The True Meaning Of Christmas

Matt. 1:18-25 The True Meaning of Christmas

Christmas 2003

Intro. When you think of Christmas what do you think about? Snow?, Tree?, presents?, cookies?, shopping?, giving and receiving presents?, family? Santa Clause and Rudolph?,

Read text. The focus of this text is not on the "how" but on the "who" of Christmas.

In other words, the focus isn’t on the "virgin birth" or Mary. but on the Son, Jesus that would be born.

Proposition: God wants to us to know the true meaning of Christmas.

I. Christmas is about a Person (21) – Jesus

He is called Jesus (21) and also Emmanuel (23)

A. The name "Jesus" shows that Mankind was in need of saving –

To understand this fully, we would have to go all the way back to creation, Adam & Eve and the story of the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden…

from the penalty of sin was death.

Physical & Spiritual Death.

Death = separation,

Physical Death = separation from our body.

Spiritual Death = Separation from God, and eternity in Hell’s flames…).

Rom. 5:12-19 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

"Because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages – Jesus Christ the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature and by choice…."

B. The name "Jesus" shows that Mankind was in incapable of saving himself –

God had to send His sinless, Son to pay for the sins of this wicked world.

1 John 2: 2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world."

Rom. 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

He did this because we were incapable of saving ourselves:

Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

C. The name Jesus "Christ" indicates that His coming was prophesied long ago.

Although not called "Christ here in this passage, He is in many other passages.

"Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah"

1. Gen. 3:15; Protoevangelium – first mention of the Gospel.

Christ would be the ultimate vindication of the woman

Gal. 4:4 "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"

2. Gen. 22:18; The Messiah would be of the Seed of Abraham

3. Gen. 21:12; Son of Isaac

4. Num. 24:7; Son of Jacob

5. Gen. 49:10 7 Micah 5:2; From the tribe of Judah

6. Isaiah 11:1-5; From the family of Jesse

7. 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Come from the house of David.

8. Micah 5:2; Teaches that He would be born in Bethlehem and His Pre- existence.

9. Isaiah 7:14; "Behold" – points to a remarkable fulfillment, not a customary birth

"virgin" – (almah) a young woman who has not physically known a man.

"Immanuel" – means "God with us" and means He will have a remarkable

nature (sinless)

10. Isaiah 9:6-7; Occupy the throne of David, and be called "the mighty God" and be called "the everlasting father".