Matt. 1:18-25 The True Meaning of Christmas
Christmas 2003
Intro. When you think of Christmas what do you think about? Snow?, Tree?, presents?, cookies?, shopping?, giving and receiving presents?, family? Santa Clause and Rudolph?,
Read text. The focus of this text is not on the "how" but on the "who" of Christmas.
In other words, the focus isn’t on the "virgin birth" or Mary. but on the Son, Jesus that would be born.
Proposition: God wants to us to know the true meaning of Christmas.
I. Christmas is about a Person (21) – Jesus
He is called Jesus (21) and also Emmanuel (23)
A. The name "Jesus" shows that Mankind was in need of saving –
To understand this fully, we would have to go all the way back to creation, Adam & Eve and the story of the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden…
from the penalty of sin was death.
Physical & Spiritual Death.
Death = separation,
Physical Death = separation from our body.
Spiritual Death = Separation from God, and eternity in Hell’s flames…).
Rom. 5:12-19 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
"Because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages – Jesus Christ the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature and by choice…."
B. The name "Jesus" shows that Mankind was in incapable of saving himself –
God had to send His sinless, Son to pay for the sins of this wicked world.
1 John 2: 2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world."
Rom. 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
He did this because we were incapable of saving ourselves:
Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
C. The name Jesus "Christ" indicates that His coming was prophesied long ago.
Although not called "Christ here in this passage, He is in many other passages.
"Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah"
1. Gen. 3:15; Protoevangelium – first mention of the Gospel.
Christ would be the ultimate vindication of the woman
Gal. 4:4 "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"
2. Gen. 22:18; The Messiah would be of the Seed of Abraham
3. Gen. 21:12; Son of Isaac
4. Num. 24:7; Son of Jacob
5. Gen. 49:10 7 Micah 5:2; From the tribe of Judah
6. Isaiah 11:1-5; From the family of Jesse
7. 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Come from the house of David.
8. Micah 5:2; Teaches that He would be born in Bethlehem and His Pre- existence.
9. Isaiah 7:14; "Behold" – points to a remarkable fulfillment, not a customary birth
"virgin" – (almah) a young woman who has not physically known a man.
"Immanuel" – means "God with us" and means He will have a remarkable
nature (sinless)
10. Isaiah 9:6-7; Occupy the throne of David, and be called "the mighty God" and be called "the everlasting father".
11. Isaiah 35:5-6; He will perform miracles
12. Psalm 78:2; He will teach in Parables
13. Zechariah 9:9; He will enter Jerusalem on a donkey
14. Zech. 11:12; He will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
15. Zech. 12:10 & Psalm 22; His hands & feet will be pierced (crucified on a cross)
In fact 300 prophecies in the O.T. were fulfilled by Jesus.
33 prophecies were fulfilled in just One day.
Trans: So, Jesus is the person of Christmas. What about the Purpose of Christmas?
II. Christmas has a Purpose (21) – salvation
"he shall save his people from their sins"
savior – a term used to mean "one who delivers…"
Caesar was sometimes called savior – seen as delivering from their enemies
Doctors were sometimes called savior – seen as delivering from sickness
Philosophers were sometimes called savior too – seen as delivering from ignorance….
The deliverance Jesus came for was more important than that of a Military leader, Doctor or a Philosopher.
Jesus came to deliver mankind from their sin problem….and from an eternal separation from Almighty God and an eternity in Hell’s fire.
Curse of Sin came upon mankind because of sin –
Gen. 3:17 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;"
Rom. 5:12, 18 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ... Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life."
Rom. 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
The price of sin for mankind – death, eternal separation from almighty God, Himself. God is Holy and cannot be around sin, or even look upon sin…..
Rom. 6:23 "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Trans: So far, we have seen 1). The Person of Christmas (Jesus) and 2) The Purpose of Christmas (bring gift of salvation).
Like most Christmas presents: this gift cost the giver, but is free for the receiver...
III. Christmas came at a high Price – death
Though it isn’t specifically told to us in this Matthew passage, it is implied by the phrase "save his people from their sin" (21).
The death of Jesus Christ was required to save people from their sin…
Heb. 9:22 says, "without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin."
This law of God, was typified throughout the O.T.
Animals skins to cover Adam and Eve.
Sacrifices on an altar for the sins of people…
We briefly mentioned that Jesus is also called "Emmanuel" in v. 23.
We have a problem:
God is Holy!.
Mankind is Sinful!
Sin broke the fellowship between God and man and the penalty is death….
God in His love and mercy wants to make a way so that we can have a relationship again…
We have a Solution from God: Substitutionary death…
Law of Substitution (Three requirements):
1. The Substitute must be innocent
2. The Substitute must volunteer to pay.
3. The Substitute must pay the price for the guilty verdict as assigned by law.
Jesus fulfilled all three requirements for the Law of Substitution:
Innocent – 1 John. 3:5 says "….in him is no sin"
Also, our passage here calls Him "Emmanuel" (23). We see that Jesus is actually "God with us". As such, He too is Holy and without any sin.
Volunteered – He prayed "not my will but thine be done…"(Mt. 26:39).
John 10:18 "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
Paid the full price – died a cruel death on a hill called Calvary…
Isaiah 53:5-6 "But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Conclusion:
We have seen the Person, Purpose, and Price of Christmas. Together these reveal to us the True meaning of Christmas.
Have you received God’s Christmas gift to the world?
Have you received Jesus as your Savior?
The Poet Christina Rossetti wrote:
"What can I give Him, poor as I am,
If I were a shepherd I would give Him a lamb,
If I were a wise man I would do my part,
What can I give Him I will give Him my heart."
Invitation: God’s promised Son, Jesus, is His Christmas gift to you.
If you haven’t received Him – why not do so today by giving Him your heart.
