Christ the Eternal One Micah 5:2
INTRO.: There are folk alive today who have no birthday. That is, there is no official record of the day of their birth. Because of neglect, no records were kept or the records were destroyed in fire or flood.
Jesus was one of these people. All we know about His birth is it was about the time Caesar Augustus made a decree that a census should be taken. The date, December 25th is a guess.
Just as we know others without birthdays were born because they are alive, we know Jesus was born because He lived. He was seen and heard by many witnesses who left a record on the pages of God’s Word and in secular history.
Yet, in a completely unique way, Jesus’ life story is a “biography without a beginning.” In the strict sense, Jesus’ coming to earth was neither a birth nor an advent. It can best be described as an incarnation. A coming into flesh.
Jesus existed even before the worlds began. He played a part in creation and was active in the affairs of men thousands of years before the events in Bethlehem we celebrate each year. This is difficult to understand, but true. “His origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Let us think about:
I. His eternal existence: Rev. 22:13
A. He is Alpha and Omega:
1. He is “A” and “B”. He was here before anything else and will remain when all else is gone.
2. He played a part in creation. Gen. 1:1 & John 1:1
3. He is not a product of human imagination. We are products of His creation.
B. He was active in Old Testament times:
1. He followed the children of Israel in the wilderness. Ex. 17:6 cf. I Cor. 10:4
2. Isaiah saw His glory. John 12:41
3. He was before John the Baptist even though born six months after. Jn. 1:15
C. He lives today, unchanged. Heb. 13:8
1. He is eternal and eternity extends both ways.
2. Even though Heaven and earth pass away, He will never change. Heb. 1:8, 10-12.
3. Every “new” religious idea must then be tested against the eternal truth that is in Jesus.
II. His relation to the Father:
A. He was and is the Word of the Father. John 1:14
1. Language is the vehicle of thought. As we reveal our thoughts through words, God was revealed in Christ. John 14:9
2. The Word of God has taken three forms; written spoken, living.
3. Spoken or written words are often misunderstood, and we may claim they are impossible to obey.
4. Christ came to show us clearly what God expects and to show us it is possible to abide by it.
B. He was loved by the Father from the foundation of the world: John 17:24
1. In His bosom. John 1:18. A place of affection and honor.
2. Shared the Father’s glory. John. 17:5
3. He left this to come to earth. An example of humility for us.
C. He was one with the Father: John 17:22, 23
1. Not one personality, but unity in purpose and love, like a family.
2. He and the Father have the same life, spirit, power.
3. Jesus presents this as a model of unity in the Church.
III. His part in history:
A. His part in creation:
1. Through Christ, Who is the Word, God said, “Let there be . . .” Heb. 1:2
2. He is also the source of our lives.1 Cor 8:6 “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
3. With this power, we should not doubt His ability to care for us.
B. His part in human history:
1. In Him is the cohesion and order of the universe. He holds all things together. Col. 1:17
2. He spoke “face to face” with Moses. Compare Ex. 33:11 and John 1:18
3. He spoke directly with Joshua. Josh. 5:14, 15
4. We cannot know just how many times He took a direct hand in the affairs of men.
C. His greatest accomplishment is the redemption of men:
1. He purged our sins.
2. Because of His sacrifice we have access to God. He is our High Priest and sacrifice.
3. Because He lives, we can live eternally.
CONC.: Our Savior has lived since the beginning of eternity and will continue to live until the end of eternity. We know our faith rests on an eternal foundation of eternal truth.
His will for us is still the same as always. It will never change. He wants all men to be saved.
His plan is the same as always. Men and women should find life through the forgiveness that comes by His blood. They should continue to live through the strength of His Spirit.
