Christmas – Northside Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
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Comforting Qualities of Christ22 December 2024 PM ~ Isaiah 9:6Introduction: Joe Bayly in his book, View From a Hearse said, “Don’t try to “prove” anything to a survivor. An arm about the shoulder, a firm grip of the hand, a kiss: these are the proofs grief needs, not logical reasoning.” Christ gives greater comfort in every situation than any human possibly can.Transition: As we examine the four qualities of Christ described in Isaiah 9:6 (a prophecy of his birth and future reign as King), I want us to consider the comfort and help Christ offers us.Christ’s first quality is that of being the1. Wonderful CounsellorWhile this quality may be two separate qualities, some men claim that it is “actually one title in the Hebrew.” (KJV Bible Commentary, p.784) Either way, both titles apply to Christ.a. Christ is the Wonderful Counsellor1) To be “wonderful” describes a marvel. “This word is used to represent something unusual or extraordinary.” (CWSD) It also contains the idea of “incomprehensible” or “extraordinary.” Our minds are not able to comprehend all that he is. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Creator, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and much more.2) The word “counsellor” speaks of one who gives counsel or advice or guidance. Thomas Constable adds, “‘Wonderful Counsellor’ is literally ‘wonder of a counsellor’ . . . His counsel would transcend merely human wisdom.” The Apostle Paul described Christ as “the only wise God” in 1 Timothy 1:17. Christ’s counsel draws from his wonderful abilities.b. When you need advice, turn to Christ1) Some people are able to give extremely good advice. When I hear such advice, I marvel and think, why didn’t I think of that. But you know, the counsel of Christ is far better. It is always right and exactly what we need.2) When Christ walked this earth, his counsel was so extraordinary and awesome that even those who hated Him could find no flaw in it. He sees the entire picture and knows the exactly right answer for every situation. The Bible says of him,a) “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)b) “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” (Psalms 19:9)3) When you need direction seek it from him, “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3) Because he is wonderful, he knows exactly what you should do.4) When you lack wisdom, ask the Lord for it. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6) God promises wisdom if we do not doubt his ability to supply it. Remember he is the Wonderful Counsellor.Christ’s second quality is that of being2. The Mighty Goda. Christ is the Mighty God1) “Mighty” describes one who is “strong or valiant.” It depicted “the heroes or champions among the armed forces.” (TWOT)2) Being God, his power is unlimited. Christ is the strongest Sovereign. Nothing is too hard for him.a) Moses urged Joshua and the people not to fear their enemies. “Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.” (Deuteronomy 7:21)b) Jeremiah wrote, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” (Jeremiah 32:17) (cf. John 1:1-3)b. When you need help in time of trouble, go to Christ1) When troubles threaten to separate you from the love of Christ, remember, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)2) When you face a situation that seems hopeless, remember the words of Paul’s prayer. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Ephesians 3:20)3) When the devil is tempting you to do or think wrongly, remember the words of the Apostle John. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)Christ’s third quality is that of being the3. Everlasting Fathera. Christ is the Everlasting Father1) This is a difficult phrase. The Hebrew literally says, “Father of eternity.” (Barnes Notes) “He is God, one with the Father, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” (Matthew Henry)2) David Guzik suggests, “The idea in these Hebrew words is that Jesus is the source or author of all eternity, that He is the Creator Himself. It does not mean that Jesus Himself is the Person of the Father in the Trinity.”3) As God, Christ is eternal. “The same was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:2) He existed before time and will continue to exist eternally. He is timeless. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)4) Christ is also the eternal Father of our salvation. He purchased it with his blood. We are his children.b. When you are afraid, cling to your Everlasting Father.1) A loving father will protect and provide for his children. When they do wrong, he will discipline them in love.2) Christ as our Everlasting Father is a refuge in time of storm. As a hen, he will protect his “chicks” from danger. He will provide your needs. He will chasten you when you get out of line. He loves you dearly.3) He is unchanging “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8). He is 100% trustworthy. He will always be there when you need help. “. . . for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (He 13:5)Christ’s fourth quality is that of being the4. Prince of Peacea. Christ is the Prince of Peace1) Peace is tranquillity. It also means “prosperity, well, health, completeness, safety.” (TWOT, 2401)2) Being prince, this tells us that Christ is the supreme ruler over peace. He is its leader, chief, and captain. He is in control of our peace, health, and safety.b. When tempted to worry, cast your care on Christ.1) He does not just give peace. He IS peace. He is able to give peace in the midst of the most violent storm in life. Jonah 1:15 and Mark 4:39 illustrate this.2) Often, we can do nothing to change the circumstances that threaten our peace, health and safety, but Christ can.a) Scheming often makes things worse.b) Worrying makes us ill and adds to the problem.c) The only wise thing to do is to give our burdens to the Prince of Peace.d) “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalms 55:22)e) “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)Conclusion: Christ is the Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. If you will rely on these four qualities of Christ, you will be wiser, safer, comforted, and at peace. Isaiah 9:6 is one of those verses we all need to memorise and meditate on regularly.Song: Trust and Obey, 261
