Thank you for that special. You
know, this Wednesday, most of this country and this
world will celebrate Christmas. And many view this as a religious
holiday. Scriptures speak. of the Lord's
birth. It's prophesied in the Old Testament,
declared in the New Testament. But with regard to any special
observation of it, Scripture's silent on that. In fact, the
only ordinances given in God's Word are that of believers' baptism,
and the Lord's table. In 1 Peter 3.21 we read the like
figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us, not the
putting away of flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward
God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. baptism, which pictures
the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Turn with me to
1 Corinthians 11. First Corinthians 11, look at
verse 23. Here we read of the second ordinance,
the Lord's table. Paul writes here in verse 23,
he says, I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered
unto you, that the Lord Jesus Christ The
same night in which he was betrayed, he took bread. And when he had
given thanks, he break it, and he said, take, eat. This is my
body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. And in the same manner, took
he also the cup when he had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament
in my blood. this do ye, as oft as you drink
it, for this purpose, in remembrance of me. For as oft as you eat
this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death. You do show the Lord's death
till he come." And again, these ordinances are clearly taught
in scripture. But with regard to his birth,
there's no instruction given with regard to any type of a
special celebration. Now, with that said, I'll say
as many others have said, I'm thankful. I'm very thankful for
this time of year. There's no denying that there's
something special about this time of year. Whether there's
any religious significance to that, I don't know. But I do
know that some of the meanest people I know are maybe a little
bit nicer this time of year. Maybe that's because folks get
a few days off. Maybe they get time with family. There's a number of things, the
giving of gifts and receiving of gifts. How could we not be
happy? People are a little more generous.
People are a little more friendly. And it's a time of year when
the whole world, whether they agree or not, are brought face
to face with the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ was born. That God sent his son into this
world. Think about these hymns. That's,
we call them Christmas songs. And starting in October, we start
hearing Christmas songs on the radio. But many of these are,
they're hymns. Faithful hymns that we could,
we ask that sometimes around the house. Why we don't sing
these year round? Because truly, truly we could.
They're God-honoring songs. And this time of year, we hear
them in the mall. We hear them in the shopping
center. We hear them on the radio. Listen to some of the words.
Just listen to some of these words that we sing and that are
sung around the world. Silent night. Holy night. Son of God. God's pure light. Radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace. The gospel is found in these
words. Jesus Lord went at thy birth. Jesus Lord at thy birth. We're just saying this, joy to
the world. What's that occasion of joy?
The Lord has come. The Lord has come. Joy to the
earth, the Savior reigns. He rules the world. How does
he rule it? With truth and grace. Any fault with one word in those
lines? No, we rejoice in them, don't
we? Oh, come let us adore, who? Him. Oh, come let us adore him. Who? Who is to be adored? Christ
the Lord. There's an Andy Griffith episode
we watch every year during Christmas. I think it's one of my favorites.
And there's a man who dislikes Christmas so much, every time
that the word is mentioned, he says, Christmas, huh? I don't want to be that person,
huh? I don't want to have that attitude. I don't want to be that person
just balling up and crossing my arms every time I hear there's
a Christmas play going on somewhere. No, no. And though we don't attach
any spiritual significance to the day, the scriptures declare
it. So why wouldn't we? Now this morning, Lord willing,
I would like to answer three questions. Three questions. One, who was born? Who was born? The second question,
when? When was he born? And the third,
Why? Why was the Lord Jesus Christ
born? His birth was revealed to this
group of shepherds we read about here in Luke chapter 2. Turn back there with me if you
haven't, but Luke chapter 2. Look at verse 8, verse 8 of Luke 2. And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,
listen to these two words, fear not, fear not. Don't be, don't be afraid. For behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, salvation, which shall be to all people. all of his people, all of the
Lord's people. You know, this wasn't a glad
tiding to Herod. Herod, he sought to kill him. It wasn't a glad tiding to the
scribes and Pharisees. They sought to have him arrested,
put in jail, crucified. It wasn't a glad tiding to the
Gadarenes. Remember that when he healed
that Gadarene man, rather than rejoice, they desired he would,
they all wanted him out, to leave their country. But it is glad tidings of great
joy to his people. He gave his life a ransom for
many. He gave his life a ransom for
his church. We read this, husbands love your
wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. We read this, to you who believe
therefore that he is precious, fear not. Fear not, I bring you
good tidings of great joy to all people for unto you is born
this day in the city of David. A Savior. Many children are born, but this
one's far different than any. This is a Savior. This is the
Savior. This is none other than Christ
the Lord. My first question is this. Who
was born? Who was it that was born? We
just read it there. Christ. Christ the Savior is
born. Christ the Lord. Who was born? You know, we started reading
at the beginning of the service from Isaiah 9, 6. This passage
declares who was born. It says, For unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon
his shoulder. What's his name? Who is this
one that is born? His name shall be called Wonderful. He alone is wonderful. His name shall be called Counselor. You know, there's many that have
that title of Counselor, but there's only one true Counselor. He's the mighty God. Our Lord said this. He said,
He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Who was born? The everlasting Father. When
Moses asked God, he said, what's your name? Who should I tell
sent me? I am. How many times did our
Lord refer to himself as I am? The almighty God. Who was born? What was his name?
