Good morning, church. If you're like me, you grew up watching The Grinch every Christmas. And though I didn't agree with much of what The Grinch had to say, there is one point in The Grinch That Stole Christmas where The Grinch, high on his perch, looked down at Who'sville, which was his world, and stuck his furry fingers in his ears and said, noise, noise, noise. Wasn't it nice just to contemplate this morning? Silence of God's wonder, grace, majesty. Weeks ago I told Bob that I was planning on continuing through 1 Corinthians until the Sunday immediately before Christmas. Then I changed my mind for two reasons. Last week I just realized that this place is just too Christmassy to be going through the resurrection passage in 1 Corinthians 15. confuse everybody. Well, which holiday is it exactly, right? The second reason came with conviction, and that is because Christmas comes every year. When you have preached for over 30 years, sometimes I feel like I have wrung out that handful of Christmas passages in the New Testament. For all they're worth, there's only so much one can say about managers and wise men, shepherds, angels. Bethlehem, Egypt, you name it. And then with conviction, I believe God spoke my whole heart. John, Adrian, Jacob, that's what he calls me when he wants my attention. And he said to me, do you really think that you have exhausted the miracle of the incarnation? Do you really think that you have come to understand the fullness of the birth of Jesus? Do you really think you have taught and preached and explained the wonder of the first Christmas thoroughly? I just simply said, uncle, I give up. So this morning I want to begin, Lord willing, a three-part series, maybe four, on the virgin birth. And I wanna warn you on the front end that this is gonna be more of a Bible study than preaching. But over the next three weeks, and maybe including Christmas Eve, I'm going to consider a bunch of passages in an attempt for us all to better understand the glory of the virgin birth. As we begin this journey, I want to begin with two questions, two questions that were asked by, of all people, the Lord Jesus Christ himself. If you have your Bibles, turn with me, if you would, to Matthew chapter 16. Matthew chapter 16, where we will read verses 13 through 20. Matthew 16, verses 13 through 20. And if you have found your way there, would you join me as we stand together for the reading of God's holy, inerrant, and infallible word. Verse 13, Matthew 16, now when Jesus came into district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking his disciples, question one, who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, some say John the Baptist and others, Elijah, and still others, Elijah or one of the prophets. Verse 15, then he said to them, question two, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ. Let's pray. Our God and our Father, this morning as your people, we have gathered here for one purpose, and that is to worship you. To worship you because you alone are worthy of our worship. You are worthy not only for all the things that you have done, are doing, and will do, but you are worthy ultimately because of who you are. Father, fill our hearts full of worship. Fill our hearts full of wonder, love, and praise. Father, we pray this morning as we think deeply about that most important of all moments in human history, the birth of Jesus, that you would help us to understand the truth, that the truth would set us free, that the truth concerning the birth of Christ would set us free from all the nonsense that has come to be Christmas. Father, help us to see clearly what you have told us, what you've said to us, that it might change us deeply and profoundly. We do pray for the one who sins. His sins are many. We ask that you would hide him and his message in the truth, clouded, shrouded, drowned in the glory of your word, carnate in the word written. We pray this morning that we would not just be challenged, but changed, not just confronted, but conformed to the image of Jesus. And we ask these things in Christ's name and all God's people said, amen. Please be seated. In the passage we just read, Jesus asked two questions. Allow me to suggest that when Jesus asked a question, he knew that that question would become a vital part of the word of God. When Jesus asked a question, he knew the question would be read by untold millions of people. When Jesus asked a question, he knew that that question would be inscribed in the hearts and minds of men throughout all of human history. When Jesus asked a question, he wanted that question to be answered by all of us. Question one, verse 13. Who do people say that I am? Question two, verse 15. Who do you say that I am? Again, there are no two questions ever asked as important as those. Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am? The text we just read occurs in a place called Caesarea Philippi, which is Far north in ancient Israel, not to be confused with Caesarea by the sea. And some of you who have been to Israel realize the unique significance of this place called Caesarea Philippi, where pagans used to worship Pan and Banias, offer children sacrifices to gods. It's a mountain at the Mount of Mount Heron. where all this pagan worship and all these various gods are worshiped, and it is to this place that Jesus takes his disciples and asks them, who do people say that I am? And more importantly, who do you say that I am? This is a mountaintop moment in the New Testament. How so? You'll understand that the nation of Israel, Israel's religious leaders, Israel's kings and prophets all believed in a coming Messiah. And that that coming Messiah, when he came, would be a son of David. It was common knowledge that when the Messiah came, he would have King David's royal blood running through his veins. He would be a descendant of David. The Old Testament is clear about this, and Israel knew what the Old Testament promised. And the New Testament tells us clearly that Jesus was the son of David. Born in Bethlehem, the city of David, his genealogy witnesses that both of his parents, Mary and Joseph, both themselves born of the Davidic line. But you'll notice in the text, verse 16, as Peter answers the second question, who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered, you are the Christ, that is the Messiah born of the Davidic line. but also you are the Christ and the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father is in heaven. The truth as to who Jesus is, both the Messiah born of the Davidic line, humanly speaking, and the Son of God, divinely speaking, is something that natural man doesn't discern doesn't believe. And the issue is that Jesus both demonstrated and claimed to both be the Son of David and the Son of God, humanly the Son of David, divinely the Son of God. And this is why Jesus asked these questions, questions that would force us all to answer the same question, who do you say that I am? If Jesus claimed to be humanly speaking, the Son of David, and he did, and if Jesus claimed to be, divinely speaking, the Son of God, and he did, the question to all of us is this, who do you say that he is? If you're in Matthew 16, move forward in the book of Matthew, Matthew's Gospels, just a few chapters to Matthew chapter 22. Matthew chapter 22, where we find another question. Beginning at verse 34, Matthew 22, but when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him, teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And he said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. Verse 39, then Jesus said, the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole law and prophets. Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, listen to this, verse 41, Jesus asked them a question. Here is another question. Verse 42, what do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he? They said to him, the son of David. Again, this was common knowledge. And he said to them, then how does David in the spirit call him Lord, saying, verse 44, quoting from Psalm 110, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet. If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son? Verse 46, no one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask him another question. You'll notice verse 44, the quote from Psalm 110, the Lord says to my Lord, contains two different Hebrew words, both translated Lord. The first is Yahweh, which is the covenant name of God, the eternal God. The second is Adonai, which is another name for God, which emphasizes God as Lord or master. Literally, David said, and Jesus quotes David, Literally it says, Yahweh said to my Adonai. God said to my God. David is calling his future son, Messiah, God. David's son, the Christ, is also David's Lord and David's God. And when the Pharisees heard this, they were silenced. Silenced. How can that be? Jesus asked, who do people say that I am? Jesus asked, who do you say that I am? Jesus asked, what do you think about the Christ, whose son is he? And this brings us to the subject of the virgin birth. Could the prenatal fetus that Mary carried in her womb for nine months really have been Almighty God? Could the baby that was born in the abject stench of a manger really have been Almighty God? Could the Jesus of the New Testament really have been Almighty God? Christmas, apart from the virgin birth of Jesus, frankly, is just a giant sham. The truth that Jesus is God, God came to Earth in humanity, is the centerpiece of really any true notion of Christmas. Every Christmas we sing, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Have you ever stopped and listened to the words you sing? Christ by heaven, highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord, late in time behold he come, offspring of a virgin's womb, veiled in flesh, the Godhead, see, hail, incarnate, in flesh, incarnate deity. Pleased as man to dwell with man, Jesus our Emmanuel, God with us. Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king. We sing it, but do we believe it? Have we attempted to understand it? Have we allowed our minds and hearts to probe the glories of what would clearly have been the most majestic, glorious, bar none, historic realities to have ever taken place in the history of the world? God became man. Was Jesus really God? And by the way, the entirety of Christianity rests on this single truth claim. If Jesus wasn't God, let's stop the charade and all go home this morning. The entirety of Christianity, much less Christmas, rests upon the question, was Jesus really God? Where do we begin? In this quest, beginning this morning, I want to attempt to answer the question, was Jesus really God? And I believe the right place to begin is to answer the question first, who is God? Or better yet, who is the God that Jesus claimed to be? And that must be the right place to begin for several reasons. Because I think we all realize that although someone may speak of or some group may acknowledge a God, their God doesn't necessarily mean the true God. For instance, when a Mormon talks about their God, unequivocally, their God is not my God. You must be careful to identify the God that Jesus claimed to be. Secondly, does what we know about the true God allow for the possibility of coming into the world and becoming a man? Let me say that again. Does what we know about the true God allow for at least the possibility of God coming into the world by becoming a man? Was Jesus really God? By the way, so many professing Christians have denied the virgin birth. The English poet Samuel Taylor Coolridge, Harry Emerson Fosdick, A.T. Robertson, if you collect commentaries, word pictures on the New Testament. Some of you are familiar with the Jesus Seminar. All these people deny the virgin birth. Even as close to home as Andy Stanley in Atlanta at North Point Community Church on December 4th just a few years ago said this, quote, Christianity doesn't hinge on the truth or even the stories around the birth of Jesus, end quote. I couldn't disagree with him more. In fact, the entirety of Christianity rests on Jesus being Lord and God. So first, was Jesus really God? He claimed to be, but question, who is the God he claimed to be? And did this God allow for the possibility of coming into this world by becoming a man? So this morning, I want to begin to answer the question, was Jesus really God, by considering the God that Jesus claimed to be. And I want to focus this morning simply on three characteristics of God, and to do these three characteristics of God in sort of a logical order, so that this makes sense. The first thing I'm gonna suggest to you is that Jesus did claim to be God, and the God that he claimed to be was, first of all, transcendent. Say that word with me, transcend. God is transcendent. This is very important. In fact, the whole idea lives or dies on this point. God is transcendent. What does that mean? The dictionary defines transcendent as, here it is, beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience. Beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience. Another way, transcendence is that which surpasses the ordinary. Transcendence is uniquely the exceptional. I'll give you my definition. Transcendence means being beyond you and me. Beyond all of us. Jesus claimed to be God. Who is the God he claimed to be? Number one, he claimed to be the transcendent God. Why is this important? This is critical to knowing who God is. You see, the long history of professing Christians who have rejected the virgin birth, who have rejected the deity of Jesus, who have rejected that Jesus is God, inevitably their rejection doesn't begin with the identity of Jesus. Their rejection inevitably begins with their identity of God. Their rejection of Jesus as God in flesh begins with a rejection, listen to this, of God's transcendence. What do I mean? If someone attempts to identify God by merely using human reason or human rationale, inevitably they end up with a notion of God that isn't God. They identify God in a way that fits with their own understanding. You will find this all over the world. You will find this all over our county. It's in universities, colleges, mainline denominations, churches, it's behind pulpits, it's in Sunday school classes, it's in children's classrooms, where God is that which we conceive him to be, conceived by our own human reason, by our own human rationale, and maybe even by our own experience. In such cases, there is a presupposition. The presupposition is this, that my rational mind is superior to the word of God. The denial of God's transcendence leads to the denial of the authority of scripture, which leads to the denial of the true God, which leads to the denial that Jesus was God. Why? Because it doesn't fit my own mind, my own understanding, my own experience. Understanding the transcendence of God drives us, must drive us, does drive us to the scriptures in order to know who God is. The transcendence of God leaves us with no other option but to discover who God is and to do so according to the scriptures. Everybody got that? Because apart from the scriptures, whatever God we're going to conceive isn't going to end up being God. Why? Because God's transcendent. He's beyond us. He's beyond our rationale. He's beyond our reason. He's beyond our experience. God is more than us. The truth is that no one can know God apart from the scriptures. And the only way for a man to know who the transcendent God is is for the transcendent God to have revealed himself to us. Apart from God's revelation in his word to us of himself, man is left with nothing but his own imaginations. Listen to these verses. Matthew 11, 27, Jesus said, all things have been handed over to me by my father, and no one knows the son except the father, listen to this, nor does