The Eternal Son Born in Time

By Lin Brown Bible Text: Preached on: Hebrews 10:1-10 Monday, December 16, 01!

Grace Particular Baptist Church "# " $m%erial La&es Bl'd M(lberry, )L !!*60 Website: Online Sermons: www+one,oldoneshe%herd+orwww+sermona(dio+com.-race%artic(lar

/lease t(rn in yo(r Bibles this mornin- to Hebrews 10, be-innin- in 'erse 1, 01 )or the law ha'in- a shadow o, -ood thin-s to come, and not the 'ery ima-e o, the thin-s, can ne'er with those sacri,ices which they o,,ered year by year contin(ally ma&e the comers there(nto %er,ect+ )or then wo(ld they not ha'e ceased to be o,,ered1 beca(se that the worshi%%ers once %(r-ed sho(ld ha'e had no more conscience o, sins+ ! B(t in those sacri,ices there is a remembrance a-ain made o, sins e'ery year+ 2 )or it is not %ossible that the blood o, b(lls and o, -oats sho(ld ta&e away sins+ " 3here,ore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacri,ice and o,,erintho( wo(ldest not, b(t a body hast tho( %re%ared me: 6 $n b(rnt o,,erin-s and sacri,ices ,or sin tho( hast had no %leas(re+ # Then said $, Lo, $ come 4in the 'ol(me o, the boo& it is written o, me,5 to do thy will, 6 7od+ * 8bo'e when he said, Sacri,ice and o,,erin- and b(rnt o,,erin-s and o,,erin- ,or sin tho( wo(ldest not, neither hadst %leas(re therein9 which are o,,ered by the law9 : Then said he, Lo, $ come to do thy will, 6 7od+ He ta&eth away the ,irst, that he may establish the second+ 10 By the which will we are sancti,ied thro(-h the o,,erin- o, the body o, ;es(s <hrist once ,or all+ 11 8nd e'ery %riest standeth daily ministerin- and o,,erin- o,tentimes the same sacri,ices, which can ne'er ta&e away sins: 1 B(t this man, a,ter he had o,,ered one sacri,ice ,or sins ,or e'er, sat down on the ri-ht hand o, 7od9 1! )rom hence,orth e=%ectin- till his enemies be made his ,ootstool+ 12 )or by one o,,erin- he hath %er,ected ,or e'er them that are sancti,ied+ 1" 3hereo, the Holy 7host also is a witness to (s: ,or a,ter that he had said be,ore, 16 This is the co'enant that $ will ma&e with them a,ter those days, saith the Lord, $ will %(t my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will $ write them9 1# 8nd their sins and ini>(ities will $ remember no more+ 1* ?ow where remission o, these is, there is no more o,,erin- ,or sin+ 1: Ha'in- there,ore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood o, ;es(s, 0 By a new and li'in- way, which he hath consecrated ,or (s, thro(-h the 'eil, that is to say, his ,lesh9 1 8nd ha'in- an hi-h %riest o'er the ho(se o, 7od9 Let (s draw near with a tr(e heart in ,(ll ass(rance o, ,aith, ha'in- o(r hearts s%rin&led ,rom an e'il conscience, and o(r bodies washed with %(re water+

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! Let (s hold ,ast the %ro,ession o, o(r ,aith witho(t wa'erin-9 4,or he is ,aith,(l that %romised95+@ /a(l wrote, the writer o, Hebrews, that writers m(st do b(t some donAt, wrote an asto(ndin- word here that 7od did not desire the sacri,ice o, men+ He did not desire the o,,erin- o, men+ $n that word 0desire@ he was not satis,ied+ He didnAt wish it to be so, that they wo(ld -ain an access to him by sacri,ice and o,,erin-+ ?ow, yo( and $ both &now the whole 6ld Testament is b(ilt on sacri,ice and o,,erin-: what sacri,ice to brin-, what o,,erin- to brin-, at what time o, year to brin- it and how to brin- it+ 8nd %eo%le ,or -enerations (%on -enerations (%on -enerations %racticed those thin-s+ 7od said, 0$t doesnAt matter+ $tAs not what is -oin- to satis,y me+ $tAs not what is -oin- to %ro%itiate my wrath+ $tAs not what is -oin- to a%%ease my (nrest+@ B(t what wo(ld1 $ want (s to -o bac& to eternity i, we can, in o(r minds, in o(r hearts, and $ want (s to thin& when there was no 0(s,@ when there was no 0we,@ when there was no %eo%le whatsoe'er+ $n the corridors o, eternity, we there meet the Tri(ne 7od: 7od the )ather, 7od the Son and 7od the Holy S%irit+ There are %eo%le nowadays in the 'ast maBority o, the reli-io(s world, that thin& that <hrist became a Son at Bethlehem+ They thin& that that little baby was the be-innin- o, the Sonshi% o, the Son o, 7od b(t, alas, once a-ain, we meet the ,olly o, manAs (nderstandin- o, thin-s+ )or there in eternity we see )ather, Son and Holy S%irit e'ery li'in-, eternally li'in-, in %er,ect and absol(te harmony with no dist(rbin- whatsoe'er o, the (nion that binds them to-ether+ So, here in the creed o, $srael, 0Hear 6 $srael, the Lord thy 7od is one Lord,@ and we who are the heirs o, s%irit(al $srael, indeed, in the ,amily o, s%irit(al $srael, &now that that means that he was one Lord in one essence+ $A'e tried to %reach many times the Trinity beca(se it is essential that yo( (nderstand that 7od is a three-in-one 7od+ HeAs not a Cnitarian 7od b(t he is a (nity+ There is a -reat mystery to the Trinity+ ;(st when we thin& we ha'e it all sorted o(t, we ha'e the Lord ;es(s <hrist here (%on this earth ma&in- a statement li&e, 0$ and the )ather are one and he who has seen me has seen the )ather+@ 3e say, 0B(t wait a min(te, yo(Are the Son, yo(Are not the )ather+@ B(t he is the e=%ress ima-e o, the )ather+ E'ery one o, (s in o(r nat(ral state, ta&e away Holy S%irit re-eneration, are B(st e=actly li&e o(r ,ather b(t itAs not the )ather 7od, itAs ,ather 8dam+ 3e are B(st as disobedient+ 3e are B(st as disbelie'in-+ 3e are B(st as rebellio(s+ 3e are B(st as blind+ 3e are B(st as dea, as o(r ,ather 8dam+ B(t <hrist is e'erythin- the holy )ather is+ He says that, 0$ can always %lease the )ather beca(se $ do always %lease the )ather+@ B(t what now is ha%%enin- in eternity1 The -reat three-in-one 7od, the 7od o, the <hristian ,aith, ta&es co(nsel to-ether to create and in that creation wo(ld incl(de a ,allin- away and an a%ostasy and the entrance o, sin+ $ am one who belie'es in one eternal decree+ $ canAt e=%lain it ,(lly b(t $ &now it en-(l,s e'erythin- that wo(ld be secondary decrees, b(t 7od decreed e'erythin- that wo(ld be in eternity %ast, i, there is s(ch a thin-+ The )ather decreed it+ The Son a-reed to it+ The Holy S%irit e=ec(tes it+ The )ather said, 0$ will choose a %eo%le,@ and the Son said, 0$

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will die ,or that %eo%le,@ and the Holy S%irit said, 0$ will a%%ly that death to those %eo%le+@ Then we come to how thatAs -oin- to be+ <hrist is the Lamb slain ,rom the ,o(ndation o, the world+ He is the sacri,ice made ,rom the ,o(ndation o, the world+ B(t how will it be a%%lied1 There are many ways we co(ld concei'e o, that+ They wo(ld all stay in hea'en b(t the Holy 7host wo(ld come down and start to(chin- %eo%le ri-ht and le,t and a%%lyin- the eternal non-realiDation sacri,ice o, <hrist to them and all wo(ld stay sa,ely t(c&ed away in the s%irit(al realm+ 8h, b(t that wo(ldnAt sa'e anyone beca(se we donAt li'e in the s%irit(al realm, do we1 3e donAt li'e o(tside o, o(r bodies, do we1 $ donAt thin& any o, (s ha'e o(t o, body e=%eriences, maybe yo( mi-ht thin& yo( do b(t $ donAt thin& thatAs