And now would you open the Word of God with me
please to the second chapter of the Gospel of
Luke. Many western nations celebrate Christmas
today on December 25th. As we look back in history,
it seems as though the first celebration of the
birth of Christ took place about 98 A .D. It
was not until the fourth century, however, that
the date was fixed that we celebrate Christmas
on. Just when Jesus was actually born, we do
not know. The shepherds were out in the fields
keeping watch over their flocks, so it must have
been during the months that that was possible,
and during the winter that is not possible in
the Holy Land. The Eastern Orthodox churches
celebrate Christmas on January the 6th, as you
may be aware. But most of our people in the United
States celebrate Christmas on this weekend. Sadly,
we have to confess also that the celebration
of Christmas is largely secularized in our society.
Even the religious aspects of it seem to have
little genuine meaning to most people. Many people
sing the carols, and one can even hear large
crowds of people sing through the Messiah, and
yet they have no real understanding, in many
cases, of what they're singing. We would probably
agree that Christmas doesn't mean to the world
what it should. But the question I want to look
at this morning is, what should Christmas mean
to the world? from the Bible's perspective. We've
talked about the meaning of Christmas to God
the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
the angels, and today we come to the world. What
does Christmas mean to the world, or what should
it mean as far as the Bible is concerned? We'll
begin to uncover the answer here in Luke chapter
2, where we have two statements, each of them
given by important persons around the Christmas
story. The first one, an angel. In verse 10,
the angel said to them, the shepherds, do not
be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of
a great joy which shall be for all the people.
For today in the city of David there has been
born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
Notice that the angel says that the Savior was
born for them, but the angel also said that this
is a great joy. It is good news for all the people.
We take that in the broadest possible sense.
Not just all of the Jewish people, but all of
the peoples of the world. And then if you would
look further into the chapter to the 30th verse,
we have part of the statement of Simeon. He says,
For my eyes have seen thy salvation. which thou
hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the
glory of thy people Israel. And his father and
mother were amazed at the things which were being
said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said
to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed
for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and
for a sign to be opposed. and a sword will pierce
even your own soul, to the end that thoughts
from many hearts may be revealed." To the world,
it seems to me that Christmas ought to have at
least three strands of meaning. The first one
is that salvation is possible. As the world considers
Christmas, the first thing that it ought to mean
is this. that because of Christmas, salvation
is possible. We, ourselves, must never get tired
of hearing this good news. God knew what the
world needed, and he provided it. Dr. John Egan,
who is pastor of Grace Church, Edina, wrote recently,
What is the reason Jesus came to the world? What
is it our world was most in need of? If the answer
was better housing, God would have sent a real
estate developer. If the answer was an improved
financial system, God would have sent an economist.
If the answer was a more effective government
system, God would have sent a politician. If
the answer was a greater vision of the cosmos,
God would have sent a space scientist. If the
answer was a more effective legal system, God
would have sent a lawyer. If the answer was more
religion, God would have sent a religious guru.
If the answer was a healthier environment, God
would have sent an environmental engineer. What
is it our world was most in need of? The answer
is a Savior. That is what the world was and is
today most in need of. A Savior who would rescue
us from our sin and restore our union with God.
A Savior whose mission was so wonderfully accomplished
that we who belong to the family of God no longer
stand in any condemnation before the Lord. Praise
the Lord. That's what the world needed. A Savior,
and that is what God provided. Simeon says it
this way, My eyes have seen thy salvation, which
thou hast prepared. God prepared or God ordained
this salvation of which Simeon speaks. It is
not accidental. It is providential. God took
deliberate action on his part to rescue sinners.
And apart from his action, there is no hope for
the sinner. Apart from God's divine intervention,
the world is lost. We must keep in mind that
mankind is not merely defective and in need of
correction. Mankind is not merely diseased and
in need of healing. But mankind is dead in trespasses
and sins and needs resurrection. That truth is
beautifully illustrated in an Old Testament story,
and I invite you to open to the Old Testament
this morning to the book of Jonah and the second
chapter. If you have a Bible like mine, it's
on page 1378. The book of Jonah and the second
chapter. You know, don't you, the story of Jonah.
how that he was thrown out of the ship and was
then swallowed by a great fish that God had prepared
just for that purpose. And for three days and
three nights he was in the belly of that fish.