anyone, that's universal, Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." In other words, we live in a world that simply universally does not know God, can't know God. And so comes the Son. And to whom the Son wills, the Son reveals God to him. Isaiah 55, verse 7 and following, God says, let the wicked foresee his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and he will have compassion in him. And to our God, he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts, God says, are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, the eternal heavens higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return without watering the earth and making it bare and sprout and furnishing seed, the sower and the bread to the eater, so will my word, which goes forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the manner for which I sent it. God says, I am so infinitely higher than your most imaginative thoughts that the only way you will ever know me is by me telling you who I am through my word. And my word will accomplish what I sent it out to accomplish that you may know who I am. God is transcendent. Paul reiterates this in the New Testament, Romans 11, 33. Oh, the depth, the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, who has become his counselor, who has first given to him that he might be paid back to him again, for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever, amen. Transcendence of God, apart from God revealing himself to us in his word, men are left, frankly, with silly, conjecture-based, human reason, human rational thoughts. The transcendence of God demands anyone to turn to the absolute necessity of submitting to the truth of scripture, understanding the scripture, to be the single soul authority on God and the things of God. Did Jesus claim to be God? He did. But who is the God he claimed to be? A transcendent God. Secondly, not only the transcendence of God, God cannot be known apart from his revelation of himself, but second, we find the oneness of God. God's revelation of himself repeatedly declares that there is only one God. In fact, the scripture forbids any notion of a plurality of gods. The scriptures call any form or idea of polytheism sin. Calls it idolatry. I've talked about Deuteronomy 6 in the past. Some of you who have come maybe from Jewish backgrounds, maybe you've been to Israel, you realize you see, for instance, Jews at the Western Wall, genuflecting at the Western Wall, and they'll have a little case tied to their tied to their head, or they'll have their phylacteries tied around their arm with a little case here, or if you've been to a Jewish home, you'll see a little case that's nailed to the doorpost and so forth. What is that all about? Well, in each of those cases, there is a copy of Deuteronomy 6, 4 and following. It's the most important verse in all of Judaism, and it's called the Shema, which means to hear. It's the first word in Deuteronomy 6, 4, which says this. Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is, guess, one. And you shall love this Lord that is one with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. You shall teach this to your children, you'll talk about it when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise out, you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, as a frontal on your forehead, and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. The foundation of Judaism was one God, monotheism. Look with me, if you would, at the book of Isaiah. Chapter 43. Isaiah chapter 43, notice verse 10 and following. Isaiah 43, 10, you are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen. So you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there is no God formed, and there will be none after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no Savior besides me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed. There was no strange God among you, so you are my witnesses, declares the Lord. I am God. Even from eternity, I am He. There is none who can deliver out of my hand. I act, and who can reverse it? Rhetorical question. Nobody. Why? Because I am the one and only God. God, everybody say amen. You're in Isaiah 43, look at Isaiah 44. Beginning of verse six. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, I am the first and I am the last. There is no God besides me. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare it. Yes, let him recount it to me in order. From the time that I established the ancient nation, let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and not be afraid. Have I not long since announced to you and declared it that you are my witnesses? Is there any God besides me, or is there any other rock I know of none?" God says. One God. You're in Isaiah 44, look at Isaiah 45. And I could keep going, by the way. I am the Lord, verse five, and there is no other besides me. There is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known me, that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides me. I am the Lord and there is no other. The one forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity, I am the Lord who does all these. The oneness of God. The transcendence of God, we can only know him as he has revealed himself. And how has he