" Bethlehem’s baby, Calvary’s Christ "
John 1:14-29
IT’S VERY EASY FOR PREACHERS TO WALK ON THIS HOLY GROUND AND SPEAK ABOUT A BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES TUCKED AWAY IN A MANGER. WE AS PEOPLE HAVE NO PROBLEM CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD IN SOME FAR DISTANT LAND WITH A STAR SHINING OVER HIS BIRTHPLACE AND WISE MEN SADDLING THEIR CAMELS HUNDREDS OR MAYBE EVEN THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY TO BEGIN A JOURNEY.
PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH JESUS IS IN WHO HE REALLY IS AND WHAT HE COMMANDS US TO DO. JESUS WAS GOD HIMSELF WRAPPED IN HUMAN FLESH AS VERSE FOURTEEN CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES…
" AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH."
FULLY MAN YET ALSO FULLY GOD ON EARTH AND HE WAS AWARE OF OUR EARLIEST BEGINNINGS BECAUSE HE CREATED THIS WORLD WE NOW LIVE IN.
GENESIS 1:3 AND GOD SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT AND THERE WAS LIGHT
GENESIS 1:26 AND GOD SAID LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS…
WE BEHELD HIS GLORY AS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF THE LIVING GOD AND HE WAS FULL OF GRACE AND OF TRUTH, YET HERE IS WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN BECAUSE IF WE THINK ABOUT JESUS AS HE IS INSTEAD OF HOW HE WAS THAT NIGHT SO LONG AGO, WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER HE IS LORD OR NOT.
1. WE ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE AND FIND IT MORE CONVENIENT TO KEEP HIM IN THE FORM OF A LITTLE BABY NESTLED AWAY IN A SMELLY OLD BARN UNABLE TO CARE FOR HIMSELF AND NEEDFUL OF THE THINGS WE GIVE HIM
2. CAN YOU TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TRUTH THIS MORNING?
FIRST OF ALL IN ORDER FOR THE SHEPHERDS TO HAVE BEEN IN THE FIELDS TENDING THEIR SHEEP TO HEAR THE VOICES OF ANGELS SINGING, SCHOLARS KNOW THAT THE TIME WOULD HAVE TO BE AT LEAST THE FIRST PART OF APRIL OR EVEN LATER THAN THAT. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HOME IN DECEMBER, THE COLDEST PART OF THEIR YEAR. KIND OF DESTROYS THE THEORY OF DECEMBER 25TH DOESN’T IT?
THIS DATE WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE OF PAGAN RELIGIONS WHO WORSHIPPED THE SUN GOD.
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RUIN IT FOR US BROTHER MIKE? WHY? THERE’S A SIMPLE REASON I’M TELLING YOU ALL THIS TODAY MY FRIENDS. I AM TIRED OF PLAYING GAMES AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND SIDE STEPPING THE TRUTH! HOW CAN WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE DARKEST TIMES OF HUMAN HISTORY AND CHRISTIANITY REFUSE TO SHINE A CLEAR LIGHT FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST? HAVE WE FALLEN SO FAR THAT WE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE LIES TOLD TO US AND WE HAVE ALSO PERPETUATED ON OUR CHILDREN?
1. EVERY KID IN THIS BUILDING KNOWS ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT SANTA CLAUS, THE EASTER BUNNY AND THE TOOTH FAIRY AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY EXIST BECAUSE WE HAVE ASSURED THEM THEY DO.
2. MOST OF THE KIDS HERE TODAY CAN TELL ME AT LEAST SIX OF THE EIGHT TINY REINDEER DRIVING SANTA CLAUS AROUND BUT I BET YOU A NICKEL TO A DONUT THEY CAN’T TELL ME SIX OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES!
3. ONLY TIME WE’LL DILIGENTLY TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS IS WHEN WE CAN KEEP HIM IN A DIAPER WITHOUT THE POWER OF SPEECH AND EVEN THEN WE DON’T GIVE HIM THE POSITION OF HONOR HE DESERVES. NO, WE RESERVE THE HONORABLE POSITION FOR A FAT OLD GUY RIDING A SLEIGH PULLED BY EIGHT TINY REINDEER!
