Mark 2:10

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people."

Father, we pray that you would give us insight and understanding as we look into Your Word. As we consider again together this question that we've been looking at—Why Christmas? What is the reason, the point? Lord, we recognize that we're celebrating this week Your birth, Your coming into this world. We pray that You would continue to reveal to us, even though it may be something that we kind of recognize and know. Lord, reveal to us very clearly the reason, the point. Why did You come?

Lord, for the purpose that we would be able to make that known. Among all the other things that Christmas in our day and in our culture is about, we pray, God, that we would not allow ourselves to be distracted and that we would make known what is the real glory of this time of year and this holiday. So God, speak to us through Your Word and by Your Spirit. And Lord, I pray that You would increase our joy as we consider these things. In Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, say, Amen.

You can be seated. Amen.

So I know Pastor Mark mentioned it, but how many of you still have some Christmas shopping to do? Mostly guys, raise your hand. A little bit more.

Over the last three weeks leading up to today, we have been considering together this question—the same question that we've shown these videos from. We went out to one of the stores on Black Friday and kind of just asked people, "So you celebrate Christmas?" Yes. "Well, why? What's the point of it?" And you get some blank stares.

But we've looked at three answers so far to that question. What's the point? What's the reason? The first one: because the world is broken. The second one, a couple of weeks ago: because God is a gift-giving God.

And the third one last week, because to God, life is precious. We have considered together the reality of the brokenness of this world, which came about as a result of the fall of humanity described in Genesis chapter 3. Through one man, Adam, the Bible says that sin came into God's good creation. God had made this creation very good, but now sin came in. With sin came death, which has been passed on to all humanity. The fact that it has been passed on to all humanity is witnessed by our own sinful actions.

Many people think that we are sinners because of our sinful actions, but the reality is that we commit sinful things—things that are against God's nature, His character, His will, and His commandments—because we are, at the heart level, sinners. The prophet Jeremiah recognized this some 500 years before Jesus came on the scene, 2,500 years ago from today. In the 17th chapter of the prophet Jeremiah, we read that the heart of man is desperately wicked. Our world and our culture do not believe that. You will hear people saying that man is inherently good. But the reality, especially as God reveals it, is quite the opposite. Man, at the heart level, is wicked. That is why there are evil things that happen in this world.

Jesus tells us in the Gospels, in Mark chapter 7, that out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts and evil actions. The bad things happening in this broken world are the result of the fall and our fallen hearts. However, God, the good gift giver, as He beheld His broken creation in Genesis chapter 3, knew that He had the perfect gift for a broken world and for fallen humanity. Even though that perfect gift would not be given, revealed, or unwrapped for centuries—thousands of years, in fact—God made sure that He made known what it would be through hints, prophetic hints in the Scriptures.

Any good gift giver, in fact, many of you here in this room, over the last several weeks, may have already been giving some hints about what the gifts are to that loved one for whom you purchased a gift.

Because you enjoy seeing their joy when they unwrap it, you are excited about that. You reveal through hints what those things are. God had a perfect time, a right time, for this gift to be unwrapped. Throughout the Old Testament, God gives prophetic hints about this gift. A couple of weeks ago, we considered a number of those hints.

The first one is given immediately after the fall in Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, where God declared that there would be a gift that would come—a man who would be the offspring of a woman. He would come into the world for the purpose of destroying the dominion of the serpent, the very serpent in Genesis chapter 3 that had brought deception and, through deception, the fall.

Several chapters later, in Genesis chapter 12, we see the next prophetic hint. There, God says that this man, the offspring of a woman who would destroy the dominion of the serpent, is going to come through the family of Abraham. A few chapters after that, in chapter 17, God specifies that he will come from Abraham's son Isaac. In Genesis 25, we read that he will come from Isaac's son Jacob. Fast forward to the end of the book of Genesis, and God tells us that he will come through Jacob's son Judah.

In the first book of the Bible alone, God gives us a number of hints about this gift that would come to bring restoration and to restore the brokenness in this world—a man, the offspring of a woman from the house of Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah.

Then we come to the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 7. Hundreds of years later, Abraham's descendants are in the promised land that God had promised to Abraham back in Genesis chapter 12. They have a king over them, a man by the name of David. Although he was an imperfect man, a sinner just like you and I, he was a man who, as the scriptures say, was after God's heart. He sought the heart of God and desired to have the heart of God. When he did fail, as we all do, his heart for God is revealed in his repentance.

In 2 Samuel, chapter 7, God made a promise to David. That promise is that there would not fail to be one of the descendants of David on the throne as a king forever. We see that this man who would come, the offspring of a woman, to destroy the dominion of the serpent, is from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah.