The Prince of Peace. Peace between God and sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ, he is
our peace. Peace of heart, peace of conscience,
and he brings to his people an everlasting peace. A peace, a
peace that passeth, it can't be described, it's a peace that
passeth all understanding. Who was born? He whose name is
Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace. In 1 Timothy 3 verse 16, we read
this, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God was made a man. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. Who was born? Almighty God manifest in the
flesh. God became a man. John 1.14 says that the Word
was made flesh. He became what He was not. Now He never stopped being God,
but He was manifest in the flesh. He became a man. He took upon
Himself human nature. How is that possible? How can
God become a man? He became a real man, what He
could never be. And yet, a sinless man, tempted
in all points as a way, yet without sin. He was a perfect man. A union of two natures in the
person of Christ. Isn't that a great mystery? Great is the mystery of godliness. God manifest in the face. He's
the God-man. The union of two natures, God
and man, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. God can't
suffer and die, but man can. Man cannot satisfy
the infinite holiness required of God. Man can't do that. But Christ, the God-man, can
and did. He can be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. How can God enter into that in
Christ? And he left an example that we
should follow in his steps. He was the woman seed, a prophet
like Moses, a descendant of David, a man of sorrows. He wept, he
grew tired, he hungered, he thirsted, yet he's still God. God with us. He's the mighty
God. In Micah 5 verse 2, we read this, but Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among thousands in Judah, yet out of thee shall
he come forth, that is ruler in Israel, whose going forth
have been of old from everlasting. the eternal Son of God, the Savior
Christ our Lord. That's who was born. Second question,
when? Everybody wants to know the answer
to that. When was he born? When was he born? The world says
December 25th. I've seen people that would get
fighting mad over that day. Some of the old writers, they've
went back and they've studied the things that were going on
and what was happening in the time, and they say it was likely
October, sometime around October. Others, they say sometime in the spring. God's Word is silent on that
date. God's Word is, you know, I feel
like if we had the date, we'd probably make an idol of it,
wouldn't we? God's Word's silent on it. But His Word does tell
us when He was born. It's very clear in Scripture.
Turn with me to Galatians 4. If you want to know the answer
to that, look with me at Galatians chapter 4. Look at verse four. When was
he born? But when the fullness of the
time was come, God sent forth his son, made
of a woman, made under the law. When was he born? At the time the precise time
determined by Almighty God. There were prophecies in the
Old Testament pointing to his birth. They pointed to the time
when Shiloh should come, when that great sacrifice that would
be offered when he was to come. When was he born? again in the
very hour and minute appointed by Almighty God. The sovereign
Lord, he appoints the date of not just his son's birth, but
the birth of every one of his children. All things All things are in His hands. There's no loose threads in the
providence of Almighty God. There's nothing left to chance. I have a dear friend and brother
that anytime I ask him, I say, how are you doing? And he'll
reply with this, I am right on schedule. Right on schedule. Indeed, that is true of all. All that our Lord does is right
on schedule, isn't it? According to His divine purpose
and decree. Spurgeon wrote this, he said,
the great clock of the universe keeps good time. And the whole
machinery of providence moves with unerring punctuality. Any chance that one of the greatest
events in history didn't take place at the exact time determined
by Almighty God? When was he born? When was he
born? At the time and place God determined. He willed it, He purposed it,
He brought it to pass. When was He born? In the fullness
of the time. When the time appointed by Almighty
God was fulfilled, He sent His Son, He sent the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Messiah, into this world. And those shepherds, those shepherds
out there in the field that told of the birth of Christ, They knew exactly where it was,
didn't they? The city of Bethlehem. Well,
turn back to Luke 2. Look here, beginning with verse
10. Luke 2. Look at verse 10. The angel of the Lord said to
them, said to these shepherds, said to these men, 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, the city of Bethlehem, a Savior, which
is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto
you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill
toward men. And it came to pass as the angels
were going away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one
to another, Let us go. Let us go now into
Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass. This thing
that the Lord hath made known to us. This thing that the Lord
hath revealed to us. What was it? Good tidings of
great joy. For unto you is born this day. What day? This day. What's significant about this
day? Do you know Scripture says this? This day is the day of salvation. They said, let's go to Bethlehem
and see this thing that the Lord hath made known to us. Those
fellows were just out there guiding their sheep in the field and
the Lord was pleased to reveal this unto them, to make this
known unto them. And when He did, you know what
they did? It says they made haste. They didn't have to stand around
and think about that, did they? They made haste. This is urgent. Let's go see the Christ. Let's go see that which the Lord
has revealed to us. What was He speaking of? The
Savior. Christ the Lord. I don't read of any interest
in other men. in wise men. He didn't say let's
go see Mary. No talk about gifts. No. Unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, Christ the Lord. There's none other to be taken
up with but Christ. Let's go see I pray he would
give us that desire. Every time we gather in his house,
a desire to see nothing but him. A desire to see Christ. Well,
that leads me to the third question. Why? Why was he born? Well, it was the will of the
Father. That's one reason. Turn with
me to John chapter 6. John chapter 6. Look at verse 38. Why was he born? The will of
the Father. Look at John 6, 38. I came down
from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me. And this is the Father's will
which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should
lose nothing, but raise it up again. at the last day, and this
is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth
the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life, and
I'll raise him up at the last day." He said, I came down from
heaven. It was the Father's will. Christ came to this earth. He
came in the flesh to do the Father's will. And listen, he did it.