The Word Became Flesh22 December 2024 AM ~ John 1:14Introduction: Satan has caused people to promote the fairytale of Santa to distract from the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, when God took on human flesh so that he could live a sinless life and then die on a cross to pay the sin-debt of every human. Anything that detracts from the true meaning of Christmas is harming the cause of Christ. Sadly, multitudes today view the birth of Christ as a fairytale on a par with that of Santa and his reindeer. However, the Santa fiction is a fabricated story, but the account of Christ’s birth is factual. It is clearly recorded for us in the Bible. The Bible is not a story book, but an accurate historical account. Voddie Baucham presents the following defence of the Bible from 2 Peter 1:16-21. “(v.16) The Bible is a reliable collection of historical documents, (v.16b) written by eye-witnesses, during the lifetime of other witnesses, (v.18) that report supernatural events, (v.19) which took place in fulfilment of specific prophecies, (v.20-21) who claim that their writings are divine rather than of human origin.”Transition: This morning, we are going to examine one of the Bible’s historical accounts of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is not a typical Christmas text, yet it is about Christ’s birth. Turn with me to John 1:14.1. The Word Became Flesha. The “Word” refers to Jesus Christ1) By comparing Scripture with Scripture, this becomes clear. (John 1:1-3) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” Only Jesus Christ was made flesh and dwelt among men. (Cf., Heb 4:12-13).2) Later, John calls him the Word of Life. (1 John 1:1-2) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us“b. The Word (Jesus Christ) took on human flesh1) Consider Mary’s conversation with the angel. (Luke 1:34-35) “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.“2) (1 Timothy 3:16) “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.“3) John, the human penman of both the book of John and 1 John was very close to Jesus during his ministry. He wrote, (1 John 1:1-2) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)“God took on human flesh!2. The Word Dwelt Among Usa. Dwelt is an interesting word.1) It literally means to dwell in a tent.2) How many of you have ever spent the night in a tent? How would you like that as your permanent home? Your body is a tent; it is not a permanent home.3) In 2 Corinthians 5:1, the Apostle Paul refers to our body as a tabernacle or tent. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Our bodies are tents or temporary dwelling places. They do not last forever. They require sleep and food, get sick, feel pain, and eventually die.4) Christ took on a human body so that He (being God) could live among humans. (Philippians 2:7) “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.“b. Christ dwelt in a temporary body among us.1) For about 33 years, Jesus lived in a human body. During that time, he experienced the need for food and sleep. Did he ever get sick? We do not know.2) He did experience temptations as we do. (Hebrews 4:14-15) “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. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities [in other words we DO have]; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.“God took on human flesh and lived among us.3. We Beheld His Glorya. Consider the word “beheld”.1) To behold something is more intent than just viewing it. It is to view something attentively. Greek scholar Zodhiate describes the word as “the sense of a wondering consideration involving a careful and deliberate vision which interprets its object.”2) If you have gotten a report from your doctor about a medical condition that he discovered, you very likely did not just glance at the report casually. No doubt you read it carefully, looked up any big words, thought about it, prayed about it, and perhaps even sought other opinions. Why, because it was important to you. That is the kind of “behold” John is describing.3) John spent at least three years travelling with Jesus. He got a closeup, in depth view of Christ in every situation life afforded. Thus he wrote, (1 John 1:1-2) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”b. Note what John said he beheld about Christ.1) He beheld Christ’s glory. Glory refers to splendour, perfection, or reputation.2) John saw close up the perfection of Christ. He was unique to every other human John knew. His glory was a glory of the only begotten of the father (i.e., a glory as uniquely existing (i.e., Gk. mono-genes) with Father).3) His glory (i.e., reputation or perfection) was full of grace and truth.a) He was abounding in God’s enablement. He could do miraculous things.b) He was abounding in God’s mind. His words were overflowing in amazing truth.Conclusion: What do these facts do for us today? They assure us that God took on human flesh and lived among people on earth, and those who saw him observed His perfection, confirming that He was truly God in human flesh. If Christ was not truly God in human flesh, born of a virgin, and an example of a sinless human full of God’s enablement and truth, then he was a fraud, and we are fools for thinking otherwise. However, the evidence is clear. We can fully trust this verse. Christmas has nothing to do with Santa, and everything to do with the incarnation birth of God the Son as Jesus, the Saviour. Christ was born that He might die in our place. If you have not truly repented of your sin and placed your trust in Christ alone to save your soul, you have not yet received the greatest Christmas gift ever given. Just like any physical Christmas gift, you must take it to receive it. If you have received God’s Christmas gift of forgiveness and eternal life, take the time right now to thank Him for becoming flesh and dwelling among us so that he could pay your eternal debt.Song: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, 93
The Christ of Christmas pt.425 December 2022 AM – Isaiah 7:14 – Christmas22 – Scott ChildsIntroduction: This month, we have been looking at the Christ of Christmas. We noted that He is the second Person of the Trinity. We next examined many verses proving that He is God. Last week, we looked in detail at His humanity, the fact that He was the God/Man. This morning we are going to conclude this series by looking at Christ’s virgin birth.Transition: I want us to look at Christ’s virgin birth briefly from God’s perspective, and then spend the bulk of our time looking at it from man’s perspective.1. The Virgin Birth from God’s Perspective
a. God originated the plan.1) God knew in eternity past.2) God alludes to it in Genesis 3:15.b. God carefully planned and timed the events.1) It was in the fullness of His perfect time.2) It is interesting to ponder the related events.2. The Virgin Birth from Man’s Perspective
a. The prediction of the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14)1) Seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, Isaiah made this prediction. (Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.