Tell story of Jacob Venable working at zoo
Why would I tell that story? We know it’s not true…Because it’s the Christmas story
It tells us really what God is like…which is the Christmas Story
How is it the Christmas story? Let’s explore it and see
Read passage / Pray
Listen, the true Christmas story is not just what we see in the New Testament
It is interwoven throughout ALL scripture
The true Christmas story is about God revealing Himself to mankind – what God is like
God has been revealing Himself since the beginning…
1. THROUGH CREATION
God created the heavens, earth stars – all these things
He created all of nature that we might know Him and worship Him
Look at Psa 33:6-7 first (emphasize vs 8) “to stand in awe of Him”
Psa 19:1 “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known”
His creation was an attempt to reveal Himself to us that we might worship Him
But instead, we wind up worshipping His creation and not Him as creator
Worship moon, sun, stars, idols, nature, people, or the image we have made God out to be
Rom 1:23 “Instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshipped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.”
Trans: Then God tried again and He revealed Himself through a nation…
2. THE NATION OF ISRAEL
God said I will pick a nation and bless that nation
When people see how I bless that nation they will come to know who I am and worship me
He picks the nation of Israel who the bible says In Ezek 16 was God’s wife
Israel was God’s wife – commits adultery worshipping this foreign idol and that foreign idol
God’s blessing still resides upon Israel but His attempt to reveal Himself through them didn’t work
As they were a stiff-necked and rebellious people
So then God attempts to reveal Himself to us by giving us…
3. THE LAW
It tells us clearly what He wants; how we should live
The very first one Have no other Gods – love Him only with all heart mind soul spirit
But we perverted it – The Pharisees created 613 additions to the Law – to explain the law
On the Sabbath day, don’t forget to honor me on the Sabbath day – take a day of rest
Here’s what Pharisees did – they further clarified what you can’t do on the Sabbath
Can’t plow, can’t plant, can’t reap, can’t harvest, can’t grind, can’t sift, can’t cook, can’t sheer, can’t scour, can’t button, unbutton, tie, untie, on and on
When Jesus was picked on by the Pharisees because He healed a paralyzed man and told him to take up his mat and walk…
They said YOU JUST BROKE THE LAW – that’s how absurd it was
We added to the law and made it unbelievably legalistic
God’s attempt to reveal Himself through the law didn’t work so then he chose…
4. THE PROPHETS
God sent Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel…
Jesus said I sent you the prophets and you killed them; you stoned them to death (Matt 23:34-35)
God’s prophets were there to reveal the truth about God and cause people to worship Him
But that attempt failed as well…so at last, God sent us His perfect, final offer…He revealed Himself…
5. THROUGH A MAN SUITE
His last final, perfect, costly attempt was to send Himself to be born as a man that we could relate to Him
Turn to Heb 1 (read vs 1 – 2)
But here’s who He says the Son is (read vs 3 – 4)
Jesus was the radiance of God’s glory – out-raying (greek) and brightness of Who God is
The bible says John 1:4 Jesus was the life and His life brought light to everyone
He was the light of the world
(FLASHLIGHT – can’t light up without power source)
Heb 1:3 of the Son “…the exact representation of His being…”
(Use some clay and my college ring to illustrate)
Jesus is the perfect out raying of God – the exact image of God
Let’s look at some other verses that confirm that
Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The child we see in the manger is God Himself come to earth in a man suite
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
We see this prophecy fulfilled in our text of Matt 1:20-23
God revealed Isaiah’s prophecy to Joseph in a dream
His name is to be Jesus, they will call Him Immanuel which means GOD WITH US
Do you want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus
God, I don’t have to wonder anymore what you are like – you came to earth
You walked around for 33 years in a man suite to reveal to me WHO YOU ARE!
John 1 tells us that Jesus was the Word and vs 14 says and the word became flesh and dwelt among us
The word “DWELT” here means TABERNACLE or tent
Jesus came to live in US as the TABERNACLE or TENT
If I want to know what God is like – I see Jesus
Heb 1:3 (NLT) The Son expressed the very character of God
Jesus said if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father (John 14:9)
Conclusion
Christmas is about God’s last, final, and perfect attempt of revealing Himself to us
Immanuel – God with us – God in a man suite
God came to us – born of a virgin – to walk around for 33 years – to reveal Himself to mankind
Close with this story – Man can’t understand how God is with us
Pray