You say that's one northerner I would like to
have caught. Yes, so would a lot of fishermen.
I don't know what kind of a fish it was, whether
a whale or some large kind of shark, but whatever
fish it was that God especially prepared, it
was able to ingest Jonah without doing much damage
to him. And inside of the belly of that fish,
God kept Jonah alive. Now he was as good as dead.
but he did not die. And from inside that fish
Jonah prayed to God. And the second chapter contains
that prayer. Jonah prayed to the Lord his God
from the stomach of the fish and he said, I called
out of my distress to the Lord and he answered
me. Jonah seems here in this prayer, though he
is right now in the belly, the stomach of the
fish. He seems to realize that God is going to
deliver him, that he is not dead and God has
a reason for keeping him alive. And so as he
prays, he places himself beyond this experience.
You'll notice this as he prays. He already says,
God answered me. I cried for help from the depth
of Sheol, that is the realm of the dead. He sees
himself as good as dead. Thou didst hear my voice,
for thou hast cast me into the deep, into the
heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me.
All thy breakers and billows passed over me.
So I said, I have been expelled from thy sight.
Nevertheless, I will look again toward thy holy
temple. Water encompassed me to the point of
death. The great deep engulfed me. Weeds were
wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots
of the mountains. The earth with its bars was
around me forever. But thou hast brought up my
life from the pit, O Lord my God. While I was
fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my
prayer came to thee into thy holy temple. Those
who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness
But I will sacrifice to thee with a voice of
thanksgiving that which I have vowed I will pay
Salvation is from the Lord What an amazing picture
and illustration we have in the Old Testament
Of what Christmas ought to mean to the world
it means salvation is possible If there had been
no babe born in a manger there could be no Christ
crucified on a cross. So as the world thinks
of Christmas, let it first think of this. The
salvation is now possible. Salvation is of the
Lord. The world is dead in trespasses and sins.
But God, who is rich in mercy and in grace, intervened
in sending His Son into the world. And returning
once more to our text in Luke, we see that salvation
is prepared in the presence of all peoples. All
peoples. It embraces all of mankind. Salvation
is provided for all peoples without regard to
race, color, or heritage. A light to the Gentiles
and the glory of the people of Israel. Salvation
is provided for all people, for all have sinned.
All are in the darkness, the misery and the slavery
of sin. God has prepared salvation for all peoples
because He loves all peoples. Without exception
and without distinction, God loves all the world.
And so today, because of Christmas, the birth
of the babe, his sinless life, his substitutionary
death, his glorious resurrection. Because of
that work of God, salvation is possible for anyone
who will call upon him and be saved. I want to
be extremely clear about this. The babe in the
manger cannot save, but the fact is neither can
the Christ who still hangs on a cross. It is
the resurrected, risen Christ who was born, who
lived, who died as a sacrifice, and who is raised
from the dead. It is that Christ that saves.
And that is the Christ who with open arms invites
you to come today and appeals to you to turn
to Him, believe in Him, and to be saved. I don't
know what your heritage is. I don't know about
your religious background. I don't know the guilt
that may hang over your soul today, or that sense
of being lost. It may be that you find yourself
quite well satisfied with who you are, but that
pride is a barrier between you and God. But this
much I do know that God loves you. And this day
that we celebrate on Christmas proves it, because
He sent the sun. that he might become the Savior
of the world, and that includes you. What a wonderful
Christmas this would be if on this day you would
receive God's Christmas gift to you, the risen
Christ who will save. But as the world thinks
of Christmas, there's another strand of meaning
that I think that needs to be involved, not as
pleasant as the first. For as the world thinks
of Christmas, it must also understand that Christmas
means judgment is inevitable. Judgment is the
only alternative for those who put aside God's
provision for sin. The birth of the sinless man
who is also God provides a qualified Savior but
also a qualified judge who can and will deal
absolute justice to humanity. There is no other
one in all of the history of the world or the
events to come who is able to provide perfect
justice but Jesus Christ. None other is so qualified.
morally or positionally to act as judge. But
Christ is qualified. He is in the first place
free from guilt of any personal sin. Therefore,
He can act as a judge. And secondly, He has been
given authority by God the Father to be the judge.
