Immanuel Baptist Church

Matthew 5:27-30

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Part of our series on the Sermon on the Mount, this sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the evening service on Sunday, December 27, 2009.

Ephesians 5:6-10

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on Sunday, December 27, 2009.

We have been away from Ephesians for just over a month now. To keep it fresh in our minds, before we get to our passage for today I want to give you a brief summary overview of Ephesians. And to keep that from being too monotonous, I will give you the summary in rhyme.

Ephesians chapter one, Paul’s only just begun.

He shows us what God’s done through Jesus Christ his Son.

Redemption! We’re set free! With God we’ve harmony!

Ephesians chapter two, by grace, through faith, it’s true!

Dead in your sins were you, but God, he brought us through;

Salvation full and free, Christ paid the price for me!

Ephesians chapter three, we’ve unity, you see!

The cross joined you to me, to show eternally,

The glory, the power, the love, of God Almighty above!

Ephesians chapter four, God’s opened up the door

Given workers to the chore of making something more

Of the people he has called till Christ is all in all!

Ephesians chapter five, to walk like Christ we’ll strive

To put aside all drive of the flesh in our lives.

With bride and groom we see that Christ has cherished me!

Ephesians chapter six, the devil’s evil tricks,

Cannot begin to nix our Lord’s mighty fix!

Put on his armor, saints! Your surety never faints!

Ephesians is God’s gift so we’re not left adrift

But Christ will us uplift and bridge the terrible rift

Thus, as you come and go, serve Christ and in him grow!

In just a few days we begin yet another year. 2010! These days a lot of people talk about making new year’s resolutions but I don’t know that anyone actually makes them anymore. There is something depressing about resolving to lose weight in the coming year right at the end of a month and a half of gluttony. But as we look at a new year we usually do have certain goals in mind, or certain milestones we expect to achieve.

As a father I anticipate certain events with my children. In 2010 Brendan will take his first step, followed by lots more. Naomi will probably read her first book. Hannah will turn three, which means she won’t be two anymore.

As a pastor I expect other things. Some with more joyful expectation than others. I have already been considering what I will preach in the coming months. I have thought about our outreach work, thought about our desire to expand our ministry. But I also expect that one of the trends in 2009 will continue. When 2010 comes to a close, some of you will not be here. I do not say that lightly. As the march of time continues we remember that the Lord has written every one of our days and one day we will reach our last.

Why would I say such depressing things? Because as we enter 2010 I want you to live with a sense of urgency. You are not promised tomorrow on this earth, so how are you living today? And as you consider your goals for 2010, where does God fit in?

In Ephesians Paul has been instructing believers on what it means to live like Christ and not like the world. Last time we looked at Paul’s teaching on sexual purity, a topic we will also see tonight when we return to the Sermon on the Mount. Do not be like the world with its loose morals and promiscuity but be like Christ and walk in purity and faithfulness. But the world sounds so tempting, so alluring! Maybe if I just go along a little bit… whether the temptation be for sexual immorality or dishonesty in your taxes or unfaithfulness to God or neglectful parenting or a million other things, the world has a host of ways to tempt us away from God.

Does it surprise us that Paul calls for faithfulness, that he urges us to resist the world and follow God? In Ephesians 5:6-10 Paul warns the children of light not to live like the sons of disobedience. As we go into 2010, let’s consider which of these we want to be.

Ephesians 5:6-10

For Christians, dangers lurk everywhere. We live for God and work in his kingdom yet we must continue to live in the world. We are surrounded by people walking in the flesh and we are vulnerable to the attacks and temptations of Satan. Thus spiritual warfare becomes an important theme for Paul in Ephesians and even here he warns us of the battle between light and darkness.

The battle lines are drawn between the children of light and the sons of disobedience. Paul has talked about the sons of disobedience before. In Ephesians 2:1-3 he describes their spiritual state, which was also our spiritual state before Christ: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

The sons of disobedience are those people whose lives are so characterized by sin that their very nature can be described in terms of their rebellion. They are lost humanity, the result of living in sin, living apart from the forgiving grace of God. Paul says more about them in Ephesians 4:18-19, They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Such people are not content to sin alone but seek to bring others into their depravity. We are surrounded by the enticements of sinful minds, trying to draw us into their sin. But Scripture is filled with warnings against following the world and the ways of Satan. That is Paul’s emphasis in this passage: do not be deceived, and so led astray.

