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[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. Thank you very much. You can have a seat. I'm going to ask Miguel to read our text in Spanish.

[0:15] Open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 1 and verse 18. And the guys in the back will put it up on the screen so you can keep up. And I just want to read from Matthew 1, 18.

[0:36] Down to verse 25. And so he'll read it in Spanish. And you follow along in English. Y ustedes seguirán en inglés.

[0:46] Dice 18 al 25. I'll just tell him when to change.

[1:02] Okay. 19. José, su marido, como era justo y no quería infamarla, quiso dejarla secretamente. Y pensando él en esto, he aquí un ángel del Señor le apareció en sueños y le dijo, José, hijo de David, no temas recibir a María tu mujer, porque lo que en ella es engendrado del Espíritu Santo es.

[1:22] Y dará a luz un hijo y llamará su nombre Jesús, porque él salvará a su pueblo de sus pecados. Todo esto aconteció para que se cumpliese lo dicho por el Señor por medio del profeta, cuando dijo, He aquí una virgen concebirá y dará a luz un hijo y llamará su nombre Emanuel, que traducido es Dios con nosotros.

[1:42] Y despertando José del sueño, hizo como el ángel del Señor le había mandado y recibió a su mujer. Pero no la conoció hasta que dio a luz a su hijo primogénito y le puso por nombre Jesús.

[1:54] You've got your Bible open there. I want you to look at Matthew chapter 1 and verse 18. Your Bible says, now the birth of Jesus the sent one.

[2:11] No, it says Jesus the sent one. Don't worry about it says the Bible, I'll fix it in a second. He's like, that ain't in the Bible. That ain't in the Bible.

[2:23] Just say, Jesus the sent one. Jesús el enviado. In other words, that's what Christ means. En otras palabras, esto lo que Cristo significa. He is the Messiah.

[2:35] Él es el Mesías. He's the sent one. Él es el enviado. And so God's saying, eternal God, Dios eterno, is coming now. That's what happened.

[2:46] Eso lo que ocurrió. Because Jesus has always existed. Porque Jesús siempre ha existido. In the beginning, He was already there. En el principio ya estaba ahí. And so when He is born at Bethlehem, Entonces cuando Él nació en Belén, This is not the beginning of the story.

[3:02] Ese no es el principio de la historia. You're actually getting real close to the climax of the story. Estás básicamente llegando al punto en el cual cambia la historia. Because we've had about 4,000 years Porque hemos tenido alrededor de 4,000 años Of history going on.

[3:18] De historia que ya ha ocurrido. And ever since Adam and Eve, Y desde que Adán y Eva, They've been waiting on the sent one. Han esperado al enviado. The Messiah. El Mesías. The Christ.

[3:28] El Cristo. And so it says His name is, It says the birth of Jesus Christ. So entonces dice acá, El nacimiento de Jesucristo. But if you look at verse 25, Pero si miras al versículo 25, It says just name Him, She named Him Jesus.

[3:43] Dice que nada más le dieron por nombre Jesús. Because His name is Jesus. Porque su nombre es Jesús. And His title is Christ. Y su título es Cristo. So He was God in the very beginning.

[3:54] Entonces Él es Dios desde el principio. He will not grow up into God. He will not grow up. No va a crecer a ser Dios. Él no va a crecer a ser Dios. He's going to be God.

[4:05] Él es Dios. Now is God. Ahorita es Dios. Now look if you would, If you would in verse 23, Mira al versículo 23 lo que dice ahí. Another name that He has. Dice que otro nombre que tiene.

[4:17] Is Emmanuel. Emmanuel. And Emmanuel means. Emmanuel significa. Say it out loud with me. Dígalo conmigo. God with us. Dios con nosotros. Say it again.

[4:27] Dígalo otra vez. God with us. Dios con nosotros. Now look at verse 21. Mira ahora al versículo 21. Call His name Jesus. Dice, llamará su nombre Jesús. He will save His people from their sins.

[4:39] Porque Él salvará a su pueblo de sus pecados. And Christmas gets lost. En la Navidad se nos olvida lo que significa. Off the path. Se pierde del camino. Down some crazy roads.

[4:50] En caminos locos. Because we don't know what Jesus came for. Porque no sabemos la razón por la cual Jesús vino. So maybe you could write in the margin of your Bible. Entonces a lo mejor puedes escribir ahí en la margen de tu Biblia.

[5:02] What I'm calling this message. Lo que voy a amar este, el título que voy a dar a este mensaje. The Christmas sacrifice. El sacrificio de la Navidad. Because what's happening is.

[5:12] Porque lo que está ocurriendo es lo siguiente. Jesus is coming to die. Jesús está viniendo para morir. And God is being born in a human body. Dios está naciendo en un cuerpo de un hombre.

[5:27] Because He's God. Porque Él es Dios. And He can. Y Él puede hacerlo. And this is what He did. Y esto fue lo que Él hizo. Number one. Number uno. He was rich. Él era rico.

