The Christmas message is about the manifestation of God on planet Earth, amen? It is the begotten Son of God, if you will, His only begotten. He was born of a virgin's womb. That verse we just read said, but was manifest in these last times for you. That's why Jesus Christ came for us, amen? And I was raised up, you know, a church kid. Therefore, I never got sat down and got nursery rhymes read to me. I don't know about you, but I didn't. Every nursery rhyme there is, I probably know the first line of it, and that's it, Brother Johnny. And you know, I was a church kid. That means if I was too wild, they'd just give me Benadryl and I'd go to sleep. I tried that with Brock, but it wired him up because that red dye, so I don't know if I recommend that. And, uh, but I'd get paddled, usually brother Delbert and get sent to bed. Or y'all remember them blue books that said, uh, Bible stories on it. They were in my previous dentist office for years. I mean, Ty's in my. 40s a man, but I remember those when I was a kid I even found some in the garage in a box with all my college books Which was from when I was a had those blue books when I was a child Bible story so I would get set down and I'd get read David and Goliath if they was going to or Joseph and his brothers and all that stuff and I'm not lying right now, but my entire life. I never really I knew any of those nursery rhymes. And, Delbert, there's a nursery rhyme called Mary Had a Little Lamb. I always thought that was about Jesus and his mama. I mean, did y'all know that? Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow. I mean, is that not lining up with the Bible? And, you know, he's pure, he's white, picture white, he's Jesus, amen, he's pictured as a lamb all through. I'm sitting there thinking that this whole thing is about Jesus Christ. But then I started studying and found out it's about some silly little girl named Sarah that took her lamb to school one day, caused some big commotion. I don't know, she probably got ALC, maybe she got after school detention, I don't know, but she should have for bringing an animal to school, amen. But she caused a big commotion. And so although Mary Had a Little Lamb has nothing to do with Jesus this morning, I feel like I ought to preach on Mary Had a Little Lamb, Hannah, if that's all right. Y'all need to liven up. I don't know if somebody ran over your dog for Christmas. I don't know if you already got your presents and they're horrible, amen, but fix your face. Talking to all of you, Miss Kay, fix your face. Come on, y'all, let's have a good time, it's Christmas. Amen, Mary Had a Little Lamb, come on, y'all. Alright, we're going to go to church. Amen. I'm going to preach to you on Mary Had a Little Lamb and I won't preach long. That'll make you smile and then we can go home. I'm going to tell you one day a little girl named Mary was told that she's going to have a little baby. Amen. She was a spouse to a man named Joseph. She is a virgin from the house of David. Luke 1 and 28, I might have somebody read it to the kids tonight, but it said, And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou art, thou art highly favored. And it says, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. And he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. So here you've got this little girl named Mary that was miraculously gonna have a child and she was going to name that child Jesus. He was going to be great. He was going to be the son of God. He was gonna rule the world. She's told all this stuff. So when you say, ask me, Mary, did you know? Fooey on that, let's not sing it no more. Mary knew, Carla. I don't care if you like the song or not. I'm just kidding, amen, we can sing it. But in the realm of biblical interpretation, there's a technique called the law of mention, amen? When the Bible mentions something, it's important. There is the law of first mention. You can learn some elements of a subject or doctrine the first time it's mentioned. There's the law of full mention, where oftentimes, like over there in Corinthians about love, or over there in James about the tongue, there's a whole chapter where you get a full mention, a lot of a description about a certain topic or doctrine. But then there's certain things that all through your Bible, there's a progressive revelation of what is happening with something, and it's called further mention. And in Genesis chapter 4, we find in our Bible that an animal was presented as an offering. And it is strongly implied, I believe it is, told that it was a lamb, amen? Abel was a keeper of the sheep, we know that. And he brought the first sling, which pictures a young animal, a lamb, of his flock to the altar of God. and of course we're not told that the lamb is slain at this time all we know is he is that lamb is brought as an offering bible in genesis 4 4 says and abel he also brought of the first slings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the lord had requested unto abel and to his offering then over in genesis 22 HOWEVER MANY CHAPTERS LATER, AMEN, 60, 70, 18 CHAPTERS LATER, WE SEE ISAAC SPEAKS OF A LAMB AS A SACRIFICE, AND ISAAC SPAKE UNTO ABRAHAM HIS FATHER AND SAID, MY FATHER, AND HE SAID, HERE AM I, MY SON, WE JUST PREACHED ON THAT, BEHOLD THE FIRE AND THE WOOD, WHERE IS THE LAMB FOR A BURNED OFFERING, AMEN, AND ABRAHAM SAID, MY SON, GOD WILL PROVIDE A LAMB for a burnt offering. So we see the first time that the Bible presents the lamb as a sacrifice. Now we see it as an offering. Amen. Then in Exodus 12 we find the lamb must be slain and the blood sprinkled on the doorpost over there at the Passover. This is the first time we see an