Well, good evening everyone. Merry Christmas. I hope that everybody's ready for Christmas. This time of year, it can be so busy, and everybody runs around and gets stressed out about getting all their gifts and getting ready for Christmas and making sure that the decorations are there.
And it actually can be a really stressful time of year. But we are so glad that everyone of you have come out tonight. And really tonight, we are celebrating the true meaning of Christmas, what Christmas is all about. And what Christmas is all about is the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, the Messiah.
And so tonight, I'm just really glad that everyone's here. And we are able to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. And that is the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son. I simply want to share with you tonight from the scriptures what the Bible says about the coming of Christ.
I want to share with you what the true meaning of Christmas is just simply from the Bible, from the scriptures. And the first thing that stands out to me is that the scriptures clearly say that Jesus of Nazareth was God. The scripture says that he became a man, which is amazing. The scriptures tell us so clearly that Jesus Christ became a servant.
And then it says that he became sin. That's an amazing staggering thought that the one who is God, who became a man, who became a servant, actually became sin for us. And he died upon a cross. And that is the reason why Jesus came into the world.
So many people miss the rest of the story. They think about the birth of Christ, and they go to church, and they celebrate gifts and a lot of festivity, but they miss the real reason of Christmas. And so tonight, from the scriptures, I want to share with you the true meaning of Christmas. Not only did he die, but he became alive.
And he became known throughout the entire world, every nation, every generation that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. And so we celebrate Christmas tonight. Let's look at the scriptures. I want to read from the Gospel of Matthew.
And I want to read in chapter one and verse 21. Here's what it says. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us, Emmanuel, God with us.
I'd like to read one other portion in Philippians chapter two. This is a beautiful, beautiful portion. It says in verse five that Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, and being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the very point of death, even death on a cross, that it says, therefore God. God even, our God has highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This is a worldwide message, every tongue, every knee, every person that has ever lived, will one day acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What an amazing message. You know, when you think of the coming of Messiah, if you could just picture this for a moment, what it must have been like, you know, I can hardly take it, and I tried thinking about this today, preparing for this message, and I thought, what on earth could this have been like? The scripture says he was God, God.
It says in John one in verse one, that from the very beginning, he was with God, and he was God. This person who came into the world is eternal. He is God's one and only eternal son. You know, in chapter one, in verse three, it says that he's the creator of the universe.
All things were made by him. Without him, nothing was ever made. Staggering thought, Hebrews chapter one, and verse two says, that he made the worlds, spoke the worlds into existence. And John, that beloved apostle, that walked with him for those many years, he said in first John five and 20, we know that the son of God has come, and he has given us an understanding.
He is the true God. You know, in Titus chapter three and verse four, it says that Jesus Christ, he has a name, it calls him, he is God our savior, Jesus Christ. First Timothy three and 16 says, what a mystery. We can hardly take this in.
What a mystery that God became flesh. He was revealed to the world in human flesh, God. Now the scripture says that Jesus Christ was God. That's unquestionable, it is so clear in the Bible.
But you know what's really amazing, is it says that Jesus Christ became man. Picture this for just a moment. I know it's a little bit dark, but you can probably see the image here. He who is God, infinite, became an infant child.
He was God and he became man, truly human. In every sense of the word, apart from sin, Jesus Christ was 100% human. You know, in Hebrews chapter two, it says that he took upon himself flesh and blood. God almighty became like one of us.
He took upon himself flesh and blood. Philippians two where we read, it says that he humbled himself. He stepped down and he became human. God almighty became human.
In Hebrews chapter two and verse nine, it says that he made himself lower than angels. Picture this, the one who created angels, spoke the worlds into existence. The one who created everything, actually stepped down to become lower than angels. He actually became a human being.
You know, in Luke chapter one and verse 35, it says that he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin. Now, if you look at this picture, I was just imagining today what this must have been like. Here's this young girl, Mary, you know, she's probably just a teenager. And one day the angel of the Lord visited her and said to her, you are going to have a child.
And you imagine that this woman who has never been with a man, she is a pure virgin. She's conceived in her womb, the holy child, the son of God. And I just wanna imagine what that must have been like for Mary as she marvels. You know, the scripture says that she pondered all of these things and she kept them in her heart.
