Jesus Is The Reason For The Season

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR CHRISTMAS

Isaiah 9:6-7

Introduction:

ILL. It’s Christmas time, & Lucy comes in where Charlie Brown is standing & says, "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. `Tis the season of peace on earth & good will toward men. Therefore, I suggest we forget all our differences & love one another."

Charlie Brown, whose face lights up at this, says, "That’s wonderful, Lucy. I’m so glad you said that. But tell me, do we have to love each other only at this season of the year? Why can’t we love each other all year long?" Lucy retorts, "What are you, a fanatic or something?"

A. Will Christ be the center of your celebration this

Christmas season?

1.The Christian needs to remember that our joy is because of Jesus,

2. Our songs because of our Savior,

3. Our love because of our Lord,

4.Our inheritance is because of His incarnation, and

5.Our blessings a result of His birth.

B. The central figure throughout the Scriptures is the

conquering Christ.+

1. In the Old Testament era, through the Passover, the people looked forward to redemption.

2. In the New Testament era, during the Christmas season, we look backward to the Incarnation.

3.In the Book of Isaiah, He deals with the Messiah

4.One moment the Book of Isaiah is black with thunder and the darkness of the storm.

5.Then, the rainbow shines through, and Isaiah sweeps his readers onto the Golden Age still ahead for the world.

6.He writes about the Messiah as the savior and sovereign to illustrate the cross and the crown.

7.To Isaiah, Christ is just as much the Lamb of God as He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

2700 years ago, Isaiah wrote, “ For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of 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 forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this” (Is. 9:6-7).

From these two verses, there are several practical steps to ensuring that our conquering Christ is central during our Christmas celebration. First, we need to:

I. Gave us Help in our Present Situation

ILL. Some years ago, the cartoon pictured Charlie Brown bringing out Snoopy’s dinner on Thanksgiving Day. But it was just his usual dog food in a bowl.

Snoopy took one look at the dog food and said, "This isn’t fair. The rest of the world today is eating turkey with all the trimmings and all I get is dog food. Because I’m a dog," he said, "all I get is dog food." He stood there and stared at his dog food for a moment and said, "I guess it could be worse. I could be a turkey."

A. I think of the shepherds sitting out on the hillsides,

watching sheep all night long. (Boring it must be)

1.They were poor, with no prospect for improving their lives.

2. Life was hard & harsh for them, without much hope of it ever getting better.

3.Suddenly, one glorious night, the angels appeared & made this wondrous announcement, "Unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord."

4.….shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, & the glory of the Lord shone round about them: & they were sore afraid.

"And the angel said unto them, `Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger…..

(Is. 9:6 a)

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,

A. Jesus as a “wonderful counselor” has answer to every question and solution for every problem.

1. If you are weary in mind, Jesus says, “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).

2.If you need basic worldly goods, Jesus says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things will be added unto you” (Mt. (6:33).

3. If you are worried about life, Jesus says, “Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid” (Mt. 14:27).