“2) From that time, faithful Jews anticipated the birth of the Messiah.b. The conception to a virgin (Luke 1:26-37)1) God sent his angel Gabriel to speak with a young virgin named Mary, literally Maria.2) She lived in Nazareth, near Galilee. She was engaged to be married to one Joseph, a carpenter. Edersheim, a Jewish historian, wrote. “From that moment Mary was the betrothed wife of Joseph; their relationship as sacred, as if they had already been wedded. Any breach of it would be treated as adultery… Yet months might intervene between the betrothal and marriage.” The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah3) Read Luke 1:26-33.4) Picture in your mind how she may have initially responded. Scripture says that Gabriel came in unto her. The term is used of entering a house. It can be applied to entering one’s presence or even one’s thoughts. Wherever she was, to have an unknown man suddenly appear in her presence was frightening and alarming (Lu 1:30).5) Gabriel’s words, though thrilling on the one hand, were astonishing and perhaps even fearful on the other hand. Thus, we read her response, Luke 1:34.6) Gabriel then explained, Luke 1:35-37. The Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the most High would overshadow her, and the holy One gendered in her would be the Son of God. The virgin’s conception was a miracle from heaven.7) As she faced the shame and disgrace of conceiving a child outside of marriage, Luke 1:37 was a promise that she must have clung to for comfort.8) Scripture does not tell us when she told Joseph her secret. Perhaps she waited until after her three-month visit with Cousin Elizabeth. No doubt, that confession was the most difficult of her life. She knew that Joseph could legally end their engagement and even require her execution. Immorality during engagement was the only legitimate justification for divorce (Mat 19:5-9).c. The affirmation about the virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-24)1) When Joseph heard that his beloved Maria was pregnant, he was greatly trouble (Mat 1:18-19).2) God then sent His angel to Joseph to explain (Mat 1:20-23). As impossible as it seemed, Maria had conceived through a divine act. She was telling the truth. Her child was God in human flesh. She was still a virgin!3) That revelation to Joseph turned his life around more radically than Mary’s confession.a) Shattered and heartbroken, He had been pondering a quiet divorce. Life would never be as he had dreamed without Mary as his wife.b) The angel’s words spun him around and urged him to wait no longer to marry Maria (Mat 1:24).c) He willingly shared the unjust shame. They likely had a quiet private wedding and commenced life as a young couple.d. The protection of the virgin birth (Matthew 1:25)1) By God’s grace, Joseph protected Mary’s virginity. (Matthew 1:25) “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.“2) Joseph kept Mary a virgin until Jesus was born. They did not physically consummate their marriage until after Christ’s birth.3) To dispel the false teaching that Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life, both Matthew and Mark record that Jesus had four half-brothers and at least two sisters. (Mark 6:3) “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” (cf., Mat 13:55-56).e. The virgin birth (Luke 2)1) Luke records the details about Christ’s birth to that young virgin, Maria, that God wants us to know.2) God orchestrated the timing of the census that required Joseph to travel to Bethlehem. Though the several-day journey from Nazareth down to Bethlehem was inconvenient and no doubt uncomfortable for Mary, she accompanied him. It was there in the city of David that she gave birth. (Luke 2:7) “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.“3) We note here that the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to reinforce Mary’s virginity by including that Jesus was her “firstborn son”.4) God sent an angel to announce Christ’s birth to some lowly shepherds in the nearby hills (Luke 2:8-14).5) On that grand night, God sent His entire angelic host to worship the Christ child. (Hebrews 1:6) “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.“f. The necessity of Christ’s virgin birth1) Christ’s virgin birth was necessary for the credibility of the Bible. If Jesus was not really born of a virgin, then what other stories in the Bible are not reality?2) Christ’s virgin birth was necessary for Him to be the God/Man. If Joseph was His father, then He could not be God. If He had no human father or mother, then He could not die as a human.3) Christ’s virgin birth was necessary for Him to be sinless. By His divine conception, He did not inherit a sinful human nature.4) Christ’s virgin birth was necessary for Him to be the spotless Lamb of God to atone for our sin.5) Christ’s virgin birth was necessary for Him to raise to life again to give us eternal life.6) Thus, if Christ was not virgin born, then we have no hope of forgiveness and eternal life. We are doomed! However, praise God, Jesus was born of a virgin and all that God has revealed about his conception and birth is true. We CAN be forgiven and receive eternal life through Christ’s payment on our behalf.Conclusion: Christ’s virgin birth begs you to answer two questions. 1) Have you humbly admitted your need for Christ’s forgiveness and eternal life, and personally asked Him to apply His payment to your account? Though Christ came to die for every sinner, He can only apply that payment to individuals who repent of their sin and personally trust Him. 2) If you have received Christ’s cleansing, have you taken time this Christmas to thank Him for coming to this earth to pay for your sins? If not, do it right now.Song: Have You Any Room for Jesus? 241
Born to Die pt.318 December 2022 PM – Hebrews 9:11-14 – Christmas – Scott ChildsIntroduction: So far in this series, we have learned that Christ was born the perfect God/Man, the second Adam, crowned with man’s original glory and honour so that he could taste death for every man (Heb 2:9). Next, we learned Christ came to this earth as the God/Man to die in order to save sinners (1Ti 1:15). In this final message, we will see that Christ came to earth as the God/Man to become the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin.Transition: Hebrews 9:11-14 reveals to us important facts about sacrifices for sin that we must understand in order to be saved.1. Animal sacrifices were insufficient (v.13)
a. They were limited in provision.1) They did fulfil the requirements that God laid down in the Law for temporarily covering their sins (Ps 32:1). Even then, God rejected those offerings if they were preformed insincerely (Hos 8:13), or if the offering was less than perfect (Mal 1:7-8).2) Peter Pett reminds us that animal sacrifices, “could never purify the heart, making men clean within. They were a picture of what would be, not a genuine means of purifying (Heb 1:3), of propitiation (Heb 2:17), of dealing with sin (Heb 7:27) and cleansing (Heb 1:3).” Emphasis added3) Paul confirms this in the next chapter. (Hebrews 10:4) “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Those countless sacrifices covered sin, but never took it away permanently.b. They were limited in duration.1) Those O.T. sacrifices were offered repeatedly. (Hebrews 10:11) “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:“2) There were daily sacrifices, monthly sacrifices, yearly sacrifices, and holiday sacrifices.3) Those sacrifices only covered sins already committed. After each new sin, a new sacrifice was needed.2. Christ’s sacrifice was all sufficient (v.14)a. It provided the ultimate provision.1) The blood of Christ was the blood of the God/Man, the perfect Lamb of God. It was divine because Christ was divine.2) Christ, through eternal Spirit offered himself. To what does “eternal Spirit” refer?a) First, the article “the” was supplied. It is not in the original. Eternal Spirit is not qualified.b) It is not likely the Holy Spirit, as the Bible never refers to Him in this way.c) Angels are not eternal, so it could not refer to an angelic spirit.d) Many conservative commentators believe it is speaking of Christ’s eternal Spirit. If Christ had not been eternal, He could not pay the eternal debt for every person in the human race.3) Christ voluntarily shed His blood as our substitute. No bull, goat, lamb or bird ever volunteered to become a sacrifice. They went ignorantly, against their will. Christ gave himself willingly and intentionally.4) Christ was the spotless Lamb of God. As the eternal God, the second Person of the Trinity, He became the God/Man, the innocent, perfect Second Adam. He lived a spotless life well into manhood. He resisted Satan’s greatest temptations without yielding. He alone was qualified as the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin.b. Christ’s sacrifice atones for an eternal duration.1) He entered the Holy of Holies ONCE to obtain our eternal redemption. Read v.12.2) Paul repeated this fact several times in this book.a) (Hebrews 7:27) “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.