WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.540 Thank you very much, Fiona and John. 00:00:04.780 --> 00:00:12.460 Now, I wonder what responses we would get if we took to the streets and asked people what the meaning of Christmas was. 00:00:13.740 --> 00:00:17.920 Now, this week I've watched a good number of video interviews on YouTube. 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:20.980 Honestly, it was for sermon prep, not just passing my time. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.379 And I watched videos where people did that very thing. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:27.420 They took to the streets and said, what is Christmas all about? 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:31.900 And the answers were very funny and very telling. 00:00:32.780 --> 00:00:42.939 So one uni student, for example, said that Christmas meant going home to a warm house, a soft, comfy bed, a place where you didn't have to worry about everything, 00:00:43.380 --> 00:00:48.520 where the food wasn't bought for a pound out of Iceland and laundry was done for them magically. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:54.200 Whilst at uni, they lived in a freezing flat with no heating and a rock hard bed. 00:00:54.200 --> 00:01:02.400 One granddad said that Christmas was a time where all of his grandkids were in the same room together and they sang a few songs. 00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:05.079 The kids quickly ended up playing with their toys. 00:01:05.460 --> 00:01:08.820 But it was a nice time together where they all had a laugh. 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:18.379 Now, lots of other people focused on the food, the vast amounts of turkey, the gravy, all the stuffing you can eat and roast potatoes. 00:01:18.379 --> 00:01:21.699 That would make you a couch potato for a day or two. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:25.619 Enough time in front of the TV to switch off. 00:01:25.859 --> 00:01:29.399 And one man said enough time to have a proper drink. 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:37.579 A group of teenagers said that the meaning of Christmas was money, gifts, food and clothes. 00:01:38.780 --> 00:01:39.759 Nothing else mattered. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:49.859 Of the 50 different interviews roughly that I watched, only one person interviewed made any reference to any form of church service. 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:59.360 And even then the focus was the carols and the mince pies and the chat afterwards, rather than anything else or anyone else. 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:05.160 Now, Christmas is a well-established part of our lives and our culture, isn't it? 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:12.900 But so often the day comes and goes with everything focusing on what Christmas means to them. 00:02:13.539 --> 00:02:16.759 Not necessarily what Christmas is really all about. 00:02:17.979 --> 00:02:24.939 So instead of us taking to the streets this evening, it is quarter to 12 at night and asking people what Christmas is all about. 00:02:25.019 --> 00:02:28.579 I want us to turn to the Bible and ask that same question. 00:02:28.580 --> 00:02:39.780 In Philippians 2 verses 5 to 11 that Fiona read to us earlier, we get the answer to what or who, rather, Christmas is all about. 00:02:40.600 --> 00:02:47.500 It tells us the reality, the reason and the result of Christmas. 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:55.419 And my prayer is that seeing these three things will transform how we celebrate Christmas tomorrow morning. 00:02:55.979 --> 00:03:00.960 And maybe even change the way we think about what Christmas is all about. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:08.319 So the first thing we see in this passage, if you have it open in front of you, is the reality of Christmas. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:11.680 In verses 5 to 7, the reality of Christmas. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:23.599 Now the Apostle Paul, the person who wrote this letter to a small church, who seems to be getting caught up in selfish desires, in rivalry and in pride. 00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:32.260 People making much of themselves and not thinking about others in the church and not thinking about Jesus much either. 00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:35.879 That sounds a little bit familiar, doesn't it? 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:41.340 It's easy during Christmas to focus on everything else except for Jesus. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:50.040 The nativity scene becomes that nice little ornament and it gets pushed further and further back the more Christmas cards come through the post. 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:55.000 Jesus is seen as nothing more than just a cute little baby. 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:03.840 Realistically, in many homes up and down this country, Jesus is only ever thought about twice a year. 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:07.379 Once at Easter and once at Christmas. 00:04:07.379 --> 00:04:12.719 We're not really too dissimilar from this little church, are we? 00:04:14.060 --> 00:04:15.840 But Paul says, be different. 00:04:16.659 --> 00:04:18.279 Take Jesus as your example. 00:04:19.219 --> 00:04:21.759 You see, he had reason to boast. 00:04:22.819 --> 00:04:23.860 What were his reasons? 00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:28.300 Verse 6 says that Jesus was the very nature of God. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:30.399 Meaning, if you want to know what God is like. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:36.299 If you want to know how God would respond or react to certain situations, you look to Jesus. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.039 He is God in the flesh. 00:04:41.899 --> 00:04:46.539 See, we're tempted to think that Jesus' life began when he drew his first breath. 00:04:46.620 --> 00:04:49.379 Or when he made his first cry on this earth. 00:04:49.459 --> 00:04:53.799 But this passage tells us that Jesus is far, far greater than that. 00:04:54.219 --> 00:04:55.459 He is God. 00:04:55.459 --> 00:04:59.339 There has never been a time where Jesus didn't exist. 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:03.019 There will never be a time where Jesus doesn't exist. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:04.779 He has always been. 00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:07.259 And he will always be. 00:05:08.699 --> 00:05:14.539 That very first Christmas was just the first time he took on flesh and came to live with people. 00:05:15.599 --> 00:05:18.099 I've been a Christian for a good number of years now. 00:05:18.100 --> 00:05:22.820 And I still can't fully grasp the immensity of that wonderful truth. 00:05:24.300 --> 00:05:32.140 There is no comparison that we can draw to explain what Jesus did by leaving heaven and coming and taking on flesh. 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:39.439 Sure, we can think about maybe the queen who's surrounded by butlers and staff members waiting on her hand and foot all the time. 00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:46.020 For her then to leave Buckingham Palace and to live in a hut in the middle of the woods would be unthinkable. 00:05:46.019 --> 00:05:53.859 Or we can imagine maybe living in a castle with picturesque mountains around you. 00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:55.379 Breathtaking views. 00:05:57.180 --> 00:06:05.959 Voluntarily leaving that to go and live in a studio flat in an industrial city with a tiny window where all you see opposite you is a concrete wall. 00:06:07.620 --> 00:06:10.459 Now those are just tiny little illustrations. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:15.099 But none of them really compare to what Jesus did. 00:06:15.100 --> 00:06:22.280 Because he is the only one that really deserves all the glory and perfection. 00:06:22.460 --> 00:06:27.920 And yet he left that and took on flesh for us. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:35.620 And he didn't use his divine nature as God in the flesh as something to be used for his own advantage. 00:06:35.620 --> 00:06:41.840 Jesus had every right to come into this world and to take. 00:06:43.840 --> 00:06:45.540 He could have been born in a palace. 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:47.379 He could have demanded a throne. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:48.819 A kingdom. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:52.160 Power and authority over countries and armies. 00:06:52.259 --> 00:06:54.819 He could have come to take, take, take. 00:06:54.819 --> 00:06:59.779 But instead verse 7 says that Jesus humbled himself. 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:01.899 It says in verse 7, 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:06.019 He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:08.659 Being made in human likeness. 00:07:11.219 --> 00:07:14.740 Now in a time of year when the world is thinking about receiving gifts, 00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:18.319 the mantra is take, take and take. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.959 But the real message of Christmas is that Jesus humbled himself. 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:26.740 Step down from his place of glory and majesty. 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:31.180 Taking the form of a defenseless, vulnerable child. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:33.719 To give, give, give. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:39.360 The reality of Christmas is the king of this world. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:45.360 God took on flesh and came to dwell in our world of mess. 00:07:46.960 --> 00:07:52.220 God took on the form of humanity becoming like us yet still being fully God. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.600 The king left his throne for a crib. 00:07:57.699 --> 00:07:59.699 Jesus had to become one of us. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:07.300 He had to take on flesh so that he could identify with us and be tested and tried in every way like we are. 00:08:07.400 --> 00:08:08.080 But why? 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:12.740 Well that's the second thing we see in this passage. 00:08:13.280 --> 00:08:15.960 The reason for Christmas in verse 8. 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:18.020 The reason for Christmas. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.139 Look at verse 8 with me. 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:27.759 It says that Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:37.820 So why would Jesus voluntarily leave his place of glory and splendor in heaven to come into a world of mess? 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:42.480 A world of pain, of isolation and darkness? 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:46.220 The answer has to be the cross. 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.159 Because the crib makes no sense without the cross. 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:53.899 The cross is the most important moment in history. 00:08:53.899 --> 00:08:59.039 Because it's the moment that God had planned from the very beginning of time. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:04.959 The moment where Jesus, God in the flesh, would bear all the weight of sin. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:11.460 Where he would take the punishment that we all deserve and that he would die. 00:09:12.259 --> 00:09:15.840 So that rebellious people like us can live. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:21.080 Realistically, we think of God a little bit like Santa. 00:09:21.800 --> 00:09:28.100 A big man with a beard who lives far, far away and who keeps a list of naughty and nice people. 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:32.159 The nice people are those who receive gifts. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.440 Who are blessed and you have a relatively easy, straightforward life. 00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:40.800 And the naughty people are those who deserve to be punished. 00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:45.240 But you see, the Bible tells us a completely different story. 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:49.759 And a much more beautiful and comforting one at that. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:56.360 The reality is that each and every one of us has done wrong in God's sight. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:02.240 We have rebelled against him from the very beginning of time. 00:10:02.419 --> 00:10:04.980 And we continue to do so every single day. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:12.700 Therefore, every person is rightly under the just wrath and anger of God. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:16.319 But we can't do anything about it ourselves. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:24.740 See, this just and glorious God created us to be in union in a relationship with him. 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:28.700 But we're sinful humans. 00:10:28.800 --> 00:10:32.620 We can't enter that glory with God because he is holy and we are not. 00:10:33.780 --> 00:10:35.920 It's not about being a goody two-shoes. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:40.520 We can't work our way into heaven, work our way into God's good books. 00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:44.840 Because sin penetrates every area of our lives. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:49.460 And I think deep down we all know this to be true, don't we? 00:10:50.400 --> 00:10:51.800 We all hurt people. 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:59.480 We don't need to be taught to lie or to throw a tantrum or to pull people down with our words. 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:02.220 We can't be good enough. 00:11:02.640 --> 00:11:08.740 We can't do enough good deeds to be right with God again because we need someone from outside 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:16.279 to come into our sinful world, into our mess, to reunite us with God. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:20.600 Someone who is perfect, who can do that work on our behalf. 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:28.500 And so the reason for Christmas is that God, out of his amazing love, out of his amazing kindness, 00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:34.180 sent Jesus Christ into the world so that we could be forgiven and made right with God. 00:11:36.060 --> 00:11:39.580 That happened some 33 years after the birth of Jesus. 00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:41.580 Jesus needed to be forgiven and made right with us. 00:11:41.580 --> 00:11:46.200 On the day that he was nailed to a Roman cross and publicly executed, though innocent. 00:11:48.280 --> 00:11:53.020 Jesus needed to become one of us so that he could take the punishment that we deserve. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:12:02.300 But it wasn't the Romans or Pilate or Herod who forced Jesus to be humbled to the point of dying on a cross. 00:12:02.299 --> 00:12:09.179 The passage says Jesus voluntarily and obediently followed the will of God, the Father. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:11.959 It wasn't done on a whim. 00:12:13.219 --> 00:12:14.199 It wasn't an accident. 00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:19.859 But it was God's plan of salvation from the very beginning of time. 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:25.659 As one of the most famous Bible verses says, John 3, 16, 00:12:25.659 --> 00:12:44.419 Friends, the real reason for Christmas, the reason that Jesus was born in a crib was so that he could go to the cross. 00:12:45.899 --> 00:12:51.059 Not so that he could take, take, take, but so that he could give eternal life. 00:12:51.059 --> 00:12:56.000 So that he could give a true relationship to us again with God. 00:12:56.539 --> 00:13:01.839 And so that he could give forgiveness to a sinful people like you and me. 00:13:03.299 --> 00:13:09.479 So the reality of Christmas is that God, the Son, humbled himself and was born in a crib. 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:17.159 The reason for Christmas was so that Jesus, God in the flesh, could go to the cross and die in our place. 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:23.519 And the third and final thing this passage teaches us is the result of Christmas. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.699 Verses 9 to 11, the result of Christmas. 00:13:27.579 --> 00:13:29.719 Verses 9 to 11 say this. 00:13:30.579 --> 00:13:36.939 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:42.620 That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:49.159 And every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:13:51.419 --> 00:13:55.279 The death of Jesus on the cross was not the end of the story. 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:59.419 Three days later, he would rise from the grave. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:05.980 And he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, exalted above all things. 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:10.019 And he has been given that greatest seat of honor. 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:16.840 Jesus has been crowned Lord and returned to his place of kingship and authority. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:22.620 And he has been crowned because of the work that he did in the crib. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:25.500 Because of the work that he did on the cross. 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:35.639 Jesus, having completed his work of making forgiveness possible for all those who believe and put their trust in him, sits down. 00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:38.579 His work is complete. 00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:43.320 He is the perfect servant king that we were listening to earlier on. 00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:45.800 Crowned in splendor and majesty. 00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:48.600 And it has two results for us this evening. 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:57.680 See, Jesus was exalted above everyone else so that one, every knee will bow before him. 00:14:58.680 --> 00:15:02.900 And two, that every tongue confess him as Lord. 00:15:02.899 --> 00:15:11.539 Now the Bible makes it abundantly clear that a day is coming when all people will kneel and confess Jesus as Lord. 00:15:12.819 --> 00:15:20.939 Christians will make that confession with great joy and humility as we eagerly await that day of Jesus' return. 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:25.940 But others will make that confession with despair and anguish. 00:15:25.940 --> 00:15:31.300 Because in their lives they rejected Jesus and wanted nothing to do with him. 00:15:33.300 --> 00:15:37.940 Friends, the result of Christmas is that Jesus is crowned Lord of all creation. 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:43.520 Over everything that has been made and that includes your life. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:55.939 If you're a Christian here this evening, as we enter these next few days of celebrations, let us worship and adore our wonderful God. 00:15:56.299 --> 00:16:00.199 Who has done amazing things and made forgiveness possible. 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:04.220 Made it possible for us to have a relationship with God again. 00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:07.879 Let us be in awe of Jesus. 00:16:09.040 --> 00:16:15.420 God in the flesh who came to the crib to go to the cross and who is now crowned above all. 00:16:17.139 --> 00:16:20.680 And if you're not a Christian here this evening, remember those three words. 00:16:21.420 --> 00:16:23.540 Crib, cross and crown. 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:28.560 And I invite you over the next few days to investigate what they really mean. 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:32.899 And if you have questions, please do grab me afterwards or fire me an email. 00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:34.399 It's all on the website. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.620 And I'd love to chat to you about it. 00:16:38.059 --> 00:16:41.279 Friends, the real meaning of Christmas is not the things we thought about in the beginning. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.840 It's not about gifts. 00:16:44.059 --> 00:16:46.259 It's not even about time with friends and family. 00:16:46.439 --> 00:16:49.059 It's not about a few days off work and good food. 00:16:49.059 --> 00:16:51.539 As good and fun as all those things are. 00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.759 And they are to be enjoyed. 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.600 But the true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus humbled himself. 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:01.620 That he took on flesh being born in a crib. 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:07.980 That Jesus being God in the flesh willingly went to the cross to die for the sins of the world. 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:16.779 And that Jesus being raised to life is now exalted and has been given a crown because he is Lord over all things. 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:21.160 Will you consider those truths this Christmas time? 00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:27.059 And come in humility and confess Jesus as Lord and worship him. 00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:29.220 Let's pray together. 00:17:32.659 --> 00:17:38.859 Heavenly Father, at this time of Christmas, we as a whole country often reflect. 00:17:39.679 --> 00:17:46.759 We take time out from the busyness of our lives and we take stock of a year that's gone past and a year that is coming. 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:54.079 Lord, my prayer is that this evening we would reflect on who you are. 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:57.720 Reflect on the real meaning of Christmas. 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:00.240 The birth of Jesus Christ. 00:18:00.879 --> 00:18:03.420 That led to the cross which brings forgiveness. 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:10.700 And that results in his wonderful exaltation as he is crowned Lord of all. 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:16.299 Help us reflect on him and humbly come and confess him as Lord. 00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.100 In his name we pray. 00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.160 Amen.