the case+ $ thin& that there is somethin- that had to be comm(nicated to (s in o(r %hysical state and $ commend to yo( today the (nderstandin- o, <hristmas in that way+ There m(st be somethin- come down to (s and that somethin- m(st be somethin- that can deli'er (s ,rom here to there+ $t wasnAt in the sacri,ices o, the ;ewish reli-io(s system and it isnAt in the sacri,ices o, the modern day <hristian system+ /eo%le who wo(ld brin- their money, o,,er their %rayers, do their wor&s, try to o,,er a sacri,ice that 7od recei'es not beca(se he says, 0Those sacri,ices and o,,erin-s $ donAt desire them+ $ donAt acce%t them+ $ donAt want them beca(se $ ha'e %re%ared a body+ $ ha'e %re%ared a body to come down+@ $snAt it amaDin- that ;es(s re,erred to himsel, more as the Son o, man than the Son o, 7od+ He identi,ied ,(lly with those who he came to sa'e+ )rom $saiah to the ?ew Testament Ee'elation, <hrist did not cease to own his %eo%le+ He chose them (ni>(ely o'er and o'er a-ain+ 3hen it was -i'en to disown and ri-ht,(lly choose what was his by Satan himsel,, <hrist denied him his ri-ht to do so+ 3hen we read these words that 0a body hast tho( %re%ared ,or me,@ we realiDe that this time o, year &nown as <hristmas, is a time that we remember the 'ery thin-s that ;ohn, i, yo( t(rn o'er there with me in ;ohn 1, tells (s in 'erse 12, 08nd the 3ord was made ,lesh+@ Fo( &now, ;ohn is that lo,ty ea-le -os%el+ 3e soar in the hea'ens in ;ohn+ 3e see the eternal 'erities in ;ohn abo'e all the other -os%els+ 3hen ;ohn says, 08nd the 3ord was made ,lesh,@ we m(st sto% and %a(se and thin&, 0The 3ord was made ,lesh+@ The 3ord was not ,lesh be,ore it was made ,lesh beca(se in the 'ery ,irst 'erse, we read, 0$n the be-innin- was the 3ord, and the 3ord was with 7od, and the 3ord was 7od+@ Herein is that thin- in (nderstandin- o, manAs mind the ha Lo-os, the (nmaterialiDed, (nderstandin- o, the eternal+ 8nd ;ohn declares to (s that ha Lo-os is 7od and how that ha Lo-os will mani,est himsel, to (s as bein- made ,lesh and dwellin- amon- (s+ 3ell, there are a lot o, thin-s that the <hristian world ma&es o(t o, that+ $ndeed, most o, them stay ri-ht there in the man-er+ 3hat a blessed baby this is+ The hea'ens s(n- abo(t him+ The wise men worshi%%ed him and all o, these thin-s+ Many will %(t (% nati'ity scenes and remember that time that <hrist was born o, the 'ir-in+ Born in Bethlehem ,or some and donAt e'en consider whether it was a 'ir-in birth or not and remember B(st that+

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?ot that the 3ord was made ,lesh+ ?ot that the 3ord came down in e=%ression in <hrist ;es(s+ 08nd the 3ord was made ,lesh, and dwelt amon- (s, 4and we beheld his -lory, the -lory as o, the only be-otten o, the )ather,5 ,(ll o, -race and tr(th+@ Tr(ly, we ha'e a (ni>(e ,aith+ Those o, (s who &now and (nderstand that 7od is so'erei-n o'er all thin-s, realiDe and &now and (nderstand and contem%late many times o'er, that he co(ld ha'e stayed in hea'en and still been 7od+ He co(ld ha'e stayed there and let all o, these s>(irminworms on earth wor& o(t their own %li-ht+ B(t this time o, year wo(ld remind (s, wo(ldnAt it, that he didnAt do that+ That he did somethin- abo(t it+ That he sent his Son+ Then $ thin&, yo( &now, how o,ten we tal& in terms and %robably $ B(st did, o, (s, ,or (s, beca(se o, (s, ,or (s+ 3e ,or-et what1 That it was not B(st ,or (s+ $ndeed, it wasnAt only ,or (s+ $ndeed, it wasnAt %rimarily ,or (s+ $t was ,or his -lory+ $t