“The Miracles of Christmas” Luke 1-2, Mt 1-2 & Selected Cross Creek Community Church, Pastor Dave Martin – Dec 6, 2015

Christmas

God surrounds the birth of Jesus with miracles… Hundreds of prophecies concerning His coming, Isa 7:14

God surrounds the birth of Jesus with miracles… Hundreds of prophecies concerning His coming, Isa 7:14 Perfect timing during the brutal Roman Empire, Gal 4:4

God surrounds the birth of Jesus with miracles… Hundreds of prophecies concerning His coming, Isa 7:14 Perfect timing during the brutal Roman Empire, Gal 4:4 Precious stories encompassing HIS-story… 400 silent years… Zechariah & Elizabeth… Genealogy, engagement & announcements to Mary & Joseph… Roman census & journey to Bethlehem… Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem’s stable… Angelic announcement to the lowly shepherds… The Wisemen and God’s special star… Etc.

1. God’s Christmas Miracle of the Incarnation Luke 1:31-35 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Medical Doctor, M.R. DeHaan writes It is now definitely known that the blood which flows in an unborn babies arteries and veins is not derived from the mother but is produced within the body of the fetus itself only after the introduction of the male sperm. An unfertilized ovum (female reproductive egg cell) can never develop blood since the female egg does not by itself contain the elements essential for the production of this blood. It is only after the male element has entered the egg cell that blood can develop.

JESUS Philippians 2:6-7 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Lu 1:34-35; Mt 1:20-23; John 1:1-18, 8:58, 10:30-33, 17:5, 20:28; Col 1:15-20; Phil 2:5-8; Heb 1:3; etc)

“Hypostatic Union”: Fully God and fully man The hypostatic union is the term used to describe how God the Son, Jesus Christ took on a human nature, yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God, but at the incarnation, Jesus took on human flesh - He became a human being. Jesus' two natures, human and divine, are inseparable. Jesus will forever be the God-man, fully God and fully human, two distinct natures in one Person. Jesus' humanity and divinity are not mixed, but are united without loss of separate identity.

Jesus: Fully God and Fully Man “Son of Man”– Humanity, 100% Man (85 times in N.T.)… Stresses the humanity of Christ “Son of God”– Divinity, 100% God (38 times in N.T.)… Stresses the divinity of Christ

2. God’s Christmas Miracle of His Mission Luke 2:9-11 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

2. God’s Christmas Miracle of His Mission Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

2. God’s Christmas Miracle of His Mission 1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

2. God’s Christmas Miracle of His Mission Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

2. God’s Christmas Miracle of His Mission Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.“

3. God’s Christmas Miracle for You Matthew 2:10-11 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. v12 …they returned to their country by another route…

3. God’s Christmas Miracle for You Philippians 2:9-11 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Have you accepted God’s Christmas gift to you?