 Let me read to you out of 1st John chapter 4 verses 9 and 10 and I'll share with you a few things that I found in that passage So John writes in this the love of God was manifested toward us That God has sent his only begotten son into the world That we might live through him In this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins and So as we gather we're gathering in anticipation For the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and and because as we sell it as we gather together We have the ability to to have joy we can do that because Through everything that we endure. There's one thing that we as believers know and that is that God is with us That's why we gather to celebrate the birth of Christ. You see Christian celebrate his birth not because we are certain of its date There's so many who want to argue over the date Well, we gather not because we're certain of the date We celebrate his birth because God entered the world to save us We've all gone through some very difficult times over the last few years and in these difficult times We could begin to think that God has forgotten us But we need to remember something we need to remember that the birth of Jesus was intended to bring great joy When you look at the gospel of Luke in chapter 2 Luke recorded that the birth of Christ was intended to produce great joy The angel that was speaking to the shepherds there in the field said this he said I bring you good tidings of Great joy, which will be to all people And so the birth of Christ is joyful because by sending Jesus God revealed how deeply he loves us and it's joyful Because by celebrating his birth we remember he is with us and Great joy can be had because the one in bondage to sin Can be set free You see when we're saved the sorrow that sin produced is removed. It's replaced by the joy of salvation Psalm 32 verse 2 the the Psalmist said blessed or happy as a man who sin the Lord does not count against him and So that's what makes the Christmas season what it is. It's it's a time of forgiveness and it's a time of joy It's a time that we remember that God invaded human history That he might provide salvation It is the celebration of the incarnation God with us God taken upon himself human flesh Somebody said humanity is lost fallen. We are separated from God because of our sin and Our only hope of forgiveness was someone completely innocent of any wrongdoing to take all the punishment for our crimes Such a perfect life and a perfect love were impossible for any human to achieve So God himself did it for us He sent his son from eternity into mortality from glory into flesh and from a throne to a manger Ultimate hope was born in ultimate humility God's son left the splendor of heaven that he might dwell with us And in doing so revealed the love that God has for us and the immense love that God has for us has been Been has been demonstrated to us in an incredible way and 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9 Paul said you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ That though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor That you through his poverty might become rich So the central purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the love of God the love that God has for us And it's a time to remember and it's time to rejoice in the love of God Tragically the Christmas season has become very hectic It's a very hectic time of year we all know and because it has it's important for us to take a moment to regain our focus You see Christmas is a time of year for us to remember the love of God It's a time that we celebrate that God revealed his love for us It's a time that we rejoice in the love of God because God gave us his son You see if we look at our world our nation our state our cities and it's easy to lose hope We can be overcome with sorrow with hopelessness and helplessness You see when Jesus is absent from Christmas Christmas has no meaning Christmas becomes an excuse to get drunk to party to get a gift maybe give a gift Get out of school leave work early overeat complain or spend time with people who really don't like much We usually call them family When God when God's love is absent It's going to be replaced with something else It'll be replaced with tension With anger with rejection with loneliness with depression. It's a time for many when hurt is really experienced As I mentioned a moment. It's a go. It's a time sometimes and when family tensions can explode That is so foreign to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ when when you look at Luke chapter 2 and we're gonna do that tomorrow on Christmas morning But when you look at chapter 2 It records God's heavenly birth announcement to the shepherds and and it says again in Luke chapter 2 verse 10 that That the angel said I bring you good news of great joy So the birth of Jesus the Savior of the world is intended to bring this great joy. God is with the people He's delivering them. He's delivering us from slavery slavery to sin Jesus once said this in John chapter 8 verse 34 He said most assuredly I say to you Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin You see Christmas is a message of the love of God It's a message that gives to us insight into the forgiveness the forgiveness we can have because we have sinned against him You see when someone repents and asks for forgiveness, they're going to be set free and the result will be joy Because blessed is the