Why Do We Celebrate Christmas? The Resurrection--When Hope Arose!

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introduction

In 12 days it will be Christmas Day. We have been asking the question: Why do we celebrate Christmas? If it was about the presents, cookies, candles, tinsel, trees, snow, and Santa we would have missed the point. We celebrate these day, because of the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. When the immortal became mortal and the infinite became finite. The first Sunday of Advent we looked at the reason He came, because we had a problem. The problem of sin and the high cost of sin. That the payment for sin is eternal separation from God. That is the cost we had to pay or someone else would have to pay it for us. Yet, because of sin’s high cost and the fact that person who would pay for it couldn’t have any sin either it seemed impossible, but with God nothing is impossible. Last week we looked at the cost of sin in the Old Testament with the sacrifices of animals on the altar and the Passover pointing to Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus would take our place just as He took the place of Barabbas a rebel and murderer. Jesus the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” Colossians 2:13-15. Yet, if Jesus was still in the grave, what would it have accomplished? If He had died for our sins on the cross and stayed dead there truly would be no hope. Today as we look at why we celebrate Christmas, we will look at the Resurrection!

The Importance of the Resurrection

The Apostle Paul addresses the very issue of the Resurrection with the believers in the city of Corinth. There had been false teachers saying that the final resurrection doesn’t happen. The Apostle Paul takes this statement and expands on it. Let us start at a Corinthians 15:1-11 as Paul tells the Gospel message in a nutshell.
Let me read you the next few verses of this passage in two different translations.
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
1 Corinthians 15:12–19 (NLT): But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

Digging Deeper

Let us look at some things that Paul addresses in this passage:
Many IF questions
It has been preached that Jesus has been raised from the dead! Yet, some believe (due to false teachers ) that there is resurrection.
Paul then asks a larger IF question
IF there is NO resurrection than Jesus is also not resurrected.
The Christian faith cannot be divorced from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The birth of Jesus is critical, and why we celebrate the incarnation, is because without the Deity coming in human form He would not have been able to die and this not able to rise again.
“Because Christ was raised, resurrection from the dead obviously is possible; and, on the other hand, unless men in general can be resurrected, Christ could not have been raised. The two resurrections stand or fall together; there could not be one without the other. Furthermore, if there is no resurrection, the gospel is meaningless and worthless.” (MAC)
Paul says that if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then all their preaching of the Gospel (which includes the birth of Jesus Christ) is useless. Not only that your faith is also useless!

there’s one thing that very good atheists and very good Christians have in common. The central issue for these diametrically opposed groups is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s where we must begin. Either Jesus rose from the dead, or He’s just another religious teacher and you should go to the salad bar of religion and pick the one you like. But if He really rose from the dead, if He’s actually alive right now, and if we worship a living Savior and His resurrection power actually lives inside our mortal bodies . . . then that is a whole different story.

So either Paul and the Apostles are all liars and lying about what God did in raising Christ from the dead, if there is no resurrection!
If there is no resurrection than Christ has not risen!
No Resurrection means your faith is useless and why are you even here?
You are still in your sins, because if Jesus merely died on the cross and He wasn’t raised the payment would not have been completed!
All those who have died believing that they were in Christ are lost! That there is no hope!
We if we believe in Jesus Christ in this life are the most pitiable people!

Yet, Christ has risen from the dead (next couple of verses)

As Paul stresses to the church in Corinth, to us also, that Christ is risen from the dead! There is a resurrection! There is hope. That because of the problem of sin, Jesus came in the form of a human. When He stepped in human form and humbled Himself (Philippians 2:5-8).
Without the birth, sinless life of Jesus Christ our problem of sin would remain and the death sentence on our lives and our eternal souls. Without His sacrifice on the cross their would be no payment for our sins. If He was still in the tomb and no resurrection there would be final proof that He is God and able to conquer the penalty of sin and death.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Illustration: What is grace? (from the radio)

Man’s son is murdered by another man.
The Father goes out and hunts down killer and kills him. That is vengeance.
The Father calls the police and the man is arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced. That is justice.
The Father pleads with the judge to overturn the verdict of the killer. That is mercy.
The Father pleads for the killer forgives him and takes him home and treats him as his own son. That is grace.

Conclusion

Why do we celebrate Christmas? We celebrate because the problem, penalty, payment, and punishment of sin was so high. The solution was equally high when Jesus paid the penalty and took the punishment we deserved for sin. He paid for it with His own blood and His own life on the cross. Yet, He did not stay in the grave, but as we looked at today, He arose. The resurrection is foundation to our faith. We do not just trust in some man who died 2000 years ago and that was it, He proved He was not only 100% man, but that He was 100% God by rising again! He was the Lamb born to be slain for the sin of the world. To set humanity free from being slaves to their sin. To adopt them into His family, but many have no desire to be in His family and will not force any to be His adopted children. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, but they have to willing come and accept it. Just like if someone was to place a present with your name on it this Christmas. What do you have to do first? You have to accept it. It didn't cost you a thing. It cost the other person money, time, effort. If you don't accept it, but give it back it is not yours. It is only yours if you accept it. Many do not want to accept the free gift of salvation. Have you accepted the free gift of salvation from Jesus Christ? Next week will be looking at the fourth reason why we celebrate Christmas…the Return: The Second Advent of Christ.
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