She wondered at this incredible miracle that the God almighty, the omnipotent, becomes an infant child. The one who the scripture says holds the entire world together, every atom, every molecule, all things that exist, he's holding it all together. And he condescends in grace, it becomes an infant in the womb of this virgin. What an amazing story.
And so Mary and Joseph, they go to Bethlehem. There is a call for the senses. And I'm sure that you all know the story. And so they're riding on this donkey and they're going these many miles and they get to this little village and there's no room in the end.
Oh, it's packed out. There's no place for them to stay. Mary is great with child. It's her time and she's about to deliver the Christ of God.
And there's no room for them. And they're given this outside place, this place where the animals are kept. And it says that marvel of marvel, she brings forth her child and she wraps him in swaddling clothes and she lays him in a manger. God almighty has stepped into time and become a baby, an infant.
And Mary picks up this little child and she holds him in her arms. And here is the God of the universe who is holding everything together becomes dependent on a teenage girl. Amazing grace. The Bible says he was God.
The scripture says he became man. You know what? We read those verses in Philippians chapter two and it says that he became a servant. You would think that if he is God almighty, when he came, it would be the biggest palace.
It would be this huge pump and glory. He would be born into royalty, but no. Jesus Christ is born into a peasant family, a carpenter of this despised town of Nazareth. And he grows up, rejected and despised.
The scripture says that he stepped down. You think of all those steps that he took. One who is equal with God steps into humanity, lower than angels, becomes an obedient child to a peasant family in Nazareth. And then it says, Mark chapter 10, why he came.
You know why Jesus Christ came? He came to serve. He became a servant. I just think that is an amazing step of grace.
That God almighty would step into his creation to become the servant of all. It says that he came to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Philippians 2 says that he made himself nothing. And he took upon himself the form of a servant.
You see him the last night before going to the cross. He's in the upper room with his disciples and he stoops down. God almighty and he wraps himself with a towel and he takes the filthy feet of the disciples and he removes their sandals and he washes their feet. He says, I have given you an example.
The one who is God became man, became a servant. And then it says he became obedient, obedient unto death, even death by crucifixion. Folks, this is an amazing story of the grace of God. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
God almighty who controls everything, stepped into humanity, become a man. And this is the reason why he came to serve. He came to serve. He came to give his life the ransom for many.
Have you ever stopped? And maybe if you haven't, this is a really good time for you to stop. You know, we get so caught up in so many things in life, business and finances and raising kids and your career and all these things. Christmas time is a beautiful time to just stop, reflect.
What is the purpose of life? Why are you here? Where are you going? And what is the true meaning of life?
Folks, I wanna tell you tonight that the true meaning of life is that we are all sinners. We are guilty. We live in a broken world. We're broken because of our own choices, because of our very nature.
We have all gone astray. We have turned our back on God and we are heading for destruction. And when we were in that condition, God sent his one and only son into the world to save us from our sins. Folks, that is the meaning of Christmas.
That's why he came. Jesus Christ came into the world to die on a cross. And the scripture says he became obedient unto death, even death by crucifixion. I'm amazed when I think about this.
Not only was he God, and not only did he become a man, and not only did he become servant, the scripture says he became sin. He became sin. The only one who never sinned. The only one who ever lived this world, in this world, absolutely spotless, pure, guiltless, without any spot of sin.
He hung upon a cross. And the word of God says he became sin for us. You know, in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21, there is an amazing verse that I don't think anyone can fully comprehend. Here's what it says.
It says God made him to be sin for us. The one who knew no sin, became sin for us. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Folks, that is the meaning of Christmas.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He became sin for us. That we might be cleansed of our sin, and made righteous and pure and just in the sight of a holy God. That's why he came.
Philippians 2 and 8 says that he became obedient unto death by crucifixion. In Hebrews chapter two and verse nine, it says this. He tasted death on behalf of every man. Do you understand that?
We are all condemned to death because of our sin. And left to ourselves, we're all gonna die. And apart from the coming of Christ, there's no hope. But at Christmastime, we celebrate the fact that we have hope, we have forgiveness, we have light, we have joy, we have peace, because God's one and only son hung upon a cross to bring us life through his own death.
