Grace For The Journey

 

  Today is another blog on preparing for Christmas.  We have read about “What Should Christmas Remind Us Of, and “Why Jesus Was Born.”  Today we will look at the most important question in all of life, one that every man, woman, and child needs to ask and answer – “Who Is This Babe Who Was Born At Christmas?”  We will do it by asking three questions.

1. Who Does God The Father Say He Is?

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, plunging all of humanity and creation into sin and ruin, God did not abandon them.  He did not leave them there, shivering in their fear; He chose to do something about their sin.  And in their presence, He made this promise in Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

God promised Adam and Eve that He would send a Savior who would redeem them from both the penalty of sin and the power of sin.  And the Bible shows us in several passages that God Himself would fulfill this promise . . .

Genesis 22:8, “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’”

Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Matthew 1:22, “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’

Matthew 3:16, “When He had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

Jhn 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

2. Who Does Jesus Say He Is?

The Bible again shows us in several passages what Jesus says about Himself . . .

John 4:25-26, “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ), when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’”

1. When this woman used the term “Messiah,” she was speaking about the expected King of the Jewish people who had been promised by God and anticipated by the nation of Israel for hundreds of years.  There are many Old Testament prophecies of a promised descendant of David who would come down from heaven and save His people.  Those promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

John 8:23, “He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above, you are of this world, I am not of this world.”

John 8:58, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

Notice that Jesus did not say, “Before Abraham was born, I was born.”  Instead He said “I am,” which means He is eternally existent, and would immediately call to mind of the people who heard Him, the words spoken by God to Moses at the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM!” (Exodus 3:14.)  But just in case any of us failed to make that connection, Jesus clearly claimed equality with God the Father. He told the Jews, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6.) Jesus made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that He is the ONLY WAY to God . . . the ONLY TRUTH of God . . . and the ONLY LIFE through God.

3. Who Do You Say He Is?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-17)

Jesus made it clear that only God can open the “eyes of our hearts” to know Jesus.  This knowledge does not come through human reason; it does not come through the witness of miracles; it will not come through a burning bush or Damascus Road experience.  It will only come through the revelation of God, which makes the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead rise to new life.

So at this Christmas time . . . what will you do with this Jesus, who is called Christ?  Who do you say this Jesus is?  This is the most important question you will ever answer.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”