The Glorious Meaning of Christmas
Christmas • Sermon • Submitted
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· 161 viewsWhen one thinks of the meaning of Christmas, one should know that it is more than just gifts under a tree. It's more than spending time with family. It's about hope, about a promise fulfilled, about miracles and divine interaction. It's an incredible story and it's all true!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: What does Christmas mean to you? Where did Christmas come from? It actually began around 1038 when the Catholics would call it Christ’s Mass. It was later shortened to Christmas. Now that you know the meaning of the word we really need to focus on what Christmas really means.
Scripture Reading:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Proposition: The birth of Christ was glorious and it meant something specific to God, to the world and to man.
Transition: Let’s begin with what we know as Christmas means to God
To God
To God the Father it meant the giving of His only begotten son (John 3:16)
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.
To Christ the Son it meant leaving heaven’s glory to suffer and die Phil 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
To the World
To the world it meant that God had provided a Savior (Matt 1:21 Isaiah 53:6 Gal 4:4)
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Imagine our world without Christ
Before Christ came
Untouched portions or areas of the word today where Christ is unknown.
The inadequacy of mere philosophy, education, law, etc
Transition-
To Man
To us it means that God offers eternal life as a free gift (John 1:12; Romans 6:23; Gal 4:4-7 )
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Christ and the woman of Samaria at the well
Bunyan’s allegory in Pilgrim’s Progress describes Christian leaving the City of Destruction, his ears plugged by his fingers, crying, “life, Life, eternal life!”
To the saints in glory it means bliss forevermore (John 14:1-3; 2 Cor 5:2; Phil 1:21-23)
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
With loved ones gone before
with angels in glory
with Christ, our Savior, yes and all the holy Trinity
To the Spirit-filled Church it must ever mean passion, perspective, sanctified vision, and undying love.
The shepherds told the story
the early church proclaimed it
the christian martyrs died for it
unless Christ becomes an indwelling Presence, a divine and Christian incarnation, we do not yet know the real meaning Christmas
Conclusion- John 14:6 says I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by me.
Thomas A Kempis wrote: “Without the Way there is no Going; with the Truth there is no knowing; without the Life there is no living. I am the Way, which thou oughtest to follow; the Truth, which thou oughtest to believe; the Life, which thou oughtest to hope for. I am the way inviolable, the Truth infallible, the Life unending. I am the Way that is straightest, the Truth that is highest, the Life that is true, the Life blessed, the Life uncreated. I thou remain in My way, thou shalt know the Truth shall make thee free, and thou shalt lay hold on eternal life.”