12/21          Matthew 1:18-21

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement[a] quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[b] for he will save his people from their sins.”

CHRIST

Born to Mary, wife of Joseph, a virgin.

He was the Son of God.

He came to bring us back to Himself-to save us from our sin.

We are separated from God Jesus will pay the cost of that separation,

When as an adult He will die for our sin, 

Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life,

There is no other way to the Father. 

12/20          Luke 1:26-33

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,[a] favored woman! The Lord is with you![b]”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

DIVINE

Gabriel comes to Mary.

God has sent His messenger.

Mary is said to have favor with God,

Because of God’s sovereign grace. 

The long awaited Messiah is coming.

He will be a child.

He will grow in grace and favor under Mary’s tutelage and God’s strong hand. 

He will be the Son of God.

He will reign forever. 

Praise God, our Savior has come, our God is faithful. 

12/19          Acts 3:6

6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

POWER

Jesus Christ has all power and authority.

He is the risen Christ,

Raised from the dead.

He paid the price for our sin.

He seeks to glorify the Father and does so through Peter.

This is a breaking into our world by the Kingdom of God.

Jesus really is in control.

This healing of the blind man includes spiritual restoration. 

Jesus changes everything. 

12/18          John 1:1

In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.

KING

Jesus is King of the Universe.

Given that title by the Father.

He always was with God.

He always is God.

Jesus loves you. 

12/17          1 Corinthians 6:11

11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

ONCE

Once we were lost.

Now we are saved. 

Jesus saved us.

He is the only way to the Father. 

12/16          Romans 10:13

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

YOU

Do you feel like a failure?

You’ve tried to follow God and yet continue to be defeated.

Heartache swells up around you and you can’t move ahead.

The world is so dark.

Yet, our victory is in Jesus, not us.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 

Believe in Jesus, not the darkness of the world. 

12/15          Isaiah 9:6

6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

PROPHECY

This is a prophetic message of hope during a dark time.

This tells us someone is coming, and he is human and divine.

He will give us divine insight, guidance and understanding. 

This affirms the deity and power of Jesus. 

He will be the source of true and lasting peace. 

12/14          John 14:13

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

ASK

We are to pray and ask in Jesus name. 

Jesus is God and He came to earth to seek and save the lost. 

Lostness is the tragic human condition.

All people are dead in their trespasses and sin,

Until they come to Jesus and receive the free gift of life. 

Anything tells us that Jesus is powerful and extremely generous. 

Praise the Lord. 

12/13          John 14:6

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

SIX

This is number six of the “I AM” statements of Jesus.

Jesus is the exclusive way to reconciliation with the Father. 

He embodies divine truth.

He reveals the Father to humanity.

Jesus is on a mission to save us from our sin. 

12/12          Philippians 2:9-11

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

JESUS

Jesus is the highest authority, the highest power above all others. 

All creation will recognize His Lordship-every tongue will confess.

The exaltation of Jesus brings glory to God the Father. 

Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise.