Message Title: “Into” this World
Scripture:
(1 John 5:4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Someone once said that, “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.”
God sent us a Savior, Jesus, almost 2,010 years ago. He was sent into this world, and born not of this world. He was born without the history, but history is one reason He was sent. He grew up in this world, but was not influenced by this world.
Jesus was born into this world. If he had been born of this world, He would have been under the sin curse of Adam, so He was born of the Spirit. We take this time to honor the birth of Jesus, our Lord and our Savior. The world calls it Christmas….but, what is that?
What is Christmas anyway? Do you think that when Pope Julius I authorized December 25th to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, he would have ever thought that it would become what it is today?
What is Christmas anyway? Do you think that when Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, he would have thought that Americans would be using over 40 million trees with much more elaborate decorations?
What is Christmas anyway? Is it just a time to get together and eat your favorite desert or main dish? Listen to some of these:
Norway: The big festive feast takes place on Christmas Eve. Most people around the coastal regions eat fish – while inland they go for pork chops, specially prepared sausages and occasionally lamb.
Sweden: The Christmas feast consists of a smorgasbord of caviar, shellfish, cooked and raw fish and cheeses.
Ukraine: The people here prepare huge broths brimming with meat for Christmas Eve rather than Christmas day.
Czech Republic: Tradition dictates that the tree is not lit before Christmas Eve, then they have a big dinner of fish soup, salads, eggs and carp. Scarily, the number of people at the table must be even or it is believed the person without a partner will die next year.
Jamaica: Christmas dinner usually consists of rice, gungo peas, chicken, ox tail and curried goat.
Austria: A typical Christmas dinner would consist of braised carp served with gingerbread and beer sauce.
Poland: The traditional Christmas Eve supper consists of 12 non-meat dishes, representing the months of the year and featuring fish such as pike, herring and carp.
Quite a different variety of foods and traditions. And, yes, we all know that Christmas is not about the food, or the gifts, or the trees, or the decorations, it’s about Jesus and His birth. But, it’s more than that, too. Because, it’s about your re-birth, into God’s family. When you celebrate Christmas you celebrate Jesus’ birth, but do you also celebrate your own birth into the biggest family in the world? The Christian family, that is. We should!
Our scripture verse tells us:
(1 John 5:4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Jesus was born of God, and Jesus overcame the world.
What about you? Are you born of God? If so, you can insert your name right into that passage, for you are the one that has become the ‘whatsoever,’ and, you have the opportunity to overcome the world.
Looking again at this passage we are able to see several good points:
His Birth in the World
His Birth in History
His Birth in Me
His Birth in the World
Never has the birth of one individual done so much in and for the world.
At the time of Jesus’ birth the world was a very small place, population-wise. Experts estimate that there were around 170 to 400 million people living at the time when Jesus was born. Indeed, the population now is about 15 times that, or six billion people.
Speaking of numbers, Christian scientists have estimated that for one man to be born that would fulfill all of the prophecies spoken of in the Old Testament, would be one in 100 quadrillion, or 10 with 17 zeroes after it.
Jesus’ birth into the world started a debate in the councils of the magi that ended up with them putting together an expedition to find Him! That expedition alone, if utilizing today’s economical reckoning, would probably have cost a half a million dollars!
Jesus’ birth into the world started some worrying as well. Herod began to worry because He thought the Messiah would replace him as king. The Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, began to worry, too, because they were not ready, spiritually. They loved the pomp, they loved people looking at them and admiring them.
Yes, Jesus’ birth into the world stirred things up. It stirred up things so much that time stopped at the supposed year of His birth with B. C. (before Christ) and began again with A.D. (Anno Domini, year of our Lord). But, more importantly,
John, chapter 3:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
His Birth in History
Plato, Aristotle, K’ung Fu-zi (Confucius), Socrates, and even Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, had already lived on this earth much before Jesus was born. The world had already had its philosophers and its enlightened try to save it from itself, but they had failed. But, in reality, if our greatest need had been knowledge of ourselves, God would have sent us a philosopher greater than those.
Spartacus, a gladiator, had already led a revolt against the Romans and had been savagely executed, and Julius Caesar had been named dictator for life, then assassinated a few months later. Marc Antony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian. The world had already had its warriors and gladiators, but they, too, had failed. In reality, if our greatest need had been a warrior, he would have actually set up a kingdom that would still be in existence.
Before Jesus was born, man already knew enough about the moon to predict lunar eclipses; man knew enough to guess or estimate that the earth was probably a sphere. Man had also determined the length of the year, creating the calendar had been with 365.25 days. Additionally, man surmised as early as 200 B.C. that the moon revolved around the earth, and the earth revolved around a stationary sun. You see, the world had already had its inventors and scientists, but they, too, had failed in providing man with the right information to fill that hole in his heart. In reality, if our greatest need had been a scientist, well, we would see the result of that, wouldn’t we?
History has only proven one thing, and that is how sinful man really is. Jesus was born at just the right time. A time when man was beginning to turn to himself and nature for answers to his empty heart. Yes, Jesus was born during the Pax Romana, or the Roman peace, or rather that long period of peace enforced on states in the Roman Empire, but He brought a better peace, peace between man and God. He brought Himself to the cross as a sacrifice for our history, and history records that is exactly what we did to Him: we crucified Him. Yes, it was you and I that crucified Christ. For, if there had been no sin, there wouldn’t have been a reason for Jesus to be born on this earth. Think about that when you look at the manger scene with the animals, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. Think about the reason that baby is laying there. It was for you and I, and the rest of the world.
His Birth in Me
Jesus’ birth into this world and the history that is recorded about Him is only information, especially to the unbeliever. To the unbeliever, that information doesn’t really amount to a lot, other than a string of events. To the unbeliever there has been lots of events. Events in the past, events in history, events going on in their lives, and those events that are going to take place.
You see, the birth of Jesus doesn’t really mean anything to the unbeliever. As a matter of fact, during a past Christmas a TV announcer in Japan asked a young girl coming out of the shopping center after she had been Christmas shopping, “What does Christmas really mean?” She replied, “Isn’t that when Jesus died?”
Yes, in a way that is true. The name Jesus has all but died in many homes around the world, and Christmas has taken His place. There is the flowers, the candles, the tree, the gifts, the decorations, the break from work, the bonus money, the big dinner, the family getting together, but, there is no mention of why all of these things are going on. So I must look to my inward parts and find His birth in me, for that is what is required to truly celebrate Christmas. Yes, I can rejoice and say, “Happy Birthday, Jesus.” but, I should rejoice more when I say, “Happy Birthday to Jesus in me.”
