The Power of Christmas Truth

When life reaches its moment of desperation. The only hope is Christ. But what is it about Christ that gives this whole what is it about Christ that provides comfort and loneliness. One simple look at the birth of the son of God, the answer to that question familiar with the basic facts of Christmas.

Jesus was born to a virgin Angels announced his birth and shepherds visited the baby. But if someone asked you what makes all those details so life-changing.

Would you know what to say for some overlooked, yet profound Christmas truth stay here as John begins a study titled the best of Christmas. It's a collection of some of his most loved Christmas messages from decades of preaching before we begin the lesson John, let me ask, what is it that you want your listeners here almost 2 months before Christmas to get out of a study about Christmas. So far in front of Christmas and I think they the idea and we been doing this for a number of years is to get people to think about Christmas in some specific terms. We are pulling together some of the Christmas messages that have been the favorites over the decades and sort of a best of collection. These are messages that focus on the best part of Christmas and by that I mean the doctrinal part you know Jesus Christ, the work of salvation he came to accomplish. So were entitling it. The best of Christmas and it is purposely intended to prepare people to be able to give us significant gospel testimony and messages during the Christmas season and the Christmas season obviously is going to begin by Thanksgiving, so it's only a few weeks until Thanksgiving and you're going to start meeting with family and friends. And then there's a whole other social events leading all the way up to Christmas. So what we want to do is give you plenty of ammunition to talk about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The arrival of the Savior work will include the messages on the child who was God the marvelous birth of the king. The amazing child of Christmas, the true Christmas spirit in today's lesson on the power of Christmas truth and I would just encourage you because the pace will speed up. But as we get closer to the holidays. You'll know have to probably handle these holidays in a different way. Given that we've been in this lockdown for so long. Don't know exactly what's going to be going on. By the time we get to the holidays but we want to make sure the one thing you're prepared to do is to give the message of salvation that is the heart and soul of Christmas. So take advantage of the lessons are going to be on the radio in this series starting with us today exactly friend.

This series can help you get more out of your Christmas celebration than ever before. I hope this year really stands out now with a look at the power of Christmas truth. Here's John MacArthur launching his study titled the best of Christmas. I want to speak to you this morning on the theme of the power of Christmas truth. I I would pray that somehow, even in our society, there would be nothing that would distract us from the awesomeness of Christmas, although such a prayer. I admit I find almost wishful thinking. Christmas has become so complex, so chaotic, so confusing with all this stuff that the reality of the simplicity of the birth of Christ has been blended into the fantasy and lost its significance. Christmas should be simple, not complex, very simple Christmas should be stripped of all of its trappings so that all that is left is the simplicity of God becoming man that is the only element in the Christmas seasonal celebration that has ended any lasting power to effect life when life reaches its moment of desperation.

The only hope is Christ. But what is it about Christ that gives this whole what is it about Christ that gives this joy and deep sadness.

What is it about Christ that provides comfort and loneliness.

What is it about Christ that gives peace in fear.

One simple look at the birth of the son of God should tell us the answer to that question and if I might may I draw you to our passage in Matthew one and two, and point you to for titles given to Christ, each of which gives us insight into why he was so sufficient for us and the only real power in Christmas before titles verse 21 is called Jesus.

Verse 23 is called Emmanuel verse two, he is called King verse four. He is called Christ.

First of all, let's consider the name Jesus. Verse 21 and she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. Why because it is he who will save his people from their sin.

Jesus he gives salvation to his people. He saves them from their sin's down in verse 25 when he was born. It says that Joseph called his name Jesus in obedience to the divine command. The name Jesus.

By the way, is the sweetest name the Savior knows least from an earthly viewpoint is used over 700 times in the New Testament is a form of the Hebrew word, yes you are Joshua Joshua Joshua it means Yahweh or God will save Luke 211 says he would be born in our Savior.

Mark 1045 says the Son of Man is come to say Luke 1910, he has come to say he shall save his people from their sins. That is a glorious reality.

The apostle Paul writing in Ephesians chapter 1 in verse seven says in him we have redemption through his blood, therefore giving us our trespasses now. The implication here is that men are sinners and that sin is a damning reality from which a man needs to be saved or delivered or rescued and Jesus came into the world to save you from your sins. In what sense to save you from the ultimate consequence of your sins, namely eternal damnation to save you as well from even the present domination of your sin, but primarily and ultimately became to save you in the sense that it delivers you and he delivers me and delivers all believe in him from the ultimate damnation that sin requires. You might say, and I think fairly so that forgiveness of sins is the primary result of salvation as presented in both the old and the New Testament salvation is by definition a rescuing from the consequence of sin at the Last Supper as Jesus gathered with his disciples the night before he was to be taken prisoner and then crucified.