He did it. Our Lord declares it to be the
sovereign will of God, that all elected by the Father, all redeemed
by the Son, all called by the Spirit of God will be raised
from the grave to eternal glory. And not one, not one shall be lost. Our salvation,
Our security, our resurrection rests not upon anything that
we've done, not upon anything we haven't done, not upon anything
that we will do or not do, but upon the Father's choice and
the Son's obedience, by His obedience and His sacrifice. Why was He
born? Why was the Lord Jesus Christ
born? It was the Father's will. Why did He come? I ask that question
again. Why was He born? Turn back to
Galatians chapter 4. Galatians 4. Just a few more
scriptures here. Galatians 4. Why did he come? Galatians 4 verse 4, here we
read again of when he came. When the fullness of the time
was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under
the law. For what purpose? Why did he
come? To redeem them that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of sons. Why did he come? To redeem his
people. To redeem his people. The reason
Christ came into this world was redemption. He came to save his
people from their sins. Imagine that. The purpose of
a triune God, Almighty God, to send his son into this world
was the redemption of the souls of his elect through the sacrifice, the blood
atoning sacrifice of his dear son. And even though this world doesn't
know it, why it's celebrating Christmas,
it's celebrating that one that came to redeem us. from the law, born this day in
the city of David, a savior, Christ the Lord. I like the thought
of that, don't you? No wonder, no wonder the shepherd
said, let's go see. Let's go see what the Lord's
revealed to us. Why was he born? Why did he come
to this earth? He came to do the Father's will.
He came to redeem His people. He came to give His life as a
ransom. In Matthew, we read this, even
the Son of Man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister
and to give His life a ransom for many. He paid the ransom. We sing that. He paid the ransom
for me. What was that ransom? His suffering,
his death, that which we deserved, that which we had earned. He
suffered and died in the room instead of his people. And in
doing so, the justice of God was satisfied. The law was honored,
making God both just and justifier. Oh, deliver him from going down
to the pit. How? I have found a ransom. What was that ransom price? The
precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why was he born? It was the will of the Father.
He came to redeem his people. He came to give his life as a
ransom. And last, turn with me to 1 Timothy
1. Why did he come? 1 Timothy 1 verse 15. Why did he come into this world? You have 1 Timothy 1, look at
verse 15. This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of all acceptation. Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners. The angels. He came into the
world. The angels announced His birth
to those shepherds in the field. They were told, they said, you
go, you're going to find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
laying in a manger. That was His entrance into this
world. I've got a shed at home with
a manger in it. It's not fit to put hay in. And
yet the Lord of Glories was laid in a manger. He came into the
world. He was made flesh. Why did He come? Why did He come? Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. Paul says, of whom I'm the chief. Now, if you walk away this morning
and you haven't heard anything else, if you don't remember anything
else, I pray the Lord would impress this truth upon every one of
us, just as he did those shepherds. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
Savior. Who came into the world? The
Lord Jesus Christ came into the world. When did He come? At the time appointed by Almighty
God, when the fullness of the time was come. Why did He come? Why did He come? Scripture says Jesus Christ came
into the world for this purpose, to save sinners. Quickly, turn back with me to
Luke 2. Luke chapter 2. Look at verse 8. They were in
the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over
the flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,
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. a Savior, which is Christ the
Lord. Why did He come? He's the Savior. Why did He come? He came to save
sinners. Skip down to verse 15. Came to
pass, as the angels were going away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said one to another, let's now go even to Bethlehem
and see this thing which has come to pass. It's already happened. This thing which the Lord hath
made known unto us. He's revealed it. Revealed it
to us. Lord, reveal that to me. Reveal
to me that, listen, I'm a sinner. And that's who Christ came to
save. Reveal to me the Savior. What's His name? Christ the Lord. And you know what they did? It
says, they went and seen. They went and seen Him. And after they seen Him, look
at verse 20. After they had seen the Savior,
the shepherds, They went back to work, they went back to their
job, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen as it was told them. It was just as it
was told them. They saw the Lord. I pray that
He would be pleased to reveal Himself to us, that He would
let us see Him, just as He has been revealed in Scripture. Let me see myself as I am, a
sinner. Let me see Him who came into
this world for this purpose, to save sinners. All right. Well, ready you come, ladies
and gentlemen. In closing, I wish each and every
one of you a Merry Christmas. And again, this Wednesday we'll
have no service. So Lord willing, we'll assemble
again next Wednesday.