Well, here it is, Christmas Eve, 2023. The years are going by quickly, aren't they? Tomorrow is Christmas Day, and it is my prayer that you have a blessed holiday as you rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, recalling his birth and the salvation he has afforded us. He is the Savior, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the church said, amen. While there is much to distract us from Christ, Some have faced various, and some of us, difficult trials this year. May we be careful today, tomorrow, and of course every day, to set our minds on our Lord Jesus Christ. He came, He lived, He suffered the cross, He rose from the dead, and He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us. We can have all hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the church says, amen. Well, something unusual has happened this year. As Christmas is an annual event, so has it been for many consecutive years an annual event for someone to want me to denounce Christmas and condemn us for celebrating Christmas. That happens almost, well, it hasn't for consecutive years. So many boys don't celebrate Christmas. It's a pagan holiday. I have been told many times over the past years to tell the congregation to take down their Christmas trees, don't give any gifts, and generally to be angry grumps. Somehow they are being holy by denouncing the Christmas holiday and refusing to spread the cheer of the birth of Christ our Savior. But that attack Our issue hasn't taken place this year, and I hardly know how to act. I really appreciate Christmas as an annual event, and this year, to add to my joy, as yet no one has condemned me for preaching on the birth of Jesus Christ this holiday season. Now, of course, we could argue about which day Jesus was born. I kind of always have this spill every year. Some try to make intelligent deductions regarding the date of his birth, but the Bible simply does not tell us which day Jesus was born. As I've said in the past, perhaps 20 years now, the chances of Jesus being born on December 25th are 1 in 365. All right? While it is true that we do not know the date of his birth still, to claim it as a pagan or sinful holiday to celebrate his birth on December 25th really is erroneous. And it is to make a judgment of what is in one's heart. And that's the biggest problem there. To the pagan, December 25th is a pagan day just as is every day of the year. But to the pure in Christ, all things are pure. Amen. Remember what Paul wrote in Colossians 2.16. Therefore, let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink in respect to a holy day or a new moon or a Sabbath day. All I can say is this is the day the Lord has made, and I will be glad and rejoice in it. Amen. Well, we who trust in Christ celebrate it every day. I am wonderfully thankful that we have Christmas marked on our calendars really the world over. For many, as Christmas approaches, their sense of Christ is heightened, and many unsaved, unbelieving, are reminded of Jesus. This provides an opportune time for us to call others, and especially our families, to reflect upon the Lord Jesus Christ's birth and the significance of His coming, which is precisely what we're going to do today. We intend this morning to preach on the Lord Jesus Christ, why God sent the Son, the purpose for which He came. So let's talk about the birth of Christ. As the Bible teaches, and was read a few moments ago, Matthew chapter 1 tells that Jesus, the very Son of God, was born in Bethlehem. His was a virgin birth, which we'll talk about a little bit more in a moment. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit. He was born of God's servant Mary. I would like to turn to Luke chapter 2, and we're going to read some of the same scripture we read last Lord's Day, and consider again the birth of Christ. So we're reading at Luke chapter 2, beginning to read at verse 4, and as we like to do, I hope you're not tired of standing, let us stand for the reading of God's Word. This is a way of us showing honor and respect for God and His Word. Luke chapter 2, Verse four, this is the word of the Lord. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, And she wrapped him in clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Verse 8. And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over the flock by night. And the angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. It came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. And they came in haste, and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as he lay in the manger. And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things up, honoring them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. Amen. God bless you. You may be seated. In the clearest and indivisible terms, the Bible unequivocally announces that God's only begotten Son was born into this world as a baby in human flesh. As Matthew 1, 20 states, the child was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit. And saying Jesus is the only begotten of God, we understand that he is the unique one of God. He is the God-man, God incarnate, God in flesh. Thus Colossians 2, 9 says, for in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. There is not another like Jesus. Jesus, being God, very God, exists eternally. He was sent by the Father to be born in Bethlehem, the Christ child. That is, concurrently, He was truly God and truly man, what we call the hypostatic union. I won't take a test on how you spell that. But what we call the hypostatic union, concurrently truly God and truly man, born of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes laid in a manger, that the Savior would be born of a woman was foretold as early as Genesis chapter 3 verse 15. After the fall, as God cursed the serpent, He said to the serpent, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, He shall grease you on the head and you shall grease Him on the heel. That is what we call the Protoevangelium or the first evangel or the first gospel pronouncement where God foretold of the coming Savior. Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 announces that the Savior would be born of the seed of a woman. The conception of this Savior would be supernatural as it would not involve the seed of a man. The child would be conceived without the natural intervention of a man, but by God the Holy Spirit. In Christ, the divine nature is joined to the human nature, thus the Savior would be the God-man, as I've been saying, God incarnate, God born of a woman. Unimaginable, We wouldn't believe it except the scripture pronounces it and the Holy Spirit says we, Amen. Derek Kidner, Old Testament scholar, described Genesis 3.15 as the first glimmer of the Gospel. The first glimmer of the Good News. The early Church Fathers, such as Justin Martyr, said that this verse is the first Messianic prophecy. The first prophecy concerning the coming Messiah. The coming of the Savior, born of the woman, was foretold as early as Genesis chapter 3. Isaiah foretold of the coming Christ. Isaiah 7.14, we heard Kristen Getty read that to us, and loved that song. We didn't know Kristen Getty would be reading to us today, did you? Isaiah 7.14, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child. That's quite a sign. The virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Emmanuel, that is, God with us. From Isaiah 9, we read verse 2, the people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. They shall multiply the nation. Thou shalt increase their gladness. They will be glad in thy presence. Verse 6, for a child will be born to us. a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on our shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, which I spoke on extensively last week. There will be no end to the increase of his government or peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forever. of the Lord of the hosts will accomplish this. As Isaiah wrote, the descriptive name of the Savior Child is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. As foretold, the Savior Child is God, Very God, Eternal God, and His birth was to be accomplished by the zeal, the enthusiasm, the strength, and the might of the Lord. There was no other way that this could take place. It is a supernatural birth. From Micah chapter 5 we read verse 2. But as for you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah. From you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago. He is eternal from days of eternity. He will arise and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord. in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they will remain, because at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth, and this one will be our peace." As the Old Testament foretold, and the New Testament confirms, the Father sent the Son, Christ was born, God in flesh. Now, that being established and irrefutable, you can refute it, but it's irrefutable, there it is in the written Word of God, and God's Word is true. Amen? that every man let God be true and every man a liar. Now with that established, why did the father send his son? For what particular purpose did Jesus become the God man? Matthew 1, 20 through 21, which I read at the beginning, records the angel saying to Joseph, Joseph, son of David, Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit, and she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who will save his people from their sins." Again, in a very clear and concise statement, the terms are irrefutable, The Bible communicates that Jesus is He who will save His people from their sins. Jesus came to save His people from their sin. John 3.17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. Jesus testified of himself, John 12, 47. I did not come into the world to judge it, but to save the world. 1 John 4, 14, which we've studied in the past months. By the way, I intend to pick up 1 John and finish that in the next couple weeks. I made promises I would finish it in October, and then in November, and by December, I figured I better not make any promises. next week Lord really will pick it up and finish our study of 1st John 1st John 4 14 and we have beheld and bear witness that the father has sent the son to be the Savior of the world how is he going to save the world he forgives sin so God sent Jesus in the world to save his people wherever they are the world over red and yellow black and white they are precious in his sight, and aren't we glad that he is no respecter of persons, amen? He saves all who call upon his name. It is for this purpose that Jesus came to save all who believe on him as Savior and Lord, the Savior and Lord he is, if the Bible pronounces it to be. Well, then the question comes, he saves us from sin, but let's talk about that. Well, what do we need to be saved? This is part of the gospel. to tell people that they needed to be saved, right? Upon seeing Jesus, John the Baptist announced, John 121, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. First John 410 