He would also come through the line of King David. He would be a king and there upon the throne forever.

But then we go a little bit further into the Scriptures. About 700 years before Jesus was born, before the Advent, the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah chapter 7, gives us another prophetic hint that this man would not be a mere man, but he would actually be the God-man. He would be called Emmanuel, which means "God with us," and he would be born by miraculous means. He would come through a virgin birth, as Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14 tells us.

Roughly around the same period of time, another prophet, not Isaiah but Micah, tells us that not only will this man come by miraculous means through a virgin birth, the God-man Emmanuel, but he will be born in a specific location, a specific city: the city of Bethlehem. Micah chapter 5, verse 2 tells us that.

We also looked at one more passage of Scripture that is a beautiful declaration about the nature and character of this God-man who would come, the offspring of a woman, born from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, through the line of King David in the city of Bethlehem. Isaiah chapter 9 reveals more about him. In Isaiah chapter 9, verses 1 through 7, it is revealed that he would come to bring light to those who are in darkness. He would come to bring joy to those who are joyless. He would come to bring freedom to those who were in captivity.

He would come as one who is wonderful, as Isaiah 9:6 says. He would be the great counselor, the mighty God. The passage states he would be the everlasting father. Some people have a hard time with that because we believe him to be the only begotten Son. In fact, Isaiah 9:6 says, "Behold, the Son would be given." Then we read that he is the everlasting father. What does that mean?

I suggest to you that at least one of the meanings is that everything that is everlasting, everything that is eternal, would come from him. He is the origin, the source, the father of all things that are everlasting. So, he would be wonderful, the counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, and he would be the prince of peace.

As we look around our world today, it is most certain that our world is in desperate need of peace. Everywhere you look, from our local areas to the national scene and the world, there is a need for peace.

But peace is not merely the cessation of violence. Peace is the whole well-being. The human thriving is really what the idea means; this Hebrew term, shalom, is where we get our term or idea of peace.

This man, the offspring of a woman, from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, through the kingly line of David, was born in Bethlehem to a virgin mother. The God-man would come to bring this peace, this great thriving, this great well-being. We are told in Isaiah 9, verse 7, that he would establish a rule and a reign, that he would be a king on a throne forever, and of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. It will extend into eternity.

These wonderful truths, given to us as prophetic hints prior to the actual revealing, the actual unwrapping of God's gift for a fallen humanity in a broken world, are scattered throughout the Old Testament. We have seen over the last several weeks that Christmas is important because this world is broken, and God is a gift-giving God.

We also looked at last week that, to God, life is precious. He is a lover of life. God, who is life, the Bible makes very clear, is the source of all things that live. He gives life, and he loves life. God loves life so much that the prophet Ezekiel tells us in chapter 33 of Ezekiel that he does not delight in the death of even those who are wicked. Even those whose hearts are against him, he does not delight in their death.

Why? The apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter chapter 3, verse 9, that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance, that all would come to know and experience this life that he desires to give, although death came to humanity through the fall.

God is a lover of life, and to him, life is precious. We recognize the preciousness of life, and that recognition actually comes from him. We are created in his image, as Genesis chapter 2 tells us. Being that we are created in his image, we also have this recognition of the preciousness of life, which comes directly from him. Because God loves life, he wants to extend life to those.

Who are dead in trespasses and sin? That's what the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 2. All of humanity is dead in trespasses and sin. We're all walking dead men; we're all zombies, if you will, spiritually.

God chose to give the gift of life to you and me, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Yet, His choosing to do so was at a great cost. A great cost. His immense love for this broken world compelled Him to give something that would cost Him greatly.

John chapter 3, verse 16, which we finished with last week, says, "For God so loved the world that He gave." The gift-giving God, compelled by His love for a broken world and a fallen humanity, gave the perfect gift—the only gift that could truly address this monumental problem of sin and death. He gave His only begotten Son. Why? So that whoever believes in Him, puts their trust in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. God is not willing that any should perish.

When death entered and spread to all humanity, this God who loves life and is a gift-giver gave the perfect gift to restore life. Life is precious to Him, so much so that He gave His Son for us. His Son, who is the very life of God incarnate.

In John chapter 5, we are told that God the Father has life in Himself. He is, as I've already said, the source of life. But Jesus, when He came to the earth, is the embodiment of that life of God here in human flesh. We know that because the Scriptures tell us. In John chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus said, "I am the life."

Now, He is the life of God incarnate come to dwell among us, but why? John chapter 10 answers the question of why. Would you turn in your Bibles to John chapter 10? I recognize that this is somewhat of a review from what we've already looked at, but I think it's important to seal these things in our hearts. Just as the Apostle Peter said, "It is good that I remind you of these things, though you already know them, and you be established in this truth."

John chapter 10. In John chapter 1,

We saw in Him was life, and that life was the light of men. That life came to shine in the darkness, and Jesus tells us something so great here in John chapter 10, verse 10. The thief has come for no other reason but to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But I have come that you may have life. But what kind of life? Notice this: that they may have it more abundantly. I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly.

Jesus is the very embodiment of the life of God here in human flesh. It is God's gift to a fallen humanity in a broken world. He has come to bring to humanity this abundant life, and He is able to do that because He is life Himself.

Turn just a few chapters back in John to John chapter 6. Look at two verses in John chapter 6. We're going to read them out of order. The first one is verse 51. Jesus is speaking here, and the gathered multitude are people who are followers of Him, disciples. In John 6, 51, He says to them, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

Then skip back a few verses to verse 33. In John 6, 33, it says, "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." His intended purpose in coming is to bring life to those who are dead—dead in trespasses and sins because of the fall that happened in Genesis chapter 3.

In Genesis chapter 2, verse 17, God said, "You shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die." When man partook of that tree, death came and spread to all humanity, so we are all born into this world with spiritual death. Jesus, the life of God in the flesh embodied here among us, has come to give life. He is that bread of God who comes down from heaven to give life to the world. But the question is,

What exactly is abundant about the life that He brings? In John chapter 10, when He says, "I have come to give abundant life," what is it that makes it abundant? What exactly is abundant life?

A lot of people, when asked that question, immediately respond that it is eternal life—life that goes on forever. That is the typical or default response to what the abundant life is, and it is true, at least partially. One aspect of the abundant life is that it is everlasting; it is eternal. As I mentioned, Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 tells us that Jesus is the Father of all things that are everlasting. So, there is an aspect of this abundant life that Jesus came to give that is forever life—immortal life, eternal and everlasting.

However, just having a life that goes on forever is not the entirety of abundant life. If it were true that abundant life was only everlasting or eternal life, then it would have made sense that back in Genesis chapter 3, God would have immediately given man the tree of life after he had partaken of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In Genesis chapter 2, verse 9, as we looked at last week, there were two trees identified in the Garden of Eden. There were many trees for the man and woman to eat, but only two were named: one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which, when partaken of, brought forth death; and the other, the tree of life, which, had they partaken of it, would have granted them life that went on forever.

We know this because in John chapter 3, verse 22, God actually says that we need to keep man from eating of the tree of life, lest he eat of it and live forever. Therefore, living forever is not all that the abundant life is; otherwise, God would have simply said, "Here, eat this and you'll be fine."

There is something more that Jesus brings than just life that goes on forever. As I mentioned last week, I think you would agree that it would not be the best thing to live in this broken, fallen world forever. Even in the nicest place of this broken, fallen world, it would be hellish to live here.

In this fallen world, there is something greater in this life that Jesus comes to give: this abundant life. It is more than just immortality or living forever. So, what is abundant life if it is more than just eternal life?

The abundant life, which you may want to write down if you're taking notes, is the unmitigated and perfect experience, both in this life and throughout eternity. Don't worry, I'll say it again: it is the fullness of God's presence. The abundant life is the perfect experience, here and now and forever, of being in His presence, the fullness of His presence, and everything that accompanies His presence.

All of that can be boiled down, I believe, to one very small word. If you turn in your Bibles to the Psalms, open to about the middle of your Bible, to Psalm 16. I believe that in Psalm 16, we have all that is this life boiled down into one small word.

Psalm 16, some of you already know where I'm going, verse 11. This is a psalm written by King David, the very same King David to whom God gave the promise in 2 Samuel chapter 7 that there would come a descendant of his who would be enthroned forever. This one would bring this great gift; He Himself would be this great gift.

A thousand years before this gift, Jesus would come. David writes in Psalm 16, 11, speaking to God: "God, You will show me the path of what?" There is this declaration in this hopeful expression of David. "God, I know that You're going to show to me, You're going to reveal to me the path, the way of life."

The way of life is something many of you may see a connection to in a verse you know, one we have already considered: John chapter 14, verse 6. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." He is the way and the life. Here, David makes this great joyful expression: "God, You will show me the path of life, the way of life." Jesus is the embodiment of that way of life. He is the fulfillment of this declaration of David. You, God, will show me Jesus. You will show me the path, the way of life.

