Christmas is a wonderful time of year celebrating the birth of our amazing Saviour.  I’m posting a skeleton outline of a message I preached in 2001 with the hope that it will be a blessing and help to my Twitter Friends.  I claim no originality on any of my sermons.  I compose them from my personal study of God’s word, from reading the works of others, from notes in my margin that were jotted down a I listened to other preachers and other sources.

CHRISTMAS IS AMAZING         LUKE 2:1-20               12-23-01 AM
This coming Tuesday the whole world will shut down for Christmas. Stores will close, offices will close, there will be very few people on the freeway. An amazing event took place over 2,000 years ago and still has a profound impact on us here today on the other side of the world.
We even date our calendar by this event. Every time we give the date the reference point is this amazing event of the birth of Jesus Christ.
What is the big deal? Is the significance red nosed reindeer, Big red, trees etc. What is the real meaning of Christmas. What does it mean to me?

Christmas’ A, B, C s:

1. THE AMAZING ARRIVAL – God the Son left heaven a came to earth as a new born baby human being.(Philippians 2:5-7) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: {7} But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”

Jesus didn’t begin His existence at Bethlehem. He is co-eternal and the co-
creator with the triune God.  see JOHN 1:1

AT Christmas we celebrate the AMAZING ARRIVAL of the Son of God in
human form, born of a virgin, His arrival announced by angels,
AN AMAZING, AMAZING EVENT.

He could have arrived on planet earth in any form or fashion of His own choosing. He could have come as an emperor or with spectacular fire works and display. Instead, He came as a human baby, born to humble parents in a lowly stable. He wanted us to know that He loved us and wanted to identify with us. He was tempted in every manner as us and yet, WITHOUT SIN.
(Hebrews 4:14-16) “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. {15} For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

For 1,000s of people Christmas is a very lonely time of year. They try to drown their sorrows. They think that a season that is bringing so many happiness and joy has betrayed them. It is a time they think of lost loved ones, missed opportunities, broken homes and many other things.
What they miss is that Christmas is not about a season or a celebration it is about a person. His name is Jesus. He is the source of our Joy and happiness.

How I thank the Lord for the Arrival of His Son… an Amazing Arrival

2. THE AMAZING BENEFITS – God has made available to us because of the arrival of His Son. He came because mankind needed Him. I needed Him. You needed Him. Even when we were unaware of our need we needed Him.

I want to give you four benefits of His Arrival

A) THE BENEFIT OF SHOWING US WHAT GOD IS LIKE
Nature could show us the glory of God (order, beauty, power, Varity, ETC. but it could not show us His love, compassion, forgiveness, He has a plan for your life a reason for your existence. Only Jesus could tell us those things.

B) THE BENEFIT OF SHOWING US WHAT LIFE COULD BE LIKE
Jesus didn’t say, “I am come that ye might have religion” He said,
(John 10:10b) “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” He wants you to have real life and a full life.

Many people simply exist… up, work or school, home, tv, bed, repeat for
60,70, 80 years and die… For fun. Live in fantasy world or escape with some mind altering drug such as alcohol.

C) THE BENEFIT OF SHOWING US THAT WE CAN TRUST GOD
It is hard to trust someone that you don’t know. The better you know God
the more you will trust Him. Trust Him and spend time with Him.

D) THE BENEFIT OF SHOWING US WE CAN HAVE OUR SINS FORGIVEN
(1 John 3:5) “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins;
and in him is no sin.”
(Colossians 1:14) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Why would God become human, suffer all the indignities that He did and then bear our sins to the old rugged cross.

HE DID IT FOR OUR BENEFIT!

It was His plan from the beginning – (Matthew 1:21) “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
(John 1:29) “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US!
(Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

NO ONE EVER CARED FOR YOU LIKE JESUS

WE HAVE SEEN THE AMAZING ARRIVAL AND THE AMAZING BENEFITS

NOW LOOK AT:
3. THE AMAZING COVENANT – A definition of covenant I like is: – A binding agreement made by two or more persons.

YOU CAN KNOW GOD PERSONALLY…
YOU CAN KNOW THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
YOU CAN KNOW THE SON OF GOD

(Romans 5:9-11) “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall
be saved from wrath through him. {10} For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. {11} And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Dozens of babies are being born since 9-11 to the wives of the victims. They have had special news reports and programs concerning the tragedy of never seeing their father or knowing him or being held by him. All of our hearts go out to them. We wish we could do more to help them. But, they will never know their earthly fathers here.
A greater tragedy is that God sent His Son to pay our sin debt that we might get to know him. He sent Him to rescue us from the Father of all terrorists (the devil). He is available to all who will call on Him and the really sad and grievous tragedy is that many will live and die and never know that He wants to be their Heavenly Father. YOU CAN KNOW HIM TODAY