December 24th, the day before
what is commonly called Christmas. Now we can either surrender to
it or do and do what everyone in religion is doing today. I'm not going to do that. Or
we can ignore it. But we can't hardly do that because
most people are thinking about this at this time. Or we can
use it. And that's what I intend to do.
This will be my Christmas sermon. Now, I have no superstitions
about this season of the year. I'm sure that there is no spiritual
significance in all of this celebration. It is not holy to God or man,
for we do not know the date, the actual date of Jesus Christ's
birth, nor are we commanded to celebrate this time of the year
and his birth. We're not commanded to celebrate
it. We are commanded to remember His death. His birth is important,
yes. Events about His birth are vital. But His death is what saves. And we're given two ordinances
to remember His death and resurrection by. That's the Lord's Supper
and Baptism. So nowhere in Scripture are we
commanded to observe and celebrate His birth. But since it's that
time of year and people are thinking about it, this is my Christmas
sermon. I'm looking at Luke chapter 2,
the gospel of Luke chapter 2, and I read in verses 10 and 11,
the angel said unto them, the shepherds, fear not, for behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day. in the city of David, a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord." End of quote. Now I resent the commercialization
of this event. It has its beginning, it has
its concept back in the winter solstice time of the year when
pagan, heathen religion tried to come up with money and to
get people to come to their services, their mass, and so forth. Hence
the name Christ Mass. At any rate, Jesus is not the
reason for the season and never has been the reason for this
time of the year. It's a commercial event that
has its origin in heathen, pagan religion, and it's commercialized
horribly. It's all about money. But there
are three or four things about Christmas that make it enjoyable
and give us an opportunity to profit by it. Three or four things. I'm glad, number one, I'm glad
when there's a general spirit of kindness and generosity overall,
that most people seem to be a little kinder, a little sweeter, a little
nicer, a little more generous than normally. I'm glad about
that. I'm glad when friends and family
get together for fellowship. It's always a good thing, and
they seem to be especially gathered together in some kind of unity
at this time of the year. I'm glad about that. I'm glad
when working people can have a few days off from their toil
and from their work. Everyone needs a time off, a
holiday, so to speak. And I'm glad when men and women
and people, at least for a while, recognize that Jesus Christ did
come into this world. Now, the reason He came, the
greater condemnation rests upon so-called preachers or prophets,
false prophets today, who do not instruct the people as to
the true meaning of why Jesus Christ came, who He is, what
He did, why He came, what it's all about, why. this child was
born, a son given. Back in Jeremiah's day, he wrote
much of the false prophets all around him. The majority of them
were. And he was one of the lone true
prophets of God. And he said, they say, peace,
peace, when there is no peace. And the angels said, peace on
earth, goodwill toward men, not meaning that God is at peace
with man. but rather the peace of God. The only way we may have peace
with God is in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. No, there is no peace for the
wicked, God said. Those who do not know bow to
love and worship the Son of the Most High God. God is angry with
them every day. There is no peace for them. But
for those who are found in Christ, those who look to and believe
and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood that made peace for
them, His righteousness that is their covering. Yes, they
have peace with God. It is a fact that Jesus Christ
did come into the world. He was here. The Word was made
flesh and dwelleth among us, Scripture said. Scripture says
a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a child. A virgin. Why
is that necessary? We'll tell you in a moment. Let
me give you seven Who is Jesus Christ? How did He come into
the world? Why did He come into the world?
How did He die? Why did He die? Where is He now? What did He accomplish? These
are the things that need to be addressed at this time. These
are the things. Who is Jesus Christ? There's
much difference of opinion about the person who came to this earth
named Jesus. There was always a division among
the people at his day and certainly is now. Some said he was this
or that. Some said he's a prophet. Some
said he's a John the Baptist arisen from the dead, a good
man, a miracle worker, a healer. Some say he's God. Well, the
prophets say that he is the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the
Most High. The apostles say he is God. He is the creator in flesh. In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. The Father, God the Father says
He's the Beloved Son. In Hebrews 1, He even calls Him
God. He says, Thy throne, O God, is
forever. He said, Jesus Christ said, I
and the Father are one. If Jesus Christ is not God, He's
the greatest imposter who ever lived on this earth and perpetrated
the greatest hoax upon mankind ever. If he is not God, those
who worship him are idolaters. And I'm here to tell you, I'm
here to tell you, he is God manifest in the flesh. That's who he is.
