At this time of year, every year, we are inundated with cliches. They are on Christmas cards; on billboards and in songs; we hear people repeat them; they are ubiquitous. In addition to the common greetings, we see and hear such things as, “Put Christ back in Christmas,” “Let’s celebrate the true meaning of Christmas,” “Come experience the magic of Christmas,” and so on.
But what do these things mean? For example, how many definitions are there to “Spirit of Christmas,” and what is the “Magic of Christmas?” Is “magic” a Christian word? Is there even a remote reference to the birth of Christ in that phrase? And what is it to “Welcome Christmas into your heart?” Is that the same as “Asking Jesus to come into your heart?” Is there any more salvation in the one as there is in the other? And which “Christ” do people want to put back into Christmas? Are those words directed only toward those who talk about “X-mass” rather than “Christmas?” Even if speaking of Christ, most people aren’t referring to a return to the Son of God. Most of those people are talking about Mary’s little baby, with emphasis on “Mary?” And nine times out of ten, the people who talk about the “true meaning of Christmas” go on to talk about the importance of the family, getting together, partying and sharing their love for one another – giving to charity. Why is it necessary for the police to step up their vigilance against drunk drivers at this time of the year? Isn’t because people are “celebrating Christmas?”
It is not my purpose to get negative or nasty today, but the true meaning of “Christmas” is “Christ’s Mass.” The term is of Catholic origin, referring to one of the most important days on their ecclesiastical calendar. In many Catholic churches the mass is sacrificed three times on December 25 – at midnight, early in the morning and then again later in the day. According to their own literature, “In the Holy Mass, all the sufferings… of [God’s people] are caught up in the infinite act of Christ’s offering.” But they are not thinking about the cross, it is speaking of what the priest does with bread and wine. Catholic literature tells us that “the first of the great powers of the priests is the power to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” Catholics are dependent on their priests to properly offer the mass in order to meet the debt of sin. In addition to the hundreds of other times the mass is sacrifice during the year, the special Christmas mass is carried out on a December day which almost assuredly was not the day of the birth of Christ Jesus.
Nevertheless, But I ask you: should we throw out the new born baby with the dirty bath water? Despite not being on December 25, the fact is – “unto us has been born… in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Not Peter or Paul or even the Lord Jesus have commanded us to make tomorrow more special than any other day of the year. And yet in the scriptures we have descriptions of the birth of Christ. Therefore, we need, from time to time, to consider that day which came in the fulness of time – God’s time. And because so many people are expecting it, the Sunday before Christmas is a good day to think about the birth of Christ.
But rather than a simple examination of the details of the incarnation, this morning I would like bring to your attention some of its more hidden messages. For a moment forget about those cliches to which I referred earlier. Let’s dive just below the surface of what the Bible declares in regard to the birth of the Son of God. There are some hidden, but not completely hidden, messages which demand our consideration. Basically, I’d like to use the birth of Christ as an opportunity to share with you the gospel of Christ.
One of the hidden messages in the Christmas story is that TIME is FLEETING.
How is that a part of the Christmas story? I just referred to it. Paul told the Christians in Galatia, “But when the FULNESS of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Doesn’t Galatians 4:4-5 put the birth of Christ into its proper and perfect place? Christ was born “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” The angel told Joseph to name the Son of God, “Jesus, for HE shall SAVE his people from their sins.” “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
We will come back to this, but what I want to highlight right now is Paul’s reference to “the fulness of time.” Underlaying the incarnation of the Son of God, is a revelation that the Triune God has a calendar. The birth of Christ came at the time which the Holy Spirit previously predicted and described. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, including Adam and Eve. Then those two – our first parents – sinned against the Lord. But God already knew what He was going to do. In fact the clock was already ticking. Time passed over Noah and Abraham, David and Daniel, until the precise moment of God’s design. “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, to redeem…”
And – just as Mary’s delivery came exactly when God proscribed it, a myriad of other events on that divine calendar came exactly when they were decreed. With each passing day, appointments have been met, and important events are inching closer and closer – including the translation of the saints and the coming of King of kings. Just as guaranteed as the BIRTH of Christ was the scheduled DEATH of Christ. Furthermore, so is YOUR death. On the Lord’s calendar YOU have an appointment to stand before God, and you will keep that appointment. What will be the purpose of that appointed meeting? “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” – Hebrews 9:27.