What are some of the sinful leadings of the world? We could give many examples, but here are a few. The world tempts us to sexual immorality through our eyes and mind and through our bodies, giving ourselves to people not our spouses. The world tempts us to injustice, mistreating and abusing the poor for our own gain. The world tempts us to lie on our taxes. The world tempts us to be unfaithful to God, pursuing the things of this world more than a relationship with God.

In each of these the world may offer fine sounding arguments. These sons of disobedience are not ignorant of the truth but they never handle it rightly. When they come to you with fine sounding arguments you will hear in their words hints of truth but those hints are to disguise the deception that would lead you astray.

Consider the last item in our list. The world tempts us to be unfaithful to God, pursuing the things of this world more than a relationship with God. So how about this argument: Come now, ye saints, don’t you know that God has created this world for you to enjoy? He has filled the world with such lovely things and has given you a family to provide for. Why shouldn’t you want the best for them? A nicer house, a better car, a bigger television, the nicest clothes, these are all things God has provided for you. So acquire them, and enjoy them!

There is truth in those words but it is truth that can lead to destruction. It leads to a life of complacency and living for possessions. Too many Christians have sacrificed biblical faithfulness on the altar of comfort.

One more example. Abortion. It is said that the leading cause of abortion is poverty (I might suggest that sexual immorality and sinful priorities are the leading causes, but what do I know?) A child born to a poor mother will only increase her financial difficulty. He will grow up in a hard life, never having a chance to succeed, most likely falling into a life of crime. It would be better to spare him the troubles life will bring, better also to spare the mother the economic distress. After all, she is not ready to raise a child, spare her that burden! And with so many empty words, the world justifies murder.

So be careful how you respond to the arguments of the world. Do not be quick to agree when some of their words sound true. What do the rest of their words say, how do their arguments line up with Scripture? In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul says that we take every thought captive to obey Christ. This is how the Christian mind is to work. Not an empty channel, allowing anything to filter through. I don’t like the concept of an open mind. We need to consider arguments but not as though everything were equally valid. Our standard is the Bible and we need to take every thought captive and see how it measures up to God’s Word.

But having considered the arguments of the world, Paul goes on to consider their actions. In verse 7 he tells us, do not become partners with them. He does not mean we are to have nothing to do with non-Christians but we are not to join with them in their sin. It does not matter what the reason or occasion, we are never justified in going along with the sin of the world.

Peer pressure is a powerful force for young and old alike. I have a firefighter friend in Mississippi who constantly struggles with the pornography that is rampant at his workplace. It would be so easy for him to watch the videos while at the station, to laugh at the dirty jokes, to linger over the pictures on the wall. But he resists, he fights, he does not partner with them in their sin.

Far from joining with the world in sin, we are to let sinners know the destructive nature of their actions. In verse 11 Paul tells us, Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. Do not participate with them, let them know their error! “But then I will be ostracized, they will look down on me!” Why would this surprise you? They crucified your Lord. But for love he was willing to endure the cross. How much do you love your neighbor? Enough to share truth with them?

There is a warning given to those who practice the works of darkness. Paul tells us in verse 6 that because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. This is why we must speak truth to those who continue in sin. They are not simply making bad choices, tragic life decisions, casual mistakes – they are on the path to Hell. When we ignore their sin – and especially when we join in their sin! – we help them on their way.

Paul gives another reason for us to avoid the works of darkness. In verse 8 we are reminded that at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Christian, you are no longer darkness! Back in 4:17 Paul told us, you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. He says no longer because it is how we once walked. We noted in 2:1-3 that we were once sons of disobedience. We once walked in futility, living in rebellion to God. But no longer, for you are now children of light.

In Acts 26:20 Paul stands before King Agrippa, sharing with him the things of Christ. He says that his call was that Gentiles should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. In other words, their lives should reflect their claim. You claim to be a child of God, that makes you children of light – are your deeds in keeping with your claim?

