Luke 1:26-35
Jesus, The Son of God
Woodlawn Baptist Church
December 2, 2001
Introduction
Only 22 shopping days left! Do you have yours done? This past week as Kathy and I have been out, we have stood in the long lines and thought about that "just right" gift for each member of the family. It is difficult to keep Christmas in perspective with so much pressure coming in from every side, but this morning I want to encourage you to leave all thoughts of lunch, of afternoon activities, those Christmas pressures from family and friends, from strained budgets and tired bodies and join me in the Word of God, in the presence of the Holy Spirit, as we consider Jesus, The Son of God.
There are many titles of Jesus. He is called
• A banner for the peoples
• The Alpha and Omega – Re. 22:13
• The Ancient of Days – Dan. 7:9
• The Anointed One
• He is the Faithful and True
• The Great Shepherd of the sheep
• The Holy and Righteous One
• He is the Lord of Lords
• He is the Prince of Peace
• The Righteous One
• He is the Amen
• The First and the Last – Re. 1:11
• The Word of God
• The Word of Life
• He is the Chief Shepherd
• The Chief Cornerstone
• The Crown of Splendor
• The Rock of Ages
• Our Passover Lamb
• He is the One and Only
• The Image of the Invisible God
• Our Merciful and Faithful High Priest
• The Messiah
• The Dayspring from on High
• The Son of man
• The Son of the blessed One
• The Son of the living God
• The Son of the Most High God
• Jesus – The Son of God
Praise the Lord! If there is reason to celebrate this Christmas, Jesus is it. There is no greater gift! There is no greater love! Can you see Jesus?!
As we take up our place in Luke, we find that Elizabeth is six months pregnant with John the Baptist. During this time the angel Gabriel is sent by God to Mary to tell her the news of the child to whom she would give birth.
I can imagine that all of heaven is bursting with anticipation of this moment, that long awaiting appointment that God made with Adam and Eve, that appointment that He promised over and over to the prophets, assuring them that one blessed day a Savior would come!
The angel Gabriel has been given this wonderful task and must be filled with excitement as he breaks through the heavenly realm into ours. The time has finally come! What is this news Gabriel has concerning the Son of God?
He would be called JESUS.
In Matthew’s account, the angel of the Lord told Joseph, "thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
The name means, "Jehovah is salvation, Savior, or Yahweh saves."
Jesus, the Son of God, is the only One in whom we have salvation. Men have looked far and wide for the way to eternal life. They have sacrificed their cows, their goats, their children, their wives, and some even themselves. They have given all they own, have tortured their bodies, and beat themselves into subjection. But Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me."
Peter preached in Acts chapter 4 and declared with all the force and authority of heaven when he said, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
The Son of God wasn’t called Jesus just because it sounded good. God was making a statement that would last for all eternity. Salvation is to be found in His only begotten Son.
He would be great.
His first coming was great. Read Luke 2:7-14 – What a great entrance into this world! Jesus could have and rightly should have had the most grand of births, yet He was born in a stable, laid in a manger, surrounded by livestock and filth, identifying with those He came to save.
His life was great. He lived a perfect, sinless life, tempted in every way that you and I are, yet without sin. His teachings were great. His miracles were great. His love and compassion were great, and they drove Him to the cross.
His death was great. Not because it was on a cross, nor because of the crown of thorns or the stripes on His back, but because it was voluntary, substitutionary death that made reconciliation possible between God and man. In His death He became our mediator, the go between, representing us before God and God before us.
His resurrection was great. Men all through the ages have declared themselves to be gods, but their bones are still in the grave. Only Jesus ever made the claim and then pulled it off.
His second coming will be great.Read 1 Thess. 4:13-17. Read 1 Co. 15:50-58.
He would be called the Son of the Highest.
Gabriel declares that Jesus is the Son of the Highest. This is an important declaration about God in a culture that thinks that one god is just as good as another. Without making any comments, allow me to read to you this passage from Isaiah 45. Read Isaiah 45:21-46:9.
He would be given the throne of David and would reign over the house of Jacob forever. An important prophecy is being discussed here that dates back to the time of Jacob.
In Genesis 49:8, Jacob tells his son Judah, "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (peace) come; and unto him shall the gather of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: his eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk."
Jacob said that the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh, or peace came. Isaiah said, "For unto us a child is born…The Prince of Peace!"
In 2 Samuel 7:12, the Lord told Nathan that David’s throne would last forever. "And when [David’s] days be fulfilled, and [he] shall sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom."
Remember last week in Daniel 7 we read that the "Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
Let me encourage you the way Peter did the people to whom he wrote in 2 Peter 1 when he said, "…brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
If you’ll allow me to put that in Texas terms, make sure you’re saved. If you’re not saved, you’re going to hell. Only those who are saved, who are children of God will be in that everlasting kingdom.
He would be miraculously conceived.
The angel Gabriel said to Mary, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
The Old Testament promised the virgin birth of Christ, and Jesus was the fulfillment of that virgin birth. The virgin birth of Christ must not be denied or explained away.
Jesus was virgin born or we have no salvation. The doctrinal importance of the virgin birth is seen in at least three areas.
It shows that salvation ultimately comes from the Lord. The virgin birth of Christ is an unmistakable reminder that salvation could never come through human effort, but must be the work of God himself. Had man been left to his own devices, he would have continued to produce children born in sin. God however knew how to take care of the problem.
It made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person. It was by means of a virgin born baby that God sent His Son into the world as a man. God could have done it anyway He chose, but this was the way.
It made possible the true humanity of Christ without inherited sin. In the virgin birth, the line of descent from Adam was partially interrupted, and made possible statement from Gabriel that, "that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Conclusion
Do you know this Son of God? Have you accepted Him as your Savior? Jesus, Jehovah is salvation: is He your salvation?
With all the talk about gifts and giving this month, would you accept the greatest gift ever given? Would you accept the gift of God’s only begotten Son?
What a glorious Savior! Celebrate with me this year the birth of the baby Jesus, who is great, the Son of the Highest, Ruler of the everlasting kingdom, the virgin born, Son of God!
