Well, we've been talking on Wednesday nights, as we read through 1 Corinthians 15, an awful lot about Christ's return, His second coming. And this morning we talk about Christ's first coming. And specifically why it is that He came into the world. Many holidays this time of year, as we all know, time of the winter solstice, as it seems to revolve for most, goes back at least 2,000 years. The feast of Saturnalia in Rome. And solstice, as we know, is the point in the year when the sun is the farthest away from us. And then it begins to come back. And all over the world in December each year, people from all kinds of nations, people from all different beliefs, have a holiday this time of year. And in December the Jews celebrate Hanukkah. This is a commemoration of the victory of the Maccabees over the evil Seleucid ruler Antiochus Epiphanes IV. Buddhists celebrate something called Rahatsu. This is said to be the day that Buddha made his vow to sit under the Bodhi tree until he reached spiritual enlightenment. Wiccans celebrate the solstice honoring the winter-born king, whoever they perceive that to be. Zoroastrians honor the death of their prophet Zarathustra on December 26. Now Christians, as we know, I think by now, didn't celebrate a feast at the time of the winter solstice until they began to observe the feast of the birth of the Savior. And they did that in reaction to what the Romans were doing with this pagan feast of Saturnalia. But this was about 300 years after Christ had ascended back to His Father. So Christians began to celebrate the birth of Christ in reaction to the Roman pagan feast. And the Roman pagan feast, like these feasts today, marked the winter solstice. And they had their own pagan gods and all of that. And it was a time for the Romans of debauchery. So Christmas developed to provide Christians with a holiday celebration during that time. They didn't want to be part of that. And around 529 A.D., long after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, the emperor made Christmas a civic holiday. And it's gone on to this day. But during the Middle Ages, we read that the Christmas celebration, like the Roman celebration, became a time of revelry and self-indulgence. Much as it is for many today in the world. And nobody knows the date Jesus was born. No evidence He was born December 25. There's an interesting calculation that some try to make based upon the fact that we learned in Luke chapter 1 that John the Baptist's father, Zacharias, was of the eighth course of the eighth division of the priests. The course of Abijah. And they try to calculate from when that would have been from 1st Chronicles 24 to when John was conceived to when John was born. And get to Jesus born six months later. And it's really a pretty futile exercise. We don't know. But I also think this, and we are aware. I think we all realize we live now in a culture that is fast becoming secularized. Over the past 60 years in particular, divine truth has been under assault in this country and in Europe, and really throughout the Western world. Bible reading in public schools. Prayer in the public schools. Posting of the Ten Commandments in public places. Banned many, many places. Nativity scenes have met with opposition all over the country. And all over the western world. They're banned in some places. Because Satan wants to see this be a secular world. A pagan world. And there's really no difference, by the way, between the two. And while for many, secular commercial aspects of Christmas have overtaken Christmas as a spiritual observance, many Christians still celebrate the birth of Christ in the midst of the revelry. I mean, we cannot look to any media source without somebody trying to sell us something. And telling us, your life will be better if you have this thing. So we're pretty much where we were over 1600 years ago when Christians first began to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christians are doing one thing, the world is doing something else. And the world tries to impose its approach on us. So Christians who observe this holiday are celebrating the fact that the Son of God set aside His divine glory and came into the world. We don't usually, at this time of the year and during this season, hear a lot of talk about why He came into the world. Everybody likes babies. They look at a Christ child. But when Christ becomes a man and begins to teach the divine truth, they don't want to hear it. So as it happens, we're now in our 57th week in the gospel according to Luke. And we come to one of these passages where our Lord Himself speaks about why He came into the world and the effect of His coming. And no, it isn't one of those heartwarming passages that many run to when they celebrate Christmas. But our job isn't to warm hearts, it's to call people to Christ. And it's of vital importance if men are to be saved from their sin and hell that we understand why He came and believe in Him. Believe in what He did. It's of first importance that we recognize that Jesus coming into the world was not some afterthought of God. He didn't think this up after Adam fell. Jesus' coming was planned and decreed before the foundation of the world, before time began. This is what we read in Ephesians chapter 1. He chose people in Christ before the foundation of the world. God knew He would create the world before time. He knew He would create man, a creature in His own image. He knew this man would rebel against Him, would not submit to His authority. God knew all these things before He created the world. And He knew that sin and death were going to enter the world through this sin of Adam. And that the man would surrender the dominion over the world that God had given him to Satan. And before the foundation of the world, God knew He would send His Son. He knew He would send His Son to redeem those chosen in His Son before the foundation of the world. And He knew that the Son would come. The Son and the Father seemed to have entered into a covenant. So when Adam sinned, God said this to the serpent. Genesis 3.15, it's a well-known passage. I'll put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. The promise of a Savior was made as soon as Adam fell. That he would bruise Satan on the head. So Father, Son, and Spirit knew all these things before the foundation of the world. God created man, why? For his own glory. In the end of Jesus' coming. After the fall of man was the redemption of a people for himself, for his own glory. That's why he came. That's why he's laying in that feed trough. It's important as we think back to this child. that the path to glory for him was going to be difficult and painful. Not only for him, but for those he came to save. He came to do nothing less than win a victory over sin and death and Satan. That's why he came. But this was going to be a difficult mission for him. As joyous as we feel thinking back to this feat He had great, great suffering that lay ahead of Him. And so as we meditate on His incarnation at this time of year, let's set aside the wisdom of the world, the inventions of men, the things that have nothing to do with the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive mission. And I want to look at what the Savior, that baby, said about why He came. I want to begin with what He said about His own origin, His mission. He says many things in the Gospel of John. I've come in my Father's name, John 5.43. 651, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. I know where I came from and where I'm going, he said. I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on my own initiative, but He sent me. Now think about that. The Father sent the Son, John 8.42. John 16, 28, I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. These are His words about His coming. And there was the testimony of the Father, a voice from heaven, as He was baptized while He was praying. Heaven opened as Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form, like a dove. And a voice came out of heaven, You are my beloved Son, in You I am well pleased. So this is what son and father have to say about His coming. The writer of Hebrews chapter 10 verse 5 says this, Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, He puts these words in the mouth of Jesus. Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me. In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have taken no pleasure. And then I said, Behold, I have come, in the scroll of the book it is written of me, I have come to do your will, O God. And the writer there was attributing to Jesus words he's quoting from Psalm 40, verse 7. A thousand years before Jesus came. Behold, I come, in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God. Your law is within my heart. So the writer of Hebrews quotes these words and attributes them to Jesus. So Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament, affirms that Jesus came from heaven to do His Father's will, to redeem a people for God. Now folks, you may say, well, we all know that. Do you know how many people in this world don't believe that? Millions and billions don't believe this. And why do you believe it? Because He's opened your heart and your mind to the knowledge of the truth. This is why He says He came. First sermon of our Lord that's recorded in the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said this, Don't think that I came to abolish the law and the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. What's He talking about? The moral law of God was revealed by God to Moses for the people from Mount Sinai about 1,500 years before Jesus spoke these words. Don't think I came to abolish the law of the prophets. And the moral law of God is revealed not only God's standard of righteousness, but His own holy character. Jesus came to fulfill in human flesh the righteous standard of God for all who would believe in Him. Of all the billions of people who've ever lived on the earth, how many others have ever perfectly fulfilled the moral law of God? Zero. Of all the billions of people who've ever lived, He's the only one to have ever done that. He obeyed the moral law of God in every respect. And there was two aspects to this law. Second aspect had to do with the penalty for disobedience of His law. And He fulfilled that too. The penalty for every disobedience to the law of God is death. Every sin is a capital offense against God. There aren't any sins that aren't a capital offense against God. Every sin must be punished by death. That's why all men die a physical death. That's why all men come into this world spiritually dead. Because we all died spiritually in Adam when he rebelled against God. And this is why Jesus came. to first perfectly fulfill that law, and secondly, to pay the penalty of death for all who will believe in Him, those He came to save. Speaking of them, Jesus said this, John 10.10, I came ... Why'd He come? Why was He laying in that feed trough? I came so that they would have life, to give us life and have it abundantly. And how does he accomplish that? I am the good shepherd, he said. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. If he had come but not gone to the cross, we would all have died in our sins. No man was saved merely by his incarnation, but by his cross, by his resurrection. That's why I'm talking about this today. The one we see pictured in the feed trough did come to live in obedience to the moral law of God. And then to die as an acceptable substitutionary offering to God for our sins. That's why he's in the feed trough. All of this in fulfillment of the law of God. And this was for him, folks, an infinitely painful and agonizing experience. just days before His torture and death. Jesus said this, John 12, 27. Here's what He's saying the few days before He goes to the cross. Because He knows He's going. That's why He came. He came to the feed trough to go to the cross. Now my soul has become troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? It was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. And what did the Father say? I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. Said a voice out of heaven. So as we come to our passage in Luke 12 this morning, beginning in verse 49. And there still speaking to His disciples but with a crowd of thousands around. Look at what Jesus said about why He came and the effect of His coming. I have come to cast fire upon the earth, how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished. Do you suppose I came to grant peace on the earth? I tell you no, but rather division. From now on, five members in one household will be divided. Three against two. Two against three. They will be divided. Father against son. Son against father. Mother against daughter. Daughter against mother. Mother-in-law against daughter-in-law. And daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. From the time He's come, brethren, all the world has been divided and remains divided between those who are in Christ and those who remain in Adam, who remain in their sin. And sadly, as we know, many of us have personal experience with this. Even families are divided between those who are in Christ and those who are not. But Jesus said this is the way it would be because we're born with a worldly view of things. And only if He changes us do we change, do we become transformed. So Christ, the one born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, is the dividing line and always has been among all the people of the earth. And when He talks about the sheep and the goats when He comes back, it's the same thing. Sheep on His right, goats on His left. From the time He died on the cross and rose in glory, the whole world has been divided. The whole world. We're divided right now between those who recognize their own sin and trust in His substitutionary offering on that