Note verses 9-10: …the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Living as children of light, our actions will display that which is good and right and true and our highest goal will be the pleasure of God. We will not live for our own good but for God’s glory, knowing that this is the only way to have a meaningful life.

When we began we spoke of living with urgency. None of us know what the day will bring. Young or old, our lives are in God’s hands. What will be our focus, our goal for 2010? I pray we will not heed the empty words of the world, the ways of the sons of darkness, but that we will live as children of light, obedient to God, following His Word.

Luke 17:1-7

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The message from our 2009 Christmas Eve service.

The sun has gone down, night is upon us, and we have reached another Christmas Eve. In a few hours we will nestle snugly in our beds and awake on Christmas morning. We will continue to enjoy all the things that ordinarily go with Christmas: our time off from work; all the colorful lights and decorations; the exchange of gifts; and the special time spent with friends and family. But if we stop there, we miss Christmas.

In the midst of the lights and colors, the warmth of family and fancy meals, and the excitement of presents, there lies a jarring reality about Christmas. It would be meaningless if not for One who took on flesh, who was born into this world so that he could die for our sins.

As we consider the Christmas story we remember all the amazing aspects. God sent an angelic messenger to common folk, Mary and Joseph, proclaiming to them that God was about to do something the world had never seen. The virgin would be with child and this child was Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, come to take away the sins of the world. We see in this story the obedience of Mary and Joseph. Mary, submissive to the will of God and willing to endure possible humiliation. Joseph, faithful to God’s commands and loyal to Mary despite her bearing a child not his. Along the way we see shepherds and wise men, commoners and royalty, come to worship and pay homage to the new born king. To their eyes he would not have looked like much, just another babe and this one lying in a manger, a feeding trough, but still they worshiped and offered gifts and went and spread the word that Messiah had come.

Why Messiah? Why God in the flesh? Why Christmas? Some thirty years after his birth people would continue to ask these questions. In Luke 15:1-7 Jesus tells us why he came.

Luke 15:1-7

We see that the child did not remain a child. Born in a manger, he grew to be a man who drew attention. Many came to hear what he would say or see what he would do next. The religious leaders did not like him. He challenged their authority and contradicted their teachings. When they saw him speaking to people they considered dogs and lowlife, they challenged him. So he told them a parable of a shepherd who goes into the wilderness in search of lost sheep. He is the shepherd, and we are the sheep.

Not the righteous, sinners Jesus came to call. Later, in Luke 19:10, after he encounters the hated tax collector Zacchaeus, Jesus tells us, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Now we see why the babe was in the manger. It was not to give us an excuse to take a vacation from work or decorate our houses or spend time with family. Jesus came because there are lost sheep in this world and he will seek and save the lost.

But the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were like so many people today. They felt confident that they were good enough, that they were already accepted by God, that they had done everything necessary for salvation. So when Jesus comes along offering salvation, they do not believe they need what he gives. They have forgotten the words of Scripture, where in Psalm 14:1-3 we learn that no one is right with God: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Christmas is about tax collectors and sinners, prostitutes and thieves, murderers and swindlers. Christmas is about you and me and our desperate need. Who are the lost sheep Jesus speaks of? Isaiah 53:6 tells us, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way… We are all among the lost and left to ourselves we would be doomed because a righteous judge will execute justice against everyone who breaks his law. So we are told in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death.

Christmas is about God who loves his creation and redeems his people from their sins. Looking back at Isaiah 53:4-6, let’s see the full picture of what this child in a manger would do for the lost sheep: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Two thousand years ago a child was born who would bear on his back the sins of his people. He would die for transgressions he did not commit. He would do this so we would have life. After his death he would defeat death and rise from the grave, giving us the hope and promise that death is not the final answer. And in John 14:1-3 he tells us that he is preparing a place for us and will one day call us home.

Christmas is a Christian celebration. The world can celebrate the holidays all they want but here is the only true meaning of Christmas: the Son of God came to seek and save that which was lost. To truly enjoy Christmas you must belong to Christ, being united to him by faith, calling out to him and trusting in him for salvation as you confess your sins and turn to obey the commands of God. When once you have done that you will realize it was not you who found him, it was your shepherd, Jesus Christ, who has led you to himself.