was ,or his -lory+ ?ot only that it was ,or his -lory and this is (ni>(e abo(t 7od, this 7od that we &now, it was ,or his %leas(re+ He deli-hted+ He deli-hted in what he did+ Fo( and $, o(r Boy and ha%%iness and deli-ht and all that ,ade away and itAs based on this thin- and that thinand what ha%%ens here and what ha%%ens there b(t 7od e'er deli-hteth in what he has done+ He is (ni>(ely sel,-s(,,icient in himsel, and as he loo&s at his wor&, as he loo&s at the res(lts o, that wor&, he deli-hts in it+ ThatAs not only the )ather, thatAs the Son+ ThatAs not only the )ather and the Son, thatAs the Holy S%irit+ 8-ain, $Am -oin- to say to yo(: $ canAt absol(tely ,(lly e=%lain to yo( the Trinity+ $ can commend it to yo(r (nderstandin- and the Holy S%irit -i'e inter%retation+ $ do &now that witho(t one o, those, or any o, those bein- at 'ariance with one another and let me %aint ,or yo( this mornin- a %ict(re o, modern <hristianity: The )ather wants to sa'e e'erybody9 the Son died ,or e'erybody9 b(t the Holy S%irit can only come to those that as& him+ 6r: The )ather wills the sal'ation b(t the Son didnAt die ,or e'erybody and the Holy S%irit is tryin- to -et e'erybody sa'ed that he can+ Most %eo%leAs reli-ion is B(st that+ Most %eo%leAs reli-ion is B(st the (nderstandin- that 7od is tryin- to do somethinb(t heAs bein- ,r(strated by o(r will+ HeAs been ,r(strated by o(r rebellion+ B(t thatAs not tr(e+ 3hat 7od has desi-ned to do, what the )ather has desi-ned to do, what the Son has desi-ned to do, what the Holy S%irit has desi-ned to do, thatAs what he does and heAs not ,r(strated by any o, (s+ How o,ten ha'e we had those silly sentimental ideas that 7od is B(st (% there wrin-inhis hands and heAs so tro(bled by all those that hate him b(t he canAt do anythin- abo(t it+ 3hen <hrist came down here (%on this earth, he came as the Son o, 7od and the Son o, man+ He didnAt lay aside his deity, he limited it b(t in time reclaimed it+ He didnAt always rely (%on the ,act that he was the Son o, man b(t he o,tentimes did+ He o,tentimes e'en s(bBected himsel, to the limitations that wo(ld be: time, s%ace, tra'el, h(n-er, thirst, weariness and tiredness+ ThatAs not 7od, thatAs the Son o, man+ 7od ne'er wears o(t+ He is the eternal 7od+ He is the e'erlastin- 7od+ He is the 8lmi-hty+ He ne'er thirsts a,ter anythin- beca(se he is s(,,icient in and o, himsel, at all times+

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3hat miserable creat(res we are witho(t <hrist+ 3e h(n-er+ 3e thirst+ 3e -et ,r(strated+ 8n-ry+ Sad+ Moody+ Fo( name it+ 3hate'er it is, we chan-e b(t we ha'e in the Scri%t(re written, 0$ am the Lord thy 7od, $ chan-e not+ My com%assions which are the same yesterday, today and ,ore'er, contin(e on and on+@ 6n the ,li%side o, that, the wrath o, 7od chan-es not+ 3e donAt %o(r water on a ra-in,orest ,ire o(t o, a c(%+ 3e donAt ta&e a bottle o, water and -o (% to a ra-in- ,orest ,ire and s%rin&le it on the ed-e and thin& weAre -oin- to %(t it o(t+ ThatAs B(st what o(r will worshi% does with 7od+ 3e wal& (% to 7od and we say to him, 0$All %(t o(t yo(r ,ire o, wrath by my little o,,erin- o, sin here+@ Too late+ Those who tend to do that and those who %(r%ort to do that, will ,ind o(t it ,ailed+ $t ,ailed+ The wrath o, 7od is as eternal as his mercies on those o, his obBects+ 8s we contem%late the $ncarnation and thatAs what weAre tal&in- abo(t, the $ncarnation o, the Son o, 7od, not that he became the Son at Bethlehem, donAt e'er -et the mista&en