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Show THE REAL REASON FOR CHRISTMAS "And being in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even in the death of the cross. (Philippians 2: 8) Those of you who witnessed the play "The Empty Manger" have a head start on this sermon. F or it represented well and ideas of this message about The Real Reason for Christmas." In the sense short, it drove home the point that you shepherds, all the wise men, all the Josephs, all the Marys, and all the old ladies (I mean grandmothers) you want, but without the baby the manger is empty and there is nothing that can have all the 1 is Christmas, no real reason for the thought instead of the old familiar story, we might listen afresh to God's voice in Philippians 2: 8 when He says, "And being in the fashion of a man, So I season. himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the he humbled cross." Let me join Paul in inviting you to think about Christmas not from but from a cross. baby sure for about Him but manger Christmas is about a more coming a than that. It is in flesh to die on the payment in full for our salvation You might say then, the cross is God's cross as Christmas tree and Jesus is the gift hanging on the tree. Think about it! An old rugged cross with a real man hanging 2 it and all you have to do is receive the free gift of His love. In fact, when Paul on up the good news in I Corinthians 15: 3-4, he starts not with His birth but sums with " ... that he Christ died rose is the real again reason ... , was the third buried, and day " ... That for Christmas. Praise God, Paul starts in this text with Jesus "being found in the fashion as original Greek that word indicate a king exchanging his kingly garments for a brief time fo the clothing of a beggar." That means Jesus voluntarily gave up His place on the right hand of His heavenly Father and came by way of The Virgin Mary for 33 years to walk the dusty roads in our skin. He laid aside everything that was glorious and a man." In the 3 manifested Himself like you and me. Furthermore, "He humbled himself, and became obedient " ... He traded in His and put on clothing of a servant. The Creator took the form of the kingly garments King of Kings became the suffering servant. The mighty took on simplicity and weakness. The high and lofty was made lowly and humble. He exchanged His royal robe for clothing of flesh. That is Jesus stooped so that He could experience, see, and take care of created. The \ your and my needs. He became like us, lowly and meek. The Psalmist says that he was made a little lover than the angels. (Psalm 8) He was willingly and deliberately obedient unto death. It was His choice to be there for 4 us. What greater commitment that a man would brother? can down his life for lay So Jesus went to there be than a Calvary to tread the winepress alone. He could have avoided being sold or denied but he yielded. He could have talked back during His illegal trial but He never said a mumbling word. He could have come down from the cross but He chose to stay. He could have called the angelic host to save Him but He decided to die. He humbled Himself and gave up the His salvation. spirit to purchase 5 our |