“b) (Hebrews 9:25-26) “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.“c) (Hebrews 9:27-28) “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.“3. Christ’s sacrifice purged thoroughly (v.14)a. Animal sacrifices1) They purified only the flesh (v.13). Sinners did get some outward relief when they offered animal sacrifices. God was pleased with their obedience. God was able to bless their obedience.2) These sacrifices did nothing for the troubled, guilty conscience. Read v.9.3) Animal sacrifices did not clean the conscience.a) It is important that we understand the conscience. Here are some attempts to define the conscience. It is the inward faculty of moral judgment. It evaluates one’s conduct in a moral sense. It is an inner prompting to shun bad and do good. It is an inward moral impression of one’s actions and principles.b) Perhaps we could say that our conscience is the inner part of us that ought to feel badly when we sin. I say, “ought” because ignoring it and continuing to sin will weaken the conscience’s sensitivity.4) Albert Barnes gives us this insight. “The offerings of the Jews related in the main to external purification, and were not adapted to give peace to a troubled conscience. They could render the worshipper externally pure so that he might draw near to God and not be excluded by any ceremonial pollution or defilement; but the mind, the heart, the conscience, they could not make pure.” Yet they could know the blessing of forgiveness. David wrote, (Psalms 32:1) “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.“5) Frustratingly, animal sacrifices required ongoing dead works. The sinner had to repeat regularly the rituals of the O.T. Law. Any religion that adds anything to faith in Christ ALONE for salvation is attempting to merit God’s salvation by doing dead works. Such religious people have not had their consciences purged. They are not saved.b. Christ’s sacrifice1) It purifies the conscience, not just the flesh (v.14). The blood of Christ did not just cover our sin, it fully atoned for our sins (Rom 5:11), fully propitiated our sins (1Jn 2:2), and took away our sins (Joh 1:29). (Acts 3:19) “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” This enables Christ to purge our consciences (Rom 8:33). That is a wonderful privilege not enjoyed by the Old Testament saints.2) KJBC states, “If God accepted the former ritual as a purifying of the flesh, how much more will God be satisfied by the sacrifice of His Son! He accepts it so completely that it inwardly regenerates the individual and purifies his conscience.” p.16953) Having a cleansed conscience enables us to serve the living God, not in outward form, but in sincerity and in truth. He then promises us that we can maintain a pure conscience if we will practice 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“Conclusion: Jesus was born to die. That is an amazing truth and an even more amazing blessing. Because Christ died in our place, we can have clean hearts and purified consciences. We can now serve the Lord with pure motives of love, with no thought of meriting His favour. Ponder these truths and let them motivate your service for the Lord. If Christ has not yet purged your conscience, He wants to. He will this very evening if you repent and trust in His atonement.Song: Jesus Paid It All 125 #3
The Christ of Christmas pt.318 December 2022 AM – Galatians 4:4 – Christmas22 – Scott ChildsIntroduction: As we have sought to answer the question, “Who was the Christ of Christmas?”, we have looked at Christ’s part in the Trinity of God and at his deity, being God the Son. This morning, I want us to look at his humanity. What sort of human was this God/Man Jesus Christ?Steve Farrar, in his book, King Me: What Every Son Wants and Needs from His Father, describes the manhood of Christ. “Christ was male, not female. One doesn’t compliment a man by saying that he is beautiful. The appropriate word in that context would be “handsome.” …Let’s stop describing Jesus Christ in womanly terms. He is awesome, majestic, holy, and righteous. He is the Son of the Living God. He is the God/man. Let’s show Him the proper respect and use masculine, biblical terms to describe His greatness. And in the process, we won’t be sending the wrong message about His person and character. …On perhaps two different occasions, the Lord Jesus walked into the temple with a whip and commenced to drive out the commodity traders that had managed to extort office space in His Father’s house. And when He walked into that temple with that whip and started turning over tables, they didn’t say, “Look at his hair! I wonder who does his nails?” …Jesus was raised by Joseph in a carpenter’s shop, and He didn’t buy his lumber at Home Depot. He cut his own trees and planed His own boards. As a result, He had some serious forearms. And He didn’t have soft hands. He had calluses from doing hard, physical labor. That’s why they ran when He cleared out the temple. No one stood up to Him. …” (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2005), 125-129.Transition: What else do we know about Christ’s human life? What information does the Bible give us about His humanity?The Bible gives us …1. Clear statements that Christ became a human