[5:37] And He became poor. Y vino a ser pobre. For us. Por nosotros. Según 2 Corinthians 8, 9. Segunda de Corintios, capítulo número 8, versículo número 9.

[5:48] I want you to read that verse with me. Quiero que lean este versículo conmigo. Segunda de Corintios, capítulo número 8. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Porque sabes la gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

[6:01] That He was rich. De que Él era rico. Yet for your sakes. Por amor a vosotros. He became poor. Se hizo pobre. That through His poverty.

[6:12] Para que vosotros con su pobreza. Might be made rich. Fueses enriquecidos. Or might be rich. O que fueran hechos ricos. Jesus was alive long before Bethlehem.

[6:23] Jesús ya había existido mucho antes de que nació. Or maybe I should say Christ. O debo decir entonces Cristo. The Son of God. El Hijo de Dios. He is eternal God.

[6:34] Él es Dios eterno. And He was in heaven. Y Él estaba en el cielo. And He was enjoying all that God is. Y Él estaba disfrutando de todo lo que Dios es. Being God. Siendo Dios.

[6:44] He is God Himself. Él es Dios. God the Father. Dios el Padre. God the Son. Dios el Hijo. God the Holy Spirit. Dios el Espíritu Santo. And He is in heaven. Y Él está en el cielo.

[6:55] And His creation. Y Su creación. Has sinned against Him. Había pecado en contra de Él. And they are lost. Y estaban perdidos. They are poverty stricken. Estaban llenos de pobreza.

[7:07] They are going to go to hell. Iban a ir al infierno. And God the Father. Pero Dios el Padre. God the Son. Dios el Hijo. God the Holy Spirit. Y Dios el Espíritu Santo. Said we love man.

[7:18] Dijeron amamos a la humanidad. I love man. Yo amo a la humanidad. And God stood up. Y Dios separó. Jesus the Son of God. Jesús el Hijo de Dios. He put down all of His riches.

[7:30] And He came to earth. And so it wasn't really about Santa Claus. It wasn't even really about a nativity scene. If you could really see it.

[7:43] It's about a cross. It's about a cross. It's about God loving you. God loving me. Putting on a human body.

[7:54] So He could feel everything we would feel. Giving up all that He was. Not being God. He didn't quit being God.

[8:07] But He gave up all the riches of heaven. He took on a body that made Him tired. And hungry. He got mocked by His own creation.

[8:20] And He would die for us. That's what happens in Philippians chapter 2. In verse 6. Read that with me if you would.

[8:34] Philippians chapter 2. In verse 6. Who being in the form of God. He did not think it was robbery to be equal with God.

[8:45] No estimul ser igual a Dios como cosa que aferrarse. Look at verse 7. He made Himself of no reputation. Now you need to underline something here.

[9:00] He made Himself. It's not that God the Father said. I need somebody I can beat up on. And so I'm going to send you down there.

[9:14] And I'm making you go die for them. And I'm making you go die for them. Jesus said. Jesus said. I am willing to give up all I have. I am willing to give up all I have.

[9:25] Give up all my reputation. I am willing to give up all my reputation. Take on the form of a servant. Take on the form of a servant. Be made like a human being. I am willing to give up all I have. You've got to understand.

[9:36] When you hear that. You're like. Well that wasn't a bad deal. When you hear that. You're like. Well that wasn't a bad deal. Because you look at it and you say. Being a man is not that bad. Because look at it and you say. Being a man is not that bad. Just depends on what you're comparing it to.

[9:49] Depends on what you're comparing it to. It's basically like you comparing you being made into a gingerbread man. es básicamente comparándote a ti mismo, siendo en comparación a un hombre de pan. So something you make, algo que tú hiciste, something that's limited, algo limitado, something that has no power, algo que no tiene poder, no reputation, no reputation, will be gone real quick.

[10:12] Y se irá pronto. And Jesus said, I will do that. Y Jesús dijo, yo haré eso. In verse 8 He said, en versículo número 8 He dijo, that He made Himself like a man. Y estando en la condición de hombre, He humbled Himself.

[10:24] Se humilló a sí mismo. That means He lowered Himself. Eso significa que Él se bajó a sí mismo. Maybe you think of us as like the big thing in creation. A lo mejor piensas que nosotros somos lo grande en la creación.

[10:36] Yeah, and we are. Y lo somos. We just got to remember. Podemos acordarnos. We're creation. Somos una creación. We were made. Fomos hechos. He wasn't made.

[10:47] Él no fue hecho. He made us. Él nos hizo a nosotros. It's like you becoming that little paper doll you cut out. It's like you are coming to be a creation with hands.

[10:58] And He humbled Himself. And He became obedient to the death of the cross. Hasta la muerte y muerte de cruz.

[11:08] That's what Christmas is about. Eso es lo que se trata la Navidad. Christmas is about God becoming man to die.

[11:21] Can you just imagine? I can only think of what the angels must have been thinking. No puedo ni siquiera pensar de lo que los ángeles estaban pensando. The angels have seen Him in glory. Los ángeles lo han visto en la gloria.