So morally and positionally, Jesus Christ is
qualified to be the judge of all men. As we think
about Christmas today and what it means to the
world, let us remember that it means judgment
is inevitable. In verse 34 of our text in Luke
chapter 2, we see this stated. Simeon says, Behold,
this child is appointed for the fall and rise
of many. in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed
to the end that thoughts from many hearts may
be revealed." Jesus Christ is appointed by God
to be the exposer of the thoughts of many hearts.
Norval Geldenhuis in his Commentary on Luke says
this regarding the text that we're looking at
just now. After this, he addresses Mary, and
for the first time in the Gospel history, the
coming struggle and suffering are referred to.
He's talking about the sword that will pierce
Mary's soul as she sees her son crucified. Geldenhuis
goes on to say, Jesus, Simeon declares, will
be like a stone over which some will trip and
fall and perish. but by which others will be
enabled to arise and be saved. In order to fall
it must be assumed that a person is first standing.
So these words mean that those who imagine themselves
to be strong and high, who rely on their own
merit and power, will come to woeful ruin and
undoing, because in their pride they do not realize
their own need and doom. and do not take refuge
in Christ. But the humble ones, those who bend
low at his feet with confession of sin and faith
in him, will be raised up by his mighty arm to
eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was
born into the world on that first Christmas,
is the rock of salvation for those who believe
on him. But he is the stone of stumbling. to
those who reject Him or neglect Him. He is for
the fall of those who turn from Him, that their
thoughts, their hearts might be exposed. Now
God already knows what is in our hearts. He knows
the secrets within each of us. But one day, if
we do not come first to the Savior and be forgiven
of those things, one day we shall stand before
Him and the true condition the true bias of every
heart will be exposed before all by this Judge.
Salvation is possible. But judgment is inevitable
because of Christmas. How Satan would like to
have avoided the birth of the Christ. It would
have meant release for him from his own condemnation.
But, alas, the Savior was born and judgment is
inevitable, because now one is qualified and
appointed to be the judge of all men. Your sins
and mine must at some point be dealt with. They
will be dealt with either now at the foot of
the cross by our repentance and faith in Christ,
or they will be dealt with one day at the court
of God. before the great white throne at the
judgment. Christmas means that God has provided
a Savior and to neglect that Savior that God
has provided or to reject Him assures one of
judgment. So let our joy on this Christmas be
tempered by this fact that to the world Christmas
also means the inevitability of judgment. But
finally, we return to a happier theme as we think
about what Christmas means to the world. It means
that restoration is predictable. In the Gospel
of Luke, turn back a page if you're in chapter
2, and look in chapter 1. In fact, if you have
a Bible like mine, you turn back two pages. And
in verse 31 of Luke 1, we see these words. the
angel Gabriel speaking here to Mary. Behold you
will conceive in your womb and bear a son and
you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and
will be called the son of the Most High and the
Lord God will give him the throne of his father
David and he will reign over the house of Jacob
forever and his kingdom. will have no end. The
third meaning of Christmas to the world is this,
that restoration is predictable. The kingdom
that was promised to David will be given. The
covenant privileges will be restored to his people.
