. That is where the bridging process comes into focus
b. She should bring forth…notice those words – when a child is separated from their
mother – they are set apart
c. Yet when Jesus came, was …brought forth…that literally means that birth was
the process the Heavenly Father used to bring Him to us
d. Jesus was separated from the Father and from heaven, but He was brought forth
to us
e. Evidence of that is found in John 10:10 ….I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.
f. God the Father sent to you and sent to me the only way you and I could ever enter
eternity with Him – and that doorway was a baby named Jesus Christ
g. God the Father sent to us the heavenly administrator in Jesus – the door or gate
keeper in Jesus – the path or road to heaven in Jesus
h. John 14:6 Jesus said…I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the
Father but by Me…..
i. Through Jesus, He bridged the void that sin left that keeps man from heaven
j. When Jesus died on that cross – Satan and all hell rejoiced because they believed
they had won – but it was only Friday, and Sunday was coming
k. You and I today can know that we know that we know that we are going to heaven
simply because Jesus came TO US – He bridged the space that sin left and
separated Himself from heaven so that He might come to us and bring us back to
heaven with Him
l. The Baby in the manger is the doorway to eternity – His coming bridges the
partition that sin created
II. IT PROVIDES A PLAN:
A. The coming of Jesus in the manger no only bridges the partition, it also
provides a plan for you, me, us all to enter the door of eternity with Him
B. v. 21 reminds us of that plan…for he shall save his people from their sins
C. We must always remember this one fact – God did not send Jesus without
cause or purpose – He had an immediate plan for His coming – and He had
an eternal plan for His coming
1. What He Did:
a. He would come for one reason alone, and that was to save His people from
their sins
b. He would God’s approved agent to get us, you and me, from here, now,
to there with Him eternally
c. Jesus would become that doorway
d. He says as much in John 10:9 (ESV) I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he
will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
e. Jesus is the only door, He is the only way
f. Heard Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
on Donahue this past Tuesday night, try diligently to promote that very fact
g. Union Theological Seminary President Joseph Hough, took exception to Dr. Mohler
and his beliefs, even saying that God could possibly be a "she." He said, and I
quote…The basic problem I think here is that their God is too small," Hough
said of evangelicals. "For me, I’m passionately Christian. I am a Christian. I
believe in Jesus as the one who showed me the way. But I would be the last
person to be so arrogant as to assert that my God has so little imagination that
she or he could not reach out to other people in other cultures and other
ways."
h. The only problem with that assertion is what Jesus said…I have come to seek and
to save that which is lost….
i. That was the plan of the Heavenly Father, that was the purpose for sending Jesus
j. Jesus became that doorway, that opening for us to slip the surly bonds of this cruel
world into eternal joy and harmony
2. What Sin Does:
a. Why is that so important – why is that so significant?
b. Because the Father knew what sin does
c. God the Father had already seen the….
• consequences of sin
• calamity of sin
• catastrophe of sin
• confusion of sin
d. Jesus, in the manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes was God’s way of giving you
and me the means whereby we may avoid the outcome of sin
e. Paul said it so very well in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
f. That is what the Father wants us to avoid – and Jesus was His answer for that
payment of sin
g. A Jewish Rabbi named Shmuley Boteach said and I quote him…"Did you
realize that I don’t give a darn if I’m going to heaven or hell?" I didn’t have
children so that they look after me when I’m an old fool with drool coming out
of my mouth. I had them because I love them. I serve God because I love him. ...
Why are you so fixated with heaven and hell, punishment and sin?" What is
this judgment thing? [It’s] all we hear."
h. That comes from a man who doesn’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior
of the world – that Jesus came with a plan for His life – and the Baby in the manger
in Bethlehem was the answer to His question
i. Jesus is the doorway to eternity – eternal glory, or eternal torment
j. We will go by Jesus into eternity – if accepted into eternal heaven – if by rejection
into eternal hell
k. The point is that Jesus in the manger was God’s way and means of bridging the
partition that sin brought about – and thus He made His plans and His path known
III. IT DELIVERS A PROMISE:
A. Here just before Christmas – remember this – when you see that manger scene
tonight in the children’s program – realize that what happened there is the delivery of
a promise
1. A Promise Made:
a. There was a promises made many years before concerning this coming doorway to
eternity…
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Fulfilled: Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no
room for them in the inn.
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to
be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting.
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea
in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east
to Jerusalem,
Psalm 72:10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents:
the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they
saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped
him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him
gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
b. Everyone of these promises concerning His coming has been completely fulfilled
2. Promise Presented:
a. The most notable thing about it is that this promise is presented in the flesh
b. Look at the last line in v. 23…and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which
being interpreted is, God with us…
c. What that tells us is that the doorway to eternity is already with us – open arms
outstretched to receive us and lead us into His eternal presence
CONCLUSION:
1. I said in the beginning that Christmas means many things to many people
2. You do not have to believe my way to get to heaven – but you must accept His way
3. You do not have to be Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian to get to heaven – but you
must receive Jesus, the present of God in the flesh, present with us into your life
4. This Christmas can mean so much more when you and I recognize the true meaning
of what His advent and coming mean there in Bethlehem
5. He came to pierce the wall of partition that kept us from instant access to the Lord and
eternal access to heaven
6. This Christmas we can receive the real gift that last all year and all eternity long – the
Lord Jesus Christ
