The Plowman

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Christmas 2012 #02: an exposition of Hebrews 10:1-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, December 23, 2012.

Intro:

It was a beautiful starlit night.  The shepherds had gathered their flocks for the evening.  They were gathered about the campfire where they told stories and laughed.  It was a night like any other.  Like the hundreds that had gone before.  They recounted the events of the day, rehearsed the schedule for the next.  These were most likely “temple shepherds” charged with caring for those sheep that would one day be offered in the temple at Jerusalem.  Perhaps their thoughts turned toward David, the shepherd king.  He too had watch over flocks on these same hills.  It was a night like any other night filled with routine and monotony – suddenly there was a flash of brilliant light.  In their presence stood a fiery messenger, an angel of God – they were terrified!  “Stop fearing,” commanded the visitor.  “I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all the people.  Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  After telling them where and how they would find him, the sky was ablaze as a multitude of the heavenly host burst on the scene with the praise of God.  Then just as suddenly they vanished.  All was still and quiet.  No one moved.  No one said a word.  Finally one of them spoke, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.”  They took off like a shot.  When they found the child they relayed the story of what had happened to them.  They returned to their flocks glorifying and praising God.

You know the story well, perhaps too well.  You’ve heard it recited by children in a Christmas pageant.  You’ve heard it sung.  You’ve seen it portrayed in moves and television specials.  You’ve read it year after year.  You have no trouble reciting the whole story.  But it’s lost its wonder.  It’s become routine.  There are many who make there way to Bethlehem to view the Christ child but they miss the shepherd’s path.  What is it that ignited their passion?  What was it that drove them to go in haste to Bethlehem?  It was that announcement.  Born to you is a Savior who is the Christ.  It was in the Garden after the rebellion the promise was made of the seed of a woman that would come.  A redeemer.  The Lord’s anointed.  Throughout the ages the people of God had longed for His appearing.  Now they are told, “He’s here!”

The glory of Christmas can only be known this side of Calvary.  The Savior has come.  Mary and Joseph were told to name him “Jesus” for He will save His people.

Thesis: The glory of Christmas is found in the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice which alone brings cleansing and forgiveness.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  And it was good.  He created the stars and planets.  He created land and sea.  He filled the earth with vegetation and life.  The birds of the air, the creatures of the sea, cattle and everything that creeps upon the earth.  And it was good.  As the crowning act of creation God created man in His own image and likeness.  Created to be in relationship with God.  And it was very good.  Through the temptation of the Evil One our first parents rebelled and the world was plunged into moral and spiritual darkness.  Sin and death reigned.  But God promised a Deliverer.

In the Garden God slew an animal and covered man’s nakedness.  The Gospel was declared.  The innocent will die to redeem the guilty.  Throughout the ages the message was declared with every sacrifice.  Now He has come.  Unto you is born a Savior.

In order to understand and appreciate the wonder of this statement we turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 10.

Text: Hebrews 10:1-18

1. The limitations of the old sacrificial system.  (10:1-4)
2. The purpose of Christ’s coming.  (10:5-13)
3. The glorious fruit of His coming.  (10:14-18)

Conclusion:

The Bible is clear, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and the “wages of sin is death.”  The whole human family stands under the wrath of God and there is nothing any of us can do about it.  No amount of effort, no good intention, no ritual can change that.  But because God loves He provided the answer.  He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life.  Even those who believe on His name.

So when the angel said, “Unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior” those shepherds were compelled to go and see.  Having seen the Christ they left rejoicing.  What about you?  Have you made your way to the Christ?  It’s my prayer that you will find the shepherd’s path and come with haste.

Understanding that… The glory of Christmas is found in the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice which alone brings cleansing and forgiveness.

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Christmas 2012 #01: This is an exposition of Hebrews 1:1-3. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, December 16, 2012.

Intro:
In just over a week it will be Christmas Day!  I think the advertisements started just before Halloween or was it just after Easter?  Advent used to be a time when the church counted down to the arrival of the Christ child.  Now it is a countdown of shopping days left.  It is easy to get cynical about it all.  The commercialization, the shift to “Happy Holidays” in place of “Merry Christmas” and forgetting that Christ is the reason for the season.  I know there are those Christian groups who want nothing to do with the Christmas celebration believing that such is an embracing of paganism.  I will grant that there is nothing in Scripture or the early history of the church about celebrating the birth of Christ.  We are certainly never commanded to do so.  In fact we have no record of it being done until the 4^th century.

In fact December 25 has nothing to do with Christ’s birth.  All indications are that Christ was born in the late spring of 4 b.c.  December 25 was a pagan holiday.  That was the day the sun reached its lowest point on the horizon, and afterwards would begin its rise. The Romans rejoiced that the winter cold and darkness was ending, and they celebrated “the return of the sun” on December 25.  According to historians, on December 25 “a huge log or a whole tree, the Yule Log, would be cast into a bonfire.  Roman revelers would dance and sing around the fire, hoping to awaken the sun from its slumber.”   

This Roman celebration of the sun occurred every year during the time Christ walked the earth. The week long festival, beginning on December 17 and culminating on December 25, was called Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the Roman god of the sun.  December 25 was the highest holy day of Rome.   Historian J.M. Wheeler writes, “Everyone feasted and rejoiced! Work and business were for a season entirely suspended, and houses were decked with laurel and evergreen. Visits and presents were exchanged between friends, and clients gave gifts to their patrons. The whole season was one of rejoicing and goodwill and happy indulgences.”  The Romans called December 25 “The Day of the Unconquerable Sun.”

During the reign of Emperor Constantine (AD 306-337), Christians began taking and using the pagan customs of Saturnalia as an opportunity to tell others about Christ. It was through the intentional efforts of early Christians in using the customs of their culture as a vehicle to deliver the message of Jesus Christ that we Christians today have what we know as “Christmas.” Imagine being a Christian two thousand years ago in a culture where people are celebrating the resurrection of the Unconquerable Sun (“s-u-n”).  Christians would say to their lost friends, “Look, you’re worshiping an inanimate object in the sky.  Let me tell you about the Unconquerable Son of God.  His name is Jesus, He was born in Bethlehem.  He lived and died and rose again – a  real resurrection – and He did it for your sins and for mine. As we approach December 25 I want to remind you that…

Thesis: Christmas for us, as the people of God, is a time for recognizing, celebrating, worshiping and declaring God’s incomparable gift of His Son, the Lord Jesus!

There is nothing greater, no more important message than the message of the Gospel.  The telling of the good news of salvation in the person of Jesus Christ.  Luke summarizes the work of the early church by saying, “…every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42).  Philip went to Samaria where he “proclaimed the Christ” (Acts 8:5).  When he climbed into the Ethiopian’s chariot “he preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35).  Immediately after Paul conversion on the Road to Damascus, “he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues” (Acts 9:20).  Paul told the Corinthian believers that he resolved to know nothing “except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

The true message of Christmas is the glorious good news of God’s great gift of His Son.  We have every reason to sing, celebrate and revel in this Good News.  Our text this morning is found in the book of Hebrews and the first three verses.

Text: Hebrews 1:1-3 Out of this text I want to give you three reasons for why this is a time of celebration and ministry.

1. Christmas is a time to marvel at the wonder of Christ as creator, sustainer and focus of all things.  
2. Christmas is a time to stand in awe of glory of Christ’s as God of very God.
3.  Christmas is a time to revel in the beauty Christ’s redemptive sacrifice and reign as Sovereign King.