1. The Pivotal Point of Christmas 12/25/11 AM

2.  Why is Christmas such an important event?  Do you need more stuff or another holiday?  Is it because of Baby Jesus? Who was He anyway?  Do you believe in Christmas? In Christ? What do you know about Him?  Most cults and religions agree on 1 thing. They deny the deity of Jesus Christ. They believe He was not God.  Why are there so many different ideas? So many cults?  Why their success? I Cor. 11:19  More about cults: Rom. 16:17; Co. 2:7-9; I Jn. 4:3; Jude 4  Is Jesus really God? Did God really become human?  Jesus is God. He is as much God as the Father and the Holy Spirit!  Let’s watch the Bible defend this idea.

3.  Self-existent life  Jn 1:4; Jn 14:6  Eternal  Jn 8:35; I Jn 1:2  Unchangeable  Hebrews 13:8  Present everywhere  Mt. 18:20; Mt. 28:20  Knowing everything  Col. 2:3; Jn 16:30; Jn 2:17  Having all power  Mt. 28:20; Phil 3:20,21  Incomparable  Eph. 3:19  Infinite  Eph. 3:8  Holy  Acts 3:14  Truth”ful”  Rev. 3:7  Love  I Jn. 3:16  Righteous  1 Jn. 2:1  Faithful  Merciful

4.  Creation – Jn 1:3  Preservation - Heb. 1:3  Control of History – Heb. 1:2  Forgiveness of Sins and Eternal Salvation Mk. 2:5,7,12  Building the Church – Mt. 16:18  Answering Prayer – Jn. 14:14  Raising the Dead – Jn. 5; Jn 11  Judging the World – Acts 10:42

5.  In the Old Testament  Immanuel – Isa. 7:14  Wonderful – Isa. 9:6  Counselor  Mighty God  Everlasting Father  Prince of Peace  Jehovah – Zech. 12:10; Jer. 23:5,6

6.  In the New Testament  Christ – Anointed One of the OT  Lord – Authority, Ownership  I Am – Greek for Jehovah – Jn 8:58; 18:4-6  Son of God – Has the qualities and characteristics of the Father - It speaks of His deity. He has always been the Son of God.  The Word – Jesus is the expression of God.  Only Begotten – Only expression of God in the flesh, the way God showed Himself.  First and Last – Rev. 1:17; Isa. 41:4; Alpha and Omega  Lord of Glory – Acts. 10:36  God – Jn. 20:28; Mt. 1:23; Titus 2:13  Stone of Stumbling, etc.

7.  He Accepted it.  Mt. 28:9,10  He Demanded it.  Jn. 5:23; Heb. 1:6  All mankind will give Him worship.  Phil. 2:10,11

8.  He claims authority over the Temple and Sabbath, and Law.  He claims that He is the object of saving faith.  He claims equality with God  Jn. 5:18; Jn. 19:7

9.  Psalm 110:1  The Lord said unto my Lord – Mt. 22:41-46  Isa. 7:14  Immanuel, God with us.  Isa. 9:6  Mighty God- etc!

10.  There is only 1 God – yet Jesus is called God.  God alone is to be worshipped, yet Jesus is worshipped.  God alone is to receive glory, yet Jesus receives glory.  Jews tempted God in the wilderness, yet Paul says that Jesus was  Jesus claimed to be God – was He a liar?  God said He would be pierced, yet Jesus was pierced.  God purchased us with His blood, yet it was Jesus.  God only can forgive sin, Jesus did and still does.  God is our Redeemer, yet Jesus is.  God is our Savior, yet Jesus is.

11.  Know that Christmas is to be understood in the light of this foundation stone.  This is the pivotal point of Christmas.  If the Babe in the manger was not God, then He was not capable or necessary.  Believe on Him and receive Him today.  I Tim. 2:3,4 – “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior…”