The Line 2
The Line • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
Christmas is where we celebrate Jesus’ birth
He is the most significant birth story in the entire world
I mean even Charlie Brown knows about Jesus’ birth
Show Charlie Brown
But have you ever actually considered the significance of Jesus’ coming?
Tonight I want to look at three significant truths about Jesus’ birth
Truth 1: Jesus’ birth was no accident
Truth 1: Jesus’ birth was no accident
The first significant truth is this
Jesus’ birth was no accident
His birth, wasn’t an accident
The birth that changed the ripple of all that we know, didn’t happen by accident
Jesus, as we saw last week, was promised to come
His birth was prophesied long before He ever stepped foot on earth
Mathematician Peter Stoner counted the probability of one person fulfilling even a small number of them.
1. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem ( Micah 5:2). The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present (1958) divided by the average population of the earth during the same period = 7,150/2,000,000,000 or 2.8×10^5 .
2. A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah ( Malachi 3:1). One man in how many, the world over, has had a forerunner (in this case, John the Baptist) to prepare his way? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×10^3.
3. The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). One man in how many, who has entered Jerusalem as a ruler, has entered riding on a donkey? Estimate: 1 in 100 or 1×10^2.
4. The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands (Zechariah 13:6). One man in how many, the world over, has been betrayed by a friend, resulting in wounds in his hands? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×10^3.
5. The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12 ). Of the people who have been betrayed, one in how many has been betrayed for exactly 30 pieces of silver? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×10^3.
6. The betrayal money will be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13 ). One man in how many, after receiving a bribe for the betrayal of a friend, has returned the money, had it refused, and then experienced it being used to buy a potter’s field? Estimate: 1 in 100,000 or 1×10^5.
7. The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted ( Isaiah 53:7). One man in how many, when he is oppressed and afflicted, though innocent, will make no defense of himself? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×10^3.
8. The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). One man in how many, since the time of David, has been crucified? Estimate: 1 in 10,000 or 1×1^ 4.
Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 1×10^28 . Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion) produces a probability of all 8 prophecies being fulfilled accidently in the life of one person. That probability is 1 in 10^17 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That’s one in one hundred quadrillion!
That’s crazy!
But Jesus didn’t fulfill 48 prophecies, He instead fulfilled over 300 prophecies!
These included everything from where He was born, to who he will be born from, what line he is from, the fact that He is born of a virgin, EVERYTHING!
He fulfilled them!
When you read Luke 2:1-7 listen to how God orchestrated it
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
There just so happened to a census that took place
That required everyone to go to their own town
Joseph went to Bethlehem because he’s from there
Mary came with him
She’s pregnant
Jesus is born
THAT’S NOT AN ACCIDENT
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah prophesied about how the Messiah will come from Bethlehem!
Jesus’ birth, the place, the timing, the significance, none of it was an accident
God had a plan for all of it!
Truth 2: Jesus’ birth requires our sacrifice
Truth 2: Jesus’ birth requires our sacrifice
Here is the second truth
Jesus’ birth requires our sacrifice
His birth requires us to sacrifice
Listen to the sacrifice the Magi made
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
The magi or wise men saw the star and knew that meant the Savior of the world was born
Looking at astrology and prophecy they knew that Jesus was to be born
Here’s the interesting thing, they brought to this boy Jesus three things
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
They gave a child gold, which they can’t spend
They gave a child frankincense, which is a grain used for making sacrifices in the Tabernacle which a child can’t do
They gave a child myrrh, which is oil meant for anointing during worship, which he can’t use
These are terrible gifts to give to a child…
Until you realize the significance of the gifts
Listen to how John Piper puts it
“The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for what you might give me, but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up these things in the hope of enjoying you more and enjoying things less. By giving to you what you do not need, and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically,m ‘you are my treasure, not these things’”
John Piper
What that means is, we should be sacrificing to seek after Jesus
Why?
Because He is worth it!
He is the one that is worthy of us giving up the things we enjoy, because He can fulfill us better
The Wise Men knew that, and so should we
Truth 3: It’s not peaceful for all men
Truth 3: It’s not peaceful for all men
Here’s the last truth
Jesus’ birth isn’t peaceful for all men
Linus from Charlie Brown quoted Luke 2:14 when he said “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace goodwill toward men”
However, Linus got this wrong
Listen to what Luke 2:14 actually says
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke, the author, doesn’t tell us that Jesus’ birth is peaceful and good for all
Instead he says it says it is good and peaceful with “those whom he is pleased”
In other words, Jesus’ birth is a joyful occasion, for those who believe in Him as Savior
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the only way to get to heaven
He is the only one that provides true peace
But that peace only comes when we trust in Him
So yes, His birth is joyful and peaceful for some, for those who believe in Him
But for others it is a terrible occasion because it marks the reality that there is nothing better for them
There is no hope outside of Jesus, no joy outside of Jesus, no peace
Peace to those who trust Him
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Christmas story is powerful
It has a lot of significant things that happen
Jesus coming was no accident, God orchestrated everything to make it happen!
We are called to sacrifice because of it, giving up things to better seek Him
And His birth is only peaceful if we trust in Him
This Christmas, if you don’t believe in Jesus there is no peace for you,
Like the angel’s sang “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased”
Jesus is offering peace in His coming to earth, don’t miss it