So merry Christmas. Be merry indeed! Be merry because God took on flesh and made his dwelling among us. Be merry because though we were dead in our sins, Christ died for us. Be merry because the greatest gift of all, eternal life with God, has been given to us through Jesus Christ. So tomorrow morning, and the next, and the next, and throughout your years, do not forget to spend the day celebrating the One who came.

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On Sunday, December 20th, 2009, the Immanuel Baptist Church choir shared with us a time of musical worship in celebration of the birth of Christ.

Luke 1:30-33

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Fourth in our Advent series, this sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

Luke 1:30-33

We stand at the threshold of Christmas. The celebration is almost upon us and we rejoice in the mercy of God that in the fullness of time he sent his Son into the world.

As we have moved through the Advent season we have looked at different aspects of Christmas: why it is needed; when it was promised; and last week, who it brought to us. This week we will look at a part of Christmas that sometimes goes overlooked: what it begins.

Looking at Jesus’ ministry, we can identify at least six things Jesus came to do: (1) To demonstrate the love of God; (2) To reveal the glory of the Father; (3) To redeem his people from their sins; (4) To defeat death; (5) To show us how we ought to live; (6) and sixth, to inaugurate and rule over the kingdom of God.

As we will be taking the Lord’s Supper this morning, our time is even more limited than usual so we will barely skim the surface of the kingdom of God. But if you are joining with us in the evenings where we are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, you will be familiar with some of this. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a magnificent exposition on what it means to live in the kingdom of God.

There are four questions I want to address about the kingdom. First, Why is the kingdom of God important? Second, What is the kingdom of God? Third, How do we become part of the kingdom of God? And fourth, How are we to live in the kingdom of God?

We find the answer to the first question from the very announcement of his birth. In the passage we read earlier, Luke 1:32-33, the angel declares that this child will [receive] the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. For the Jews, this sort of announcement would grab their attention. It fulfills hundreds of years of Old Testament promise of a coming king to rule over the people of God and establish peace in the earth.

We also see the significance of the kingdom in the words of Jesus. Matthew 4:23 tells us that Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. The gospel we proclaim is the gospel of the kingdom of God. It was the content of the message Jesus came to preach. In Mark 1:15 Jesus begins his public ministry with the words, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom and Jesus brought the kingdom.

Many of Jesus’ parables tell us about the kingdom. This includes just about all the parables of Matthew 13, and in Matthew 13:44-46 he describes the value of the kingdom: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Whatever this kingdom is all about, it is more precious than anything else on earth. It is worth casting aside all earthly possessions. It changes our priorities and agendas so that rather than building kingdoms for ourselves on the earth, we labor for the kingdom of God.

The second and third questions we can answer together. What is this kingdom? And how can someone become part of it? The Bible gives a few names to the kingdom – the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of Christ.

Simply put, the kingdom of God is the rule of Christ in the hearts of his people. We see a hint of this in Luke 17:20 where Jesus tells the Pharisees, behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. It was not found in mighty signs or the strong edifice of a castle, it was found in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ brings the kingdom into the world and the kingdom grows as it spreads into the hearts of new believers.

So the kingdom is the rule of Christ in his people. We know that God is sovereign over all creation. Nothing escapes his authority. But not everyone is a citizen of his kingdom. Everyone is under his rule but he only brings into his kingdom those who are in Christ.

In Mark 10:24-25 Jesus tells people just how difficult it is to enter this kingdom: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples are not quite sure what to do with this and they respond in verse 26, then who can be saved? In verse 27 Jesus points them to the author of salvation: With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.

So no man can bring himself into the kingdom but God must do something. What does God do? First, he sent his Son. Then, in the words of Acts 11:18 and 2 Timothy 2:25 he grants repentance.

When Jesus came, and when John the Baptist prepared the way, one common theme was the need for repentance. The kingdom is at hand, now repent! Preparation for the kingdom is not accomplished by raising an army or stirring opposition to kings and presidents but by having one’s heart made right with God. Repentance is an act which combines confession of sin with turning from sin and embracing God’s commands for his creatures. It is through repentance and faith in Christ that we become part of the kingdom of God.