idea that that was the case, that he was not a Son (ntil he was born o, the 'ir-in Mary+ He is the eternal Son o, 7od+ He is the eternal Son o, 7od+ 8nd as s(ch, he m(st become 7od in the ,lesh beca(se as $A'e %ointed o(t earlier, we are in the ,lesh+ 3e li'e in this tent called o(r h(man body and he m(st come in the li&eness o, that sin,(l ,lesh in order to sa'e those o, (s who ha'e to li'e in it+ T(rn o'er to /hili%%ians :", 0Let this mind be in yo(, which was also in <hrist ;es(s: 3ho, bein- in the ,orm o, 7od, tho(-ht it not robbery to be e>(al with 7od+@ $ do not &now why they (se that word 0robbery+@ $t doesnAt relate to most %eo%le other than a crime ,rom the instance o, ta&in- somethin- that doesnAt belon- to yo(+ 0He tho(-ht it not robbery to be e>(al with 7od+@ That did belon- to him+ 0B(t made himsel, o, no re%(tation+@ The 7ree& act(ally says there 0he tho(-ht it not somethin- to be clin-in- to+@ $n other words, he loo&ed aro(nd and he said, 0HereAs the )ather and here am $ and here is the Holy S%irit and weAre ha%%y and $Am -oin- to stay here+@ There wo(ld be no sal'ation i, that too& %lace+ $, <hrist stays in hea'en, no sal'ation+ 0B(t $ tho(-ht he was the Lamb slain ,rom the ,o(ndation o, the world1@ Fes, b(t he has to come down in time and s%ace+ $t has to come down to the e=%erience o, the elect child o, 7odAs li,e+ /a(l has to -et &noc&ed o,, the horse+ His eyes m(st be o%ened+ LydiaAs heart m(st be o%ened when she hears the word or itAs B(st words+ $t m(st ta&e %lace and 7od ass(res that it will+ So <hrist doesnAt hold his %osition in hea'en as somethin- that he m(st ha'e in order to be <hrist+ 0$, $Am -oin- to be the Son o, 7od, $ ha'e to stay here+@ ?o+ 8s we ha'e here, he tho(-ht it not robbery to be e>(al with 7od+ $tAs not somethin- heAs -oin- to clin- to b(t what is he -oin- to do1 0He made himsel, o, no re%(tation+@ $t co(ldA'e ha%%ened this way: one day Mary and ;ose%h co(ld ha'e been there and wor&in- away and %lannin- to -et married and nothinta&e %lace with her and all o, a s(dden, a 'a%or a%%ears and itAs a ,(ll -rown <hrist in crown and -lory+ He wal&s (% to Herod and he says, 07et o,, yo(r throne+ $Am the Gin-

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o, &in-s+@ $t co(ld ha'e ha%%ened that way+ $t co(ld+ B(t it didnAt beca(se we ha'e here recorded in these words, he made himsel, o, no re%(tation+ He didnAt come with a list o, credentials+ He didnAt come sayin-, 0This is my claim+ This is my ri-ht+ This is what $ am d(e+@ 0He too& (%on him the ,orm o, a ser'ant+@ He too& (%on him the role o, a ser'ant+ 08nd was made in the li&eness o, men+@ Fo( &now, i, yo( can (nderstand this and yo( can -et a hold o, this and yo( can say, 0Ho, h(m,@ and 0thatAs nice,@ and 0thatAs a -ood theolo-ical idea,@ more %ower to yo( b(t $ donAt (nderstand it all+ $ B(st ha'e to say, 0Selah+@ Sit there and thin& abo(t this: that he made himsel, o, no re%(tation and too& (%on him the ,orm o, a ser'ant and was made in the li&eness o, men+ ?ow, yo( and $ -i'en that o%%ort(nity, we wo(ld ne'er ha'e done it+ 3e wo(ld ha'e said, 0?o, let them %erish beca(se theyAre miserable and they are blind and they are wic&ed+@ B(t then in the eternal Trinity, any attit(de li&e that is tr(m%ed by the idea, 0$ lo'e them with e'erlastinlo'e and there with cords o, lo'e ha'e $ drawn them+@ Then there is total (nderstandinthat all o, this that is so co'eted by men, %ower and %osition and wealth and a(thority, is not to be held on to+ 08nd