It says he took the cup, and he said regarding that cup that that cup was representative of the blood of the covenant his own blood, which is poured out, he said. Matthew 26, 28 for the forgiveness of sin in acts 1338 and 39 Scripture says through him that is Jesus. Forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through him everyone who believes is freed from all things is he was a child born to provide forgiveness for sins, Israel's great holy day is a day called Yom Kippur, the day of atonement annually. The ancient Jews celebrated that one day in which a grain offering was given for all the sins of all the people through the previous year and on that day according to Leviticus chapter 16. The high priest would select two goats to sacrificial goats.

One of those goats was killed and slaughtered and his blood was splattered all over the altar as a sacrifice for sin is a symbol of the need for death.

With regard to sin, but the other animal was not killed, the high priest would go to the other goat, and put his hands on that goats symbolically transferring the sins of all the people onto that goat and then that goat was taken into the wilderness so far away that it could never find its way back or be seen again. Symbolically, God ordained that simple and graphic ceremony to show that where there was a sacrifice for sins. There was a removal of sin so that they would never ever be brought to attention again. Now that goat that was slaughtered couldn't really pay the price. It could only symbolize the one who could and that goat that carried sin out into the wilderness symbolically couldn't really carry away sin, but it symbolize the one who could and it didn't take to it only took one Jesus, who both gave the sacrifice for sin and carried our sins away. In fact, the word to forgive her for me means to send away to dismiss.

It is used in legal terminology to refer to canceling a debt or granting a pardon, so through his death on the cross, Jesus took the sins of all of us on himself and died our death as a blood sacrifice for our sins and then carried them away and infinite distance from where they will never return again. The Bible speaks of this in Psalm 103 12 it says as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

How far as these from the West that's infinite that's a Jewish expression for infinity. Listen, no matter what deprive nation, a man or a woman might experience no matter how lonely your life might be. No matter how sad it might be, no matter how painful your situation no matter how bleak the Christmas season no matter what dungeon or prison cell. You might find yourself in, no matter how strong your fears and how terrifying the prospects of the future to you might be. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You can see through to the one who has forgiven all your sin and and that there is fullness of joy.

You do not need to fear that your difficulty is God's way of making you offer full atonement for your own iniquity. Not so you no matter what goes wrong in this life.

No matter what is not the way you would like it.

No matter how much on fulfillment you face.

Know this, you have complete and perfect forgiveness for all your sins through Jesus Christ. If you place your faith in him and you will never pay for your sins, Christ is done. Christ has done. Second title given to the child of Christmas comes in verse 23. This is one of the great great titles that he bears, behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which translated means God with us. He is not only Jesus. He is Emmanuelle what is Immanuel mean means God lives among us means God became a man, God will be present with his people. The child of Christmas is Immanuel, God with us. That child that was born that day. Though fully human, was also fully God in the Old Testament the presence of God was in the tabernacle, the presence of God was in the temple and now in the New Testament the presence of God is in a body in the person of Christ, God with us. That's a Christmas truth and like the term Jesus, Immanuel is a powerful Christmas truth.

What is it me, listen to what it means when you extrapolate its significance. Listen to Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. Since then the children share in flesh and blood, he himself, that is Christ the Lord also partook of the same. We have question blood, so he took flesh and blood.

We share week.

I know near in the same common physical elements and he partook he was hungry.

He was thirsty. He was tired. He slept, he learned he was glad he was sad he was angry, he was indignant. He was grieved he was troubled he was disappointed he was tearful he was overcome by the prospect of future events. He exercise faith you read the Scripture. He prayed.

He sighed with an aching heart.

He felt everything you say your life is in danger.

His was always in danger. You say you've been mistreated and missed God so was he know this is not a cosmic God who is utterly indifferent.

He knows our hurts and he knows our weaknesses and is not only the Christ of salvation, but is the Christ of sympathy. This is a Christmas perspective.

Yes, we cast our care on him because he cares for us, but it says here in Hebrews 218. He is able to come to the aid of those who are test, God with us. What is it mean to come to RA. What is he do all tell you what he does he gives you the courage to face your cares, he gives you the wisdom to understand your cares, he gives you the strength to endure your cares and he gives you the faith to trust him for the rest no trees going to give you that no Christmas card no Santa Claus, no person, just Immanuel, God with us not only to understand us, but help us if all we needed was understanding, we can ask another man we need more. We need help because the supernatural help Jesus, for he saves us from our sins. Immanuel for his God with us to help us in our struggle third title when the wisemen arrived and confronted Herod verse two of chapter 2 they said where is he who has been born king of the Jews. Here he is introduced as king. He cannot only save his people from their sins. He came not only to sympathize in soccer and help his people, but he came to rule the world became to rule the world down in verse six it says he will be only were a ruler is now many months after the birth of Christ when the wisemen arrived.

Chapter 2 verse 11 says the family is in a house by now the wisemen of come a long journey. They go to King Herod to find out about this other king, and of course King Herod is paranoid.

King Herod's maniac of the worst order. King Herod is even a king. And that's why was so nervous he was and if you me and who was put into that position by the Romans. It was a political king had been in a long time.