man who sin the Lord doesn't count against him now Because that's the heart of Christmas Satan has worked to diminish the message so Many look at Christmas as just a story. It's a it's a myth. It's something children believe in but not Rational adults many have rejected the story of the birth of Christ as a result. They're empty So what then is the scriptural meaning of Christmas? Well Christmas is the open revelation of the love of God for us Again in 1st John 4 verse 9 he said in this the love of God was openly demonstrated toward us That God has sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him Now to the one who was colorblind, how can you describe the color blue? To the one who can't hear How do you describe sound? Can you describe the smell of a rose or the taste of something sweet? How do you describe that which is? Indescribable How do you describe love you see for love to be truly understood love had to be demonstrated And God's love was God's love was openly manifested. It was expressed visibly Romans 5 8 says that God demonstrates his own love for us in this while we were still sinners Christ died for us and that's what he's saying in verse 9 in this the love of God was manifested God sent his son Now Matthew in his gospel tells us why God sent Jesus We know the story Joseph was betrothed to Mary But he had come to be aware that she had become pregnant and There's only one way that happens and so he had set his mind to divorcing her But in a dream an angel spoke to him and told him don't do this in Matthew 1 18 through 21 after he had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream said Joseph's son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife Because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit She will give birth to a son You are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins So God sent his son to provide salvation You see throughout the Bible man is revealed to be separated from God by something called sin In Isaiah 59 in the Old Testament verses 1 and 2 The prophet writes behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save Nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated you from your God Your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear The Bible is very clear about this Romans 3 10. There's none righteous. No, not one Romans 3 23. I'll have sin fall short of the glory of God Romans 6 23 the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life to Jesus Christ He was 927 is appointed or demanded I once after this judgment But John 3 16 says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son That whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life You see that's what John is saying that Jesus provided salvation for men It says in verse 10 how how John says not that we loved God Not that we loved God the desire to know God and to be made right with God doesn't begin with us Sometimes we think it does We didn't love him first the opposite is true. He loved us first. I understood that for the first time when my first born child was born my my daughter and How's they handed that baby to me and and we celebrated the birth of our baby. I loved her I Loved her before she even knew she was alive. I loved her when I knew she was in mama's womb I loved her before she could could even even had even broken the woman before she had even seen light before she had ever Heard a sound. I loved her. I loved her first You know there There's no way that that I loved God first. God loved me first God loved you first You didn't have in your heart this desire to know God you weren't a seeker of God. There's none that seek God No, not one Romans 3 tells us we weren't seeking after him We were running from him like Adam and Eve in the garden We were clothing ourselves trying to hide from God But God sawed us out and he did so through his son Jesus Christ He wanted to demonstrate what love really is Because we don't know what it is We have to learn what it is. It has to be taught to us. What is love and God said this is love And he gave us his son That's Christmas. It's not just receiving gifts We give gifts because gifts were given to Jesus by the Magi. It reminds us of how we give to God And we give to one another But it wasn't because we first loved God. It's because he first loved us There are those who say that they love God, but they they don't have a relationship with his son and Because they don't have a relationship with Christ It's not possible for them to love God in 1st John 2 23. It says it like this No one who denies the son has the father Whoever acknowledges the son has the father also you can't have God without Jesus There are people running around. They say well, I'm spiritual. No, it's spiritual isn't enough You have to recognize your need for God through Christ That's what Christmas is all about that God so loved us that he gave his son You see in this season many many see Christ as a cute and harmless baby in a manger He he was placed in a manger, but we need to remember when he grew up. He was also placed on a cross So he came to rescue us He came to rescue us From our sin in its penalty and he did so by dying in our place You see loving God occurs after we receive his love for us This love we have for God as a result of receiving receiving his offer of peace It's it's an offer of peace revealed to us in the gospel Now there are many who say well you Christians believe that but I love God in my own way