For those now in the kingdom, while we wait for the second coming of Christ, the kingdom of God continues to exist alongside the kingdom of this world, ruled by Satan, who is described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4 as the god of this world, not because he has God’s power or position but because the world follows Satan as though he were god. But Revelation 11:15 gives us the promise that one day God’s kingdom will fill creation: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

Jesus Christ will return with power and authority and will overthrow every evil power, every sinful heart. He will go through the world and accomplish Matthew 13:49-50: So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those who do not belong to his kingdom will be removed and thrown into the furnace whose fire is never put out.

But that day has not yet come. We await the return of our Lord and the deliverance he will bring to his children. While we wait we must live as strangers in a strange land, members of the kingdom of God yet dwelling among the kingdom of the world. Which leads to our final question – how are we to live in the kingdom of God?

The answer is found throughout Scripture. We are to follow the commands of God as revealed in the Bible. Jesus gets explicit with kingdom expectations in the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5-7. This sermon does not tell us what we must do to get inside the kingdom, it tells us how we should live if we are part of the kingdom.

Christian, you claim to have gone to Christ in repentance. You claim to have confessed your sins and sought forgiveness. You claim to have put your sins behind you while clinging to Christ in faith. So here is what God now expects of you: obedience. If we have been granted repentance and have received his life and have held to him by faith, we will not live as dual citizens of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. You can have but one allegiance. Choose this day who you will serve.

Two thousand years ago a little boy was born. Of humble beginnings, it might not have seemed that his life would be anything significant. But this was the boy who would be king. Jesus Christ, established as Lord and King over all his people and the one who would defeat everyone outside of his kingdom. He came into this world to accomplish salvation. And at this time we will move to the table of the Lord, to proclaim his work for us.

We have had a good year in our Senior Adult Ministry and I look forward to another year in 2010.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This has been a busy time for all of us as we have been involved in our regular activities at Immanuel this year.

Martha

I hope you have a merry, Christ-filled Christmas. We often complain about the expulsion of Christ from society but do we do any better than the world at keeping Christ in Christmas? This means more than just using the word Christmas or even attending church. It means keeping him at the center of the day and at the center of our lives.

Christ is not looking for people who will treat him as a point of cultural pride but for followers who will worship him in spirit and in truth. We remember that Jesus is the reason for this and every other season of the year. We sometimes forget the world is filled with lost people who do lost things like push Christ to the side. Christmas serves as a great reminder to us of a Savior who came into the world to seek and save the lost.

I hope we will be careful not to get mad at non-Christians when they act like non-Christians. Let us instead pray for this lost world and let us be so filled with Christ that when we go into the stores and malls and community centers Christ is present not because of banners or whether or not the teller can say, “Merry Christmas,” but because of our presence. Let us share Christ with those who need him – not forcing them to say Merry Christmas but loving and leading them to say, “God have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is what Christmas is all about.

Matthew 5:21-26

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Part of our series on the Sermon on the Mount, this sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the evening service on Sunday, December 13, 2009.

Matthew 1:20-23

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Third in our Advent series, this sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on Sunday, December 13, 2009.

Today we enter week three of Advent as we continue to anticipate the celebration of the coming of our Lord. Week one we looked at why we need Advent, why we need a Savior, as we remembered the fall of man and our ongoing sinfulness. Last week we looked at the promise of a coming light, that though we had lived in such great darkness, God would send a light to bring hope and salvation. Today we look at the light himself. Who is this that has come? What is the truth about his nature and what he came to do? In Matthew’s gospel we are early on given an answer to this question. Our text this morning is Matthew 1:20-23 but we will begin by reading the surrounding context.

Matthew 1:18-25

As we enter this text we see a very real, very human couple, Mary and Joseph. It has been revealed that Mary is pregnant. At this point they are not married. Middle Eastern customs of that time included a period of betrothment during which the man and woman would be absolutely committed to one another but not yet married. The commitment was stronger than engagement: marriage was a certainty, but the couple was not yet permitted to have sexual intercourse. So when Mary reveals she is pregnant Joseph knows the child is not his. He had treated her with purity and faithfulness but he learns that his bride to be is expecting a child.

