A Word about Christ is Christmas

 

Today I want to share a word about Christ is Christmas as I comment on Hebrews 1:1-4.

Christmas is many things: family gatherings, presents, music, cold weather, trees, decorations, special worship services, Santa Claus, time off from work, and many other things.

While Christmas is many things to us, what Christmas really is about is Christ! Christ is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior. 

While we enjoy Christmas this year, let us remember what it is really about, as we will see as we review Hebrews 1:1-4, which is our text for today

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.

CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PERSON:

Seeing people in person often changes your impression of them. People may be shorter or taller; thinner or fatter than you imagine them. They may have a strong or weak handshake or they may be nice or rude.

When I was in college I was attending a Christian conference at the old Omni in Atlanta when I was introduced to a professional football player who was an offensive lineman for Falcons. I was stunned by how tall and big he was! His hands were like catcher’s mitts! I have always been a bigger than average person, but I felt like a grasshopper next to him! I know how the Israelite spies felt at Kadesh-Barnea!

No one had ever looked God face-to-face before Jesus came, because if you looked upon Him you'd die. Also, God is spirit and you can't see spirits. He had given written word, but this was not the same as giving us the Living Word.

Jesus allowed mankind to see God, face to face. In most careers, “Face time” with your boss important to your development. Jesus allowed us to see God in our world and when he did, we saw the brightness of God's glory. We saw the express image of His person.

The “old saying 'seeing is believing” is true with God! Once we see Him in His glory we will never be the same!

CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S POWER:

The world revolves around power. It is more prized than money because power is ability to do work and to cause things to happen. Having a lot of money does not necessarily make one powerful, but having power allows people to acquire money. It is a fact of politics everywhere even, or especially, in the United States.

How did Jesus show God's power?

1. He created the world.
2. He lived a sinless life.
3. He performed miracles, even raising the dead.
4. He rose again after His own crucifixion.

What does all this mean to us in our daily lives? We can see God's power: that He can do everything . We can access that power: use it to live our lives.

Several years ago I was scheduled to do a missions presentation in a church during the morning worship service. I arrived early with my computer, projector, and speaker, and I proceeded to install the equipment on the front pew of the sanctuary. I ran the cable for an extension cord forward to the platform and inserted the plug into a socket under the Lord’s Table. Everything had power and was working correctly. 

My wife and I sat on the front pew next to my equipment and enjoyed worshipping with the congregation, that is until the offering was taken. During that evolution, I noticed that my projector and speaker no longer had any power. I observed that both were still connected to the extension cord which still had its plug inserted into the receptacle under the Lord’s Table. I was mystified and chagrinned. I had to change my plans on the fly, and while my presentation as acceptable, it was not what I hoped it would be.

Later I discovered that the receptacle under the Lord’s Table was wired into the lighting circuit of a room in the basement. When the Sunday school class in that room dismissed for worship, that light was switched off, killing power to my equipment!

We can’t accomplish anything without power! We certainly can't accomplish anything that lasts without God's power as revealed in Christ!

CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PARDON:

What do condemned prisoners on death row need? They don’t need a last meal: it does them no good. They don’t need a stay of execution: this only delays the execution of their sentence. They don’t need a group outside the prison protesting their death or capital punishment in general.

What a condemned soul really needs is a pardon. A pardon forgives all their offenses and it restores all their rights, duties, and legal privileges. The issue is, of course, that a pardon can only be granted by proper authority.

The first car my wife and I bought was a Toyota Tercel. It was a small, highly economical, and zippy car, but one which was not strongly built. Only a couple of years after we bought it we had to have its brakes replaced, which we had done by a national car care chain. This repair supposedly came with a lifetime warranty, which we thought was a feature that somewhat offset the cost of the repairs. 

Sadly, when we had to replace the brakes later in a different state, but at a location of that same car care chain, we found that they refused to honor the warranty. Apparently the branch of that chain in our previous state had violated the rules and the other branches refused to honor their warranties. A guarantee, warranty, or pardon is only as good as the authority who issues them!

Jesus offers the condemned a pardon which provided complete forgiveness and complete restoration. There are no strings attached and He stands by His work. The only requirement is, like a Christmas gift, His pardon must be accepted before it can go into effect.

CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PROVISION:

The writer of Hebrews, who ever that was, made a point to demonstrate God’s provision for His Son, Jesus. He gave Him a vaunted position on His right hand. He also gave Him a valuable inheritance.

God also has made provisions for His People, the Church: We are the inheritance of Jesus and we know that He is an obedient Son. Christ will be a wonderful steward of His inheritance. 

In addition, God also has made provision for all the world. People was God’s highest creation, and it was not His fault that mankind’s sin has ruined the relationship between them and God. However, God loves the people He created and He revealed a way of salvation for those estranged by their sin.

Many people acknowledge that God exists, they just don’t think He plays a part in their lives. The truth is that He wants to, and He has provided a way for that to take place. We only have to let Him provide for us and accept His gracious gifts!

CONCLUSION:

The most important questions today are these: Have we kept Christ In Christmas? Do we focus on who Jesus Was and Is? Do we remember the difference Jesus has made in our lives?

The only healthy answer to those questions is “Yes!”

The only acceptable answer to those questions is “Yes!”

Merry Christmas,

Dr. Otis Corbitt