NOBODY BUT JESUS
MATT. 1:21
I. INTRODUCTION
WE HAVE ENTERED INTO THE FESTIVE TIME OF YEAR, OF SHINING LIGHTS, MELODIOUS MELODIES, WRAPPING PAPER, GIFTS, AND HOLIDAY CHEER. THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS A TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE HEARTS OF HUMANITY SEEMS TO RADIATE AND PERCOLATE WITH PASSION. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, THERE IS NO OTHER TIME OF THE YEAR THAT AFFECTS US LIKE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.
BUT I MUST REMIND US THAT AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT SANTA CLAUS, NOR IS IT ABOUT A ONE DAY CELEBRATION THAT WILL EXPIRE AT 12:01 ON DECEMBER 26. THE AUTHENTIC MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE FIND UNDER THE TREE, OR WHAT WE WILL GIVE TO OTHERS. THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT NOBODY BUT JESUS.
I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE WORLD HAS COMMERCIALIZED THIS DAY SO MUCH THAT MANY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. JESUS IS NOT THE FOCUS OF THEIR GAZE, HE IS NOT THE APEX OF THEIR ATTENTION, HE IS NOT THE SUMMIT OF THEIR SOULS, AND HE IS NOT THE CENTER OF THEIR COGNIZANCE. FOR SOME THIS WILL BE A DAY OF EATING, DRINKING, AND BEING MERRY. BUT YOU CANNOT REALY HAVE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT CHRIST, AND WHEN YOU TAKE CHIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS, ALL YOU HAVE IS A MESS. SO MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, I WANT TO ECHO WITH ALL THE ASUURANCE THAT I CAN THAT CHRISTMAS, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS ABOUT NOBODY BUT JESUS.
II. THE TEXT
THIS FAMILIAR PASSAGE POINTS TO THE COMING OF THE PROMISED MESSIAH, PROVIDING US WITH A GLIMPSE OF HIS PURPOSE, HIS PAIN, AND HIS PASSION. NEVER HAS GOD GIVEN A GIFT TO THE WORLD THAT WAS MORE PRECIOUS, PRICELESS, AND PERFECT AS THE GIFT OF HIS SON.
THE WORLD AT THIS POINT HAD EVOLVED INTO A CESSPOOL OF SIN AND IMMORALITY. EVERY MAN DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES. COMPASSION HAD BEEN CRIPPLED, RIGHTEOUSNESS HAD ROTTENED, HOPE HAD BEEN HELD HOSTAGE, MERCY HAD TURNED TO MISERY, AND PEACE HAD BEEN POISONED. THE WORLD WAS IN A MESS THAT IT COULD NOT CLEAN UP. AND BECAUSE OF THIS MESS, GOD SENT HIS SON TO REDEEM US BACK UNTO HIMSELF.
JOSEPH HAD RECEIVED THE NEWS THAT MARY WAS GOING TO HAVE A CHILD. BEING A JUST MAN, HE DID NOT WANT MARY TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF POINTED FINGERS, AND PUBLIC HUMILIATION, THEREFORE, HE HAD MADE UP HIS MIND TO PUT HER AWAY. BUT WHAT HE COULD NOT SEE WHEN HE WAS AWAKE, GOD SHOWED HIM IN A DREAM. MY BROTHERS, AND SISTERS, SOMETIMES GOD WILL ENVADE OUR SLEEP TO GET US TO SEE WHAT HE WANTS US TO SEE.
THE ANGEL TELLS HIM THAT HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED JESUS, MEANING THE SALVATION OF JEHOVAH. VERSE 23 SAYS HIS NAME SAHLL BE EMMANUEL, MEANING GOD WITH US. ISN’T GOOD THAT MAN HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING GOD ON EARTH? THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS DEALS WITH THE REDEMPTION OF HUMANITY. JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FROM US! FIRST AND FOREMOST, CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT NOBODY BUT JESUS.
III. SECONDARY REASONS
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT CHRISTMAS IS PRIMARILY ABOUT NOBODY BUT JESUS, BUT SECOND, IT IS ABOUT MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO MAN. LUKE 2:13-14 CAPTURES OUR CONSCIOUS BY PROCLAIMING THAT THE MULTITUDE OF ANGELS APPEARED PRAISING GOD, REVERBERATING PEACE AND GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN. IN ESSENCE, CHRISTMAS IS NOT JUST A ONCE A YEAR OCCURANCE, BUT IT IS A LIFESTYLE AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE SHOULD LIVE 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR.
WE SHOUD BE DEMONSTRATING LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER ALL YEAR. WE SHOULD BE HOSPITABLE TO OTHERS ALL YEAR. WE SHOULD BE FORGIVING TO OTHERS ALL YEAR. WE SHOULD BE HARMONIOUS WITH EACH OTHER ALL YEAR. WE SHOULD BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER ALL YEAR. ROMANS 12:18 TEACHES, "IF IT BE POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS LIETH IN YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN." JOHN 13:34, "A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER." 1 PETER 4:9, ¡§USE HOSPITALITY ONE TO ANOTHER WITHOUT GRUDGING."
I STATED PREVIOUSLY THAT HIS COMING PROVIDES US WITH A GLIMPSE OF HIS PURPOSE. FIRST, HIS PURPOSE WAS TO PURCHASE US BACK UNTO HIMSELF. THE TEXT SAYS, HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. THIS WAS PRIMARILY DIRECTED AT THE JEWS, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE, IT APPLIES TO US. SECOND, HIS PAIN. THE REDEMPTION PROCESS WAS PAINFUL FOR JESUS. LUKE 9:22, "SAYING, THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS, AND BE REJECTED OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE SLAIN, AND BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY." THIRD, HIS PASSION. JOHN 15:13, "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."
WE OUGHT TO THANK GOD THAT HE CAME:
THE SKEPTICS DOUBTED THAT HE WOULD COME, BUT HE CAME.
THE HYPOCRITES HOPED THAT HE WOULD NOT COME, BUT HE CAME.
THE AGNOSTICS DENIED THE THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD COME, BUT HE CAME.
THE IDEALIST THOUGHT THAT HE DIDN’T NEED TO COME, BUT HE CAME.
THE DEVIL TRIED TO HINDER HIM, BUT HE CAME.
IT’S NOT ABOUT SHINING LIGHTS, BUT ABOUT JESUS, FOR HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. IT’S NOT ABOUT HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, BUT ABOUT JESUS. IT’S NOT ABOUT SANTA CLAUS, BUT ABOUT JESUS.
WHO ELSE COULD:
LOVE THE UNLOVEABLE, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
REDEEM THE UNREDEEMABLE, NOBODY BUT JESUS
PARDON THE UNPARDONABLE, NOBODY BUT JESUS
COULD BE YONGER THAN HIS EARTHLY MOTHER, AND AS OLD AS HIS HEAVENLY FATHER, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
COULD TURN SINNERS INTO SAINTS, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
CAN TURN MIDNIGHTS INTO DAYLIGHT, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
CAN LOOK BEYOND MY FAULTS AND MEET MY NEEDS, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
COULD HANG ON THE CROSS, DIE AND GET BACK UP, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
CAN PREPARE A PLACE FOR ME, NOBODY BUT JESUS.