emphasis on a slaying of the lamb and the shedding of the blood of the lamb it said and they shall take the blood strike it on the two side post and on the upper door post of the house wherein they shall eat it then you move forward to isaiah 53 and we find the first time in scripture that a lamb was a person isaiah 53 and 7 he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened on his mouth he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is dumb so he opened out his mouth then you get all the way over in the new testament and you see in john we see that the first distinct revelation that this person the lamb of god is the man christ jesus john 1 and 29 the next day john seeth jesus coming unto him and saith behold the lamb of god which taketh away the sin of the world amen i believe it's getting a little bit clear this morning WHAT A LAMB WAS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE BOOK, AMEN, ALL THE WAY BACK IN GENESIS. THEN IN ACTS NUMBER 8, WE SEE IN THE SCRIPTURE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE LAMB IS JESUS WHO DIES ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. ACTS 8 AND 32, THE PLACE IN THE SCRIPTURE WHICH HE READ WAS THIS, HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER AND A LAMB DUMB BEFORE HIS SHEARS, SO OPEN NOT HIS MOUTH. IN HIS HUMILIATION, HIS JUDGEMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY. WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN? from the earth, amen. Then verse 35, then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scriptures and preached unto him, Jesus. Our Bible's awesome, y'all. All the way through it, we saw the picture of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. From the very beginning, that Lamb was presented as an offering and the blood of that Lamb must become a sacrifice and shed its blood on the altar, amen. and we find out that lamb's gonna be a man, then we find out later that man's gonna be a man named Jesus, then we find out later that man's going to the cross of Calvary, and the blood of that one holy lamb would be shed for all of mankind, amen. I'm glad this morning that Mary had a little lamb, amen. You and I wouldn't be here this morning if Mary hadn't had a little lamb, amen, and that little lamb, amen, that she had grew up, lived that perfect life, betrayed by the ones that he loved, amen. But thank God Mary had that little lamb. Now because there was a lamb that gave himself, shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, you and I can be forgiven of our sins. All because Mary had a little lamb. But there's another thing about this lamb in our Bibles. I just read first Peter one 18. I'm gonna read it again in first Peter. We see the four ordaining of Christ as the slain and resurrected lamb from the beginning. Amen. 1 Peter 1 and 18, for as much as you know you're not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. I'm here to tell you this morning that there's nothing we can do to save ourselves. We know that, right? We're mostly the home crowd. It's not your works that will ever save you. It's not your baptism. It's not your membership. You're not gonna get into heaven by any other way. That's what that first verse says. We're not redeemed by corruptible things, amen? We'll get into that in the first point. But it's because some 2,000 years ago, Mary had a little lamb. and that lamb Jesus Christ was born in a manger in a town called Bethlehem after 33 and a half perfect sinless years the precious blood of that lamb was shed on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world past present and future and then three days later that slain lamb of God ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND GOT UP OUT OF THE GRAVE. THAT'S WHAT 21'S TALKING ABOUT IN I PETER 1, WHO BY HIM DO BELIEVE IN GOD THAT RAISED HIM UP FROM THE DEAD AND GAVE HIM GLORY. ONE TIME LAUREN WAS GONNA SING A CHRISTMAS SONG AT ONE SHE JUST SANG, I THINK, ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT HYMNS. SHE SAID, BUT DADDY, AT THE END OF THAT, IT TALKS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION. IT TALKS ABOUT EASTER. WELL, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THIS MORNING, MAN, THERE'S NO EASTER The humble lamb being born in a manger, amen. And it all comes together. It's a package this morning, amen. He was born of a virgin, born holy, God in the flesh. And he lived a whole perfect, sinless life. And he went to the cross of Calvary and died for us, amen. There'd be no celebrating about the lamb being born in a manger had he not got up out of a grave, amen. And when you celebrate the birth of that little holy baby born in that manger, you're celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ this morning. I'm glad Mary had a little lamb, amen. But I'm glad he got up one day, proving he was God, amen. Hallelujah. Man can be saved because of what happened on that day, amen, and then happened 33 and a half years later. But it all started back there. I want to give you three things about this little lamb today. Father, we love you. Lord, help us this morning to be one lost among us. God, I pray you'd prick their heart. God, I pray you'd deal with them. Lord, I pray. Dear Lord, God, they would get rid of any pride and any of that. They'd humble themselves. They'd call on your name this morning to be saved. God, not worry about anybody else. not worry about anything else, God, but just want to know that they're saved, God, and I pray they would. God, I pray for Christian folk, God, maybe struggling, going through some things. God, I pray we'd have faith in you. God, I pray you'd increase our faith. God, I pray you'd speak to us, God, and give us strength and power in our time of need. Father, we love you, we praise you, we thank you. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN AND AMEN. NUMBER ONE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT LITTLE LAMB THAT WAS BORN IN THAT MANGER, HE WAS HUMBLE, AMEN? HE WAS HUMBLE. VERSE 19 SAYS, BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST AS OF A LAMB, AMEN? THAT LAMB'S A PICTURE WE SEE, AMEN? For many years, man had looked for a way to redeem himself. Balak, the king of Moab, thought he was going to buy salvation. Naaman thought he would do it his own way. Thought he could pay to get rid of that leprosy. Thought he could go dip wherever he wanted, whatever river he wanted. He thought he could do it his own way. but all of them, listen, man has come up with different ways to redeem themself, but all it took this morning was one holy lamb, amen, that was born thousands of years ago. I was gonna ask somebody to bring me a lamb so I could hold a lamb and talk about it and walk around with it, amen, but that probably wouldn't have been a good idea, amen, but if I could hold that lamb and look at it, you'd see how, y'all know more about this stuff than me, I'm a city boy, y'all country folk, y'all hobby farmers out here, Hey, man, y'all come out here and buy one or two of each animal that God ever made, amen? It's like Noah's Ark going to some of y'all's house. Like, Anna, why y'all got three goats, two basset hounds, 17 chicken, two gerbils, and a ferret, huh? I mean, it's like everybody want to have all these different animals, amen? But if we could hold a lamb, you've seen them, they're dumb, amen. But they're scared of everything. I'm sure there's a tough one here and there, but it's a characteristic of that lamb to be scared, to be shy, to be humble, if you will, amen. And that is the picture the Bible is painting today. Now listen, we all know that Jesus was God in the flesh. I believe if he wanted to, he could have hopped up out of the manger and started walking around, talking, amen, like a PhD. He could have called 10,000 angels at any time to destroy the world. He could have done whatever he wanted But let me give you a made-up number this morning I believe he is born seven pound seven ounces brother David the number of completion a man that laying in that manger, huh? and he was God wrapped in human flesh, amen. And you see them Jews were looking for a militant messiah. They were looking for somebody to come in and conquer Rome who had power over them and somebody to set up on a throne. And listen, had Jesus come as a Pharaoh's son or as a king's son, they probably would have... Accepted him, but when he come as a meek lowly lamb, they missed it by a hundred miles a man And listen, but thank god he did and thank god they missed it The gentiles would have never been grafted in If they would have accepted him delbert and received him and put him on that throne I don't know what god would have done and you don't either but would there have ever been an age of grace where you and I could have got saved if them hebrews would have said that's him put him on the throne and we went straight into the kingdom of heaven and we went straight into the millennial kingdom of christ reigning on a davidic throne what would have happened to you and i would we have ever existed would we ever been able to be saved i don't know i believe god would have had to do something about a plan of redemption, but thank goodness God had a better plan than all that from the beginning of the foundation of the world. He knew exactly what would happen. He knew exactly what you and I would need, and His plan that was Mary was gonna have a little humble lamb born in a manger, and they was gonna reject Him and put Him on the cross of Calvary that you and I could be saved this morning. Philippians 2 and 5 says, let this mind be in you, which also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in a fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy, that was made about him. He satisfied the law, living it to the T. He humbled himself in the form of a man, and every part of his life is an example of humility. Born in a cattle shed, born to poor parents from a despised land, he never had a home to live in, never had anything. Bible in Matthew 8 and 20, and Jesus said unto him, the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head. To feed the hungry, he borrowed a boy's lunch. To confound the critics, he borrowed a penny. When he was thronged by the people, he had to borrow Peter's boat. To ride into town and fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah, he had to borrow a donkey. He had to borrow the upper room for the last supper. When he died, he had to borrow another man's cross to don. When he was buried, he had to borrow another man's tomb to be laid in. He was humble, amen. He came as God in the flesh, yet he had nothing. Thank God Mary had a little lamb that came and felt more pain and more sorrow and more temptation than you and I could ever feel. When you're going through something rough, won't you think about what Christ went through? For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the filling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. And Mary had that little lamb so that you and I could be saved. For ye know that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Ain't that something? Who else's God did anything anywhere near that for them? Made himself of no reputation. Made himself poor. One man said it like this, imagine a great and powerful king, a ruler of vast empires, someone with all the wealth