Sunday, December 2017
Pastor Tom Weaver
Why Did Christmas Have to Happen?
Highlights:
Why Did Christmas have to happen?
We are human so He became human. This is called the incarnation. At Christmas we have the incarnate deity, the human/God baby, the infinite infant
Easter could happen.
To break the power of the devil.
To free us from slavery to the fear of dying.
He came at Christmas to sympathize with those He came for. God’s sympathy includes the following:
Pity: acknowledgement of suffering
Sympathy: Care about suffering
Empathy: Sympathising by feeling the suffering of others
Compassion: Desire to relieve suffering
Christmas happened so we can always run to God who understands.
He knows how to deliver us from temptation having been delivered Himself.
Discussion Questions:
Of the many reasons why Christmas matters, why does it matter to you?
God’s own son sent to save us, what does that act of love reveal to you about Jesus’ purpose in our lives?
In order to give a great gift, we must spend time considering that person who is the object of the gift. As you do like Jesus did, and consider those around you, how can you be used of God to meet the needs of those near to you this Christmas?
Key Scriptures and Quotes:
Hebrews 2: 14,15, 17 and 18 “Because God’s children are human beings – made of flesh and blood-the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying……Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.” NLT
Gen. 3:15 “and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” The protoevangelium.
Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find race to help in time of need.” ESV
Hebrews 5:7-8 “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” ESV
“It means very little to know that a million children are starving, unless you know one child who is starving.” John Stenibeck