Christmas 4

     Today is the day It goes without saying that without Christ there would be no Christmas, but yet some have taken Christ out of Christmas. They even call Christmas Xmas. It’s important that we remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

     I. Without the birth of Christ, there would be no salvation for us. We would be lost without hope, and destined for Hell.

              A. Jesus had to come in this world, born of a virgin, so that He would be that lamb without blemish to pay the price for our sins.

                        1. Mary played a very big part in the conception and birth of Jesus.

                        2. Not only was she the mother of Jesus, but her faith that started long before Jesus was even born was very significant.

                                  a. Back in (LUKE 1) the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her about the child that she was going to conceive.

                                  b. That he will be called Jesus, the Son of the Highest.

              B. Let’s pick up the story at the angels’ last words to Mary. LUKE 1:37-45.

                        1. Elisabeth was given a revelation from the Lord.

                        2. No one told her that Mary was going to give birth to the Savior.

                        3. She began to speak out a prophecy, and part of that prophecy was “Blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

                        4. Did you notice that the performance of those things that were spoken to her was based on whether she believed or not.

                                  a. In other words, Mary had to believe 1st before there would be the manifestation of the conception and birth of Jesus.

                                  b. Let’s read V 45 again. (“For = because of this”)

                                  c. Mary had to believe the Word of God before the promise would come to pass.

     II. Isn’t that exactly what we have to do?

              A. HEB 6:12

                        1. 1st of all Paul says we need faith to receive the promises of God.

                                  a. You have to believe His Word 1st before you’ll receive the promise.

              2. But notice that he also says that “patience” is involved in receiving the promises.

                                  a. The word “Patience” refers to a waiting period.

                                           i. If you said to someone, “Just be patience,” you mean, “wait patiently.”

                        3. What the Word of God is saying 1st “have faith,” Believe God that what He says is yours is really yours, then He says “wait patiently for it,” while you’re continuing to believe His Word.

              B. Mary had to do the same thing.

                        1. 1st believe God’s Word, then wait patiently for the promise.

                                  a. [Some say that Mary was in doubt because of what she said in (LUKE 1:30-31, 34) (Luke 1:34) Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be.”]

                                  b. [She wasn’t in doubt. She just didn’t understand.]

                                           i. [After the angel explained, she said, “Be it unto me according to thy Word.”]

     III. Now go back with me to LUKE 2:4-7.

              A. In (V 7) it says that Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes.

                        1. This was something that was necessary to protect Jesus from the elements.

                        2. But let me ask you this, “What have you wrapped Him in?”

                                  a. More often than not, people wrap Jesus up in tradition.

                                           i. Through the doctrines of men & man’s traditions they have put limitations on what Jesus can do and what He can’t do.

                                           ii. They have reasoned out the promises of God, making them of no effect in their lives.

                                           iii. They have wrapped Jesus in the same way that Lazarus was wrapped.

              B. JOHN 11:34, 39-44

                        1. Jesus is saying to so many “loose me and let me go.”

                        2. Many times we have Jesus wrapped up so tightly in traditions, or in our own preconceived ideas that He can’t move in our lives.

                                  a. PSA 78:41

                                           i. Sometimes we have turned back from a true faith and trust in God and limited the Holy One of Israel.

                                           ii. We have wrapped Him in doubt and unbelief.

                                  b. We need to let God be God.

                                           i. But someone would say, “but Pastor I’m at the end of my rope.”

                                           ii. Good, now just let go. Let go and let God, and He will lift you up.

                                  c. When you put your faith and trust in Him, He will meet your needs, He’ll bring the answer to your problem.

                        3. MATT 27:57-60

                                  a. Some still have Jesus wrapped in grave clothes and in death.

                                           i. They see Jesus as far removed from their lives.

                                  b. REV 1:18

                                           i. He is not dead, but alive forevermore. And He said that He would never leave us nor forsake us, He’s with us even to the ends of the Earth.

                                           ii. In (JOH 11:25) Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

                                  c. And He’ll keep His promises to us for He is not a man that He should lie. All of His promises are yes and amen and so be it.

              C. So my question to you today is “What have you wrapped Him in?”

                        1. Have you wrapped him in the tradition of men, which keeps Him bound & unable to move in your life?

                        2. Or have you wrapped Him in all of His glory, All of his power, all of His might. Do you know that with God nothing is impossible to those who believe? Do you know that we serve EL SHADI, The God who is more than enough?

     IV. In (Luke 2:7) It says that Mary Wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.

              A. Where have you laid the Lord Jesus?

                        1. Is He still in His tomb?

                                  a. Or have you placed Him on His throne in heaven, is He in your heart, is He on the throne of your life.

                        2. Is he #1 in your life or have you put Him in the back seat of your life.

                                  a. Have you put Him on the shelf somewhere, so you can take Him down only when you need something?

                                           i. Or is He the Lord and Master of your life.

                        3. Have we laid Jesus aside in this Christmas season for gifts and materialism?

                                  a. Christmas is not trees and lights and decorations, and giving things to one another.

                                    i. There’s wrong with that, but Jesus is Christmas.

                                  b. Jesus is the reason for the season.

                                  c. When we give gifts this year, give them as if you were giving it to the Lord Jesus.

                                           i. Jesus said in (Matthew 25:40) “As ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.”

              B. Turn to Luke 2:16 (They = shepherd)

                        1. In (V 16) it says that the shepherds came with Haste.

                                  a. You may have heard the saying “Haste makes waste.”

                                  b. Generally that’s true, but there are a few exceptions.

                        2. We should make haste to find Jesus as Lord and Savior.

                                  a. We should make haste to come to the Lord Jesus to praise and worship Him.

                                  b. And we should make haste to repent from the things that we have done wrong, the sins that we have committed.

              C. The Bible says, (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

                        1. (1 John 4:19) Says, “We love him, because he first loved us.”

                        2. Turn with me to MATT 22:36-39

                                  a. In this time that we celebrate the birth of the Jesus, let it be a Christmas of love.

                                  b. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and love one another as thyself.

WOLCC 12/19/93 SUN AM Christmas message