We had the condemnation of death. He tasted death for every man. Do you know that he tasted death for you? Do you know that you can be free from the penalty of your sin?
Do you know that death for a believer has lost its sting? Because Jesus Christ conquered death. And that's the meaning of Christmas, that's why he came. Not only did he die on a cross, it says that he became a curse for us.
Galatians 3 and 13 says, he became a curse to redeem us from the curse of the law, to clear us from all guilt, to deliver us from the curse. That's what his name, Jesus, means. Yeshua, it means to rescue, to save any angel set. His name would be called Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins.
Folks not only did Jesus Christ die on the cross, he rose from the dead and he is alive. Jesus Christ became alive. He is not on a cross. He is not dead.
Jesus Christ is alive. And that is an amazing message that could be told to the entire world that Jesus Christ is alive. 1 Corinthians 15, verse three says this, Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. Jesus Christ is alive.
You know, one day the Apostle John, I could just imagine what this must have been like. He was old, he was probably close to 100 years old, he was banished on this Isle of Patmos, and he was probably enforced labor. And he was just eking out the rest of his days. And one day, one day Jesus Christ appeared to John.
John is staggering this brightness of this light. Who is this? And here's what he says. He says, I am he that liveth.
I was dead, but behold, I'm alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and hell. Imagine that message that John saw and heard and felt the very presence of the living Christ. Jesus Christ is alive. In John chapter 10, Jesus said these amazing words.
He said, I lay down my life, that I might take it up again. He said, I have power, I have authority to lay it down and to take it up again. Folks, Jesus Christ is not just a mere human being. He is God Almighty that became man, that became servant, that became sin, that died for you, died for me, and rose again, and is alive forevermore.
And he is the King of kings, and he is the Lord of Lords, and he will reign forever on this earth. And we read in Philippians two that everyone will bow and acknowledge that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. But I wanna tell you one other thing that I think is amazing. Jesus Christ became known.
He is known throughout this entire world. Folks, this is not limited to Canada or the United States. It's not even limited to Nigeria or Mexico or any other country in the world. This is a message that has changed history.
It has changed every person that has ever lived. It is a message that has been preached worldwide. Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. That is the best message that anyone can ever hear.
You know that when Jesus died and rose again, and was here for 40 days, he took his disciples up amount, and he lifted up his hands and he blessed them, and he said this. He said, go, go, go into all the world and preached the gospel to every creature, everyone who hears this message and believes it will have eternal life. Jesus Christ has become known. Billy Graham had the privilege of preaching this gospel worldwide to hundreds and thousands of people for a generation after generation.
You know what Jesus said in Luke chapter 24? I love these words. He said his disciples as he gave the great commission. He said in his name, forgiveness of sins would be preached to every nation of the world, beginning at Jerusalem.
And he said, go, go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ has come. Folks, this is the message. Jesus Christ is God, who became a man, who died on a cross, who became sin for you, for me, for the entire world.
And he is our savior. And we celebrate tonight that Jesus Christ is our Lord and is our savior. And that is the true meaning of Christmas. It's so much more than material things.
It's so much more than lights and glitter and food and fun and alcohol. Christmas is so much more. It is the celebration of God's one and only son who came into this world to be our savior. I have to ask you this question.
Do you know him? I know you know about him. Do you know him? Do you know him as your personal savior?
Have you put your faith and trust in him? Are you depending on him as the only one who can take away your sin? Folks, that is the greatest gift of Christmas. The gift of eternal life, Jesus said.
This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ, to know his sin. Do you know him? You know, I know that I get a little bit passionate about this message because I feel it. I love it.
There's nothing better than the gospel. But as we separate and have some food and treats and enjoy the rest of the season, seriously, if you just happen to come into this church tonight and you don't know Jesus Christ as your savior, take some time, just reflect, ask yourself, was he really God? Did he really become a man? Did he really die on the cross and was it really for me?
Because when you have the answers to those questions and you know personally that he is your Lord and your savior, you're ready to live. Because if you're not ready to die, you're not ready to live. You need to be ready to live by believing in Jesus Christ as your savior. Thank you for coming and let's celebrate Christmas together.
Thank you.