revealed himself? As the one, only God. It's all through the Old Testament. What about the New Testament? Well, Jesus said, Matthew, excuse me, Mark 10, 18, and Jesus said to them, why do you call me good? No one is good except for God alone. One God. Or Paul in 1 Corinthians 8, 4, Therefore concerning eating things, sacrifice to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for him. Or Paul in 1 Timothy 2, 5, For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Or James, James 2, 19, you believe that God is one, you do well. The demons believe also in shudder. Who is God? Who is the God that Jesus claimed to be? First, he is the transcendent God. He can only be known through his own revelation of himself to us. In the living word, that's Jesus, and in the written word, that's the scriptures. Second, the oneness of God, there is only one God, But thirdly, the threeness of God. Transcendent God, oneness of God, the threeness of God. The oneness of God refers to the one nature of the one true God. The threeness of God refers to those distinctions within the divine oneness. And this is where, if we are to know God, the transcendence of God comes in. And that is to say, if we are to know God, we must bow our ration and our reason to the authority of Scripture. The threeness of God is clearly not a product of human reason. No human being would or could concoct such a thing. It's only when we bow our minds in faith to the truth of Scripture that a Christian comes to believe in one God in three. I can't say it any more clear. For all the years I've been in the ministry and in theology, I cannot tell you how many times I have had to defend the Trinity, the triune God, with unbelievers leaning on their reason, leaning on their rationale. I would never make up such a doctrine. I would never defend it if it weren't the truth. Does God in his word reveal himself as one God in three? Let's answer that question. The first hint that God is one in three comes, guess where? In the very first verse of the very first book. Good place to begin? Look with me at Genesis chapter one. Genesis chapter 1 verse 1, which says, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Where do you see one God and three there? Well, the word God, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the original Hebrew is the word Elohim. Say that with me. Elohim is used of God precisely 2,346 times in the Old Testament. This is not a trivial name for God. It is a very common name for God, Elohim. Now, as you look at that word God, Genesis 1.1, the word is Elohim, and it is a very interesting word. The word Elohim is composed of two parts, a root, and a suffix. The root is el. The root is a singular masculine noun for God. However, the suffix im in the Hebrew is plural. God's first revelation of himself, Genesis 1.1, as Elohim, the name consists of a singular masculine noun with a plural suffix. This is extraordinary. This is extraordinary. Really unusual, really odd. A really odd word and a really odd name for God. In fact, if you're in Genesis 1, look at Genesis 3. Genesis 3, 5, we have the temptation. Verse 5, Satan says to Eve, for God, that's Elohim, singular masculine root, plural suffix Elohim, for God knows in the day that you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God. Elohim, again, knowing good from evil. Now some of your Bibles, depending on your translation, says, translate the second Elohim this way, that you will be like gods, lowercase g, plural, plural. Over 2,400 times, God is referred to as Elohim. Singular, masculine noun, God with a plural suffix. This is the first hint, first hint at the very beginning of one God in three. Very first verse, the very first book in the Bible. Let's take it a little further. You're still in Genesis, go back to chapter one and look at verse 26. Remember, we are only in Genesis 1. Everybody got that? And you'll notice verse 26 where it says this, let us make man in our image. Us and our are plural pronouns. These plural pronouns are found throughout the scriptures where God refers to himself in plurality. Genesis 126, let us make man in our image. You could look at Genesis 322, then the Lord God said, behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good for evil. You could look at Genesis 11, 7 through 8, the Tower of Babel, come, let us, let us, let us go down and confuse their language. You could look at Isaiah 6, 8, then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, singular, and who will go for us, plural. Then Isaiah said, hear my, send me, plural, plural pronouns. God referring to himself as us. Let me consider another idea in the Old Testament. Look at Genesis 16. And this is really odd. To any casual reader of the scriptures, God's eternal infallible word, you should read these sections that we're going to look at and say to yourself, what is going on here? And we're in Genesis 16, look at verse six and following. It says, but Abraham said to Sarai, behold, your maid, that's Hagar, is in your power. Do to her what is good in your sight. So Sarai treated her harshly and she, that's Hagar, fled from her presence. Verse seven, here it is. Now, here it is, the angel of the Lord. found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring of water on the way