4. LISTEN TO ME! GOD HIMSELF CAME TO EARTH IN HUMAN FLESH THE NIGHT THE ANGELS SANG HIS GLORY! THAT SAME BETHLEHEM BABY BECAME CALVARY’S CHRIST THAT DIED IN OUR PLACES FOR THE EVIL WE HAVE DONE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT IS REAL AND PERSONAL.
" THE NEXT DAY JOHN SEETH JESUS COMING UNTO HIM AND SAITH, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD."
JOHN 1:29
MOST PEOPLES FAVORITE VERSE IN ALL THE BIBLE IS JOHN 3:16 BUT THEY NEVER READ THE SURROUNDING VERSES AND KNOW WHERE THE CONTEXT STARTS AT IN VERSE ELEVEN THROUGH TWENTY ONE.
1. THAT SACRED AND HORRIBLE DEATH WASN’T ENOUGH FOR THE BABY WHO GREW UP INTO CHRIST TO SUFFER BECAUSE YOU SEE IN ORDER FOR HIM TO SAVE US IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HIM TO RISE FROM THE GRAVE.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE NEXT PROBLEM OF MAN’S THOUGHTS OF CHRIST JESUS. WE WANT TO LEAVE HIM ON THE CROSS STILL SUFFERING TO THIS DAY FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD AND THAT’S NOT THE TRUTH. THEY TOOK HIM OFF THAT CROSS AND LAID HIS BODY IN THE GRAVE BECAUSE HE HAD DIED.
GO TO JOHN 20:11-17
1 CORINTHIANS SAYS IT EVEN BETTER IN CHAPTER FIFTEEN STARTING IN VERSE 11-23. JESUS ROSE FROM THE GRAVE TO PROVE HE WAS THE ONLY WAY MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN CAN BE SAVED AND HE IS THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE EVER CLAIMED TO HAVE POWER OVER DEATH OUR GREATEST ENEMY.
A. WE CAN HAVE HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, DEATH’S STILL WAITING
B. WE CAN HAVE GREAT JOBS AND HOMES AND BOATS AND FRIENDS, DEATHS STILL WAITING
C. WE CAN HAVE THE LOVE OF A GOOD FAMILY AND MANY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, DEATHS STILL WAITING
CHRIST HAD TO RISE TO GIVE US VICTORY! AND GO TO ACTS 1:9-11. HE’S NOT HIDING SOMEWHERE ON THIS EARTH OR HELD IN CHAINS BUT IS INSTEAD SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN PLEADING FOR OUR SINRIDDEN SOULS TO ACCEPT HIS GREAT ACT OF MERCY AND ONE DAY SOON HE’S GOING TO SPLIT THAT EASTERN SKY TO TAKE HIS CHILDREN HOME! BUT HE’S NOT COMING BACK AS NO BABY WITH A DIAPER ON HIS BEHIND AND A BOTTLE IN HIS MOUTH!
REVELATION 19:11-16
WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE DARKEST MORAL MOMENTS IN ALL HISTORY MY FRIEND. WE HAVE BECOME SO HARDENED AND CALLOUSED TO DEATH AND DYING BY HOLLYWOOD, NINTENDO AND THE NEWS MEDIA THAT WE ALLOW THEM TO PUMP HOUR UPON HOUR OF COVERAGE INTO OUR HOMES. WE GET TO SEE PATRIOT MISSILES STREAKING ACROSS THE IRAQI SKYLINE OF BAGHDAD RAINING DOWN DEATH AND ANNIHILATION WITH 2000 LB WARHEADS AND WE ENJOY IT. WE LAUGH AND JOKE AND WE VOICE OUR OPINIONS ABOUT WIPING THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT GOD WOULD SAY TO YOU.
1. THOSE ARE REAL PEOPLE DYING REAL DEATHS OVER THERE. THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND MOMA’S AND DADDIES AND CHILDREN JUST LIKE WE DO. THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOVE THEM THE SAME WAY YOU DO AND GOD LOVES THEM BECAUSE HE SENT HIS OWN SON TO DIE FOR THEM AT CALVARY.