(Galatians 4:4) “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,“a. This was not his origin1) We have already established that Christ existed eternally as God (Mic 5:2; Heb 13:8).2) God sent him to earth. The fact that God sent His Son, assures us that Christ existed BEFORE He was sent forth.3) Christ humbled himself to become a human. (Philippians 2:5-8) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation emptied Himself, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness human resemblance of men: And being found in fashion visible appearance as a man, he humbled lowered himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.“a) Though He was God in every respect, He emptied himself of His sovereign position and took on the fundamental nature of a humble servant.b) He resembled a human man in his being.c) His visible appearance was that of a human man.4) Scripture clearly calls him a man. (1 Timothy 2:5) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;“5) Those who knew him, knew he was a man, though some questioned that he was more than that. (Mark 6:3) “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.“b. He was born of a woman1) Mary was his human physical mother. He had a body.2) He was not just a Christophany as in His O.T. appearances. In those former appearances, He was not actually a human, though he looked and ate like one (cf., Gen 18).3) He was just as much of a human as we are. (John 1:14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” He got hungry (Matt 4:2). He got thirsty (John 19:28). He got tired (John 4:6). He wept (John 11:35). He had a human spirit (Luke 23:46). He died as a man (Hebrews 2:14-15).4) Christ’s physical water birth and blood-stained death both testify of his humanity (1John 5:6).c. He was born under the law1) He subjected himself to the laws of nature.2) He subjected himself to the O.T. Law.3) He perfectly fulfilled all that the Law required. He was the only human ever to keep the entire Law flawlessly.The Bible gives us …2. A brief history of Christ’s childhooda. His parents1) Joseph (his stepfather) was a carpenter (Mt 13:55). Having learned that trade from Joseph, Jesus became known as “the carpenter” (Mar 6:3).2) Mary, his human mother, gave him his humanity.3) Joseph accepted Jesus as his own son. After searching for 12-year-old Jesus for three days, Joseph and Mary found him in the Temple, and Mary said, (Luke 2:48) “… Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.“b. His youth1) Matthew sums Jesus’ youth in one word, saying he was a Nazarene, or resident of Nazareth (Mt 2:23).2) Jesus grew as a young man. (Luke 2:40) “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.“3) Even from the age of 12, Jesus had an intense spiritual interest. (Luke 2:49) “And he said unto them [his parents], How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Commentator Peter Pett shares this insight. “Every Jewish boy came of age at thirteen from which point on he was looked on as a responsible adult and expected to fulfil his religious responsibilities, becoming ‘a son of the Law’. Thus the Rabbis recommended that boys who were approaching that age be brought to the feasts so that they could become acquainted with the atmosphere and with what went on.”4) Jesus subjected himself to his earthly parents. (Luke 2:51) “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.“5) Jesus increased humanly. (Luke 2:52) “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.“The Bible gives us …3. Important facts about Christ’s perfectiona. He lived a sinless life1) He was tempted to the extreme. If you look closely at the temptation of Christ recorded in Matthew 4, Mark 1 and Luke 4, you will see that Satan tempted Him for forty days. Satan himself tempted Christ with all of his might. Unable to get Christ to yield, the devil left him. No other human has ever endured and overcome such intense temptation.2) He resisted every temptation without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) “For 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.“b. His sinlessness qualified him as the perfect Lamb1) During the first Passover, God required a perfect lamb to be slain as their sacrifice. (Exodus 12:5) “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:“2) God cannot die, but being the perfect human God/Man, Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, was able to die.3) Being the perfect Lamb, He was able to shed His blood for the entire sinful human race. John the Baptist, introducing Jesus said, (John 1:29) “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.“Conclusion: Though Christ was 100% God, He lowered himself to become the perfect man. He resisted Satan’s greatest temptations and remained the perfect Lamb of God. He then died as our substitute to rescue us from eternal hell. That is the Christ of Christmas. Have you humbly repented of your sin and trusted His payment to save your soul? You alone can make that choice for yourself. Receive Christ today!Song: Look to the Lamb of God, 216
Born to Die Pt.211 December 2022 PM – 1 Timothy 1:15 – Christmas – Scott ChildsIntroduction: (1 Timothy 1:15) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” The main reason Jesus came into this world was to save sinners from hell. For Him to be able to do that, He had to die. Thus, He was born to die.Transition: This statement, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” tells us several important truths.1. He existed before He came
a. He existed before the beginning of time1) (John 1:1-2) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.“2) John, the beloved disciple, who knew Jesus very well, repeated this in his first epistle. (1 John 1:1) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;“3) (Colossians 1:17) “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.“4) (Micah 5:2) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.“5) Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham. (John 8:58) “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.“6) (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.“b. Jesus eternally existed as God1) Last Sunday morning, we presented Scripture evidence that Jesus is the second Person of the Triune God.2) In this morning’s message, Scripture testified that Jesus is truly God and equal with the Father.3) The eternal existence of Christ is further evidence that at His incarnation, He became God in human flesh, the perfect God/Man. He became the one mediator between God and man. (1 Timothy 2:5) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;“4) If He were less than eternal, He could not be God. If He were less than God, He could not atone for the sins of the entire human race.2. He entered our world as the God/Mana. God sent Jesus into the world1) Jesus Himself said, (John 3:17) “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.“2) The Apostle Paul affirmed, (Galatians 4:4) “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,“3) (1 John 4:9) “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.“4) In eternity past, the Godhead planned that God the Son would one day take on human flesh so that He could die for sinful humans. It is no wonder that John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, ...” Could anything less than perfect love motivate God to do such a thing for sinners like us?b. He entered this world as the perfect God/Man.1) Luke’s Gospel gives us the most complete description of Christ’s incarnation. We will be looking at those details in another message.2) Last Sunday night, we noted that Jesus was “crowned with glory and honour”, the complete dominion over all creation, as Adam and Eve had been at creation (Heb 2:9).3) During His 33 years as the God/Man on this earth, Jesus experienced life as a human along with hunger, fatigue, thirst, sorrow, and pain. In those 33 years, He never once sinned because He had no sin nature. He had the innocent sinless nature that Adam had when he was created.4) The incarnation of Christ is an amazing fact to ponder.a) How could God, the Creator of all things, stoop to become a human, like those He had created?b) What was His human life like since He was the second Adam, possessing a sinless nature yet living in a sin-cursed world?c) He was able to be tempted, just as Adam and Eve in their innocence had been, but He resisted every temptation. (Hebrews 4:15) “For 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.