to Shur. And he, the angel of the Lord, said, Hagar, Sarah's maid, where have you come from and where are you going? And she said, I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress, Sariah. In verse nine, then the angel of the Lord said to her, return to your mistress and submit yourself to her authority. Verse 10, moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, I will greatly multiply your descendants, so they will be too many to count. Verse 11, the angel of the Lord said to her, further, behold, you're gonna have a child, you'll bear a son, you should call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. Verse 12, he will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him, and he will live to the east of his brothers. And then notice verse 13, then she called, the name of the Lord who spoke to her, you are a God who sees. For she said, I have even remained alive here after seeing him. Here is the angel Lord, who Hagar says, you are God. And I'm just blessed to the tip of my toes to have even survived this encounter, because you're God. Here we have the angel, literally the messenger of the Lord, who is both distinct from God and yet is God. Look at Genesis chapter 22. And again, these occurrences take place literally at the most pivotal key moments in Old Testament history. These are not just happenstance, they're at massive moments of Old Testament history. In Genesis 22, you'll remember, pick it up at verse 10, Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Verse 11, here it is again, but the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. He said, here am I. And he, the angel of the Lord, verse 12 said, do not stretch out your hand against the lad and do nothing to him. For now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, listen to this, from me. from me." Again, distinct from God, yet God. Verse 13, then Abraham raised his eyes, looked, behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went, took the ram, offered it up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. And Abraham called the place, that place the Lord will provide. Again, and as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord will provide it. Verse 15, then the angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. From heaven? And said, by myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you did this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed, I will greatly bless you, I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, as the sands of the seashore, and he shall possess the gates of the enemies. Again, we have this key moments in Old Testament where God dispatches the angel of the Lord, the messenger of the Lord who is distinct from God and yet is God. See transcendence of scripture, transcendence of God? Who would come up with this stuff, right? Look at Exodus chapter 3, maybe one of the most telling of these encounters. Verse 1, Exodus 3, now Moses was pastoring the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he came and led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And here he is again, the angel of the Lord, appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush. It's a question. When we talk about the burning bush, who was in the burning bush? The angel of the Lord. Everybody say Amen. That's what it says. But is that all there is to it? Verse two, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush, and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, verse three, I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not being burned up. Then verse four, not the angel of the Lord, but the Lord. Notice, when the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush. Wait a minute. Who's in the bush? Is God in the bush? Or is the angel of the Lord in the bush? Or is it both? He said, Moses, Moses. He said, here I am. He said, do not come near here. Remove your sandals from your ground for the place on which you were standing is holy ground. And he said also, I am God of your father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look at who? I'm telling you, this is one of those moments you gotta stop and go, wait a minute. What's being said here? Notice verse 13 and 14. Then Moses said to God, behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they may say to me, what is your name, and what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, again, from the bush, I am who I am, and he said, thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I am has sent me to you. Verse 16. Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. Again, the angel, Lord, distinct from God, yet is God, is God. What would Jesus have to say about all of this? You can mark this down or look in John chapter eight, Jesus makes a statement in which he says this. Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. And the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham? And Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. Now you have the Abraham incident where the angel of the Lord stops him. And you have the Moses incident where God, the angel of the Lord, tells him, I am. And here is Jesus in one verse, John 8, 56, claiming to both precede Abraham and to have been the angel of the Lord who said his name was I am. You may not get it, but I'll tell you what, Jesus' original audience got it. Verse 59 of John 8 says this, therefore they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. Blasphemy. You're claiming to be God. One God in three. Does the scripture teach it? You know, every Sunday I conclude our worship with a benediction taken from Numbers chapter 6, 24 through 26. Then the Lord spoke to Moaz saying, speak to the sons of Aaron and his son saying to them, you shall bless the sons of Israel and she'll say to this, listen, the Lord bless you and keep you, that's one. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, that's two. The Lord lift up his counsel upon you and give you peace, that's three. And so you shall invoke my name on the sons of Israel and you shall bless them, three. Isaiah, look there with me. Isaiah chapter six. Familiar passage, none of this is new to any of us, but part of the discussion, Isaiah chapter six. In the year of King Ziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, the train of his robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above him, each having six wings. With two, he covered his face. With two, he covered his feet. With two, he flew. And one Seraphim called out to another, listen, holy, that's one. Holy, that's two. Holy, that's three, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. The foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out. Well, the temple was filling with smoke, and then I said, woe is me, I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. Holy one, holy two, holy three, is it significant? Well, verse eight would suggest it is. And then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send for us? Us. If you're in Isaiah 6, look at Isaiah 48. And here God really reveals something to Isaiah and to us. Beginning in verse 12, and you'll notice God calling for attention, listen, listen. If you're to know me, listen. Verse 12, listen to me, O Jacob, even Israel, whom I have called. I am he, I am the first, I am also the last. Surely my hand founded the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand together. Now, verse 14, assemble, all of you, and listen. Who among them has declared these things? That is to say, this is beyond Human reason, human ration. Again, the end of verse 14, the Lord loves him. Who's him? He, the same him, will carry out his good pleasure. Who is the he that will carry out his good pleasure on Babylon? And his arm will be against the Chaldeans. Verse 15, I, even I, have spoken. Indeed, I have called him. Who's him? I have brought him, who's him, and he, who's he, will make his way successful. Come near to me, listen to this. From the first I have spoken in secret. From the time it took place, I was there, and now the Lord God, that's one, has sent me, that's two, and his spirit, that's three. This is all back in Isaiah 48. Is it mystery? Sure it's mystery. Sure it's mystery. Look at Isaiah 61. And as you're turning there, let me say this. Can I remind you that according to Luke chapter four, when Jesus came to his hometown, city of Nazareth, he went to the synagogue there. He was a traveling, gaining a great reputation, teacher of God's word, and when he came, the hometown folks said, that's our boy, he's from our hometown, we're so proud, they hand him the scroll, the prophet, they say, you be the teacher, teach us, and he opens it, where? To of all places, to Isaiah 61, and reads this concerning himself. You're in Isaiah 61, what is it that Jesus read? Here it is. The spirit of the Lord God, that's one, is upon me, that's two, because the Lord God, here it is, three, has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He sent me to bind up the broken heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. Amazing, amazing. And Jesus would say to those people who are applauding him, Today in your sight, this scripture has been fulfilled. Applauds, and to which the people began to pick up stones because he claimed to be the fulfillment of this verse. When we come to the New Testament, what about the threeness of the one God? Not too far into the New Testament, Matthew chapter three. The baptism of Jesus after being baptized. Jesus, that's one, came up immediately from the water. Behold, the heavens were open. He saw the Spirit of God, that's two, descending as a dove, lighting on him. And a voice out of heaven, that's three, said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. That's how the New Testament opens. After Matthew declares that Jesus is the Son of David through the genealogy, Immediately, Matthew declares that Jesus is the Son of God. How about Jesus concerning the sending of the Holy Spirit in John 15, 26? When the helper comes, that's one who I, that's two, will send to you from the Father, that's three. If that wasn't enough, notice what he goes on to say. That is the Spirit of truth, that's one, who proceeds from the Father, that's two, will testify about me, that's three. In one verse, you get two threes. Or Jesus in the Great Commission, Matthew 28. Go therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, that's one, and of the Son, that's two, and of the Holy Spirit, that's three. Or you have Paul concerning spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians 12, four through six. Now there are a variety of gifts but the same Spirit, that's one. There are a variety of ministries but the same Lord, that's two. There are a variety of effects but the same God, that's three. or Paul's benediction to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 13. All the saints greet you, may the grace of the Lord Jesus, that's one, the love of God, that's two, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, that's three, be with you all. or Peter's greeting to the scattered Christians. 