Sermons About Birth-of-christ
Born to Redeem -- Galatians 4:4-7
With the celebration of Jesus coming at Christmas, it is helpful to realize the reason Jesus came to this world. It was not just to give us a good example. It was not to merely be a wise moral teacher. It was to purchase the freedom of his people from sin.
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Christmas Through Joseph's Eyes
Matthew 1:18-28 Of all the men written about in God's Word, perhaps none faced a more difficult challenge of faith and obedience than Joseph, for the prospect of a virgin birth surpassed his ability to understand. Likewise, the birth of Jesus, and the life that only He could live, surpasses all human understanding to this day. In Matthew 1:18-28, the story of the virgin birth is told from Joseph's perspective. Matthew uses this perspective to show that Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of David, and the perfect fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy concerning the arrival of the Messiah. An angel, believed to have been Gabriel, made such an announcement when he explained to Joseph that the One who would be born would be the Holy Ruler of the world and the One who would save the people from their sins - the Son of God, Jesus. This role is embodied in the name Jesus, which means "Jehovah the Savior." The birth of Jesus is at the heart of the Christmas story because the greatest problem in this world is the sins of men. It is the sins of men that separate us from God the Father and makes reconciliation with Him through the atoning death of His Son necessary. And, we know there is no other name under Heaven by which men are saved but the name Christ Jesus. Because Jesus was not born of Joseph, but of Mary, God was able to satisfy His divine purpose in a way that only He could. Indeed, had not the birth of Jesus been a virgin one, salvation of men would not be possible, for only the divine could accomplish such a feat. In contrast, had Jesus been born of a human father, He would have inherited the sins of Adam as all men have, yet had He not been born of Mary, He would not have been qualified as a member of the human race. So, this uniquely divine combination enabled God to provide His Son as an unblemished (perfect, Holy) sacrifice for the atonement of sins against a Holy God. Therefore, the Son had to be both fully God and fully man. If Jesus would have been anything less that God Himself, such a sacrifice would never have been (and could never be) sufficient to atone for all the sins of men. For this, we have great cause to celebrate because only God could offer Himself as a sacrifice sufficient to atone for sins against One who is Holy! And we rejoice in Jesus, who at Christmas time is often referred to as Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." Even though Joseph knew that no one would believe the story of the virgin birth, he and Mary did believe because they knew God's will, and that's all that mattered. This was proven out unequivocally by the way in which Jesus lived out His life - to perfection. Only God could do the things that Jesus did and only God could have lived a perfect life. The life led by Jesus substantiated the supernatural virgin birth and gave undeniable witness to His role as the Son of God. As we once again celebrate the birth of Christ, our Lord and Savior, let us ponder the magnitude of His humbling sacrifice and rejoice in the wonders of the virgin birth because it is only through the life of Christ that men can be brought back into fellowship with their loving creator. May the true meaning of Christmas be the true meaning of joy in your life!
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Born to Die
Sometimes you have to look backward to move forward. Believe it or not, Christmas originally did not revolve around heightened stress levels, maxed out credit cards, and a big man in a furry suit. This year, we invite you to step back in time. The true story behind Christmas is a historical event filled with people a lot like us. Like us, they often struggled to make ends meet. Like us, they battled tall odds to keep their families intact. And like us, as Christmas arrived on the scene, they had no idea what was coming. Come explore the story of Vintage Christmas. If you listen closely it will change your life.
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Less is the New More
Sometimes you have to look backward to move forward. Believe it or not, Christmas originally did not revolve around heightened stress levels, maxed out credit cards, and a big man in a furry suit. This year, we invite you to step back in time. The true story behind Christmas is a historical event filled with people a lot like us. Like us, they often struggled to make ends meet. Like us, they battled tall odds to keep their families intact. And like us, as Christmas arrived on the scene, they had no idea what was coming. Come explore the story of Vintage Christmas. If you listen closely it will change your life.
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The Comfort of Christmas
The Comfort of Christmas Isaiah 40:1-31 The celebration of Christmas stands out in stark contrast to the circumstances and conditions that exist in our world. Even as we approach the winter solstice when the sun is at the greatest distance from the equator and ushers in the dark days of winter, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ adds the light and sparkle to our hearts and lives. For many at Christmas the thoughts of joy, peace and plenty seem like far-fetched dreams in the light of the conflict, hatred and desperation that we find in the world. Even the closer personal reality of the stress, pressure and business of the season belies the purpose for the celebration. We find little joy or peace in the rush to celebrate and we are left exhausted and depressed. I’m sure that it will come as no surprise that we will find no lasting joy or peace when we are pressed to celebrate Christmas as our society does. We must look higher and deeper into the realm of the Spirit [God’s reality] in order to find what we are seeking. The reason for Christ’s coming into this world was, in fact, to offer us the hope of deliverance from our human dilemma. Jesus came to release us from the bondage and curse of sin. He came to lighten our darkness, ease our burdens, to save us from the sin and death that plague our lives. We celebrate His birth, His purpose, His sacrifice, His life, death, and resurrection, our salvation, and therein we discover the joy, peace, and blessing that is ours in Jesus Christ.
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