“d) Did He ever get sick? I do not think so, since I do not believe He possessed a sin-cursed body. Php 2:7, form [fundamental nature] of a servant… likeness [resemblance] of men3. He came with a purpose – to die in our placea. God planned Christ’s purpose in eternity past.1) (2 Timothy 1:9) “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,“2) (Acts 15:18) “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.“3) (Titus 1:2) “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;“b. God announced Christ’s purpose to humans.1) God told Mary. (Luke 1:31) “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” (Jesus = Jehovah is salvation)2) God told Joseph. (Matthew 1:21) “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.“3) God had an angel tell the shepherds. (Luke 2:10-11) “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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.“c. Jesus knew His purpose1) Jesus said, (John 3:17) “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.“2) On another occasion He said, (John 6:38) “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.“3) Even as Jesus prayed before going to the cross, He knew His purpose. (Mark 14:36) “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” (Hebrews 5:7-8) “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;” He prayed for deliverance, but learned obedience instead. What a lesson for us!d. Christ fulfilled His purpose1) (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.“2) (1 John 4:9-10) “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.“3) (1 John 2:2) “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.“4) (2 Corinthians 5:21) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.“Conclusion: Truly, Jesus was born to die. What a wonderful plan of God and what amazing love! If you have not yet received His gift of love, receive it this evening. If you have received it, take time to thank Him for all that He has done for you.Song: Thank You Lord – 221
The Christ of Christmas pt211 December 2022 AM – Matthew 1:23 – Christmas22 – Scott ChildsIntroduction: Who is the Christ of Christmas? O, we know some basic facts about Him, but exactly who was He?Is Jesus Christ the same Being as Jehovah God? How can He be the Son of God and Jehovah God at the same time?Last week we examined Scriptures that clearly describe God as a triune Being of three Persons – Father, Son and Spirit. We saw that all three Persons of the Godhead are equally God, yet distinct Persons.Transition: This morning we are going to examine many Scriptures, including comparing Old Testament Scriptures with New Testament Scriptures, to show that Jesus truly IS Jehovah God. During His incarnation, He was the God/Man – fully God yet perfect Man.1. Scripture Statements of Christ’s Deity
a. He is called Immanuel1) (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.“b. He possessed God’s form1) (Philippians 2:6) “Who, being in the form fundamental nature of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:“c. He is the express image of God’s person1) (Hebrews 1:3) “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image exact copy of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;“d. He is our great God and Saviour1) (Titus 2:13) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” The grammar indicates that both God and Saviour are the same person.e. Thomas called him God1) (John 20:28) “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” Jesus never rebuked him for it.f. He received worship from men and angels1) (Exodus 34:14) “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Matthew 14:33) “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.“2) (Hebrews 1:6) “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.“g. Jesus is eternal like Jehovah1) Of Jehovah we read, (Psalms 90:2) “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.“2) Of the Messiah the prophet wrote, (Micah 5:2) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.“3) (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.“2. Quotes from the O.T. in the N.T.a. New Testament quotes from the Old Testament1) (Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.“2) (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.“3) (Psalms 45:6) “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.“4) (Hebrews 1:8) “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.“5) (Psalms 130:3-4) “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.“6) (Matthew 9:6) “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.“b. He is called God in both Testaments1) (Isaiah 9:6) “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.“2) (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“3) (1 John 5:20) “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.“c. Christ claimed to be Jehovah, the I AM1) (Exodus 3:14) “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.“2) (John 8:58) “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” The NWT mistranslates this, but the JW interlinear is correct.d. We must call on Jehovah and Christ for salvation1) (Joel 2:32) “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: ...“2) (Romans 10:9) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.“e. Every knee will bow to Jehovah/Jesus1) (Isaiah 45:23) “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.“2) (Philippians 2:10) “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;“f. Both Jehovah and Christ are the First and the Last1) (Isaiah 44:6) “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.“2) (Revelation 1:17-18) “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.“g. Both Jehovah and Christ are unchanging.1) (Malachi 3:6) “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.“2) (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.“h. Both Jehovah and Christ laid the foundations1) (Isaiah 48:13) “Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.“2) (Hebrews 1:10-12) “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.“Conclusion: Though our minds struggle to comprehend how Jesus and Jehovah God can be two Persons of the same Being, that is what Scripture teaches. They share the same titles, form, image, qualities, abilities, praise and activities because they ARE the same Being. Jesus, the Christ of Christmas is truly God. He became the perfect man in order that He could die as our substitute. He offers forgiveness and eternal life as a gift to you today. Every individual must admit his lost condition and receive God’s gift. No one can receive it for you. Have you personally received God’s gift?Song: Come to the Saviour – 254
