Christmas Day 2018

18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. 20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her 25 but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

Carol

Luke 1:1–20 CSB

1 Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. 3 It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed. 5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. 8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” 18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

John 1:1–5 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

John 1:9–14 CSB

9 The true light that gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16–18 CSB

16 Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.

Carol

Isaiah 7:14 CSB

14 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 CSB

6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

These reading was written 2700 years ago, 700 years before Jesus came. And later on we are told by the same writer:

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Christmas time is a celebration of the birth of a baby named Jesus who existed before time itself. It is a time of so many paradoxes, seeming contradictions and puzzles. God becomes man. The Creator becomes part of creation. The unseen becomes seen. The omnipotent One, the all-powerful one becomes weak. The immortal is born and dies. For what reason?

According to these prophecies the birth of Jesus cannot be separated from what He came to do, to save us from our sin. From the cuteness of a baby to being put to death as an adult in the flesh was to pay the punishment for our sin and give us peace.

Christmas time is God demonstrating that He loves us.

John 3:16–18 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Oh, it not that He loves a world with billions of people and He loves the billions of people, yes, this is true but it is not about statistics and numbers…but it is personal, He cares for the single ‘ones’. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth because you, you individually, matter to God. You can really say: “I matter to God. I mean something to God”. There may be approaching 8 billion people on this planet but I am known to God.

The wonder of Jesus coming in the flesh and to remain human forever is that he loves you. God gave us the greatest present, His presence forever because He loves us and gave Himself for us. For all that goes on today, tomorrow and afterwards it is enough to know that we are loved by God Himself; that we are of worth to Him; that we matter to Him; that He cares about the things that concern us.

The angel said that this was good news to all. The message goes out to everyone. Jesus was born to save you. Unfortunately not everyone will receive the message. Some will sit on the fence, some will reject it. However Jesus Himself said:

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you receive Jesus you receive God’s favour and blessing. Christmas is not just to celebrate a birth of a child or even an extraordinary child. But He was born to die as our Saviour. And as foretold by Isaiah over 700 years before this is what happened in Jesus paying the penalty for our sin on the cross. Christmas is hinged with sadness that this was all necessary in the first place. But why was this necessary? It all started in the garden of Eden and the rejection of God’s command. This caused a separation from God causing a lack of peace in one’s heart, causing a breakdown of relationships between people, and causing wars between peoples. Instead of peace with God there is war. So, it was necessary for Jesus to come. In that Isaiah prophecy Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He came to bring not only peace between peoples, peace in relationships but peace with God. Someone had to pay the price for our wrongdoing - if we are to pay it the price is death and hell. But Jesus came into this world to pay the price on our behalf and Jesus was the only One who could do this perfectly for He is also God. It was the only way to save us from the wrath of God and bring peace and reconciliation.

But of course the story didn’t end with His death but He rose again from the dead. Now, it is up to you to say yes or no to Jesus this Christmas. To sit on the fence is a no to Jesus.

John 1:12 CSB

12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

Today when we are with our family will Jesus get a mention other than in a prayer of thanks for the food, if that? The shepherds could not keep the story to themselves. Will you?

Christmas time is an amazing time, a time of great joy, for the Saviour of the World was born. Very God became very Man. Because of His death on the cross it is Jesus who is all important for He is the only way to eternal life:

1 Timothy 2:5 CSB

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus,

If we receive Him into our lives then eternity will be spent with the One who loved us so much He was sent into the world to get us for God so loved the world.

Carol

Benediction

Let us go from this place proclaiming

that we have seen the glory of God

Believing that there is a light that shines in the darkness

Which the darkness shall not overcome

And may the love of the Creator

The joy of the Spirit

And the peace of the Christ-child

Be with you this Christmas, and evermore

Amen.

Bibliography

http://worshipwords.co.uk/christmas-blessing-cara-heafey-uk/ [Last Accessed: 24/12/18] The benediction: Christmas blessing — Cara Heafey

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