and influence and power the world could offer. He's expected to be born in a royal palace, surrounded by lavish decorations, fine food and service to people eagerly anticipate his arrival, expecting grandeur and magnificence. But when this king comes, he arrives not in a palace, but in a humble cold stable lying in a manger. a feeding trough for animals. His royal birth is witnessed not by kings and queens, but by shepherds, the lowliest of workers, who are sent to him by angels. He's wrapped in simple clothes, not royal robes. His first bed is a makeshift crib made of hay or stone or whatever it would have been. This is the moment when the creator of the universe chose humility beyond comprehension. The creator of the heavens and the earth, the one that holds the whole world together, chose to humble himself to this degree. And here's the thing, he did it all for you and I, that we could be rich. For you and I, that we could be rich. He was a humble little lamb. Secondly, he was a holy little lamb. 1 Peter 1 and 19, but the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Well, that's the second line of the nursery verse, Brock, ain't it? Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow. If we could have gotten a little lamb, we would have walked around holding it and showed how humble and fearful it was or whatever. Christ wasn't fearful, but you understand what I'm saying. But then we would have had to probably spray paint that thing white. and probably fix that little things a year and fix that little thing. It would have had to been a perfect lamb. So under God's redemptive plan for Israel in Egypt, in the book of Exodus that we just preached on, the animal that was to be sacrificed had to be perfect. Couldn't have a blemish, couldn't be crippled, couldn't be maimed, couldn't have any scars. Had to be the best of the best. Had to be perfect. Had to be a male of the first year. Selected on the 10th day of the month and kept under surveillance four days until the 14th day of the month. They had to watch it. Then it had to be killed in the evening between, or between the two evenings. You understand Christ fulfilled that Passover lamb. We could go through the time elements. I thought about doing that tonight of how they had to do the Passover lamb, how they had to hold it and inspect it. He was taking judgments and inspected those four days. I mean, it all lines up exactly the same. Jesus Christ fulfilled that. But I will get in the fact that he was holy and without spot and without blemish this morning. For years it took the blood of bulls and of goats to take care of sin for the people of God. But they had to offer that sacrifice over and over. But once and for all the perfect lamb without spot or blemish died on the cross of Calvary for the sins of mankind. Hebrews 9 tells us all about it. I think it's been in every message we've preached it seems like over the past so much time. But thank God Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow. A man, he was pure, he was clean. And that perfect lamb bore the sin debt of the entire world. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. so that you and I could be righteous why he did it. We've seen the picture of that at the tabernacle as they laid the hands on the lamb and it was a picture of the vow sins of that family or that man passing on to that sacrifice and that sacrifice would go and die for those sins. That's exactly what happened on Calvary y'all. It ought to do something inside of us that the Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the sinless spotless lamb of God took our sins upon him. And when we accept Him as our Savior, all of His righteousness is transferred onto us. Does that make us perfect? No, we still mess up, but in God's eyes, when He looks at us, we're righteous. We are the righteousness of His Son. I'm glad Mary had a little lamb, amen? I don't know how bad y'all messed up in life, but I know I sure did bad, and I sure know I mess up now. But thank God for the blood of that spotless lamb that covers us. And no matter what we do, no matter where we go, no matter what happens to us, God loves us, amen, and we're safe forever. And I'm thankful that the blood's been applied to my life. And it would never happen if Mary hadn't had that little lamb so many thousand years ago. And he's a good God, amen. Mary had a little lamb that was humble. Mary had a little lamb that was holy. And lastly, would be done early this morning, Mary had a little lamb that was held. It was held for something. First Peter 1 and 20 said, who verily was for ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last time. If I was holding a little lamb in here after we spray painted it white, Brother Delbert, It would, and after we saw how humble it was, you then would realize that I'm holding it for a purpose. I'm using it for an illustration, but honestly, the owner of that lamb would have been holding, would have been holding that lamb for a reason. These guys know that grow these animals, they're holding it either to sell, make some money on or to slaughter, maybe for the wool, whatever it is, but it's being held for a purpose. And listen, God wasn't surprised by the fall of man. There was a purpose and a plan for redemption since the foundation of the world. Verse 21 said, who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. One man said like this, it was thus foreordained before the foundation of the world that when the fullness of time was come, God the son would enter into human life. He would become the babe of Bethlehem and then in due time the lamb of Calvary. We've been talking about a lamb all this