This way of life brings us somewhere. In Your presence is fullness of joy. The abundant life is the unmitigated and perfect experience, both in this life and throughout eternity, of the fullness of God's presence and all that accompanies it. God, You will show me the path of life, and Your presence is fullness of joy. I believe those three letters, that small word "joy," boil down what the abundant life is forever.

Now, why is the forever important? Well, because in this life, we do experience certain measures of joy and happiness. In fact, this season, at least for many, if not most, is a joyful and happy season. I don't know about you, but I like this season, this time of year. I love that right after Thanksgiving, you start to see Christmas lights go up on people's houses. It's a beautiful, wonderful thing.

Now, there are all kinds of houses that are gaudy and freaky, but that's okay. When I'm driving down the street, I love to drive home. Now it's darker earlier because the time changed at the beginning of November. As I drive home from work, I see the Christmas lights turning on. I pull onto my own street, and every one of my neighbors has their Christmas lights on. There is a certain measure of happiness just in that—this light in the darkness shining forth.

I'm not a huge fan of these weird LED lights; I know some people like them because they save power, but they hurt my eyes. However, I like all the other kinds of lights a lot. When you drive into my neighborhood or your neighborhood and see these lights, there is just a happiness about it. The sights, the smells, and the sounds of this season all contribute to that joy.

In many ways, the holiday season increases our happiness as we get closer to Christmas. The idea of getting together and enjoying friends and family members, having different Christmas parties with loved ones or coworkers, and receiving gifts this time of year brings joy. Giving gifts is a joyful act, and there is a lot of happiness in it. However, every single one of these things is temporary. The day after Christmas, many people take down their Christmas lights, unless you're like some of my neighbors who keep them up until about July. It all goes away very quickly.

The joy of the Christmas dinner fades fast, especially when you step on the scale right after Christmas, which you've probably been avoiding throughout the holiday season. Then, you make a New Year's resolution to not eat for a month. All these happy, joyful experiences of the holiday season are fleeting; they are temporary.

In contrast, the abundant life is the perfect experience, both in this life and forever, of the fullness of the presence of God and all that accompanies it. It is joy with Him forever. That is the essence of the abundant life. While we could certainly come up with many other aspects of the abundant life, this is a fundamental truth. Everything that accompanies His presence is the maximal enjoyment of all that comes with Him, including all of the attributes of God that we can enjoy.

If we were to sit down and write a list of the attributes of God, we could spend an hour doing so, and many of us would come up with similar ideas. Some might even present unique insights about the attributes of God. However, one thing is certain: even if a couple of hundred of us wrote down the attributes of God for an hour, we wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the innumerable attributes of our awesome God.

There are a few things mentioned in Scripture that come with His presence and are wonderful evidences of it. One of the passages that discusses the evidences of the presence of God by His Spirit is found in Galatians chapter 5 in the New Testament. In Galatians 5, we read about the fruit of the Spirit, specifically in verse 22.

The Apostle Paul tells us about some of the evidences of the presence of God's Spirit. He describes a number of characteristics when he says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and temperance or self-control." These nine attributes accompany the presence of God. They are some of the things we will experience as a result of the abundant life that God gives us in Jesus Christ for eternity. We will experience the increasing nature of these qualities throughout eternity.

These nine characteristics—love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control—are things that money cannot buy. You can't go to Walmart at Christmastime and put these things on layaway. They are not available through any other means but from God. He is the source of these qualities. The abundant life, at least in some nature, is experiencing these things in their fullness for eternity.

Christmas is important because it ushers in this great joy and this awesome gift. Would you turn back in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke? Luke chapter 2 contains the very passage that the well-spoken Linus quoted for us this morning.

In Luke chapter 2, verse 1, it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered or counted. This census first took place while Quirinius was governor over Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David. He went there to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed.

For her to be delivered, she brought forth her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

Many of us know this story. We've heard it before. Maybe you've seen the Charlie Brown Christmas, which used to be on ABC or something every Christmas. Perhaps it still is; I don't know. Even those who don't necessarily go to church or regularly read their Bible know this story. My wife's family, for instance, none of them go to church. She has a very large extended family— aunts, uncles, and cousins— and they love to gather together.

Every year, right before Christmas, they gather at one of her uncle's houses here in Escondido. Just yesterday afternoon, they came together. When I first attended this traditional gathering with her family, I was amazed that, despite none of them going to church, they still celebrated the Christmas story. Only recently has one of her cousins started attending church.