bein- ,o(nd in ,ashion as a man, he h(mbled himsel,, and became obedient (nto death+@ ThatAs another hard one, isnAt it1 $, we co(ld ha'e a Lamb s%ea&, he wo(ld loo& (% ,rom the altar and he wo(ld say, 0$Am -oin- to die1 )or what1@ 3ell, yo(Are -oin- to die ,or all those %eo%le down there who ri-ht now are dead in their tres%asses and sin+ 03ell, $Ad rather not+@ B(t <hrist didnAt say that+ He said, 0$ willin-ly -o+ $ will Boyo(sly -o+ $ will -lee,(lly -o+@ 08nd bein- ,o(nd in ,ashion as a man, he h(mbled himsel,, and became obedient (nto death, e'en the death o, the cross+@ 3hat a dishonorable death that is+ Fo( &now, $ donAt &now i, there is any honorable e=ec(tion at all b(t the cross is the most dastardly death that man has e'er (nderstood+ 8nd he says that he became obedient (nto death b(t not B(st death, the death o, the cross+ 3e &now that he wasnAt h(n- there with honorable men+ He wasnAt h(n- there with &in-s and %rinces+ He was h(n- between two lowly, wic&ed thie'es beca(se he was co(nted as one+ 0He who is B(st a man made himsel, e>(al with 7od1 He m(st be a thie,+ HeAs tryin- to steal 7odAs -lory+ <r(ci,y himH 7et rid o, himH@ 8nd so they did beca(se it was the eternal desi-n o, the Trinity that it be so+ The wic&ed ta&in- co(nsel, did so beca(se o, 7odAs %(r%ose+ Herod and /onti(s /ilate -ettin- to-ether was accordin- to 7odAs %(r%ose, to brin- abo(t the death at the cross o, his only be-otten Son+ 03here,ore 7od also hath hi-hly e=alted him, and -i'en him a name which is abo'e e'ery name: That at the name o, ;es(s e'ery &nee sho(ld bow, o, thin-s in hea'en, and thin-s in earth, and thin-s (nder the earth9 8nd that e'ery ton-(e sho(ld con,ess that ;es(s <hrist is Lord, to the -lory o, 7od the )ather+@ 8s we contem%late in a ,ew days, not too m(ch ,(rther alon- weAll wa&e (%, most o, (s to -ather in o(r homes and remember that ;es(s <hrist was born in time and s%ace, some time, some s%ace, e=actly where we (nderstand to be Bethlehem, e=actly when we

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debate, whether it was in winter, whether it was in s%rin-, whate'er it was, b(t we will remember that this was a time that <hrist was born+ Let (s remember that this is the 3ord made ,lesh to come and dwell amon- (s+ This is the eternal Son o, 7od who did not B(st ha%ly become a Son by the 'ir-in birth, what was incarnated into the li&eness o, h(man ,lesh+ $ remember a lon- time a-o bac& in Macon, 7eor-ia, we (sed to ha'e a doorway that had a star that shined beams (%on a cross to show (s that the birth o, <hrist is ,or the death o, <hrist+ 8s we thin& o, the ha%%iness o, -i'in- -i,ts to one another and 7od -i'in- the -i,t o, his Son, let (s remember that it was at a hi-h cost that he -a'e his only be-otten Son+ 8nd he wasnAt ca(-ht blind-sided by that act+ $t wasnAt by wic&ed men alone that <hrist wo(ld be cr(ci,ied, it wasnAt that 7od co(ldnAt ha'e chan-ed their minds that <hrist wo(ld die, it was that his %(r%ose was to do so+ <omin- down here on this earth, he didnAt come to enBoy the %leas(res o, this earth+ $ndeed, he was to(ched by the in,irmities o, man on e'ery hand+ By an-er and the wic&edness and the rebellion, the hatred, b(t also the sic&nesses and the a,,lictions and the s(,,erin-s+ So it wasnAt a li,e that he came down here to %arty and ha'e a -ood time+ Fes, he went to the weddin- in <ana o, 7alilee b(t as he sat there, he beheld all o, the ,allen nat(re o, man, all o, what they ta&e %leas(re in, all o, what