[11:31] He has said that He is so big that He can carve out the Grand Canyon with His finger. Que Él puede hacer el Grand Canyon con su dedo.

[11:42] He has said that He can make the earth His footstool. Él ha dicho que Él va a ser la tierra donde reposa sus pies. He is so big Él es tan grande and the angels watch is the all-powerful almighty God and He stands up lays all that down and humbles Himself down to be a puny little man.

[12:14] And then He said I'll die. I'll humble myself. I will let my creation spit on me mock me call me a king slap me in the head pull my beard out but I'll let them do it and I will take their sin debt.

[12:43] I think the angels must have gone Can you believe what's happening? He must love them. There's something going on here bigger than I can understand.

[12:58] How could the great God of heaven become a man and die on a cross? But He did.

[13:10] Was not a surprise. It's not like they grabbed Him. I hate to say this but no Christmas movie no Easter movie nor of Navidad ever shows what really happened.

[13:34] Nobody grabbed Jesus and made Him die. Look at Matthew 20, 28. He didn't come here on earth to be ministered to.

[13:48] He did not come to be worshipped. He didn't come so everybody would say God's here because our sin and its consequences needed to be taken care of and He came to die.

[14:13] And the Bible verse says He gave to give His life. Underline in your Bible to give His life.

[14:28] Nobody took His life. All the story is He gave His life. He died because He wanted to.

[14:40] He died for us. 1 John 2 2 2 The Bible says that He came to be the propitiation for our sins.

[14:57] That word propitiation is a major big word. But it's kind of the word that's used in the book of Numbers and if you'll remember the books the Ten Commandments are in the Ark and so when a man comes to the Ark you can mark it down that the commandments will make him get on his knees because the commandments are going to say you sinned you are not worthy to be in my presence.

[15:37] But above the Ten Commandments on top of the Ark He built this place called a mercy seat which basically is a propitiation place.

[15:52] and He put that there and every time a lamb died the blood was put there and God said that's where I'll talk to you from.

[16:10] I will talk to you from where I paid your sin debt. I'm not going to talk to you from the law place I'll not talk to you where you deserve to die.

[16:26] I'll talk to you from where I did die. That is a beautiful story. You can know this your salvation is not because you keep those Ten Commandments you couldn't keep them He died for them and says I'll talk to you from there.

[16:50] Last verse 1 John chapter John chapter 10 and verse 18 John 10 18 Jesus said before He died on His way to Calvary He said nobody takes my life from me.

[17:18] Nobody's going to kill me. Nobody's going to make me die. I will lay down my life. I lay it down of myself.

[17:32] Not even my father is killing me. I'm laying it down. He said I have the power to take it back up. My father said I did.

[17:48] My father said I did. And I lay down my life. So please know this. Christmas is the most fantastic time of the year.

[18:03] If you understand what it's about. It's about God saying angels announce it. Tell them all.

[18:16] I'm coming now. I'm here. I have come to die. I'm being born. I just want the world to know I'm here. 33 years from now they'll nail me to a cross.

[18:33] But that's why I'm here. because I love you. So the joy of Christmas is how much your God loves you. You should go home telling him how much you love him back.

[18:51] None of us could ever imagine being loved that much. He loves us. He loves us. He loves us.

[19:01] He loves us. There's no way to describe it. No human can explain it.

[19:13] He loves us. He came to pay our sin debt. And so that day on Christmas when he was born and what we call Christmas was the great God of heaven said I will pay their sin debt.

[19:39] I think the angels were like I can't believe this. In fact it's in one place I think it's Peter who said the angels just like to look into this.

[19:55] They just like to say let me check that out. Have you ever seen any kind of love like that? He loves us. So when you go home enjoy your family time.

[20:11] Enjoy all the gift given. Maybe you could sneak off somewhere. Get up a little bit early. Go to bed a little bit later.

[20:24] And say God it's a big family time here. But I'm not going to forget what you've done. I'm not letting gifts and parties and food and decorations let me forget that on that day you came to earth and and you were born loving me knowing that you were going to die.

[20:58] I love you. Thank you. Father in heaven I love you. I thank you so very much. I ask you to bless your people tonight.

[21:11] God help them to know how much you love them. God I pray their hearts will explode thinking about how great you are.

[21:25] God they will feel the sweet wonderful love you have for us. I pray they'll marvel.

[21:39] I pray God that they'll just stand in awe and wonder that they'll just stand in awe and wonder thinking about how great you are. Pensando acerca de cuán grande tú eres. I thank you for what you did when you came to earth.

[21:50] Gracias por lo que hiciste cuando viniste a la tierra. I thank you for dying on the cross. Gracias por morir en la cruz. I thank you for being dead, dead, dead. Gracias por morir, morir, morir.

[22:01] And then rise again. Y después resucitar de nuevo. And let us know that all of our sins were taken care of. And that you paid our debt.

[22:13]  And that you paid our debt.