There is little emotion communicated in Matthew but just imagine how this would have felt for young Joseph, most likely a teenager. He faced the sting of betrayal and the shame of a faithless wife. By the Law the best way for him to save face would be to confront Mary before the priests, charging her with adultery and calling for her stoning. But we are told in verse 19 that he was a just man who was unwilling to put her to shame. He did not want this to become public and certainly did not seek her death. So he resolved to divorce her quietly. Again, they were not married, but such was the bond of betrothment that ending it required a divorce process.

It was while in the midst of considering these things that he received a very unexpected visitor. An angel appeared, probably Gabriel who also appears to Mary in Luke 1. He reveals amazing things to Joseph, things impossible to believe if they were not revealed from God’s angelic messenger. The angel first tells Joseph not to be afraid but to take Mary for his wife. This child was no ordinary child and Mary was guilty of no sin. Joseph could marry her knowing her own purity and faithfulness were intact.

The angel then reveals three things about this child: he has been conceived by the Holy Spirit; he will be called Jesus; and he will save people from their sins.

The first revelation is unique in human history: the virgin would be with child. Matthew tells us in verse 22 that all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. The prophecy came in Isaiah 7:14 where we read, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Thus we have prophesied for us the virgin birth.

A short time later in Isaiah we receive another prophecy about this child. In Isaiah 9:6-7 we read, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

As we saw in week one of Advent, even since the Garden of Eden men knew God would send a deliverer. Who he would be remained a mystery. But as the Old Testament unfolds God reveals a piece here, a piece there, letting us catch more of a glimpse at the coming Messiah. They often misunderstood who and what Messiah would be, expecting a mighty warrior who would lead the political nation to independence and dominance. And who among them would really believe that a virgin would give birth?

But here we have Mary. A young girl, probably a very young teenager, who has remained faithful and pure but is now told she will give birth to the Son of God.

There are many ways God could have come to earth. Why this way? Why did he come in the flesh? Why a virgin birth? Let’s address the first question first – why did God come in the flesh?

We cannot cover this in detail this morning, but here are two reasons why God came in the flesh. First, so that we would have a Savior who has faced what we face. We see this in Hebrews 4:15: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. So God came in the flesh and faced the same struggles we face. We cannot claim that God does not know our sorrow or pain or the fierce power of temptation. He faced all and more and yet he never sinned. When he makes intercession for us, when the Son prays to the Father for the people of God, he has himself experienced what we have been through, yet without sin.

The second reason is so that he could pay for our sins. God could not pay for our sins. Humanity has fallen and humanity must make satisfaction for sin. But because we are fallen and sinful, none of us could pay for our own sins, let alone the sin of another. Jesus had to become one of us before he could pay for us. And because he is the eternal Son of God, he is able to pay for all the sins of his people. His blood is eternally precious and valuable and when he goes to the Father and offers his shed blood for our sins, the price is paid in full. It took a man to pay the sins of men, but not just any man could do. It had to be a perfect man of infinite worth. Only God in the flesh could fully satisfy his own just wrath. This is the judge who steps down from his seat and pays the penalty of the offender.

So God had to take on flesh in order to deal with our sins. But why was he born of a virgin? For many people the virgin birth is a huge stumbling block. They cannot believe that God would work such a miracle. Did he? Can he? And why?

First, of course God can. And we believe that he did since the Scriptures record the virgin giving birth. As the sovereign creator, he is in control over everything he has made. If he wants to create a planet and stick it in space, he can. If he wants to part waters, he can. If he wants to freeze the movement of the solar system, he can. If he wants to have a virgin give birth, he can. We do not believe there is any logical limit to what God can do.

Note that I say logical limit. Some in folly will create inconsistencies to try and trip up the notion that God is all powerful. “If God can do anything, can he make a rock so big even he cannot lift it?” That is an absurd question that has nothing to do with God’s power.

But others will challenge miracles altogether and claim nothing supernatural or miraculous has ever taken place on the earth. We believe that miracles can and do happen because we serve a sovereign God. And we trust the Scriptures are true so we believe the Word of God when it says that God has violated the laws of the universe and has done something miraculous. Something like a bush that burns but is not consumed. Something like a virgin giving birth to a child.