they ha'e ,(n in+ Today as the world dances and sin-s its way to hell, we &now he came into s(ch a world, that he was tem%ted in all %oints li&e as we are yet witho(t sin+ 8ll aro(nd him was the %ossibility o, sinnin-+ Sinnin- in tho(-ht or sinnin- in action, sinnin- in ,or-ettin- 7od, sinnin- in hatin- 7od, act(ally+ B(t he was witho(t sin+ ?ow, $ want yo( to thin& abo(t that B(st a min(te and then weAre -oin- to close beca(se weA'e -one on >(ite a lon- time here, so maybe yo(Are -ettin- weary+ Bein- witho(t sin and li'in- in this world+ This wee& when yo( -o o(t in the world and -o sho%%in- and yo( -o in masses o, %eo%le, thin& i, yo( were witho(t sin amon- them what yo( wo(ld see+ Then m(lti%ly that with this: that <hrist &nowin- all thin-s, &nowin- what was in the heart o, man, committed himsel, not to man+ So here is this one who has no sin, no e=%erience o, sin, b(t &nows yo(r sin and my sin and e'erybodyAs sin+ There was that blas%hemo(s mo'ement a ,ew years bac& called the La(-hin- ;es(s, was he sittin- here ha'in- a %arty and enBoyin- li,e1 ?o, he was obser'in- li,e in its ,allen state+ Some o, those were elect %eo%le that he was in the %resence o, and he saw their sorrow and he saw their rebellion and he saw their ho%elessness+ He was to(ched by it+ $ndeed, the Bible tells (s that he is to(ched by o(r in,irmities+ How co(ld he do so stayin- (% in hea'en1 How co(ld he do so remainin- there in the %resence o, s%irit(ally eternity1 He m(st come down to earth+ 3o(ld it be demanded o, man1 ?o, they wo(ldnAt want him to come down to earth+ 3o(ld it be seen o, men1 ?o, he came (nto his own and his own recei'ed him not beca(se they didnAt see him+ Today there are those who thin& they are the chosen o, 7od beca(se they are o, this sect or this reli-ion or whate'er+ They donAt see him ,or who he is+

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Blessed are yo(r eyes ,or they see+ Blessed are yo(r ears ,or they hear+ Blessed is yo(r heart ,or it obeys+ Let (s remember that <hrist who is the eternal Son o, 7od, was made ,lesh that at his 'ery be-innin-, be,ore he was born o, the 'ir-in Mary, we had these words, 0Tho( shalt call his name ;es(s,@ beca(se he wo(ld be a -ood e=am%le1 Beca(se he wo(ld be a -ood role model1 Beca(se he wo(ld sa'e e'erybody who was willin- to be sa'ed1 Beca(se he wo(ld sa'e e'erybody who tried to do the ri-ht thin-1 ?o, they will call his name ;es(s beca(se he not only will -i'e a chance, he will sa'e+ 3ill he sa'e the world1 Fes, i, yo( (nderstand it is o, elect sinners+ 3ill he sa'e e'erybody1 8bsol(tely not+ He will sa'e his %eo%le ,rom their sins+ ?ot B(st %artly, not B(st ,rom some sins b(t ,rom their sins+ 8ll o, their sins+ 8ll o, what they are in ,allen man, he will redeem by his own blood+ This <hristmas, abo'e all, $ ha'e contem%lated the eternal thin-s+ <ontem%lated the (nderstandin- o, really who we are and who 7od is+ There ha'e been many <hristmases in the %ast that there has been e=citement abo(t materialistic thin-s and all sorts o, thin-s li&e that b(t this year we sit and we thin& abo(t how blessed we are in <hrist ;es(s+ How -racio(s 7od has been to (ndeser'in- sinners+ ?ot s(ch as yo( b(t s(ch as $ and it is by -race that we are sa'ed and that not o, o(rsel'es, it is the -i,t o, 7od+ Our Father, we ask that you would use these words to thy glory, to thy praise, to thy honor, to the edification of thy people. In Jesus name. Amen.

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