Born to Die Pt14 December 2022 PM – Hebrews 2:9 – Christmas – Scott ChildsIntroduction: In our morning sermons this month, we are considering The Christ of Christmas. In our evening sermons this month, our focus will be on the fact that Christ was Born to Die. The apostle John wrote, (1 John 4:14) “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” Jesus did not become the God/Man in order to give us a good example to follow or even to heal the sick. He came in order to save mankind from hell. He came to die as our substitute.Transition: This evening, I want to do something out of the norm. I want us to examine Hebrews 2:9, phrase by phrase, that we might better see what it reveals about Christ.1. But we see Jesusa. We see1) The word means to discern or to perceive by the use of the eyes.2) Though we have never seen Christ with our eyes, we can perceive Him in our minds.b. Jesus1) This name means, “Jehovah is salvation”.2) In scripture, He is known as Christ, Lord, the Word, the Son of God, the Son of Man, Immanuel and many other titles.2. Who was made a little lower than the angels
a. Made a little lower1) This is not addressing His origin. Rather, it has to do with position. He humbled himself to become a servant.2) The term means “to make less” or “to make inferior”.b. Than the angels1) We see this same phrase in verse 7 applied to man at creation. For man to be positioned a little lower than the angels is an honour, but for God the Son to be placed in a position a little lower than the angels was a humiliation.2) The Father purposely placed His Son a little lower than the angels. This speaks of the humanity that He adopted. (Philippians 2:7) “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:“3. For the suffering of deatha. The word “for” translates dia1) Dia indicates for the sake of.2) Jesus briefly became a human, a little lower than the angels, for a specific purpose.b. The suffering of death1) He, being God, could not die.2) Angels do not die.3) Jesus must become a man in order to suffer and die. Though Jesus, being God, was all-knowing, suffering eternal damnation as a divine human for the human race was something He had not yet actually experienced.4) He would suffer THE death. There is a definite article before “death”. God had ordained a specific death, the death of the cross. Enemies tried to kill him prematurely, but God preserved him to suffer THE death – the eternal death on our behalf.4. Crowned with glory and honoura. This phrase is key to understanding the entire verse.1) The word “crowned” is a perfect passive participle. It describes an action done to Him that is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated. It was not a future crowing.2) Thus, it requires a significant twist to apply it to honour and glory received after Christ’s death and resurrection.3) It does not fit to apply it to the eternal honour and glory He had always enjoyed in heaven.b. We find the key to the mystery in verse 7.1) Read this verse and ponder it.2) It speaks of man’s creation in Genesis 1-2.a) In God’s wisdom, He created angels as spirits and as His heavenly servants. (Psalms 104:4) “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:“b) When God created man, He positioned them a little lower than the angels.c) God crowned man with glory and honour in that He set him over the works of His hands. God gave man dominion over all creation (cf., Ps 8:5-6). That was an awesome honour.d) When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost much of that glory, honour and dominion over nature.3) Being the perfect God/Man, the second Adam, Jesus was positioned lower than the angels and crowned with man’s original glory and honour having dominion over all nature.4) Peter Pett reminds us of some of the ways Jesus, while a human, had dominion over all nature. “He demonstrated His lordship over creation and superiority to angels. He was ‘with the wild beasts’ and angels ministered to Him (Mar 1:13), the evil spirits obeyed Him and were cast out (Mar 1:25-26 and regularly), the water turned into wine at His will (Joh 2:1-11), the fish moved at His command (Luk 5:4-6; Mat 17:27; Joh 21:6), the wind and waves did His bidding (Mar 4:39), the sea provided Him with a pathway through the storm (Mar 6:48), the storm ceased at His presence (Mar 6:51), the unbroken ass walked quietly into Jerusalem through noisy crowds, responsive to His hands (Mar 11:2; Mar 11:7-9), … the fig tree withered at His command (Mar 11:14; Mar 11:20). … All this emphasised the restoration of the crowning with glory and honour.” Peter Pett’s Commentary, theWord 5) Pett continues, “And it was this overlordship of creation that revealed that He was perfect man as God had intended man to be, and it was this that made Him fitted to ‘taste death for everyone’, because it revealed that He was truly ‘the second man’, ‘the last Adam’, (1Co 15:45-47) man restored to what he should be.” Ibid 5. That he by the grace of Goda. Literally, “so that”1) The aforementioned facts had to be in place for the conclusion to take place.2) All that Christ became was planned in eternity past and fulfilled in detail to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. (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.“b. By the grace of God1) Christ’s incarnation and subsequent atonement was all by grace. Man had utterly failed God. God owed the human race nothing.2) By grace, God’s divine enabling on our behalf, Christ became a man so that He could die for us.6. Should taste deatha. This presents a possibility1) The subjunctive mood is a mood of possibility. The action may take place if the circumstances are right.2) The word “taste” means either to perceive the flavour of or to partake of. Obviously, the latter is the case here.b. All that this passage tells us about Christ had to be in place before He could taste death.1) In His eternal form, He could not taste death.2) It was necessary for Him to become a Man.3) As the second Adam, the perfect Man, having been crowned with glory and honour over all creation, He then was ready to fulfil His reason for coming to earth. (John 3:17) “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.“7. For every man
a. Praise God for these words1) Jesus tasted death on behalf of EVERY man. (1 Timothy 2:4) “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.“2) No one is exempt. Christ’s death was for all.b. Truly, Jesus was “Born to Die” as our substitute.Conclusion: I urge you to read over this verse slowly and repeatedly. Ponder what we have expounded. Let it sink into your heart. Then take time to praise and thank God that Jesus was born to die for you.Song: O How I Love Jesus 483 (1-2)
The Christ of Christmas pt14 December 2022 AM – Deuteronomy 6:4 – Christmas22 – Scott ChildsIntroduction: For many people, Christmas is just a holiday. It is a time of lights, parties and giving of gifts. For religious people, Christmas is about the birth of Christ. However, many religious people know very little about the Christ of Christmas. Today we are going to begin a four-week series to answer the question, “Who is the Christ of Christmas?” Matthew 1:23 states, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” When Jesus became a man, He was God in human flesh. How can that be?Transition: This morning I want us to examine some of the characteristics of God that unlock who Jesus is. Our text is Deuteronomy 6:4.1. There can only be ONE God.