2. REAL PEOPLE DYING AND THEN GOING TO A VERY REAL AND BURNING HELL AND WE WATCH IT OVER DINNER WITHOUT ONE TEAR IN OUR EYES AND THE WORD WOW! ON OUR LIPS AT THE BRILLIANT FLASHES OF LIGHT AS ANOTHER BOMB EXPLODES.
3. MAYBE YOU JUSTIFY YOUR POSITION WITH PRAYERS FOR "OUR BOYS" OVER THERE BUT I WONDER WHAT THAT SAME LITTLE BABY SAID WHEN HE WAS ALL GROWED UP…
THE MAN THAT BABY BECAME SAID IN LUKE 10:27-35. KIND OF HARD TO DEAL WITH A KING ISN’T IT? A KING ISSUES AN ORDER AND THOSE UNDER HIM JUMP TO THEIR FEET TO CARRY IT OUT BUT IF WE CAN JUST KEEP HIM AS A BABY WE KNOW THAT BABIES HAVE NO POWER OF SPEECH. WE CAN JUST BEND OVER THE MANGER AND MAKE GOOING AND KAWING NOISES AT HIM TALKING BABY TALK WONDERING WHAT HE MUST BE THINKING.
IS YOUR LIFE HIDDEN UNDER THE BLOOD OF THE KING?
I’M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU TO BURN DOWN YOUR CHRISTMAS TREES AND THROW OUT THE PRESENTS BECAUSE A MAN WOULD HAVE TO BE A FOOL TO THINK ANY OF YOU WOULD LISTEN TO HIM IF HE DID. NOT TELLING YOU TO DO THAT BUT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO SAY I EVER WATERED DOWN THE TRUTH EITHER. CHRISTIAN! ONE DAY YOU WILL STAND AT THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST JESUS AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF YOUR SERVICE FOR EVERYTIME YOU FAILED TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. FOR PUTTING JOBS, CAREERS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, RECREATION, POSSESSIONS, BALL GAMES, GOOD TIMES, OVERTIME, SHOPPING AND YOUR PLEASURE IN FRONT OF THE LORD. YOU WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR EVERY TIME YOU KEPT YOUR MOUTH CLOSED WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT TOLD YOU TO WITNESS OR TEACH OR LEAD TO THE LOST PEOPLE ALL AROUND YOU. THAT SAME JESUS WILL BE THERE BUT HE WON’T BE IN SWADDLING CLOTHES. REVELATION ONE SAYS THAT HE’LL HAVE HAIR WHITE LIKE THE SNOW AND EYES LIKE FLAMING FIRE AND FEET LIKE POLISHED BRASS AND A VOICE LIKE THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS.
THAT SAME JESUS WILL QUIET YOUR EVERY EXCUSE WITH THAT VOICE SO LOUD AND POWERFUL YOU’D NEVER EXPECT THAT FROM A BABY BUT YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE TRUTH DOESN’T CHANGE THE TRUTH.
LOST PERSON! ONE DAY YOU WILL STAND IN FRONT OF THAT SAME JESUS AT A PLACE CALLED THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT SPOKEN OF IN REVELATION 20:11-15 AND YOUR EVERY DEED AND SECRET SIN WILL BE SHOUTED FROM THE ROOFTOPS. IF YOUR HEART HASN’T BEEN WASHED IN THE SACRED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU WILL BE FORCED TO YOUR KNEES IN HIS PRESENCE AND YOU WILL SAY JESUS CHRIST IS LORD AND THEN YOU WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. NO ROOM TO KNEEL AND PRAY ON GOD’S GREAT JUDGEMENT DAY!
THE ONLY HOPE WE HAVE IS IN BETHLEHEM’S BABY WHO GREW UP INTO CALVARY’S CHRIST TO WASH OUR SINS CLEAN AND GIVE US A NEW LIFE. WILL YOU TRUST HIM TODAY?
INVITATION
