[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. It is our prayer that you will be blessed by the preaching of God's Word. If you enjoyed the Lord's Supper tonight, say Amen. A very special time. I always enjoy it.
[0:12] You know, Christmas time is the time we celebrate His coming. But He came to die. There was a shadow over the crib. As He was there, the shadow of a cross over the crib.
[0:25] As He was there in that crib, He knew He was coming here to die for our sins. And I think that was a great time. And I just love Him and thank Him. And I was just thinking about how much I'm sure you love Him and are so grateful for what a good and wonderful God we serve.
[0:40] We have a word of prayer. And the guys are going to come and take the offer. And Father, we love You. We thank You so very much for saving us. We thank You for Your death on the cross.
[0:53] We thank You for the shame and the humility that it took for You to lower Yourself down to that level for us. We thank You for that. We thank You for dying.
[1:04] We thank You for being buried. We thank You for rising again. We thank You that we today remember what You did for us. We don't forget. We thank You.
[1:14] We will try to share that this week with our family. We will try to share that with people we work with. We will try to share who You are. We love You and thank You in Jesus' name. Amen. I gather there's not any special music, so I'll just make a circle.
[1:34] I never know what's going on around here. Take your Bibles and go with me to Matthew chapter 1 and verse 21. Matthew 1, 21. I am very grateful to God for you and thankful for what God is doing in our church.
[1:50] I am very thankful for all the people that step up. I did notice that Kristen was far uglier tonight than she has ever been. Did anybody else notice that?
[2:00] I told him I wanted her to shave before I saw her again. But I think the Lord Ben was able to step in there. Steve's done a great job today, hasn't he?
[2:11] And just pray to the Lord for all of you and all your hard work. Trent did a fantastic job with the Lord's Supper. But the truth of the matter is, it was all about Jesus anyway, so no wonder we had a good time.
[2:22] We're thinking about the one who loved us so much and did so much for us. Now, I want you to go with me to Matthew 1, 21, and we'll read these verses. This is Christmas is a missionary message.
[2:33] If there ever was a missionary message, it's Christmas. Look what the Bible says in Matthew 1, 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
[2:44] For he shall save his people from their sins. 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, thou shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.
[3:05] Got your Bible open before we pray again. I think I'm going to pray again. But I just wish you'd circle Jesus. Circle the word Jesus. And then underline save.
[3:16] Jesus shall save his people from their sin. We were in horrible conditions.
[3:31] We were going to die and spend eternity in hell, and Jesus came to die for us. And who was Jesus? Look at verse 23.
[3:43] Circle Emmanuel. We don't say that word very much. We don't use that word very much. I've known some Emmanuel Baptist churches, but that word, God with us.
[3:53] Jesus, God, came to be with us. I'd just like to show you one other thing. This isn't a mess. I'm going to give you three little points, and three extremely large points, actually. But I'll have them finished on time.
[4:05] But I wish you'd underline in verse 22. Sometimes you don't read your Bible like you should, maybe. And you don't realize it's got so much in it. In verse 22, not all this was done.
[4:16] Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. So you know what's happening in Matthew chapter 1? Not one bit of it was a surprise.
[4:28] Not one bit of it. It was all on script. It was all exactly like God had planned it. And as it was happening, God wrote it. And I have the word of God. And I can read the Bible, and I can pray, and I can study, and I can make notes, and I can learn the Bible.
[4:44] And boy, that alone ought to be a message enough for you. Jesus, Emmanuel, all already written in the scriptures. But I would like to talk to you tonight of a real missionary theme.
[4:57] God with us. Emmanuel, God with us. And I'm going to take you and show you why we needed God to be with us. And you're going to probably say that's not a very good Christmas message.
[5:08] But to me, it is the greatest Christmas message. I have a personal struggle with Christmas. I have a personal struggle with Christmas. Because on one side of me, it's all about Jesus.
[5:21] And then all of a sudden, you've got all this other stuff going on. You're buying gifts for everybody. People are buying gifts for you. You're getting in debt, buying gifts for people. And everything else that's going on with it. But when you get right down to it, the whole purpose of this passage, at least, is Emmanuel.
[5:41] God with us. Father, touch our hearts. Help us to share Jesus this week with our family. Help us to share Jesus with our loved ones. Help us to share Jesus with people that we work with.
[5:53] Help us to understand the truth. Help people to know they need to hear. Open hearts, save people, and use us. And I'll give you praise in Jesus' name. Amen. As a missionary, my three greatest thoughts, here they come all at once.
[6:08] Number one, take your Bible if you would. Go with me to Romans chapter one. The creation, that's all you've got to write down. The creation clearly reveals that there is a God and leaves man without excuse.
[6:20] The creation clearly reveals that there is a God and leaves man without excuse. No matter how many people talk about evolution, no matter how many people try to say anything else, the Bible is real clear, but just forget that for a minute.
[6:34] And if you look around, you know somebody bigger than us did all of this. You know that they may forecast the weather and get it right about half the time, but somebody bigger than us is in charge.
