This is a happy time of year when many of us get together with friends and family to celebrate the holiday season. We enjoy the snow, the decorations, the gifts, and especially the good food. But we also like to remember the real reason for the celebration. The holiday gives us a moment to remember who Jesus is and what He came to earth to accomplish.
To help us remember why Jesus came, we will be dividing the service into three parts: the Promise, the Birth, and the Cross. We will look at two Scripture passages for each part and will also sing a total of five Christmas carols that will point us toward the meaning of each section. When we are done, I hope that you will see how everything fits together.
Hymn 194 – Joy to the World
- The Promise (Isa. 7:14; Micah 5:2)
Hymn 229 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
When someone makes a promise, we are never completely sure that they will be able to keep it. It could be that the person is not trustworthy, may not have the ability to keep it, or may die before the promise is kept. But with God things are different. When God makes a promise, He always keeps it. The Bible is filled with prophecies given by God through various prophets. Many of these prophecies talked about the future birth of a child who would be the Christ, God’s anointed One.
The first prophecy was given by God through Isaiah the prophet. Some 700 years before it was fulfilled, Isaiah told King Ahaz that a virgin would conceive and bear a son. That is quite the prophecy. A virgin would conceive? She would give birth to a son? How could that be? But there was one more part of the prophecy to note. His name would be called Immanuel. The name Immanuel means, “God with us.” What this meant is that the Child who would be born to a virgin would be more than a man. He would be God and man.
The second prophecy was given by God through Micah the prophet. Hundreds of years before it was fulfilled, Micah told the Jewish people that the little town of Bethlehem would be the place where this special Child would be born. Despite the fact that the town was insignificant, a great Ruler would be born there. But Micah didn’t just say where the Ruler would be born, he also mentioned that this Ruler would be unlike any other. He would be from old times, from everlasting. In other words, He would be not just a man but the everlasting God.
After looking at these prophecies, we are left with the question. Were they ever fulfilled? - The Birth (Matt. 1:19-25; Luke 2:1-7)
Hymn 228 – What Child is This?
As we saw in the first section, God made two incredible prophecies. A virgin would conceive and give birth to a Son who would be considered God with us. And this Child would be born in Bethlehem and would be the everlasting God Himself. When we come to the New Testament, we find that both of these prophecies were fulfilled when Jesus was born.
In the first passage, we read about Joseph’s uncertainty about his betrothed wife’s pregnancy. Had she been unfaithful? While he slept, an angel spoke to him in a dream. The angel told Joseph that the baby conceived in Mary was a miraculous conception made possible by the Holy Spirit. He also said that they would call Him Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. But note what Matthew says about this. In verses 22-23, he points back to the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 being fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.
In the second passage, we read some more details about the birth of Jesus. Joseph and Mary had been living in Nazareth, but a government census forced them to travel to a little town called Bethlehem to be registered. While they were there, Mary gave birth to her firstborn Son, Jesus. Does this sound familiar? This was a fulfillment of the prophecy given by Micah. Out of Bethlehem would be born the future Ruler of Israel who was the everlasting God.
It is wonderful to see how God made promises and then kept them. Jesus was born of a virgin and was born in Bethlehem just as God had promised years before. But as we will see in the third section, Jesus didn’t come just to be adored by angels, shepherds, and wise men. There was another reason for His birth. - The Cross (John 1:29; 19:28-30)
Hymn 198 – Born to Die
Why did Jesus come to earth? Isaiah said that He would be Immanuel or God with us. Micah said that He would be a great Ruler. But the angel told Joseph that there was something even more important that would take place. He would be called Jesus because He would, “save His people from their sins.” Let’s investigate this in the Gospel of John.
In our first passage, John fast forwards about thirty years to a time when John the Baptist met Jesus. When John saw Him, he shouted, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Can you picture John the Baptist raising his arm and pointing toward Jesus? But what did he mean? Throughout the Old Testament, believers in God would bring a blood sacrifice to pay the penalty for their sins. A lamb would be killed and its blood would be sprinkled on the altar to cover the sins of the one who brought the sacrifice.
John knew that Jesus had come to die on the cross and to shed His blood to pay for the sins of the world. As he saw Jesus walking toward him, he likened Jesus to a sacrificial lamb being brought not by people but by God Himself. This was God’s perfect, sinless sacrifice that would be offered to pay the penalty that we deserved for our sins. Did this every take place?
In our second passage, John fast forwards several years to the cross. Jesus had been captured by his enemies and brought to the Roman governor. They convinced him to put Jesus to death by scourging Him and then nailing Him to a cross. After suffering and shedding His blood for us, Jesus saw that all had been accomplished. At that point, He made a statement that ought to bring comfort to all of us. He said, “It is finished” and then died. By saying these words, He was telling us that the price for our sins had been completely paid.
While there is more to the story (Jesus did rise from being dead after three days), I would like you to consider what God did with Jesus. He brought the Lamb of God to be the final and completed sacrifice for the sins of the world. Because of this, our sins have been paid for and there is no reason for us to suffer the torment of Hell anymore. All those who believe in Jesus and what He accomplished will be saved or rescued from the penalty they rightfully deserve for their sins. That includes me and also you. And if you have believed, you have been forgiven by God and will be made into a new person who loves God and wants to please Him. Have you put your faith in Jesus? And have you been changed by God?
Conclusion
As we finish our service, we will sing one more Christmas carol. It is one that celebrates what Jesus came to do and what He accomplished. Jesus came to earth to die for us so that we might live with Him. That is something to celebrate.
Hymn 208 – Ring the Bells