12.17.17~God’s Peace Provided

Bible Text: 12.17.17~God’s Peace Provided | Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: Christmas Topical

12.17.17 ~ God’s Peace Provided!

Eight days from today, many of us, I hope most of us, will celebrate Christmas in a manner that brings honor and praise to God’s Son, Jesus, the Christ.

Sadly enough, most of the world’s 7 billion people will not acknowledge the birth of the Savior; and much like that first Christmas, 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, the majority of the world’s people won’t give attention to Immanuel; but instead, they will either reject or neglect God’s Son. It is indeed a joy for me, today, to be among many who do believe in and have received God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Read Luke 2:10-18… The shepherds are given a divine message that the Savior has been born in Bethlehem and will be found lying in a manger, so they hurried off to see this marvelous thing God had told them about; after which, the shepherds went about telling everyone they met what they had seen and heard.

How about you? Have you taken time this season to share the marvelous message of Christ’s coming? Or have you been too stressed out with your own personal or family issues? Maybe you have gotten so caught up in the celebration of the season, that you have not taken the time or opportunity to tell someone about God’s greatest gift – His own Son’s sacrifice for our sins.

Until we die, or Christ returns, we are to be His witnesses, telling others how God came to earth, paid the penalty for our sins and provided the only way we can receive forgiveness and eternal life.

The first time Jesus came, He came as a baby, born to a virgin, in a place where animals were sheltered; and only a few came to worship Him; for God chose, from all the earth’s inhabitants, a small group of shepherds, to witness the Savior’s birth.

Jesus fulfilled God’s sovereign and eternal purpose, just as the prophets foretold; and although only a few shepherds witnessed His first coming, as a baby boy; later, some of His disciples witnessed His death, His resurrection and His departure back into heaven; but His return will be a worldwide event (Revelation 1:7), “Look, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth (unbelievers) will mourn because of Him [i.e., they will realize their guilt for sin, and fear the coming judgment]. So shall it be. Amen.”

Jesus came first time as a baby boy, He will return as King, Judge, and Lord over All (Philippians 2:10-11), “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

The Christ child was God’s once for all and forever provision of forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus, God lived among us, died for our sins, and then rose from the grave by His own power and authority, just like He said that He would (see Luke 24:45-48).

Isaiah 9:6a announces, “For to us a Child is born,” (cf. Matthew 1:18, 22-23). Jesus began life like all humans, conceived in the womb of a woman.

Isaiah 9:6b declares, “to us a Son is given,” (cf. Luke 2:4-7, 11). The Son of God came in the body of a human baby boy. More than any other title for Himself, Jesus used “Son of Man,” for He loved humanity.

Isaiah 9:6c foretells that, “the government will be upon His
shoulders,” (cf. Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 19:15-16). The Son of God will one day serve as King of earth, the government of the whole world will rest upon Him; but, eternally, only those who trust Him as Savior and confess Him as Lord, are part of His heavenly and eternal kingdom.

Isaiah presents some marvelous names/designations for this Child who was born, this Son who was given to ultimately rule all that is in the universe, all of creation.

Isaiah 9:6d… “He will be called Wonderful [Supernatural] Counselor.” Isaiah 28:29, “the LORD of Hosts has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great.” (cf. John 14:16-17, 25-26; 16:8-9).

Jesus encountered beggars, kings, maidservants, soldiers, blind men, children, religious leaders, paralytics, fishermen, lepers, dead people – and to each one Jesus spoke the supernatural words and divine wisdom of God, always saying just the right thing (cf. Mark 1:21-22).

Only God’s Word makes sense out of life’s confusion and chaos, only God’s Son provides strength for today, hope for tomorrow and life for eternity.

Most of the world’s people turn to psychiatrists, therapists, philosophers, astrologers, and a variety of other so-called experts, instead of turning to God. Isaiah 9:6e… “Mighty God” (cf. Deuteronomy 10:17; Revelation 1:8,

17-18). God forgives sin, answers prayer, heals broken hearts, defeats Satan, and brings order and purpose to our lives; all this, while preparing eternity for those who are His (Revelation 22:12-13).

Isaiah 9:6f… “Everlasting Father,” [Father of Eternity] Isaiah 63:16, “You, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is Your name.” (cf. Micah 5:2; John 1:1-2; 10:30; 14:1, 6-7; 18-21).

God the Son has made God the Father known to us; for He is the Eternal and Almighty Creator, and yet only Christians can call Him “Father,” for only through Christ do we become God’s children, inheritors of eternal life.

Isaiah 9:6g… “Prince of Peace,” (cf. Luke 2:14; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:13-14a; Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus is God’s peace to all who believe and confess Him as Lord. God places Peace in our hearts through His own Son.

Christmas is about a male baby given the name Jesus, born in Bethlehem to a virgin, named Mary. This child was God in the flesh, God’s Salvation come to earth. He was raised in obscurity in and around Galilee and would later travel throughout Palestine, the length and width of Israel (for about 3 1/2 years), comforting the

broken hearted, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, speech to the mute, hearing to the deaf, raising the dead, and most importantly, proclaiming God’s wonderful message of forgiveness to all who would believe in God’s Son.

At the end of His ministry of teaching, healing and feeding the multitudes, He went to the cross and laid down His life for our sins; three days later He rose from the grave, appeared to many over 40 days, then He ascended back into heaven, as His disciples watched.

As we celebrate Christmas, we proclaim that God sent His One and Only Son to earth to save us, providing for and protecting us as His dearly loved children, that we might be His witnesses. He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

There is no love, no hope, no peace, no joy, no forgiveness and no eternal life, apart from Him. Jesus is the Reason for the Season, God’s Greatest Gift to us. Luke 2:11, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”

If you have never asked God to forgive your sins, do it right now, freely receive God’s gift, forgiveness for sins and eternal life, all this through His Son, Jesus Christ.

There is no other way for you to know, experience and be able to tell others, the real meaning of Christmas.

Let us, be like those first shepherds, who (Luke 2:15-18), “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

Pastor Mike <‘(((><