So we believe in the miraculous. But why this miracle? Why did the virgin give birth? In ways this is a more difficult question because the Bible never explicitly gives a reason. But here are four reasons I want to offer you.

The first is actually a “not”. That is, the virgin birth was not to give divine patrimony. We might think that Mary somehow became impregnated by God so that the child she bore contained a mix of her DNA and God’s DNA. No, the child she bore was fully God and fully man. We read in John 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This eternal word is the one who in John 1:14 became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. The eternal Word always existed and the Word is the Son of God. The Son has always been with the Father. His being the Son of God has nothing to do with him being born of Mary. What God did was create a child in Mary’s womb, one who was fully man, formed from Mary’s womb, and also fully God.

A second reason for the virgin birth is to demonstrate clearly that this child was something special. If the child were the offspring of Mary and Joseph it would be harder to demonstrate that there was something miraculous about him. But when a virgin has a child, that will get people’s attention and show that God is doing something unique with this child. By the virgin birth God made it clear that this was no ordinary child.

Third, by the virgin birth God fulfilled a prophecy. We noted this already, that in Isaiah 7:14 God promised that the virgin would come and give birth. God is shown to be faithful to his promises and when the virgin gives birth we know that this is the promised Messiah who would rule his people forever.

The fourth reason I want to give cautiously. We have said that Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life. But I have noted in the past that Scripture tells us we are all born in sin. From birth we receive the guilt of Adam and in our very being, our nature, are corrupted and sinful. Somehow Jesus is the exception. He could not have been born with a fallen nature and still lived a sinless life. But what is the connection between a virgin birth and avoiding a sin nature? We see the connection in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22: For as by a man dame death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Note also Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin… Through Adam comes sin and death. Those born under Adam receive that curse and corruption. Mary was not perfect. Contrary to the Catholic teaching of the immaculate conception, Mary was a sinner. But it seems that the sinful nature is passed from father to child so that Jesus, not having a human father, does not receive the curse of Adam.

We have spent most of our time looking at the virgin birth but the angel made two other points with Joseph and I want to look at them in closing. Both are in verse 21: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. His name will be Jesus, and he will save his people from their sins.

The one who came in the flesh is God himself. Immanuel, God with us! But why did God come? Jesus tells us in John 12:47, I did not come into the world to judge the world but to save the world. Jesus Christ came into the world to save his people from their sins.

The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua or Joshua which means Yahweh saves. The people of Jesus’ day expected a Messiah who would deliver them from political oppression but he came to deliver them from a far greater enemy. He came to set them free from their sins. God himself took on flesh and made his dwelling among us so that we might have life with him, life not under the curse of sin or the threat of the wrath of God.

Those who turn from Jesus will still have to face their sin. They will bear on their own shoulders wrath for their disobedience. Finite beings sinning against an eternal God will forever pay for their sins. They will never be able to satisfy his wrath. The judgment is eternity in Hell. But two thousand years ago God the Son left his throne above and entered the womb of Mary. He would be born and live a sinless, righteous life, showing us how to live. And he would die to set us free, to save us from sin and rescue us from the wrath we deserve.

It is my great hope and prayer that I will someday delight in the Lord more than the greatest treasures of the world. The world has such a hold on us. We enjoy our food, our televisions, our health, freedom, and mobility, and a million other things. We are quick to say we enjoy God but our actions often betray us. We do not enjoy him as we ought.

Will you still rejoice if your health fails and you are left unable to take care of yourself? Will you rejoice if economic distress strikes and you must give up your treasures? Will you rejoice if loved ones are called home?

God must fill our vision. He is not one component of our lives, he is life itself. When we learn to delight in him above all other things then we will have a sure and certain foundation when tragedy knocks at the door.

How is it that in Psalm 32:11 David can tell us, Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! He faced more tragedy than any ten men. But God was the center of his vision. He did not find his greatest delight in his treasure or his health or his power and influence or his family. He certainly enjoyed these things. They were gifts to him from God, given to enjoy but not as his chief enjoyment. His chief enjoyment was God. All other gifts were made all the sweeter since David knew who they came from.

Christian, delight in God. Find him to be your chief enjoyment. Let us pray for each other that the things of this world would grow strangely dim as we look on His glory and grace.