The Comfort of Christmas
Sermon – December 26th 2004
As we led up to Christmas over the last couple of week we discussed how we could prepare ourselves for Christmas and be used by God to touch the lives of those around us with what Christmas is about…
Today I want to discuss what the results of Christmas are and what they mean to us.
Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6 A voice says, "Cry out. "And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
1. The Payment For Christmas Has Been Made –
Isaiah 40:1-2
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
This is a very interesting passage because it is speaking of what the messiah would do, as it is speaking of His coming it first gives the reason for the comfort spoken of…
Isaiah 40:2
2Speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that the time of her service and her warfare are ended. Amp
It may seem odd to speak of the price as having been paid before the Messiah came but it is not so odd…
As far as God was concerned, the price was as good as paid…
Revelation 13:8
…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
In God’s mind the prophecy was as good as fulfilled.
2. The Preparations Of Christmas Have Been Made –
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain…
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
This is why John the Baptist and then Jesus preached repentance.
Matthew 3:1-2
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Later Jesus would preach the same message….
Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
This principle is at the core of the gospel message because we cannot receive salvation without repentance.
Acts 3:19-20
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus.
Simply said, Christmas calls for repentance, if we are going to know His comfort.
As we also know, repentance is much more than a one time act…
Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 7:16-17
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
NKJV
One of the results of Christmas in our lives should be the fruit of repentance – evidence!
The need for repentance is emphasized 70 times in the New Testament. Repentance does not mean doing something to pay the penalty for having sinned. No man can pay the penalty for his sin and remain alive. Furthermore, Christ has already suffered for every man.
Repentance always precedes faith. Faith without repentance is like telling a doctor that you believe he can cure you but that you intend to continue in the practice which produced the disease.
—The Highway & Hedge Evangel
3. The Proclamation Of Christmas –
Isaiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass…
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
The time to be right with God is NOW!
Our days are so short.
Psalm 103:15-16
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
NKJV
This passage holds a great contrast though – as brief and fleeting are our days, God’s Word stands forever!
1 Peter 1:23-25
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands forever."
And this is the word that was preached to you.
If the Word of the Lord stands forever than we can put our total confidence in it and in the God of the Word.
Christmas has not only given us comfort, and the ability to walk in repentance but it has given us the enduring Word of God.
The Payment for Christmas, The Preparations for Christmas, The Proclamations of Christmas and…
4. The Presentation of Christmas –
Isaiah 40:9-11
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart
Jesus has come with power!
Ephesians 3:7
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
1 Corinthians 1:24b
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Power to rescue us from our sins, power to change our lives…
Jesus has come with payment!
Isaiah 40:10b
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
Jesus has come with passion!
Isaiah 40:11
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart
He has a passion for His people as does a shepherd for his sheep!
He carries us close to his heart…Comfort
The Payment for Christmas,
The Preparations for Christmas,
The Proclamations of Christmas and…
The Presentation of Christmas
