Jesus Is Born

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world. On December 25th, friends and families gather together to open gifts and spend time together. Most people that celebrate Christmas know about its origins. Christmas was and is still a day that Christians celebrate Jesus being born into the world. In hectic and busy times during the holidays it is easy to lose sight of the meaning behind Christmas. So, we must ask ourselves why we are celebrating in the first place?

The meaning of Christmas goes much deeper and further back than the night Jesus was born. In the Old Testament, God’s people were struggling. Because of sin, there was a gap between people and God. This gap made it hard to connect with God, therefore, people continued to sin and turn away from God. However, God gave them a promise. Throughout the Old Testament, the promise of a Savior emerges time and time again. This Savior would be a person that could bridge the gap between people and God and allow for a new relationship to take place.

For years God’s people waited for this promise to be fulfilled. The New Testament picks up with this promise coming into fruition. Matthew 1-2, and Luke 1-2 tell the story of Jesus being born.

Here we see that God sent angels to visit Mary and Joseph (Jesus’s parents). Even though Mary and Joseph were not married yet, the angels told them that the Holy Spirit would conceive a baby in Mary’s womb and that baby would be Jesus, the long awaited Savior.

The Bible explains that Jesus was God’s son, even though he had human parents. Because the Holy Spirit put Jesus inside Mary’s womb it became clear that this child was special. Mary and Joseph were entrusted to raise and care for Jesus, but they knew that Jesus was God’s own son.

The backstory behind Jesus’s birth is very interesting, but the reason we still celebrate it is because of what it continues to do for us. A significant part of the promise of the Savior was for God to be with humanity. Jesus was with his father in heaven but came to the world so that he could relate to us. While Jesus was 100% God he was also 100% man. Jesus knew what it was like to laugh and have fun, he knew what it was like to have pain and to be sad. Jesus was God with us, he helped those around him to see God in new ways and to further their journey with him.

But the promise did not stop there. Jesus was killed on the cross, but arose three days later. This proved to people that he really was the Savior that the Old Testament talked about. It is through Jesus’s death and resurrection that we can be saved from our sins, be connected to God, and have eternal life.

We celebrate Christmas because Jesus became God with us and became our Savior.

Key Takeaways:

• Jesus is the promise of a Savior

• Jesus is God’s Son

• Jesus is God with Us

Parents, 3treesKIDS will be covering “Jesus is Born”, both in-person and online this week.

Be sure to check out their lesson at www.3trees.com/kids.

To find service times and locations, visit https://www.3trees.com/planyourvisit.

God Is Our Great Physician

When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

(Matthew 9:12 NKJ)

A few years ago, my husband became ill. It didn't take long after we sought treatment from the physicians to find a tumor growing in his digestive system. Within days of the tumor being identified, he was scheduled for surgery with one of the best gastroenterologists in our region. Having that tumor removed, as soon as it was found, saved his life.

It's easy to decide to have something removed when you realize how dangerous it is to the health and well-being of your body.

The Word of God declares that God is our Great Physician. We often lean on God for the healing of spiritual, emotional, or physical pain, and His Word can guide us to recovery. But I wonder how often you turn to God to be a surgeon in your life.

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees in Matthew 9:12, they considered themselves “healthy” before God because of their observance of the law. They failed to acknowledge their spiritual sickness. Jesus was pointing out to them in this verse that only those who acknowledge their sickness can receive the help they need.

How often do you ask God to cut away the attributes that make you spiritually unhealthy?

I want to encourage you to ask God to show you the “tumors” of your spiritual life. For example, do you struggle with discontentment, pride, disobedience, selfishness, ungratefulness, offense, bitterness, anger, or hate? All of these adverse attributes and many others can make us spiritually unhealthy.

With the same urgency that my husband had his physical tumor removed, we should seek God to show us the areas of our spiritual life where things are growing that shouldn't be. Then allow Him to begin the work to remove them. Surgery can be painful, but it's always for the good of our health.

The Pharisees couldn't see their spiritual sickness- and it hindered their relationship with Jesus. I don't want anything to hinder my relationship with Jesus, and I'm sure you don't either. Thankfully we can prevent this from happening in our lives! We are all sinners in need of Jesus, and we can trust Him as our Great Physician, He is the best surgeon we will ever have.

I See Dead People

In the movie Sixth Sense, Bruce Willis stars as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a psychiatrist attempting to help a young boy named Cole Sear. A fundamental tension exists throughout the plot’s development as Dr. Crowe doesn’t realize that Cole is also trying to help him. Working their way to mutual revelation, Cole finally breaks the tension eerily with a piercing statement, “ I SEE DEAD PEOPLE.” The plot later reveals that this struggle for Cole is the only reason he can see Dr. Crowe. Dr. Malcolm Crowe is dead. But he doesn’t know it.

One guy sees dead people. The other is dead and doesn’t know it. There is something for us to consider spiritually here from a symbolic perspective.

And He made you alive, who were dead in… sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air... 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind... just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (Ephesians 2:1-5 NKJV)

Do you see dead people?

Or, maybe I should ask if you are dead or alive personally?

I’m not talking about ghosts. Instead, I am referencing the reality that we can be dead due to separation from Jesus Christ and not realize it.

We can become so enthralled with walking after the course of the world that we remain spiritually dead. And, this state of existence is a dangerous place to be! But, thankfully, we all have the opportunity to become alive, despite all of our sins, by confessing Jesus Christ as our Savior!

In this message, I See Dead People, I share why we need to ensure that we are alive. I also share why your answer may change when processing this all-important question: Do you see dead people? Because, here’s the truth, there are dead people all around us, and God created us to bring the light of life into their lives through good works! I want to help you realize that you were made anew through salvation in Jesus Christ to do good works.

We do these good works because of the good things Jesus is doing in us, not because we are good people! Commissioned to spread the Gospel of Jesus to everyone we meet, it’s only through receiving the Gospel that the dead can be made alive, and God wants to empower you as His son or daughter to serve as a laborer for this cause.

Be encouraged through this message that God created YOU to serve a significant role in the Kingdom of God!

Are you willing and ready to be used by God and do something good that leads to someone’s salvation experience? According to Jesus’ own words, “The Harvest is ready, but the laborers are few.” Let’s go to work!

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works… (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)

Check out this message by Pastor Eric and be encouraged to start using your time, talent, and treasure to populate Heaven and plunder Hell!

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES

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