The Miracle of Christmas
A child is born tonight in Bethlehem
His mother holds him close - and sings a sweet lullaby
All the world is sleeping unaware that God Himself has come in the night
Shepherd tremble as the angels sings
And in their song the voice of God speaks peace to all the world
A the miracle has happened - God has come and God has spoken
But the miracle has only just begun
And the God who spoke is speaking still
And the God who came still comes
And the miracle that happened still happens
in the heart that will believe and will receive
THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS
So come to Bethlehem again and see
The one who’s come to rescue us - our Savior and King
Bring your past - the joy - the sorrow all you hope to find tomorrow
And hear the words again - fear not and know that God is near
Read Poem
Read Matt 1:18-23
God with us
At this time it was not just God with us as a sign to Israel of the sovereignty of God - but it was God with us so there would be a provision for our sin
God with us
What king would do this?
What person would do this?
Hardly anybody would die for a righteous man - though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even die
But God demonstrated his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For the skeptic:
Police: 1981 Murder of Son of America's Most Wanted Anchor John
Deep Throat has since been used as a generic term or pseudonym for a secret inside informer or whistle blower:
FBI Deputy Director - William Mark Felt
Watergate
People have to talk
God is with us - God was with them
Now, that may not have been all that fun for the brothers of Jesus.
Mary says, “Jude did you eat all the bagels?”
Jude - “No, I think it was James.”
James - “Hey wait a minute it wasn’t me. It was us Jesus. Uh nevermind!”
Luke 4:17-19
Behold my servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights, I have put my spirit upon him He will bring justice to the nations, He will not cry out or make his voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not extinguish. Until he has established justice in the earth and the coastlands will wait expectantly for his law
Lepers -
The lame
The outcasts:
Like Zaccheus or the Samaritan woman or the adulterous woman
The Sick
He straightened up the woman who had been sick for 12 yrs
He straightened up those whom he raised
God was with them - and demonstrated the heart of God and the priorities of God
To be the perfect man
Turn to Hebrews 2:14
God was with us because he had to be. It had to take place.
God with us so he could be a merciful and faithful high priest.
Heb 5 - so he can deal gently with us
God was with us - so he could die
He could make propitiation for sin
If the value of the one making the sacrifice was not sufficient it couldn’t be extended to all
God was with us so he could break through the chains of death
vs 14
It’s Friday but Sunday is a coming.
The pain
The suffering
The weight of mankind’s sin
God was with us
He went back
For some it feels like he is still gone. But Christmas is not the end of the miracle.
Read song
Bring your past
your joy
your sorrow
Your sin
I recently heard of someone going through great trauma and sharing it with friends. One of her friends said “I will think good thoughts for you.”
I am sure she meant well. But listen folks. In dealing with our own sin - in dealing with the evil world we live in - in dealing with all the stuff that comes even as a result of following Christ - I need more than good thoughts.
And the truth is still the same today_
The miracle of Christmas is still happening to those who believe and receive the miracle that, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”