Well Proverbs 14 12 says there's a way which seems right into a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death In Proverbs 16 verse 2 all the ways of of a man are clean in his own eyes But the Lord weighs the spirits You see you can only love God through Jesus Christ and Devotion to him and obedience to him as a way of life Reveals that you really do know him Christianity is not an occasional or a seasonal religious behavior Christianity is a way of life a way of life a life that has been transformed By God a life that has been empowered by the spirit of God in 1st John 1 6 John said if if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness We lie and do not practice the truth You see this relationship occurs only when we receive God's gift of life by faith Even as it says again in one of John's writings in the gospel of John in chapter 1 verses 11 and 12 Speaking of Christ he came to his own his own received him not But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Even into those that believe on its name So he loved us and he sent his son to the the propitiation for our sins Why is Christmas important? Because Jesus became our propitiation that word isn't a word you use every day It's a big word. It's a biblical word. It speaks of satisfying the wrath of a righteous God When you are Experiencing the propitiation you are being washed and cleansed Jesus came to washing cleanses He came as the offering to satisfy his father's anger towards us And many people think that God is a grandfather who kind of smiles at at their their little sins and all But the Bible in Psalm 7 verse 11 says God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day In John 3 36 he who believes on the Sun has everlasting life And he who believes not the Sun shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him God had a right to be angry and To satisfy his his rightful anger. He sent his son to do what we couldn't do for ourselves And that's the opposite of what people think should happen You see ordinarily we do something to make ourselves right But he's the one who did something and he did something I couldn't do and in doing that He offered me something that I needed he offers forgiveness He offers eternal life But to have that I repent God be merciful unto me. I'm a sinner God forgive me God. I need Jesus Christ God. I need the blood to wash me of my sin God I need restoration God I need a new beginning. I had an uncle. I've shared this before some of you have heard this But it comes to mind. I had an uncle his name was Louie. He was from Columbus, Georgia He married my aunt her name was Tilly He had been injured on the job and as a result of his injury He couldn't work anymore. He received very little help from various benefits for his injury and all but He didn't have enough money to take care of him and his wife and and several children so what my uncle would do is my uncle would go to Down streets on on the day that trash barrels are brought out and he would dig through the trash now You know in our day, that's something that we have seen people do and perhaps you had to do it yourself No judgment on that but in the in the 50s That was unheard of and so it was embarrassing And my my uncle we used to you know kids mean as we can be would say oh, he's a trash digger it was embarrassing and I've shared this before how I Wanted a bike. I wanted a Schwinn bicycle I knew exactly what I wanted and there was a jingle gee I like my Schwinn bike and I would write it gee I like my Schwinn bike and I would put it on in you know in paper and I would put it in my father's lunch So that when he went to work and he pulled out the sandwich you would fall out or a picture of the bike And and now I had to be read it had to have be had it had to be red and white had to have chrome chrome fenders I I knew exactly what I wanted and So here comes Christmas, and I'm hoping that my dad got me this bike. There was no bike under the tree Well, maybe it was too big for the tree. It must be somewhere else. So I'm kind of waiting It's my goodness if I wanted you better get it. You know, that's how kids think Well, my uncle and my aunt uncle Louis into my aunt till he showed up. I Was in my room. I was free to bummed out. I didn't get my bike and My dad said son come out here, and I went into the front room. I said yes He says we have something for you your uncle Louis brought something for you, and I thought man I got my bike and I did I got a bike It was a bike that he had pulled out of the trash It was a bike that he didn't even sand the rust off He just painted it with some red house paint And I looked at this thing and I said this is a piece of junk I don't want this and I got really angry and I went into the house and I folded my arm Arms and I was so mad. He ripped me off with that piece of junk and my dad came in to my room He was not happy Whenever my dad got angry his mustache would get straight and he he was angry. He was angry My kids tell me that's the same with me. I didn't know that and my dad made me go out and thank my uncle I Didn't realize The significance of that gift for a long time and then when I got saved The Holy Spirit taught me something He said, you know, I always remember these these insights and I make them into story form But it's like he said your uncle was going from house to house Looking for that which others considered to be trash And he kept looking until he found what he was looking for