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[Jesus is the reason for the Christmas Season.  The Christmas Season strikes people as a season that ought to be filled with joy, peace, and tranquility.  It ought to be a time for families to get together and celebrate their lives with one another.  It should be a season that comforts our trials and distresses and encourages our hearts.] 

[Yet, for many the Christmas Season is anything but peaceful.  Some national statistics claim that depression climbs during the Holidays and suicide rates increase.  Many in our world find anything but comfort and contentment during the stress filled Holiday season.  Our secular culture does not experience “Peace on earth” when it comes to this festive season.] 

[Perhaps the greatest problem with our secular culture and the Christmas season is a misunderstanding about the Christ of Christmas.  It seems that our world is trying to disconnect the Lord Jesus Christ from the Christmas Season.  With out Jesus in this season the season looses much, if not all, of its meaning.  It becomes as stressful season of trying to please others by buying them gifts and the fear is that no matter what you do you will not please those you care enough to buy for.  For others the losses of the year might add a sense of loneliness and despondency to the Holiday.] 

[The Christmas season ought not be just a commercial holiday, the true meaning of Christmas is wrapped up in the Lord Jesus Christ, hence the only way to truly enjoy Christmas is to learn what it represents in the Lord Jesus Christ.  For the hope of Christmas is found in the hope provided by Christ.  The peace of Christmas is found in the peace won by the Savior.  The comfort of Christmas is found in the promises provided by our unfaltering and faithful Lord Jesus Christ.  Everything that makes Christmas worth celebrating is wrapped up in the child called Immanuel.] 

[So let us discover this Christmas season by discovering anew the Christ of Christmas.]

A.     The Purposes of the Incarnation [- Many have argued away the whole idea that a child born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago could really matter to our lives in our day.  They usually begin their arguments with a question like, “Why did Christ need to come at all?”  In asking their question they present a skepticism about the whole idea of Christianity.   After all, what real difference could one child really make for our lives?] 

[Now, many of these skeptics have sought out answers to their questions.  Many of them went to a local church and asked honest questions and they received varied and differing responses depending on the Church they went into.  Or perhaps they went to some Christian friend’s house and sought answers and likely received different answers there.  My point here is that religion is man made and is largely based upon the opinions of people.  Religion will frustrate and confuse you.  But the truths one needs to discover about the Lord Jesus Christ are provided by God in His written Word.  These truths never change and are always the same.  People need to discover the meaning behind the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ within the Bible, then you will know what God reveals about Christmas from an undeniably reliable source.] 

[So, the answer to the questions about the why of Christmas, or Christ’s birth, are given clearly in the Bible.  In this purpose we discover] That Christ came,

1. In Manifestation (vs 31-33; Micah 5.2; Jer 31.15; Hos 11.1; Mal 3.1; Isa 53.3; 9.6-7) [- And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. – In the birth of the Christ child we find the manifestation of God in human form.  In this manifestation we find the revelation of the long awaited and promised Messiah.  The skeptic would quickly say, “But the Jews do not recognize that Jesus really is the Messiah.”  Yet, the evidence of who Jesus really is in scripturally undeniable.] 

[In the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ the Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus single Him out as the Messiah or Christ.  By the way the Greek Christ is the equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah.  When Jesus was born He fulfilled Seventy (70) major Bible prophecies and over 270 prophetic ramifications.  These prophecies were exacting and precise.  They include prophecies like,] 

·        [He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5.2)]

·        [His life would be in peril (Jer 31.15) – Speaking of Herod slaying the babies of Bethlehem.]

·        [He would flee to Egypt (Hos 11.1)]

·        [He would be preceded by a forerunner (Mal 3.1)]

·        [He would be rejected by His own people (Isa 53.3)] 

[This list is composed of only five of these seventy prophecies and provide just a taste of the precise nature of these prophecies.  These were not vague prophecies that just anyone could have fulfilled.  They are precise and provide us with an absolute identification of who Jesus really was.] 

[Illustration – An Address – What does it take to undeniably identify an individual.  In America it only takes five numbers (Zip Code), a street, a house number, and a name.  In a mere four elements I can write and send a letter and it will find its way to the precise person I want to send it to.  For the Christ child God provide seventy exacting and precise elements that all come together to provide the address or the exact identification of the Messiah.  Anyone who diligently studies these prophecies and their fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ will find that he has to admit that Jesus is singled out precisely.] 

[Part of the purpose of the incarnation is the manifestation of the Messiah, who is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises of God, and is the manifestation of God with us.  So that we can say with Isaiah,] 

[Isaiah 9:6-7 ⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.]

2. In Revelation (John 1.18; 14.7-11) [- No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. -  Our Lord Jesus Christ came in the incarnation to remove all of the speculation, opinions, and mortal interpretations about God.  Notice in the verse before us the word “Declare.”  This Word means,] 

[Declare – εξηγησατο (Gk) - to tell, lead forward. To bring or lead out, declare thoroughly and particularly. (I) To unfold, reveal, make known, as a teacher (John 1:18 [cf. Matt. 11:27; Sept.: Lev. 14:57]). (II) To tell, narrate, account (Luke 24:35; Acts 10:8; 15:12, 14; 21:19; Sept.: Judg. 7:13). From this verb comes the Eng. word “exegesis,” the unfolding interpretation through teaching of Scripture.^[1] ] 

[The Christ child came in part to reveal God clearly and undeniably to us.  Throughout the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ we see Him openly challenge the religious precepts of mankind and refocus us upon the heart and truth about God.  In the book of John we find Jesus saying,]

[John 14:7-11 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.]