The promises will be fulfilled to Israel. The
birth and the eventual exaltation of Christ,
the Son of Adam, guarantees that all that the
first Adam, our Father lost when he fell into
sin, will be restored to him and to his race
by the last Adam. The coming of the Savior, His
entrance into the world, the first Christmas
means that restoration of all things will happen
one day, not that all will participate. For those
who reject the Savior cannot participate. But
there is a glorious day coming. A golden age
upon this world. An age not based upon humanity,
upon human renaissance, but an age based upon
the reign of the Savior, the Son of God. The
one who is the Son of the Most High. The one
who is the Son of David. He will reign over the
house of Jacob and over the world and his kingdom
will have no end. To the world Christmas means
the eventual establishment of peace on earth
to the nations of the world. Turn back with me
please to Isaiah chapter 9 as we see a prophecy
of this. Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 this
familiar text which says for a child will be
born to us a son will be given to us in those
two clauses you find Bethlehem and Calvary linked
together the child born the manger scene, a son
given the scene at the cross. And the government
will rest on his shoulders, and his name will
be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace. And there will be no
end to the increase of his government or of peace
on the throne of David and over his kingdom.
to establish it and to uphold it with justice
and righteousness. From then on and forevermore,
the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish
this." There are not a few people who spiritualize
these words away and say that somehow this reign
that is promised occurs only in the heart of
the believer and that's all it will ever be.
How wrong are those people who interpret Scripture
in that way, at least in my opinion? The zeal
of the Lord of hosts will fulfill literally what
this says. And that is that this one who is the
wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the eternal
Father, the Prince of Peace will one day rule
and the government of the world will rest upon
the authority of his shoulders. And with righteousness
and justice he will reign over the earth. And
that kingdom which the Bible says will be for
a thousand years. will stretch then on into eternity.
After a thousand years, it will go on and on
and on forever and ever. What does Christmas
mean to the world? It means that restoration
is predictable. All that our father Adam lost
for us when he fell into sin. The last Adam Jesus
Christ has restored to us and more and more For
not only will we reign over the earth But in
Jesus Christ we will reign with him over his
universe Over his new creation the new heaven
the new earth What a future for those who are
the children of God. That's what Christmas means
to the world Restoration that is predictable
But that restoration of all things awaits His
second coming. For linked together in this text
of just two verses that we've read, we have the
first coming and the second coming. The first
coming when He was born and was given as a sacrifice,
as God's only Son. That whoever would believe
on Him might be saved. The second coming when
He will return to the earth to assume His position
as King. However, even now, the Savior is able
to restore the ruined lives of sinners who will
receive Him. He will one day restore all things,
but, my friend, He can enter your life today
and put it back together. He is able to come
into your heart and to remove the guilt and the
shame of your sin. He is able to take out that
pride that is so ugly and heinous before God.
He is able to cleanse and to wash away those
things that plague your mind, your memory. He
is able to give you a new heart of righteousness.
He is able to restore you today if you will call
upon Him. Will you do that? Salvation is possible.
It's now up to you. God's done His part. Heaven
can do no more. It's your part now. What will
you do to receive it? But remember this, judgment
is inevitable if you reject it. Judgment is inevitable.
Let Him restore you today. Let Him restore you
and save you. Let's pray. Our heads are bowed,
our eyes are closed. I wonder if there is someone
here on this Christmas Sunday who would say,
Pastor, today, today I want to receive God's
gift. I want that new heart. I want restoration.
I want forgiveness. I want the salvation that
is possible. I want to flee from the judgment
that's inevitable. And I receive the Savior in
my heart as an act of faith. Right now I place
my faith in the Savior. My trust is in Him alone
for my salvation. Would you lift your hand and
put it down? We're not going to have a come forward
invitation today. This is the invitation But
I invite you if you've not received Christ before
to do it today on this Christmas Sunday Be sure
that I see it lift your hand and then put it
down as there one All those of us who have done
that how we can rejoice how we can rejoice on
this Christmas Sunday Lord, thank you that there
is joy to the world because the Lord has come.
And we would pray that earth would receive her
King. May that day come soon when Jesus will
return and establish his kingdom. Fill us with
the joy of Christmas today and all that it means
to us who are the children of God. And this we
pray in the name of that Savior who was born
and who died and rose again, even our Lord Jesus.
Amen. I'd like for us to sing just a verse as
the choir comes back up as we sing the number
170, Joy to the World, the Lord is Come. Just
a verse or two of this and then we're going to
close as we traditionally do with every one of
us singing the hallelujah chorus. So would you
stand with me please as we sing? Joy to the World,
170.