morning and you know that paints the picture of him being slaughtered. dying on the cross of Calvary. And listen, as Christians, we don't believe in luck. We don't believe in chance. We don't believe in happenstance. We don't believe in all that. We believe that God does things for a purpose, like he did for that lamb. And you know, there's a purpose for you being in this church. There's a purpose for you being sitting in that pew this morning. God's got a purpose for your life. And if you're in here this morning and you're not saved, the Bible says he's not willing that any should perish. It says, Lord's not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but as long suffering to us were not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God doesn't want anybody to go to hell. That's why he gave the greatest sacrifice that could ever be given. That's why Jesus was born in a manger as a meek, humble lamb, lived that perfect life and died. God gave all that so that we could be saved. He didn't want anybody to suffer. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. See, he sent that lamb. for the lost person to be saved. If you're in here this morning, you don't know that you're saved, you know it'd be the best thing in your life to lay down all that pride, whatever, and I know, listen, don't get offended that we say it's your pride. Nobody wants to embarrass themselves, because that's what people think it is. I mean, nobody wants to confess that they were wrong about something and say, well, I've been telling y'all I'm saved and I'm not. Nobody wants to be, many people don't want to be the center of attention, don't want all that, but I'm trying to tell you, that the most important thing in your life is knowing that you're saved and born again by the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, I've tried to explain it the best I can this morning, and all you have to do, the Bible says, with mouth confession, man with heart, man believeth. You just believe in your heart that he truly came for you and died for your sins and rose from the grave. And if you lay aside everything that hinders you, everything that keeps you back, everything of trying to fix things up yourself, that's works doctrine. All you need is the blood of Jesus Christ. Quit worrying about what people think, whether they think you're a liar or what it is. If you're under the conviction of a thrice holy God, I think I'd listen to what the Spirit of God's telling me to do and I'd get on an altar and I'd get born again this morning. If you don't know that you're saved, come get saved because this lamb came and died for your sins. He wants you to be saved. And it'll be the best thing in the world for you to get right with God this morning. It'd be the best thing in the world if the people of God was praying for somebody that may be sitting amongst us that's lost, that God would deal with their heart and bind every hindrance, amen, and do everything that He will by His book to see that they would be saved. But He's already done what He needed to do. He already sent that lamb several thousand years ago in that manger, humble, holy, being held for the purpose of growing up and dying on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world, then getting up out of that grave, proving He was God so that men could call on His name and be saved. I know everybody's got a reason, but there really literally is no reason to tell Him no. Just call on His name. Believe on Him this morning. Make this the best Christmas. That's really what Christmas is about. You want to really get down to it. You want to make this the best Christmas you ever had? Call on the Lord this morning. Call on the Lord this morning. Lord's going to sing in a minute. If you need to be saved, you could grab somebody around you. You could come. Me or my wife will come. We'll help you. We'll show you in this Bible. We'll deal with you. We'll work with you. but it's all about your faith being put in Him. But what about the saved this morning? You know that last verse said this, who by Him do believe in God that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Aren't you glad that we don't have to go through the things of this world without faith and without hope in God? Some of you tried it. Some of you wasn't saved. He is later on in life. I wasn't. And I remember them fearful times trying to handle things on my own, a pure fear and, and just scariest times in my life. And it's still gonna be hard when things come, but when your faith and hope is in God, you can make it through about anything. Just remind yourself this morning, that you ain't gonna be able to do anything in your strength, but it's through your faith and through your hope in God that all started back on that day in that manger. I don't know what you need this morning. If you need to be saved, as soon as we're done praying, why don't you come? If you just need to ask the Lord to help you, increase your faith, give you hope. Maybe you've been living in a place with no hope in your life. Why don't you come ask the Lord to help you this morning? Father, we love you. Lord, I pray, God, be somebody lost. God, I know you deal with their heart. Lord, I pray, God, they'd put everything else behind them. They'd come and get saved this morning. Lord, I pray people that are hurting, people that are struggling through things, Lord, I pray they come to you in faith, and God, walk out of here with a stronger faith and a greater hope, God, that you can do anything. Father, we love you, and we praise you, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen. Come on, if you need to be saved, come on.