[The Christ child came to bring clarity to our understanding and relationship with God.  God gave mankind many opportunities to properly understand Him and His great love and desire for mankind, but the minds of people, the interpretations of mortal minds warped by sinful pride and desires kept defiling who He really was.  So, the Christ child came, God incarnate to reveal and declare Almighty God to us, that we might find life, abounding life, and eternal life, through Him.]

3. For Our Exemplification (1 Pet 2.21; 1 John 2.6) [- For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: - The Christ child came to also give us a mentoring, living example of how we ought to live out our lives for and with our living God.  Our Lord Jesus Christ left us a real, practical example of how we should live as born again Christians.  No longer should the laws of well intentioned men lead us into ridiculous legalism or unyielding traditionalism, instead our greatest mentor of a life lived out for God is revealed through the life of a Child born in a lowly stable, matured in an obscure village name Nazareth, climaxed upon a cruel Cross on Calvary’s mount, and culminated in a glorious physical resurrection and witnessed ascension.  The Bible reminds us,]

[1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.]

[We all look for great men and women to model our lives after, people who can be our mentor’s.  You will never find a greater mentor than the Lord Jesus Christ and Christmas reminds us that a child born over 2,000 years ago is still the central figure of human history.  He owned only a coat and some sandals.  He forced Himself upon no man, woman or child.  He held no powerful political office.  Yet, He commands the willing allegiance of untold multitudes.  The Lord Jesus Christ, in spite of all of the skeptics accusations, is the mentor of all mentors.  You could do not better than to model your life after Him.]

4. For Our Fortification (1 John 3.8; 2 Cor 4.3-5; 1 Pet 5.8) [- He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. – Notice that the incarnation of the Christ child provides a mighty deliverance and protection for all who will willingly yield to His gracious offer of salvation by receiving the free gift of eternal life offered through Him.  The Lord Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil.]

[Oh, what a diabolical adversary the Devil is.  Many have fallen to his deceptive serenades only to discover that his promises were empty, deep pits of despair and discouragement.  This is the place of those who find the Holiday’s depressing and disturbing.  We are reminded of two things here.  The devil is,]

[2 Corinthians 4:3-5 ³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. ⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.]

[The Christ child came, God incarnate, to deliver you from the blinding and dark god of this world who,]

[1 Peter 5:8 ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ]

[Hence, the Lord Jesus Christ came to deliver and protect you from the spiritual and worldly adversaries of our lives.]

5. For Our Representation (Heb 4.14-16) [- Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. – A priest speaks to God for mankind.  This Christ child came to speak to God on our behalf and in His ascended ministries today, our Lord Jesus Christ stands at the right hand of God the Father Almighty as our mediator and advocate.  Notice verse sixteen of our text carefully.  Because of the incarnate sacrifices of our ascended Lord and Savior we now have a privilege that no human being knew before the resurrection and ascension of our Lord.  We have direct access to our Heavenly Father.  That access is granted through the representation of our Lord Jesus Christ.]

6. For Our Propitiation (1 John 4.10) [- Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – Here is an incredible truth of the incarnation of this Christ child.  God sent His son to be the satisfaction, the fulfilling, the payment in full for the penalty of our sins.  Had the Lord Jesus Christ not come, had He not been born over 2,000 years ago, then you and I would have had to have paid the penalty for our own sins and that could only mean the requirement of eternal separation from God or death in hell.  But our Heavenly Father loved us too much to allow that to happen to us, so He sent Jesus to be born of the virgin Mary so that He could pay the full penalty for sins.]

7. For Our Purification (1 John 3.5) [- And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. – Now here is another amazing reason for the birth of the Christ child.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, will give you peace like the certain knowledge that your sins and transgressions are forgiven by Almighty God.  This sinful world will never forget your sins, the people of this world and the god of this world (the Devil) will remind you of your sins almost daily.  In so doing they strive you rob you of all hope for the future.  Without the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers, the enemies of your peace will win in your life.]

[But through the incarnation of this wonderful Christ child you have access to an amazing peace, hope and tranquility.  For those who would say, “There is no peace on earth through Christmas!”  I tell you that you have no peace because you do not have Christ.  The child of peace will give you absolute peace with God, and when you have absolute peace with God nothing in this world or life can rob you of that peace.]

[This peace is granted through the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ.  If you will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior then you will know the absolute peace that complete forgives provides.]

8. For Our Justification (John 5.22,27) [- For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:]

[27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.]

[Make no mistake about it, my friend, a day of reckoning is coming.  This child shown in a manger, this Christmas season, will one day be your judge.  Would you have Him to be your judge as your Savior, Redeemer, Revealer, Protector, and Mediator; or would you have Him as your adversary.  Refuse to accept this Christ child who was sent to save you and you make yourself His enemy.]

[I had much rather humble myself before Him today and know the wonder of His complete forgiveness, the strength of His supernatural protection, the purpose of His all-knowing wisdom, and the hope of His unfailing promises.  This Christ child was incarnated for these reasons.  Will you hear and respond to the amazing grace and unfailing love of God?]

CrossRoads Baptist Church, December 6^th, 2009.