[6:48] And look what the Bible says in Romans chapter one, verse 18. For the wrath of God. I wish you would mark those words. Christmas won't mean much till you know that there was wrath.
[7:01] The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
[7:12] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
[7:33] Verse 18 again. Mark some things here. Creation screams there is a God. The Bible says in 118 that they are denying the existence of God and that angers him.
[7:46] They deny the existence of God and that angers him. Verse 18 again. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness who hold the truth.
[7:57] And if they take the truth and say truth ain't right. That's what that verse means. They hold the truth and unrighteousness. They take the truth and say truth's not right. That angers God. There is a God. He created the earth.
[8:08] He created the world. He created every person. The verse says sin or failure to obey God and do what he says. That angers him. God was angry.
[8:19] The Bible says in verse 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven. I just wish you'd underline the wrath of God. Because you see we like that soft sweet cuddly side of God.
[8:30] We like to say boy God's a nice guy. And you say this. But the truth is you can't know what you got until you know how bad off you were. And God is angry.
[8:41] Was angry with sin. And every man doing or believing in what he wants angers God. And every man has done what he wants. Every one of us chose to sin.
[8:53] The Bible says in Isaiah 53 and verse 6. All we. All we. Like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.
[9:03] And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Every one of us lived life our way. Every one of us have chosen to do things the way we wanted. We had chosen to do things the way we wanted.
[9:16] In Romans chapter 3 and verse 10. Which we went over plenty as we went through there. There is none righteous. No not one. None that understands. None that seeks after God. All are going out of the way.
[9:26] All are become unprofitable. None that doeth good. No not one. Their throat's an open sepulcher. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. That's a human condition. Creation screams.
[9:39] There is a God. Man has sinned against God. Sin made. And rebellion makes God angry. Every man in his heart knows that God exists.
[9:50] Romans 119. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them. For God showed it unto them. In verse 20 it says. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen.
[10:03] Being understood by the things that are made. Even his eternal power and Godhead. So that they are without excuse. Invisible things. Invisible things. Nobody even knew about invisible things back then.
[10:14] But the Bible knew about them. Our God said. They're without excuse. All are without excuse. Nobody has any excuse. Can I just say something.
[10:25] As you go to. You know. Gotta be a nice guy. We don't really need to argue about whether that Christ is in Christmas.
[10:37] We need to argue about whether Christ is in them. We don't really need to argue about a lot of the political things you'd like to argue about. We need to be careful to tell them. Jesus died for you.
[10:49] We need to be careful to say. Sin. Separated. Man. From God. We need to be able to say to them. There is a God in heaven. And sin. Separated.
[11:00] Man. From God. The second thing. And I'll get back to Matthew chapter 1. I know you're thinking. What in the world does that God do with Matthew chapter 1. But that's why he came. He came because he said. I am God.
[11:10] And everybody knows it. The second thing is Romans 2.14. In Romans 2.14. Our conscience. Just write down conscience. Our conscience bears witness with the creation. There is a God.
[11:22] In Romans 2.14. It says. When Gentiles or pagans. That don't even know about the law of God. They do by nature the things contained in the law. It shows in verse 15. That the work of the law is written in their hearts.
[11:35] And their conscience accuses them or excuses them. And God will judge every secret of man. By Jesus Christ. According to my gospel.
[11:46] Even those who have never read the Bible. Know the truth. You know. The people that you think most hate God. And the people that seem to be so upset. All the time.
[11:57] Sometimes I think we. We take offense at the wrong things. We take offense because they attack some political thing. That's important to us. When they need to know is. There's a God in heaven. People are dying and going to hell.
[12:09] And Jesus loves you. And that's why he came. He says. Hey. He says. Hey. They were. Their conscience tells them. They're wrong. They don't even have to read the Bible. To know it. The Bible says.
[12:20] In chapter 2. In verse 15. They understand right and wrong. You say. No. They don't. The Bible says they do. The Bible says they do. And it shows it. The law written in their hearts.
[12:31] And their thoughts are accusing them. Or excusing them. Their conscience tells them they're doing wrong. God is already at work. They know. The law of God.
[12:42] Chapter 2. Verse 15. Written in their heart. They even know that their secrets will be judged. They know it without everybody even telling them that. In chapter 2. Verse 16. He said. And God shall judge the secrets of men.
[12:56] Not one secret left untold. Not one secret left hidden. He will judge that. And I say that for this reason. It's Christmas time.
[13:07] Your family is fixing to come to your house. Or you're fixing to go to your family's house. And we're all going to get caught up in a whole lot of stuff. Fine. Enjoy Christmas. Give the gifts. And have fun.
[13:19] But if you're going to have a Christmas discussion. Remember what the Christmas discussion is. It's not about Phil and what's going on with him. And it's not about. It's not about some political agenda.
[13:30] It's about this. Men are sinners. And dying. And going to hell. And there's no hope. And nowhere to turn. And nothing they can do. And even the family member you have.
