Sunday, December 20, 2015

-Heaven came to earth to redeem mankind. -Jesus is the bread of life. -Immanuel – God with us

A Humble Entrance. -a teen-aged mom, engaged, has to tell her fiancé “I’m pregnant, but it’s not yours, it’s the son of God and I’m still a virgin.” He needs some convincing from an angel. -Jesus is born in a barn more or less, in a region of the world ruled by an insane tyrant in Herod, a man consumed with retaining his power and stopping at nothing to make sure his reign continues. -His parents escape TO a land their forefathers escaped FROM (Egypt). After a year or so there, they head back home to a town with the reputation of having “nothing good come from it.” -Isaiah 9: 6-7?

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6-7

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Almighty will accomplish this. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the L ORD Almighty will accomplish this.

-He became poor so that we could become rich. -He became nothing so that we could have everything. -Full access to the Father.

Did mankind really need a savior? Why did Jesus have to come? Sin = Death. God decreed the wages of sin back in the Garden.

15 The God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 15 The L ORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the L ORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; Genesis 2:15-17

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Sin = Death

God said it, it has to be true, it MUST happen. He said if there’s sin, there has to be a death. (Physical and Spiritual) Someone has to die. But God is perfect, nothing surprises God. He had a plan. He sent Heaven to earth! “He died, so we wouldn’t have to!”

14 So the God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, 14 So the L ORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. Genesis 3:14-15

15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Right after man sinned, God said to Satan, “your days are numbered.”

4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; Isaiah 53:4-6

the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the has laid on him the iniquity of us all. the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the L ORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Without the birth, there would be no death. Without the death, there would be no redemption. Without Christ, we would face certain death. But with Christ, we have new, abundant LIFE!

Russian space mission in the 1960’s “We went up there, had a look around and our beliefs were confirmed: there is no god.” C.S. Lewis: Not an apartment building. Not an apartment building. Hamlet and Shakespeare. Hamlet and Shakespeare.

God did so much more than “write himself” into the play. He entered the play as one of the main characters! He became flesh for us, his creation. (John 1:14) So as Wesley very correctly wrote “Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see.” He became one of us so we could see him. So we could know him. It’s as if the OT is saying, “this is the character, the attributes, the nature of God.” And then the Christmas story is crying out: “Here is my son! Here am I! Know me!”

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 1 John 1:1-4

3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make (y)our joy complete. 1 John 1:1-4

Heaven came to earth, not just to save us from an eternity without God, but to give us fellowship with him, today. Joy, today. Peace, today. Hope, today. John testifies of his relationship with Jesus for the purpose of our fellowship with Him and our joy. Hearing this good news gives JOY.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:22-23