Why Celebrate the Birth of Jesus

Transcript

GRM 1260
12/19/2021
Why Celebrate the Birth of Jesus
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh

It is a privilege to be together this evening, in celebrating the birth of Christ. I don’t get to sing, I told them one of two things, either I get to sing or I get to speak. I’m going to speak. But the message that’s proclaimed in song, is the same thing I want to talk about. Just briefly to remind us of who Christ is, why His birth is so important.

You know, it’s an amazing thing when you think about it. Over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was born. He was born, not in a spectacular way. In an out of the way Bethlehem, little town five miles outside of Jerusalem. There were special people who came, but really, it was not of great notice. Thirty three years later, He’s crucified on a cross with common criminals. Buried and then He’s celebrated. Here we are, two thousand years later, celebrating His birth, His life. Even His death on a cross. That brings us back to what John talks about in his gospel, the first chapter, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He was in the beginning with God.

Jesus Christ, the very manifestation of God, who exists eternally as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So, He was with God and He was God. He was what we call the second person of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was in the beginning. That takes us back to Genesis 1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” But Jesus Christ was already there. He was with God the Father and God the Spirit when all creation came into existence. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. Nothing exists that He did not create and bring into existence. “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

John goes on, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ was unique in His person. He was the eternal God, the eternal Son of God. He, with the Father and the Spirit dwelt in eternity before there was a creation. And yet, at a point in time, now some two thousand years ago, He was born into the human race. He did not cease being God, that was not a possibility. But as God, He became man. So He took to His deity humanity, and He is unique. He’s not the Father, He’s not the Spirit, He is the second person of the triune God, the one we know as the Son. He is also a human being. He’s the Son of God and He’s the Son of Man. His favorite expression or name for Himself, Son of Man. It was a unique experience. But what made it so unique for us, and important for us, is why He was born.

He was born so He could give His life as a ransom to pay the penalty for the sin of mankind. So, that through faith in Him, we could now be forgiven and have new life. Over in John 3, John’s gospel and the 3rd chapter, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, (in order) that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus Christ came to earth for a purpose. There’s much celebration, unique as it is, going on around the world. Christ has been born. That’s a cause of great celebration.

But you know the majority of people celebrating that birth, don’t have any understanding of what its real significance is. Why it is so important that God would become a man. And then give His life on the cross after a brief life of only thirty three years, so He could pay the penalty for sin, so that mankind might, by believing in Him, have new life.

Later, the apostle Paul who came to salvation through faith in Christ a number of years after the crucifixion, wrote this, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” That’s why Christ was born. That’s why we can celebrate His birth. That’s what causes us to gather together this evening. To give a special focus. It’s been so presented in such a beautiful way with the songs, that we’re reminded He came, but He came to be the Savior. He came to give His life to pay the penalty for sin. And the apostle Paul concludes that statement by saying, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.”

That’s the dividing line between people today. Many people celebrate the birth of Christ, would say, yes, He came to save sinners. But it hasn’t become personal for them. It’s just an event. But it hasn’t become a personal event. The apostle Paul makes it very personal. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I am the greatest of those sinners. I don’t know that He’s the greatest sinner, but he saw himself that way. Many years ago as a young person, my parents had come to know Christ. Placed their faith in Him as adults. I was a young person, they took me to a meeting, I heard the message of Jesus Christ and He died for me. And you know, it was like there was nobody else there. I was focused in on I need Him to be my Savior. I need Him to cleanse me from my sin. I need to place my faith in Him. That’s what Paul is saying he did. I am the foremost of all sinners. I am the most underserving. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, but lets make this personal, I’m the foremost. He talks about how he persecuted the church and did that. You say, well I never did any of those things. But has it ever become real? Has it ever become personal? That’s the distinguishing line. That’s the line that is drawn.

Many people celebrating Christmas, celebrating the birth of Christ. It goes on around the world. But they don’t see themselves as individually, personally, sinners guilty before God. The bible says, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, not even one person. It took the Son of God to intervene into the human race. Become a man, give His life on the cross, so that we through faith in Him, might be identified with Him. So, God views us as having died when He died. As a personal, individual matter, it is settled by each individual. It doesn’t happen as a group. You could attend this church from birth to death, and spend an eternity separated from God in hell. Because you never placed your faith in Him. I realized I am the one He died for. I am the one who needs to place my faith in Him. I see myself as the greatest of sinners. So many years ago, when I came to know Christ as my Savior, it was in a meeting. There were many people in that meeting. And many songs sung. But when they gave the invitation, it didn’t matter to me who else was there. Who else went forward or who else held back. I was next to my cousin, we both went forward. Twenty some years later, he personally accepted Christ, the same Christ I accepted that night. He went forward, he went through the motions, but by his own testimony, it did nothing for him.

So, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, it comes down to what does it mean to you. Have you seen yourself as the guilty sinner for whom Christ was born into the human race, took to Himself humanity. So, that as the God/Man, not just man, not just God, but the God/Man. He could give His life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, which is death. So that we, by faith in Him, might know what it is to be cleansed, to be forgiven, to be made new. Doesn’t matter what your parents believe or don’t. Doesn’t matter what your church believes or doesn’t. It matters what you believe and the response that you’ve had to Jesus Christ. Have you ever placed your faith in Him? Recognize everybody else is what they are. I am a sinner, guilty before God. God, by Your grace, I want to place my faith in Christ. I’m the greatest of sinners. I need Jesus Christ to forgive me. To cleanse me, to make me new. That’s what we’re celebrating this evening, the birth of one who was born to be the Savior of the world.

Let’s have a word of prayer together. And if you’ve never trusted Christ, you can do that right where you’re sitting. Then we’re going to join together in singing another song. Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for Your grace. Thank you, that we can come together to celebrate the coming to earth, the birth some two thousand years ago, of the one who was born to be a Savior. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He came to give His life to pay the penalty for our sin, by dying on the cross. So, that You could offer the free gift of eternal life. A relationship with You for time and eternity. For all and every individual who places their faith in Jesus Christ, believing that He died for them. And in Him and Him alone, we have life. We give You praise, that He is a living Savoir today, He was raised from the dead. He’s coming again, to gather us into His presence. And ultimately He’ll come to rule and reign over the redeemed creation. We give You praise for the One that we’re celebrating His birth together tonight. And we look forward to His coming again. We come to You in His name, Amen.