was a bike He brought it home He took it into his shop He did his best to fix it because he wanted to give you something that you wanted And I remember thinking have you ever thought that Jesus is like your uncle Louie He's driving his little pickup truck Looking for the trash that the devil has destroyed There in a trash heap and some garbage And he stopped his truck He climbed out he looked at this he looked at you and he said I can make something out of this And he took it to his shop And he made it new. No, you're not filled with rust. You're brand new you see God doesn't just Paint over the rust of your life God makes you brand new Behold all things are become new Why because God so loved the world that he gave his son that he might Purchase you out of the marketplace of sin and that he might make you brand new He could cleanse you and he could say this is my son. This is my daughter I am making this one in my image and that's one of the reasons why I have such a deep Celebration within my heart for this season because that's what God did when he sent Jesus Christ He took me out of the trash heap and he put me in a solid rock And he made me brand new because of his love and his grace for me. That's Christmas That's why Jesus came it isn't it's not the giving of a gift. I mean when my children were small We'd give them a gift. I did the same thing. I'm sure my wife did you get one gift rip it open Oh, just what I wanted throw it to the side. Oh just what I wanted and then after you've gone through all of them Is there nothing left and that's kind of how it is isn't it? When did you ever receive something on Christmas Day as a morning in the morning for a for that that has satisfied you for your Entire life. You have never had that happen from a material thing because material things don't satisfy forever. I Can't be satisfied with a material thing My need is much deeper than that. My hurt is much greater than that the wound is much much more sorrowful than I need The joy that comes with salvation I live in a darkened world where sin is rampant and people are broken and there's no hope Yes, there is there's hope in Jesus Christ. He is our hope and that's what Christmas is That's what Christmas is And so we need a savior I'll have sin and fall short of the glory of God There's none righteous. No, not one It is appointed unto us to die but once and after that judgment But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son That whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life what is love God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and he took us He washed us. He cleansed us by the blood of the lamb and he gave us a new life We do that. We receive that when we open our hearts to Jesus Christ. I needed and still survive because of a savior Not a Christmas gift. I got under a tree The last Christmas that I that I observed In 1970 December 25th. It's just was a bummer I never saw anything under a tree that ever meant anything to me But two days later December 27th. I received that gift I Got saved and Christmas has never been the same since then Someone said if our greatest need had been information God would have sent us an educator If our greatest need had been technology God would have sent us a scientist If our greatest need had been money God would have sent us an economist If our greatest need had been pleasure God would have sent us an entertainer But our greatest need was forgiveness So God sent us a savior Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, I don't know if there's anybody listening to this message right now perhaps online Even in here. I Don't know if there's anybody here who's just tired of wasting Christmas every year It's empty When we celebrate the birth of someone we don't believe in it's really hypocrisy, isn't it? If we're expecting to receive something that can satisfy our need forever under a tree Or in a relationship with a person and a better job or a nicer car a better home Then we're always going to be disappointed But when you receive the one who can give you life on the inside where Jesus said from within the water of life will come flooding out something that is In deep so deep that our entire life has changed If you've never received that If you've never said God, I'm truly sorry. I really am a sinner. It's not mistakes that I've made It's not my the way that I was raised. It's not my lack of education the neighborhood. I was raised in It's me I'm the problem I'm the one in need. It's it's me. I can't blame everybody else my mom my dad my sister's a husband a wife I can't blame them It's me I'm sick You see that's how I got saved. I Finally opened up and I remember I hadn't prayed in a long time and I remember praying and saying God you've got to help me. I didn't know how to say I'm a sinner. So I simply said I'm sick I'm sick. There's something wrong with the way I feel and the way I act. I hurt people I take things. I'm addicted to drugs. I'm an alcoholic. I Can't have a relationship with anybody that lasts. It's me forgive me. God helped me It was shortly after that that somebody took me to hear the gospel and it was on That day that my life was forever changed this Tuesday. I celebrate 52 years of the faithfulness of God 52 years God Changes us from the inside What is Christmas? It's a celebration that to us Emmanuel God is with us a savior has been born Who brings great joy to the world the joy of salvation and father? We bless you