That time is marching on, is one of the messages hidden in the divinely orchestrated birth of Christ. And you are included in that progress of minutes and hours. I plead with you to prepare yourself for your future judgment by turning to the One who came “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
A second, not so hidden, but veiled message is that the PAST, the FUTURE and even TODAY are all LINKED.
Matthew 1 records the message which God gave to Joseph, Mary’s future husband. “Fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.” At that point Matthew, the gospel penman, editorially added: “now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
The incarnation of Christ was linked to the past through a variety of prophecies, including this one about His virgin birth. There were other prophecies about the time of the incarnation. And we are told where He would be born. Also, there are prophecies about what Emmanuel WILL do when He begins to reign as “God with us,” during His millennial Kingdom and beyond. The fulfilled prophecy about Jesus’ birth in the city of David – Bethlehem – is no more important and no more guaranteed than the promise that He is coming again “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Many of our neighbors, today and tomorrow, will spend a brief moment considering the birth of Christ. Perhaps they have had those thoughtful Christmas moments from very early in their lives. But in addition to the prophecies and fulfillments involved in the incarnation, they also need to consider the great many more prophecies which are yet to be fulfilled. They will not be as pleasant to those who worship the Lord Jesus only one day a year.
Another hidden Christmas message is that HEAVEN and EARTH are INTERTWINED.
It is strange, but not unexpected, that Christmas is a big celebration in Japan where only 1% of the population claims to be Christian. And Christmas is huge in countries where Buddhism and other world religions are predominant. Austin was telling us yesterday that Christmas is celebrated in the predominantly Muslim country of Turkey. I heard the Jewish mayor of Bethlehem telling people that Christmas will not be celebrated there this year. Even though the average Hindu would deny that Jehovah is the creator of the universe and that Christ Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, he might still celebrate Christmas in the same secular way that most Americans celebrate it – with parties and gift-giving.
But the birth of the Son of God was not simply a secular event. That day was not like the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. In the incarnation, we see Heaven interacting with earth – Heavenly beings ministering to earthly creatures. For example, one day when young Mary was going about her business – perhaps in her daily devotions – the angel Gabriel stepped into her life. “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.” When Gabriel told her she would bring the Saviour into the world, she replied that she wasn’t even married. “No problem,” he said, “the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” And later, when her espoused husband was told that Mary was expecting a baby, he considered having their engagement nullified. But then the “angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,” telling him to proceed with the wedding. And Mary, “shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.”
It is almost too foolishly obvious to say, but in the coming of Christ into this world, we have a direct connection between Heaven and earth. And by extension, we should be reminded that there is always that connection. Jehovah is not some deistic God who created the universe before climbing a Heavenly hillside to watch what would happen. He is not like Jonah, sitting under a gourd and hovering over Ninevah. The Bible doesn’t teach any sort of theistic evolution where God struck two stones together, sparking embryonic life, and then He passed the reins over to Mother Nature to do her thing. God was there when Adam sinned, and God decreed that the world be destroyed in a world-wide flood. Jehovah called Abram out of Ur, and it was He who wrestled with Jacob. God comforted Elijah, and He protected Daniel and his friends from lions and fire. The Lord has been a part of every earthquake and every hurricane, as well as every profitable harvest and every peace treaty between warring nations.
When Paul was preaching to the intellectuals in Athens he said that God created the world and all things therein. He boldly declared that God is the sovereign Lord of both heaven and earth. He told those Heathen unbelievers that “in God we live and move and have our being.” Just as Jehovah created all things; all that is in this world are sustained and maintained by His power and grace. There is an intertwining of heaven and earth today, and if there wasn’t the earth would cease to exist.
Heaven’s messenger told Mary, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the SON of GOD.” A very special heavenly/earthly interaction resulted in the birth of Christ, the Son of God. If Mary’s first child had been Joseph’s child as much as hers, that baby could not have been called “God’s son.” Joseph had nothing to do with the conception of Jesus. Jesus was miraculously conceived in the womb of a virgin. Jesus was the Son of God, not of any man. That is the only way that the Son of God could have come into this world.
But the Bible tells us that there are many other “sons of God” – other children of God beyond the Lord Jesus. Paul in writing to the Christians at Rome said, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that WE are the CHILDREN of GOD… and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” He said to the Galatians, “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” – Galatians 4:7. Paul told the Christians in Philippi they were “blameless and harmless, the sons of God…” – Philippians 2:15. John shouted in joyful praise, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that WE should be called the sons of God…” – I John 3:1.