a. The Bible clearly states that only ONE God exists.1) Jehovah (i.e., LORD) is the self-existent, eternal being who created all things. (Genesis 2:4) “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” Who is the LORD God?a) Mormon’s teach that God is an exalted man.b) JW’s teach that Jehovah is God, but not Jesus or the Holy Spirit.2) Our text states that Jehovah, our Elohim, is one Jehovah. He is just one Being. Many verses affirm this.a) (Deuteronomy 4:35) “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.“b) (Isaiah 45:5) “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:” This refutes the JW “a god” claims in (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (a god NWT). “God” is a superlative.c) (Psalms 96:5) “For all the gods of the nations are idols*: but the LORD made the heavens.” Not truly Godb. Our one God is a Spirit1) Though God created man in His own image, this cannot speak of man’s body, for God, being a Spirit, has no body.2) (John 4:24) “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.“3) Mormons falsely teach that God does have a human body.2. Our God is Uniquea. God is distinct from His creation.1) “God is transcendent, entirely distinct from and different than the universe, as the carpenter is distinct from the bench.” Robert Bowman, Jr., The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity. a) (Isaiah 40:22) “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:“b) (Psalms 102:25-27) “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.“2) God is one Being, but unlike His creation, He is one Being with multiple Persons. In this, He is unique to humans.b. God is three Persons in one Being.1) God is not just one person in one being, as we are. As God, He is not confined to human limitations.2) God exists in three Persons. Jehovah is the Father, Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit. Though each is a part of the Being of God, they are distinct Persons. Each has a separate role, but all are equally God. They form a Trinity. Though Trinity is not a Bible word, the Trinity concept is biblically based and was taught by first and second century Christians. https://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-oneness-unity-plural-nouns-pronouns-verbs-adverbs.htm3) The first verse in the Bible reveals this. (Genesis 1:1) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The word translated “God” is the plural word Elohim.4) During creation, God talked with His other Persons. (Genesis 1:26) “And God (Elohim) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness …” (cf. Gen 3:22; 11:7). “Nontrinitarian interpretation cannot account for these occurrences.” Bowman5) God could not have been speaking with the angels, for Scripture never says that angels possess God’s image.6) God the Father plans, the Son performs and the Holy Spirit applies. The Father is love, the Son loved, and the Holy Spirit produces love in us. The Father designed, the Son created, and the Holy Spirit activated.7) All three Persons of the Trinity took part in Creation.a) (Nehemiah 9:6) “Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.“b) (John 1:1-3) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Jehovah did not first create Jesus and then assign Him the task of creation, as the JWs teach. Jesus cannot be both the creature (i.e. a created being) and Creator. (Romans 1:25) “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.“c) (Genesis 1:2) “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.“8) All three Persons of the Godhead indwell believers.a) (2 Corinthians 6:16) “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.“b) (Colossians 1:27) “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:“c) (John 14:17) “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.“9) Each Person in the Trinity searches man’s hearts.a) (Jeremiah 17:10) “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.“b) (Revelation 2:23) “And I [Jesus] will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.“c) (1 Corinthians 2:10) “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.“Conclusion: We have covered a lot of material this morning, but I did so to give you a fuller understanding of the Christ of Christmas. Jesus Christ is the second Person of our Triune God. Do not be deceived by cults and false teachers who claim otherwise. Jehovah, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are separate Persons of the same Being. They are all God. No human fully understands the Trinity of God, but the Bible clearly teaches it. Instead of fussing about what we do not understand, we must seek to obey what we do understand. Jesus is the reason for the season. He came to earth to die for our sins. If you have not yet trusted Christ’s death and resurrection as payment for your sins and eternal life, I would be pleased to sit down with you and explain it more thoroughly.Song: Praise Him! Praise Him! 442*
Joseph the Carpenter 19 December 2021 AM – Matthew 1:18-25 – Christmas – Scott Childs Introduction: Joseph of Nazareth was a carpenter, the son of a carpenter. Nazareth was a small hillside village in northern Israel, west of the Sea of Galilee. Though he was poor, the carpenter Joseph probably crafted doors, windows, cabinets, furniture […]
The Time of Christ’s Birth 20 December 2020 PM – Galatians 4:4 – Christmas – Scott Childs Introduction: In Matthew 2:1, we read, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,” Thus, we know that Herod was […]
Christmas Mysteries Explained 20 December 2020 AM – Matthew 1:21-23 – Christmas – Scott Childs Introduction: The birth of Christ contains mysteries that have no human explanation. No doubt about it, grand portions of the Christmas story are supernatural in nature. Unbelievers mock these mysteries. Sceptics question them. Uninformed Christians avoid talking about these mysteries. […]
The Incarnation from Satan’s standpoint 22 December 2019 PM – Matthew 2:1-18 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: The Bible tells us that the Satan and his demons are very powerful. Before his rebellion, Satan had been Lucifer, a mighty angel in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14). The description in Ezekiel 28:12-17 can describe none other than […]
The Incarnation from Mary’s standpoint 22 December 2019 AM – Luke 1-2 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: Mary was a humble, pure young woman from the small mountain town of Nazareth. Though she may have only been in her late teens, she was godly virgin who loved the Lord. Engaged to be married to […]
The Incarnation from the Angel’s standpoint 15 December 2019 PM – Luke 1:26-30 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: What does the Bible tell us about angels? Angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him, though created higher than man. Some, the good angels, have remained obedient to Him and carry out His […]
The Incarnation from Joseph’s standpoint 15 December 2019 AM – Matthew 1:18-25 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: Joseph and Mary were both of royal lineage. In addition, Mary was also related to the priesthood, as her Uncle Zacharias was a priest. Though Joseph was a carpenter, both he and Mary were extremely poor. Their […]
The Incarnation from Jesus’ standpoint 8 December 2019 PM – Philippians 2:5-8 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: What do you know about heaven? – the presence of God, holiness, angels, purity, beauty, perfection, sinlessness, etc. As I pondered Jesus leaving heaven and coming to earth as the God/man, I cannot really comprehend what that […]
The Incarnation from the Father’s standpoint 8 December 2019 AM – John 3:16 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: Last week we examined the incarnation (i.e., the fact that God became flesh) from an eternal standpoint (a.m.) and from a historical standpoint (p.m.). If you are a parent, you can imagine a bit of how […]
The Incarnation From a Historical standpoint 1 December 2019 PM – Galatians 4:4 – Incarnation – Scott Childs Introduction: This painting is of my great-grandfather’s farm on my father’s side of the family. I do not remember seeing my great-grandfather, but I do remember being in his house when I was very young. Other than […]