explains, and this is love, not that we love God, but that he loves us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jesus came to save us from our sins, and the Bible teaches that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that there are none righteous, no not one, no not one of us are righteous in our own standing. In fact, we were born in sin. We need to be saved from our sins. This is a vital part of what makes the good news such great news. The good news isn't Jesus will save you and that alone, but the good news is we're lost and Jesus will save us. That's the good news. Though we were dead in our trespasses and sin, there is a Savior. Jesus the Christ is that Christ. He came to save us from our sins. One quick look at the Ten Commandments and it's easy to see that all of us have sinned, all of us have transgressed God's law. The Ten Commandments teach us of the nature of God, of His holiness, but they also teach us that we're in sin, that He's holy and we are not. One look at the Ten Commandments and And we can easily see that, oh, we have violated the commandment. And someone might say, well, I haven't been that bad. Well, who are you comparing yourself to? If we compare ourselves to the people around us, maybe we can say, I haven't been that bad. But if you compare yourself to God, oh, wow. And He's the Holy One, even. And by the way, the law is as one. If I break one of the commandments, I'm guilty of what? Breaking them all, because the law is one. If I'm a lawbreaker in one area, what am I? I'm a lawbreaker. I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Now, there may be some who are so deceived or grossly arrogant that they would claim not to be a sinner and not in need of a savior. I had a very good friend, Rick, who said he used to preach at a nursing home. And he would say, we need to be saved. And there was a lady who would say, not me. And he says, oh, do you know the Lord? She says, no, I don't, and I don't need to be saved. And he says, well, all have sinned. And she says, no, I have not. Well, we want to be kind and loving, but we have to speak the truth, amen. We don't help people by saying it's OK that you sin, by saying that sin is an act, an affront against the Holy God that condemns the soul to hell. There might be some who would say, I'm not sinned, or they might be so arrogant as to say they're not a sinner, they don't need a savior. But in so doing, and even doing that, they commit egregious sin, proving that, in fact, they do need a savior. As we studied a few months ago, 1 John 1.10 says, if we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, we're calling God a liar, and his word is not in us. All have sinned, each and every one of us. As the Bible teaches, the wages of sin is death. Most of you know that I taught children's church for years. At age 15, started teaching children's church and taught children's church and thousands of kids over the years, thanks to God for His grace and mercy, till I was age 50 that I was devoted to start preaching to adults. But we would have this object lesson. And it would be a big, big check. And it would say, pay to the order of sinners, death. And we would sign a loose zipper. Pay to the order of sinners, death. And I would say to the children as an object lesson, if I told you that you would pick up the papers, and I would pay you $10 if you pick up the trash and throw it away, and I would pay you $10, He would pick up the trash and come to me and say, I owe you $10. Why? Because you earned it. That's your wage. And if I didn't give it to you, I'd be a thief. Listen, the wages of sin, what we have earned when we sin is death, the wrath of God. The wages of sin is death. Amen. The Revelation 21.8 declares, but for the cowardly, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and the murderers, and immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars. Have you ever told a lie? Their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. It is appointed unto man, once dying, then a judgment. How awful! I just confess to you that I am a man who has sinned. How can I escape such a horrible existence as eternal wrath, the wrath of God, the fire and the brimstone of hell, if I am guilty of sin? I mean, that's a serious matter. Especially considering at this age, I see that life is but a vapor and it's gone. When I was young, I thought I had forever. Now that I'm old, oh, I don't have forever. It has been the blink of an eye. So how am I to escape such a horrible existence as I am guilty of sin? I am guilty. And beloved, I'm not going to stand before you today and call God a liar and say I'm not. I'm not a sinner. Oh, yes. I'm guilty of sin. And as a guilty sinner, I cannot equip myself of my sin. I can't excuse it away. I can't say, well, it wasn't that bad. That you even have to speak in such terms as that bad proves that it was what? Bad, at least to some degree. I cannot quit myself, and neither can you. Filth cannot cleanse filth. Guilt cannot remove guilt. We need a Savior. I need the Savior. You need the Savior. If all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, then who can save us? The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, of all in the world who would believe upon Him. This babe of Christmas, This Jesus is the Christ where being God, He was sinless, perfect, pure, and holy. He is the sinless and perfect fulfillment of the law. Becoming a man that He could die on the cross, paying the penalty for the sinner's sin, not for His own sin, but for the sinner's sin, for our sin. Jesus is the one and only Savior sent by God to save us from our sin and the resulting wrath of God. The good news is, while we were under the wrath of God, we can be saved to the life of God. Only this unique God-man could save us by dying in our place, bearing the wrath of God in our stead. I'm reading selected verses from Hebrews 10, verse 4. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Now we know in the Old Testament they slew bulls and goats and turtledoves and all kinds of things relentlessly. By the tens of thousands if not by the millions. But why wasn't that good enough to equip them? To save them? Because the one who would die in our place had to be perfect and human like us. Right? A dog can't die in my place. A bull can't die in my place. All of those sacrifices foreshadowed the Christ who would come once for all and pay the price. That's why we don't slay or sacrifice bulls and goats and turtledoves anymore. Hebrews 4 10 for for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin that's impossible therefore when he comes into the world when he comes Jesus comes into the world he says sacrifice and offering thou has not desired but a body thou hast prepared for me verse 10 by this we'll by this will by the will of God we have been sanctified through the offering of of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Verse 12. He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of the Father. Sitting down at the right hand of the Father says what? It's done. As he sat on the cross at the Telestai, it is finished. Verse 14. For one offering, he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those who have believed upon the Lord. God sent Jesus to be born child so he could be the propitiation for our sins. Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins, the price we owed. As the old song says, he paid a debt he did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. Jesus is unique in this. Only Jesus can wash away our sins, perfecting for all time those who are sanctified by His sacrifice. That is why it is said, There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. No one else can save you from sin to life but Jesus alone. God sent Jesus to save us by suffering the cross in our place so He may justly forgive us our sins. As Zechariah prophesied in Luke 1, John the Baptist would prepare the people for the coming Christ by giving them the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sin. Colossians 1.13-14 says that it is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom we have salvation and the forgiveness of sin. Speaking of Jesus, the Apostle Peter said in Acts 5.31 He is the one, Jesus is the one, whom God has exalted at his right hand as a prince and a savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Repentance and its following forgiveness of sin are granted by Jesus. The wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. our Lord and if by trusting in Jesus we will confess our sins he then is faithful and just to forgive us our sins he is faithful he will do it and he is just for he died on the cross and justice lies in his hands Jesus is he who will save his people from their sins listen Jesus is he who will save his people from their sins Jesus wasn't born and didn't die as one hoping that some might get saved. But Jesus died to save His people from their sins. Jesus came to be born of age and died on the cross to definitely and unquestionably save His own. And He will save His own. Will you then trust in Jesus with the forgiveness of your sins? He came to save you. Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 and 5. When the fullness of the time came, at the right time, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, in order that he might redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoptions as sons, as children of God. Those who are saved who are forgiven of sin are adopted as children of a living God, and those who are the children of God share in the everlasting life of God. They are granted life, they are granted faith, they are granted repentance, they are granted the forgiveness of sin, and they are granted new life through Jesus Christ. It is for this purpose that the Father sent the Son, Jesus, to be born of the Virgin, to be born a baby, God in flesh, that is, to save His people by the forgiveness of sin. So beloved, will you believe in Him today? Will you be one of those whom He came to save? Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe upon Him. Trust in Him. And confess your sins, that is saying, yes, you're right, Lord, I'm a sinner. I need salvation. and be forgiven. Be saved from sin to life everlasting. Today is the day of salvation. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Now we have considered the birth of Christ. We have considered a particular purpose for which Christ came. He came to save us from the forgiveness of sin. Now for the next few moments I want to speak to us of us putting Christ's purpose to practice. Having come to believe in the Christ of Christmas, let us carry on the Christmas spirit, which is to say, let us live as Christ would have us. As Christ granted us forgiveness, it is now ours to practice this forgiveness, granting forgiveness one to another. You might say, Pastor Tim, I didn't know on Christmas Day I was going to hear that I needed to forgive others. Oh, maybe even more so as our senses and emotions are heightened at this time of year. The Bible says, whenever you stand praying, forgive. If you have anything against anyone, so that your father also lives in heaven, they forgive you your transgressions. That's Mark 11, verse 5. Ephesians 4, 31 and 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind one to another. There's a novel idea for Christians to be kind one to another. Tenderhearted. Forgiving each other. just as God and Christ has also forgiven you. Colossians 3, 12 and 13. And so as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. as He has forgiven you. As Christ came to forgive us our sin, we whom He has forgiven are to purpose in our hearts to be like Him, to follow Him, to be true to Him, which involves forgiving others. Now the basis for our mutual forgiveness, one for the other, is Christ's personal forgiveness for us. We are all sinners saved by grace. Christ Jesus is Holy Church and He forgave us our sins against Him for which He died on the cross. How much more should we forgive others? Or have we forgotten Romans chapter 5 verse 6? For while we were still helpless at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. We're saved by God that demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Again, I ask if Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, forgave us our sins, how much more should we, being forgiven, readily forgive one another? Especially in the household of faith. One might object. They don't deserve my forgiveness. Oh, that's probably true. They don't. But did we forget that Jesus grants us forgiveness? Forgiveness comes to us as the gift of God. If anyone is undeserving, it is us before God. Yet God sent His Son to be the Incarnate One to live a perfectly right and sinless life to bear the cross for us. It is by grace that we have been saved through faith and not of ourselves but as a gift of God. And so the scripture can be applied, beloved. Freely you have received, freely give. We forgive as one passing on the gift which we freely and undeservingly received from God. Ephesians 1 7. Him, Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace. The forgiveness of sin comes to us according to the boundless riches of His grace. It is by His grace that we are saved. It is by His grace that we are forgiven. That is why we sing that song His grace is greater than all our sin. I love that song. Grace that is greater than all our sin, amen. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, a grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Younger on Calvary's mount upward, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilled. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe. So forgiveness, dear ones. is not a matter of what the other one deserves, but it is a matter of grace. It is something we freely grant another. As Christ benevolently poured out forgiveness upon us, we are to generously pour out forgiveness on others. Micah 7.18 says that God delights in showing mercy. I get a kick sometimes I don't think it's funny, but it's interesting, that people will say, I just think God is tired of me coming and repenting of my sin. Oh, no. He's not tired of you repenting of your sin. He might be tired of your sin, but He's not tired of forgiving you. It's to His glory. It's a matter of His grace. It's to His honor. It's a matter of who He is. In church, if God delights in showing mercy, and as He indwells us, should it not be our delight to show mercy and forgiveness? Now this isn't to say that forgiveness is easy or that it doesn't come without cost. Such a gift as forgiveness can be very costly. Remember Jesus, he freely forgives all who come to him, but his forgiveness came at great cost, didn't it? Cost to himself. In order to forgive us our sins, he endured the injury of our sin, the wrath of God on our behalf. The apostle Paul wrote, Philippians 2, five through nine, have this attitude in yourselves which also was in Christ, who although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men, and being found in the appearance of man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Church, Jesus suffered greatly so as to bring us salvation through the forgiveness of sin. So forgiveness can be quite costly. People oftentimes hurt us. And by the way, we hurt people also. But people oftentimes hurt us. They injure us. Even good Christians! It was the Apostle Peter who cut the soldier's ear off. Even good Christians sometimes hurt us. We expect more, but hey. Sometimes the injury is severe, and it is deep, and it's very hurtful, but since Christ died for us, let us be Christ-like, following in His example. At any cost, let us pardon the errant soul of the offense, for God forgave us." And, of course, by the way, it has to be said, we haven't suffered to the point of shedding blood, have we? Well, Christ Jesus does not ask us to suffer what He suffered, He does ask us to share in His suffering. And He does command that we freely forgive as He has forgiven us. So I'm closing then. Having believed upon Jesus, let us pick up our cross and follow Him. Having been given the gift of forgiveness, let us be re-gifters and forgive others. 1 John 4, 10-14. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. For no one has beheld God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. Being forgiven of your sins by believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ sent that Christmas day 2,000 years ago. Having been forgiven of your sins by this Jesus, let us also forgive one another. Would you please bow your heads with me in prayer.