As the day wore on, everyone was gathered in the living room when one of her cousins came in with a bag. He handed out to every single family member a small booklet, stapled together, and announced that they were going to read the Christmas story. My jaw literally dropped. I was somewhat expecting it to be "The Night Before Christmas," with its famous opening lines, but that was not the case.

They went around the room, beginning with the youngest child who could read, and every single person read a sentence or two. They started with Psalm 100, then moved to the Gospel of Luke, and jumped from there to the Gospel of Matthew, reading from this booklet, this Christmas story. They don't go to church and aren't entirely interested in doing so, yet they have read this story for many years. It has become a cherished tradition for them.

Now, verse 8 states that there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. Why? For behold, I bring to you..."

Good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. I bring to you good tidings of great joy. I bring you the gospel. That's what good tidings is: gospel, good news. What is this great joy? I'm bringing to you the news of great joy. What kind of joy? Joy that extends forever—abundant life kind of joy. This joy is not just for a small group of people; it is for all people.

You see, God's desire, God's aim, is for all people to know this good news that brings great joy. Why? Because all people are under the fall, and all people live in this broken world. We have here, in these words, good news for all people. At the very root of it is the idea that God is a missionary God.

At the end of Jesus' life, after He rose from the dead and was ascending into heaven, He said to His disciples, "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations." You are to go and proclaim, as this angel did, the good news of great joy for all people. That commission has not yet been fulfilled. We are still, now 2,000 years later, and there are people who have yet to hear the good news of great joy. There are people who are still in this broken world, living in a fallen nature, who have not yet heard what we have heard of this good news of great joy that was first proclaimed by angels. Now we have the opportunity to carry it to the uttermost parts as well.

I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. What is this good news? Verse 11 states, "For there is born to you a gift for you, born this day in the city of David." Notice the descriptives about Him: a Savior who is Christ the Lord. A Savior who is Christ the Lord—the one who comes to save humanity from sin and death because humanity has fallen in a broken world, dead in trespasses and sins. Therefore, there is born to you this day in Bethlehem a Savior. He is Christ. The word "Christ" means the anointed one. The Hebrew word would be "Mashiach," the Messiah, the one who fulfills.

Those promises that He would be a man from the offspring of a woman come to destroy the dominion of the devil were made from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah through King David, born in Bethlehem unto a virgin. He is the fulfillment, the Christ; He is Lord, Master, and King. This will be a sign for you: you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, because the Prince of Peace has come, and goodwill toward men."

The first announcement of the coming of this one who brings great joy and abundant life came by angels. However, every preceding announcement has come from those who have heard the message, received the gift, and now carry that message to others. The prophet Isaiah said in one of his prophecies, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good tidings of great joy." The Apostle Paul also quotes this in Romans chapter 10: "How beautiful are the feet of those you and I who carry these good tidings of great joy."

Listen, Christmas, although it can be distracted by all the things that go with it in our culture today—Christmas trees, presents, lights, all the food and delights—can lead us away from its true meaning. Our entire culture has circled the wagons around the commercialism of Christmas. However, we have received the gift that brings life, abundant life, and great joy experienced forever in the presence of God. We need to be those that the prophet Isaiah spoke of, with beautiful feet carrying this message to those who have not yet heard.

There are many shepherds in their fields, if you will, in our culture right around us who have not yet heard. We have the most awesome opportunity because their hearts, in some ways, are ready just because of the holiday itself. May it be that you and I take advantage of these next few days and opportunities as we gather. Maybe your tradition is to gather on Christmas Eve with your family members, or perhaps on Christmas Day. There will be people there—friends, family members, neighbors, or even a co-worker—who may not have family in the area and have not yet heard this message. Let us not take it for granted.

May the Lord stir your heart. May He stir my heart to be compelled by the same love that compelled God to give this great gift, that we would be compelled also to extend it to others. Freely we have received; freely Jesus told us we are to give.

Would you stand with me and let's pray. Father, I thank You for the gift that You have given to us. Literally, Lord, You spared no expense. God, I pray that You would stir my heart. Help me to see over the next few days the opportunities. Help me to see the open doors that You give by Your Spirit to be able to share the good news of great joy that Jesus came to give life more abundantly.

Lord, help me to speak freely and openly with those who don't know, that they would know and receive this gift of life because You are not willing that any should perish. Lord, help me to also not be willing that any should perish.

Father, I pray that if there is anyone standing here with us today for whom this is the first time they have heard this good news of great joy that is for all people, if that's you, I pray that you would know and understand that this gift is for you also. The Lord has made it available to you to lay hold of. You do so by putting your trust, your faith in Jesus. He is the gift to receive this life that is abundant joy. Thank You.