The point is: only because of God’s heavenly grace can there be children of God in this world.
But Mary admitted her utter HELPLESSNESS in the matter of Jesus’ birth.
This is another of the not so hidden messages coming out of the incarnation story. Mary said, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” The angel replied that the Holy Spirit would take care of it. All she needed to do was to be herself.
And in a similar way, how is it possible that a murderer like Paul, could become a son of God? How could a faithless blasphemer like Peter, or a thief like Matthew, become sons of God? It is somewhat parallel to Mary. There is only one way to become a child of God – through the ministry of the God of Heaven upon the earthly human being. There is only one way of salvation for the sinner – through the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the dead spirit of the sinful soul. Salvation comes only through God’s blessing on the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just about every aspect of the birth of Christ was miraculous, except for Mary’s pain and the delivery. That conception and birth was ordained in eternity past, and it was prophesied throughout the Old Testament, including many, various details. With Satan fully understanding God’s promises, but hating every thought of it, he did everything in his power to prevent the coming of God’s Son and then to destroy Him. But miraculously Christ still came. He came fulfilling every aspect of every prophecy about that coming.
And in a similar way, that any one of us should be called “children of God” is just as miraculous. “How shall this be – how should I be saved – seeing I am such a wicked persistent, incessant sinner?” To that the Lord, and His angels, and His evangelists reply: “Trust and surrender to God, and it will take place.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
John 1 contains a wonderful commentary on the story of Christ’s birth. In speaking about Jesus, the Son of God, the Apostle says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” “All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” Eventually the Creator, the Son of God came to His creation – He became incarnate. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
You and I have no more natural ability to enjoy God as His children than Mary had to naturally bring the Son of God into the world. But with God all things are possible.
One more hidden message in this incarnation account is the blending, or development, of FEAR into JOY.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and 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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Can you imagine the terror which first filled the hearts of those shepherds? They were in one of the fields where David once kept his father’s sheep. They were not in a shelter or sheep-fold, because the temperature was warm. It was not winter. They were drowsy if not actually asleep, with a dark sky above them, perforated only by the moon, the stars and the planets. Then all of a sudden directly over their heads, and perhaps only on their field, came an inexplicably bright light. It was as though the Lord had opened the doorway to Heaven itself. How could those men not have been afraid. This had never happened before. But then, God’s angel, probably Gabriel once again, told them that they had nothing to fear. Then he shared with them the Reader’s Digest version of the Gospel: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Did those shepherds have reason to fear? Absolutely. If they assumed this miraculous light came from the Lord, they definitely had reason to fear. Perhaps the words of God to Moses, burst into their hearts: “Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live.” Or maybe it was Moses’ words to Israel: “Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?” Why can’t we see or live in the presence of Jehovah? Because we are all sinners, and as far from holiness as worms are from eagles. But then came that gospel message.
The Shepherds obeyed the angel and went to the place where Mary’s baby lay wrapped in swaddling clothes. They saw that babe, and perhaps they also saw by faith, their Saviour. “And when they had see it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.” And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” What was it they were told? That this child was the Saviour – their Saviour, if they would humbly trust Him.
One of the not so hidden messages in the story of Christ’s incarnation is the gospel message. The Son of God came into this world to give His life a ransom for many. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
Here is my point this morning: Christmas means nothing, if the Christ who was born in a stable is not now your Lord and Saviour. He was born in order to die – He came into this world to give His life as a sacrifice to God the Father – that you and I might have eternal life. Oh, please look beyond Christmas. Look toward eternity. Are you prepared to meet Christ Jesus in that day when He sits upon His judgment throne? When the Book of Life is opened – that book which records the names of all God’s children… When the Book of Life is opened will your name be found therein? Near the conclusion of the Bible are the words of Revelation 20:15 – “And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Perhaps this is not what people want to hear at Christmas, but it is a part of the hidden message of the season. Which Christ are you worshiping today: the helpless babe or the sovereign God and Saviour? Are you kneeling today at the manger? Or are you kneeling at the cross? As sinful children of Adam we need a redeemer. We need to be born again in order to become children of God. Is Christ Jesus your Saviour today, or is He only the theme of a bunch of Christmas carols, Christmas cards and Christmas cliches?