cross and those who don't. and of those who don't believe in Him." Here's what he said. He said, they'll hate us. He came to cast fire upon the earth. He didn't come to bring peace on this earth. He said, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Because you're not of the world, but I chose you out of the world. Because of this, the world hates you. There's a reason Christianity's under assault. Jesus explained it. He was essentially saying there's going to be a division among two groups of people on this earth. From the time of His first coming until the time of His return. Our job, by the way, is to share the gospel with those people who are against us. and to live in such a way that they see Christ in us. And as our own culture is rapidly becoming more and more secularized, we see this division becoming sharper, more virulent, seemingly by the day. This is what we live in. So many try to walk both sides of the aisle. Many say they believe but compromise their profession with the world. But we saw what Jesus said about that. You can't get away with not being in one group or the other. As I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess Him also before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. Those he will confess before his Father are those who proclaim Him here in this life. Weaker professions of faith in Christ look for exceptions and loopholes to the truth that's spoken by our Lord. I want to take 90% of what Christ taught us. But His Word is truth. He prayed to His Father, Father, sanctify them in Your truth. Your Word is truth. He is the embodiment of truth. He said that, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. When Pilate asked him before sentencing him to death, are you a king then? What did Jesus say? He said, you say correctly that I'm a king, for this I have been born, and for this I've come into the world to testify to the truth. You don't get to have a 90% chance. Everyone, Jesus said, who is of the truth hears My voice. John 18, 37. And Jesus said more than once, we can recognize those who believe in Him, they love the brethren. John chapter 15, 13, 14, all three of these chapters. This I command you, that you love one another. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. Which group are you in? The group that confesses Him before men and loves the brethren? Or the group that denies Him and does not extend love to the brethren? Certainly, well wishes among the brethren in cards and whatever, they're fine. We should be a loving people. We should seek the good of our brethren. We should convey our well wishes to them, especially in that they have received Christ. But in truth, all of these things are a bit outside of why the Savior came. What His coming meant and still means both for those who are His and those who are not. Peace on earth, goodwill among men, one translation says. Well Jesus said, Matthew 1034, don't think I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. came to set man against his father, daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. I want us folks to understand why things are the way they are. What He did for us, but also that He has come as one who is the divider. He's the divider of time. We started keeping time when He got here. He was found His life, we'll lose it. He was lost His life for my sake, we'll find it. So today, the world remains at war with Christ through His people. That's why it seems like we're at war because the world is at war with Christ through us. We recall when Saul was persecuting Christians, the risen Christ appeared to him and what did he say? He didn't say, why are you persecuting those Christians? He said, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And I think we have to realize this is going to be the state of the fallen world until He returns. There are others who believe otherwise that things will get better, and I pray that they do. But the opposition to our blessed Savior will likely continue right up until that glorious day of His return. But let us rejoice. Jesus, who is the truth, said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We gather to preach the good news. That's why we gather. Preach and hear the good news. Because the Son of God came into the world, the penalty of sin for true believers has been paid. It's paid. That's why He came the first time. Came to save us from our sins, from eternal misery. And the rest of the good news is He's coming back. He will return. Acts 1-9, after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on. Speaking of the eleven. And a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." That's why we're here. Because we believe. And His second coming will be far more glorious than His first coming. He comes in His glory and majesty, not set aside this time. 1 Thessalonians 4, 16. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. And then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15, 51. We looked at this Wednesday night. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. This is why He came. When this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. He came to conquer death. Sting of death is sin. Power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And the blessed promise of 1 Corinthians 15, 49, for those who believe, just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Why? Because He came into the world. And because of what He accomplished when He came into the world. So as many celebrate His first coming this morning and this week, let us also be looking ahead to His return and the day He will make all things new when He comes in glory and will look to those who surrendered their lives to Him and loved and served His people and say, well done. Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful in a few things. I'll put you in charge of many things. Enter the joy of your master. If you're still resisting Him, if you're still resisting His commands, may this be the day of your surrender to Him. The day of your placing your trust in Him and His offering of Himself on the cross. He came unto us and He calls us to come unto Him. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, there are no words to adequately describe the gratitude we should hold in our hearts for what the Savior has done. Coming into this world in humble circumstances. Living in the midst of a world filled with sin and death. Living in a world that rejected Him. living in a world where even his own people mocked him and turned him away, tried to kill him, and eventually did kill him. All because he loves us. And Lord, what a miracle that even now, after he's come the first time, done all those things, he sits at your right hand, interceding this very moment for us. and setting before us the promise of His return and a promise of an eternity in glory with our God. And so we give you praise and glory this morning, Lord. We express our gratitude in Christ's name.