Show video “The Living Nativity”
Romans 5:6-8 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
As the character in the video stated “If it were up to me, the world would have been out of luck.” What sacrifice, if any, would you be willing to pay to save this world?
Let’s look at Romans 5:6-8 again. Think for a moment of those for whom you would be willing to die, perhaps a child or a parent. You may even die for a close friend. Would you die for a stranger? Some people have lost their lives while trying to save the lives of someone they knew absolutely nothing about.
But would you willingly give your life to someone who broke into your home, brutally murdered your family, stole all your possessions, and pistol whipped you as they were leaving? If a police officer was firing at them with his gun, would you step in front of the bullet so this brute would live? If found guilty at a trial and sentenced to death, would you plead to take this person’s place? I wouldn’t.
However, this is exactly what God did. He looked upon a people who had total disregard for him and his Holiness. He saw a people who broke every law ever given from the Garden of Eden to now. He felt the hatred of those with whom He desired to have a relationship. He felt their rejection. He provided for their needs and was never recognized as that provider. They deserved his wrath but instead they got a gift.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 )
When we read these words, do we really grasp what is being said here? While all of those who follow Jesus are “sons and daughters” of God, Jesus was unique. He was with God through all of eternity. All creation was made by his hands. Jesus gave life to all things. Jesus and God was the same being. But in a supernatural way that we can not begin to understand, God separated a part of himself to become a man. And that separated portion of himself He refered to as his Son.
The best way to understand this very slightly is to look at my son. He carries my DNA. I, in a way, created him. Without my DNA he would not exist.
In the same since, God created Jesus by giving a baby his DNA through the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the man, though still God by his DNA, was not the spritual God. We are told in John 4:24 that “God is spirit.” Jesus, however is flesh. And because Jesus is now flesh, his relationship with God, the Father has changed. The fact is that spirit and flesh can not coexist. God’s relationship with Jesus has been changed forever.
It was this relationship that God gave because when Jesus returned to the Father (Ephsians 1:20) he did so in the flesh.(Luke 24: 51) and Jesus remains in the flesh unable to be as one with God as He once was.
Now this sacrifice was not forced upon Jesus. He gave us this gift of himself willingly.
Philippians 2:6-7a “Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.”
The Holy Spirit is attempting to paint a picture that we might understand what Jesus gave up to leave heaven and come here.
In a kingdom at this time in history, the eldest son of a king would hold the same authority as his father. King Herod had several of his children put to death because he felt threatened by their power. The prince would live in the palace, and have slaves to care for his every need. Their would be no limit to his request and to having those request met.
And when traveling, he would have the king’s emblem with him, giving him all power afforded to his father, the king.
The picture painted here is one of heaven being the divine Kingdom where Jesus resided. There He had all the privileges afforded a Prince. But Jesus was sent on a mission outside the Kingdom and rather than take his Father’s emblem with him, He chose to leave it behind.
And although He still had the rights of a Prince, He decided to become a slave to his subjects. The subjects cruealy mistreated him and although He could have called on the Royal Army to save him, He didn’t.
We are also told in 2 Corinthians 8: 9 “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”
The Prince had at his disposal all the riches of his Father. He could have purchased his own freedom from slavery. Instead He decided to lower his financial status to that of his subjects. What He did not do was open the doors to the Kingdom’s treasury and allow access to those riches. Instead He lived an example of human needs so that we would learn, by his example, how to live our life as a righteous life.
This week we played “Naughty Santa” at our Christmas dinner. The idea was to take an unopened package or take a gift that you wanted from someone else. We drew numbers to determine the order of gift opening. You desired number one because that gave you the right to look at all the unopened gifts and chose the one you wanted. Some gifts were good, some were gag gifts but being number one gave you the opportunity to insure that you did not end up with a gag gift.
We are number one, all of us. God looked at the horrible gift that sin has given us and, through his Son, He gave us the ultimate gift.
So this Christmas let’s celebrate the ultimate gift from God.
Turn to Romans 5:14-15 “Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.”
Gift number 1 - --Forgiveness
Why do we enjoy the excitement of Christmas when it comes to our children? They get the gifts. They get to open them. They get to play with the toys. We got to fight the crowds to get them. We got to spend our money to purchase them. Why do we enjoy this so much? Because we like the satisfaction of seeing our children joyous. And God does also.
Isaiah 43:25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”
Underline “for my own sake.” God gave his Son so that He could witness the joy we would feel from his forgiveness. We did nothing to merit this gift. It was given freely from a loving Father’s heart.
Gift 2 --- Righteousness
Romans 5:16 “And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.”
Take note, we are still guilty of many sins. God did not say our sins would vanish. He did say He would never think of them again. And in the midst of these sins, we find ourselves in right standing with God.
Our acceptance of the gift of his Son is all that is required. It is impossible to live a life that earns us a right standing with God. But we are responsible for how we handle that gift. We can not abuse it or misuse it for our own personal satisfaction without paying a consequence.
Gift 3 --- Triumph
Romans 5:17 “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”
We have victory now, not later. Triumph means simply “to win.” We can live lives free of sin if we chose. We can live lives full of life if we chose. Sin and death holds no sway over us.
Jesus said “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10) He doesn’t want you burdened down by religious rules and regulations. He has offered you life.
Gift 4 --- You
Romans 5:18-19 “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”
Here is a challenge. Which man will you be? Will you be the Adam-man or the Christ-man?
When you live in disobedience to God you influence others to live in disobedience. When you live in obedience to God you influence others to be obedient. You can be responsible for many to become sinners or many to be made righteous. It is your choice. But it is one you chose.
Jesus left his Royal position to be a slave to many including us. He became one of us so that we could become more like him. The shadow of the cross fell across that manger He lay in. Without his death, his birth would have been meaningless.
But with that wonderful gift that God so willingly gave, we discovered forgiveness for our sins. We discovered a right standing with God that we could never achieve. We discovered a life full of enjoyment and wonder. And we discovered who God has called us to be.
If you have not experienced this excitement of Christmas, please don’t leave here with your gift unwrapped. Find that gift today.