How did he come? How did he come? Well, he was born of a virgin.
That is vital. That is necessary. I realize
that so many, even in religion, deny that fact, but it is absolutely
vital proving who he is and why he came and what he did. whether
or not he did it. This is a fulfilling of Scripture,
the seed of woman in Genesis 3.15, a virgin in Isaiah 7, born
of a, not a man, but born of God, born of the Spirit of God,
that holy thing the angels said to Mary, that holy thing in you
is of God, it was the Holy Spirit of God. You see, he's come second
Adam from above, born of a different covenant, a separate covenant,
a covenant head, the second Adam, made flesh to dwell among us,
but not of man." He's not born of man. He has a body that was
prepared Him, but not of man. Not with the seed of man in Him.
Without sin. No seed of man. The main theme
of this is He was not identified with Adam in the transgression. This is the God-man without sin. That's how He came. Born of a
virgin. but sent by God, the Eternal Son who dwelt with the
Father in the beginning, was given a body, the body of a child. That child in the arms of that
mother was really the Heavenly Father, the Eternal God. Explain
that. I cannot. It's a mystery, but
that's the way it is. Why did He come? Well, God gave
a law, a summary of His holiness. And what does this law require
but perfection within and without? And we've broken it. So God's
justice requires death for sin. The soul that sinneth must surely
die. But the Son of God came, made
of a woman under the law to redeem them that were under the law.
He came, He's without sin, and He came as a representative of
His people. He came to obey the law. keep the law perfectly, to establish
a perfect righteousness before God, and God imputes that, charges
that perfect righteousness to his elect people, to his chosen
people. We're not saved by works of our
righteousness, but we are saved one way, the righteousness, the
works of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to our account. So Christ came, made of a woman,
made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.
But the law says, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Cursed
is everyone that continueth not in all things written in the
book of the law. The soul that sinneth must surely
die. Sin is the transgression of the
law, and the law says, Guilty, and you must die. So Christ came.
He was made sin for His people. Made sin, declared to be sin. The transgressions of God's people
were laid upon him. His soul was made an offering
for sin, and on Calvary's tree he died under the curse of the
law. He suffered death, judgment,
hell, wrath, the wrath of God. And so God justifies all whom
Christ did this for. How did he die? Well, he did
not die on a cross to get pity. He died as a convicted criminal
under the judgment of God. He was numbered with transgression.
He was a substitute. That's how He died. That's why
He died. Why did He die? Under the curse? Because we're under the curse. In one man, Adam, we all sinned. And because all have sinned,
we must die. But Christ came. Christ came
to redeem His people. Scripture says that by one man's
Sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed
upon all men for all that have sinned. But now, since the defense
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so
by the righteousness of one the free gift comes upon all men,
that is, all whom he did this for, under justification of life. For by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners. So by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous, not all, but many." Those whom God chose. Those whom God gave to Christ
to save. Where is He now? He's at God's right hand. He's
at the right hand of God. Seated. Reigning and ruling over
all. Accepted. And God's people, Scripture
said, are seated in Him. Before we get there, we're already
there in Christ. What did He accomplish? Scripture
says, He saw the travail of His soul and was satisfied. Satisfied. He shall see His seed.
He shall prolong His day, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in His hands. By His knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many." Jesus Christ died for, arose for, reigns
and rules over His people and all the world, and coming again
to receive them unto Himself. That's the message of the Gospel.
That's why Christ came. That's who He is. That's how
He came. That's why He came. That's what
he did. That's who he did it for. And
that's my Christmas message. Pity the people who went to see,
go to see a little play or a pageant this morning. Pity the people
who go to watch little Jimmy play Joseph and little Molly
play Mary, while everyone gets silly and sentimental over a
baby in a fake manger. Oh, blessed are the people who
know, who worship, who know how, why, When, who it was that came,
O blessed are the people who worship the living and true God,
in spirit and in truth, and see Him high and lifted up, the Lord,
the Savior, Redeemer, and coming King of His people. Until next
Sunday, good day.