By now, but he was paranoid about losing his position. So paranoid was he that if he didn't like somebody got rid of them if you if he thought them threatening him he killed him. He drowned the high priest for one he murdered his wife.

He murdered his wife's mother and he murdered three of his sons because he thought they were all threatening to his throne. Then when he heard there was a little baby King, born he set out to murder all the male children under two years of age and massacred babies all over. He was paranoid was a maniac. It wasn't even a true king and set against that fake king who wasn't a king who didn't come from a royal line and it wasn't even a Jew is the true king of the Jews, Jesus, where is he who has been born king of the Jews there something to focus on when you look into the Christmas scene. Jesus Savior Immanuel sympathetic high priest king ruler monarch sovereign that child was born king, the wisemen brought fitting gifts for a king gold, frankincense and myrrh. He was a king not a very auspicious beginning for a king.

Not for the king.

The king of kings and Lord of lords, and even through his life. It didn't appear that he was the kind of king that they wanted him to be and even the disciples were wondering when is he going to take his kingdom. When is he going to assert himself and pilot confronted him and said are you a king, and he said yes I'm a king, but he said, my kingdom is not of this world. If it were of this world, my servants would fight. He said I'm a king. But my kingdom is a spiritual, but he also demonstrated in his transfiguration that someday his spiritual kingdom would come to earth in the great future millennium. When Christ reigns on the earth.

Yes, he was a king not just a king, like other kings, but a king unlike any other king, and we see him as he comes to his kingdom in Revelation 19 heaven opens up becomes on a white horse's name is faithful and true. Verse 11 in righteousness he judges and wages war. And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diet dams and he has a name written upon him which no one knows except himself. And he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood in his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses and from his mouth comes a sharp sword so that when they may smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron and he treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God Almighty and on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, king of kings and Lord of lords. He will come is king.

On the spiritual kingdom. He will be king over the world and the universe in the future. Final verse four gives us one more very familiar term says that he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.

The Christ is just a term that means the Messiah, the anointed Messiah Christ same thing and it reflects his right to rule his right to have authority and sovereignty is the promise Messiah of God.

There's so much in that term that we can't focus on at all. But let me just capture one element that I believe is inherent in that when you have the great prophecy of Isaiah chapter 9 introducing the coming Messiah. It says that there will be a child, a son, and he will be wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father or the father of eternity or the eternal father, you could translate a number of ways. The Messiah is the eternal one and he is the eternal father in the sense that he is the eternal generator of life. He is the life giver and that is certainly the intent of John one.

In him was what life all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made when you see the word Christ think of him in this way as the generator of life, the giver of life, the originator of life, the creator of life, the giver of life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus, Immanuel king is the one who gives life sustains life. He is the one, of whom it is said in Psalm 30 694 with D is the fountain of life, you who were dead in trespasses and sin has he made alive together with Christ. So I say to you friends that no matter how bleak the cell. No matter how lonely the life there matter how painful the situation, no matter how stark the scene. No matter how mistreated, rejected, scorned and unjustly treated you are, no matter what life is dishing out to letter how unfulfilled you can live in the hope of life to come.

His name is not Jesus, Immanuel king Christ because he is our example. His name is not Jesus, Immanuel king Christ because he's our teacher. His name is not Jesus, Immanuel Kant Christ because he is our guide's name is not Jesus, Immanuel king Christ because he's our friend. He is all of that but his name is Jesus because he saves us from our sins's name is Emmanuel because he is are sympathizing, strengthener he is God with us. His name is king. Because these are sovereign in the sovereign of the universe and his name is Christ because he is the source of our life when you know all that. And when you believe all that and when you confess all that then you have seen through the trappings to the simplicity of the birth of Christ. That'll make your Christmas significant really significant if you'll do what Hebrews 12 to 66. Your eyes on Jesus, king Jesus Christ's Jesus, and men.

This is grace to you with John MacArthur along with teaching here on grace to you. John is also the pastor of Grace Community Church and Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. John's current study is looking at Christ's birth and the reason he came to earth to save sinners like you and me. This series is titled the best of Christmas now turning the corner a bit. Let me encourage you to go to our website and take advantage of our limited time 25% off sale for the next three weeks nearly all our Bible study resources are available at this discounted rate. Including John's book God's gift of Christmas to place your order. Contact us today, God's gift of Christmas looks at deep and often forgotten truths in the Christmas story and why Christ's birth should change the way you live every day during the sale God's gift of Christmas costs nine dollars and shipping is still free to order, call 855 grace or visit TTY.and this book is just one of the resources we have on sale 25% off the regular price. It's a great time to get Christmas gifts that will bless your loved ones every day of the year you can get books like the Gospel according to Jesus, one perfect life or John's 31 day devotional titled remember and return as well as our flagship resource. The MacArthur study Bible, but to make sure your gifts arrive by Christmas. I would order soon. In light of the strain on postal deliveries because of covert, 19 again to place your order. Call 855 grace or shop online@tty.org now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you staff, I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow for another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time.

Grace to you