[13:42] That already doesn't love God. He knows there is a God. He claims there is no God. He claims he doesn't believe in God. But in his heart. He knows there is a God. And it's written in his heart. And his conscience tells him.
[13:53] And creation tells him. He does know. He may be angry. Because he knows. He may strike out at you. Because he knows. But he knows. I think that's what it said here.
[14:03] Is it or not? He knows. And that's part of what the problem is. He knows. And the Bible explains how to know God. The Bible gives us truth.
[14:15] The Bible declares clearly we've all sinned. We went through it. None. Righteous. All have sinned. Now go back with me if you would. Go to Matthew chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1. In verse 21.
[14:27] God loves man so much. That he came onto the stage of history personally. In the form of Jesus Christ. Matthew 1. 21. And she shall bring forth a son.
[14:40] And thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. Jesus. And he shall save his people from their sins. What happened?
[14:52] All the way back in the Garden of Eden. Man sinned the first time. Our parents. Our great grandparents. They sinned. And were separated from God. And God came looking for us. He went down into the garden.
[15:04] He called for Adam and Eve. He started the relationship. He killed the first lamb. He set up all the ceremonies. He set up all the practice. And for 4,000 years he kept saying. I love you.
[15:15] And I'm doing everything. So you can go to heaven when you die. God, if you'll trust me and if you believe in me, I will forgive your sin. He was doing a work and he's been doing a work. They may be angry because they don't like God.
[15:26] They don't want his plan. But he is the one who's working. It says in Jesus came. Jesus, that's God. Emmanuel. God with us. Something wild and crazy happened.
[15:36] He didn't just create us and fling us out into eternity. Let the earth spin and let things just work out the way they would. He came. He came. God came.
[15:48] God was born of a virgin. God came and dwelt among us so that we could be saved. Jesus came to save sinners. He came to save us.
[15:59] The Bible says in Romans chapter 5 and verse 8, as you already know very well, the Bible says, But God commended his love toward us. And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[16:10] Jesus, while I was still sinning, while I didn't deserve it, Christ died for us. I worry. I worry about us being so spiritual.
[16:22] It was different for us in Peru because everybody knew that nobody really knew. And when I would talk to the church members at our church, they'd all be sitting there going, Man, this is Christmas is coming.
[16:33] We got to tell them. Christmas is coming. We got to share the truth. Christmas is coming. We got to explain what's really going on. We got to explain to them that Jesus died on the cross. We got to explain to them that he was born of a virgin.
[16:45] Yes. We got to explain that, yes, there was a nativity scene. Yes. We got to explain that, yes. But we got to explain that we're sinners. And I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but there would be no beauty in Christmas if we weren't so bad off.
[16:58] A guy died. A guy died. Okay. A guy was, this special baby was born and was in a manger and shepherds came and angels came and wise men came.
[17:11] Okay. But why? Because they're sinners. And here's what I'd just like to leave you with it. I'm through. They know it. I think that's what it says.
[17:21] They know it. They know there's a God. They're having a real battle right now. The one you say will never get saved is having a problem right now.
[17:34] He's mad at God. He's mad at church. And he's mad at Jesus. And he's mad at Christian stuff. And he wants to pull some atheist junk off in New York City. And he wants to say ugly things.
[17:46] But it's because he's mad. He's mad because creation screams at him, yes, there's a God and you're an idiot. And his conscience screams at him and says, yes, there's a God.
[17:57] And even the secrets you've done and the things nobody knows about, God does know. And he knows that. And so when they strike out at us sometimes, our reaction, I've been real guilty, our reaction is to strike back and defend our faith.
[18:11] When it's the time to say, instead of trying to say, let's go, we took a stand with Phil. Be careful with this stuff. Because they'd like to make it about Phil.
[18:24] And it ain't about Phil. It's about Jesus. It's about heaven. And it's about hell. And it's about people needing to be saved. And maybe a soft answer turns away wrath.
[18:36] And maybe a kind spirit towards them. And maybe at Christmas time, his family, man, dysfunctional families are going to get together. We all got that weirdo in our family we want to see get saved.
[18:46] And maybe we drop some of the rhetoric and share Jesus and just tell the story. And if they strike at you and they get ugly, don't get mad.
[18:57] Don't get huffy. Don't walk out of the room. Just share Jesus. Maybe some of your family will be convicted of their sin and trust Jesus. And it will be a great Christmas.
[19:09] Father in heaven, I love you. And I pray your name would be honored and glorified. And I pray you'd help our families. God, I pray that there would be this special hunger to share the gospel.
[19:24] And I pray, God, you'd help us to get off the political bandwagons and the cliches and the little sayings. And share our faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross.
[19:36] Help us to be excited about you sending your son, about your son coming. Help us. I'll give you praise. This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfredo, Georgia.
[19:48] For more information, log on to www.visionbaptist.com, where you can find our service times, location, contact information, and more audio and video recordings.
[20:00] Thanks.