1 Peter 1, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia, who were chosen, here it is, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, that's one, sanctified by the work of the Spirit, that's two, to obey Jesus Christ, sprinkled in his blood, that's three, may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Or Jude concludes a short epistle, verse 20 through 21. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, that's one, keeping yourself in love of God, that's two, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that's three, to eternal life. Do you know that Romans 1.7 tells us that God is our Father? And Hebrews 1.8 tells us that the Son is God. In Acts 5, 3-4 tells us the Holy Spirit is God. One God in three. One God in three. Let me take you one final place, and we'll wrap this up. At least part one. Look with me, if you would, at Galatians chapter four. We have talked about the transcendence of God, the oneness of God, the threeness of God, God cannot be known apart from revelation. What does the revelation teach us? God's own revelation himself, that he is one, and that the oneness of God is in three. Galatians 4, notice verse 4. But when the fullness of time came, notice this next phrase, God sent forth his son. God sent forth his son into this world. Guess what? That means the son existed outside of this world. Jesus had pre-earthly origins. And in the fullness of time, that is in keeping with God's eternal plan that began before the world began, God at that right moment from heaven, eternal heaven, sent forth His Son. It doesn't stop there. God sent forth His Son, verse 4, to be born of a woman and born under the law. Why? So that He might redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive adoption of sons. Because you are sons, God has sent, here it is again, sent forth His Spirit of His sons. You know, not only did God, One God and three sent forth His Son, but guess what? Also for you and I, He has sent forth what? His Spirit. That's amazing. He sent forth His Spirit. Into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. That is to say, because of the death, burial, resurrection of Christ, Christ satisfying the law, setting us free from the consequence of us breaking the law. And by faith, we become the children of God by adoption. And he sent forth a son to accomplish that. And he sends forth the spirit into our hearts that we will realize that we have become children of God. We cry out, Abba, Father. Therefore, Paul says, verse seven, therefore I'm no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, therefore an heir. However, listen to this, remember transcendence, however, verse eight, so important, however, at that time, when you did not know God, everybody got that? You did not know God, you were slaves of those which by nature are no gods. Verse nine, but now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God, how is it that you turn back again in the weak and worthless element things to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? That is, you're gonna go back to human reason. You're gonna go back to your own foolish mind. You're gonna re-imprison yourself with the towers of fools, fortresses. God has made himself known, how? By sending his son. by sending a spirit, why, that you may know me. Let's pray together. Our God and our Father, we are so grateful for this opportunity just to think for a minute upon the miracle of the virgin birth. Father, we pray that we would know you through the son that you sent into time and space, who emptied himself and became obedient take on the form of a man, obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. And to which Paul would call us as his followers have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus. Humility, condescension, others before self, all of those sorts of things. And it is in that reality that Christmas becomes worthwhile, becomes worth celebrating. As we come to your table now, Lord, we would pray that as we consider all that you have done and the greatest miracle in the world, becoming a man in order to die, that all of the nuances, meanings, reasons, all the attitudes, purposes that were behind that greatest of all events would be driven into our hearts, that we might know you and that we might become more like you. So Father, as we worship you and continue to worship you through this table, we pray that you, our Savior Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, one God and three, would all be present as we partake of these elements. That you would help us to feed on Christ, to taste and see for ourselves that the Lord is indeed good. And we thank you for this time and we ask these things in Jesus' name, amen.