BEHOLD THE MAN! (1 of 2)
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Luke 2:1-20; Jn. 19:5
12/17/2000
INTRO:
The wonder of Christmas is not found in Heaven, or the
angels, it is that God chose to fully become a human
being and experience life as we know it, and to die
for our sins! Many religions celebrate their founder's
enlightenment and journey to the spiritual plane, or
their flights from persecution; but only Christianity
celebrates the journey of God to Earth to become a man
and willingly submit Himself to His enemies to die for
our sins!
ILLUS:
The Muslim calendar is dated from the Hegira, when
Mohammed fled to Medina to escape persecution. Our
calendar is also dated from a journey, but it was not
a journey to flee persecution. Christ willingly made
the journey from Heaven to earth, and when his time
had come, willingly went to the cross to die at the
hands of his enemies. -- Robert C. Shannon, 1000
Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing
Company, 1997).
There is no way that God can overlook humanity, He has
experienced being a human, it is the greatest marvel
of the universe!
Few expected God's plan would be so primitive, so
plain, so humble; that He should come as a helpless
baby dependent on human parents for His own survival!
When we behold the man Jesus, we are amazed at God's
love and persistence in saving us!
PROP. SENT: The Bible teaches us that God in
becoming man has made possible the forgiveness of sins
so that we can experience His eternal life.
I. GOD'S MESSAGE 2:1-14
A. Grave Moments 2:1-7
1. The wonderfully pastoral scenes of Christmas plays
in Churches are hardly the reality of the first
Christmas, consider the following facts of the first
one:
a. Big government was running the country into the
ground financially!
b. Constant new taxes were draining the middle class,
big expensive government projects were the cause of
this.
c. Divorce was common, as was ab ...
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Luke 2:1-20; Jn. 19:5
12/17/2000
INTRO:
The wonder of Christmas is not found in Heaven, or the
angels, it is that God chose to fully become a human
being and experience life as we know it, and to die
for our sins! Many religions celebrate their founder's
enlightenment and journey to the spiritual plane, or
their flights from persecution; but only Christianity
celebrates the journey of God to Earth to become a man
and willingly submit Himself to His enemies to die for
our sins!
ILLUS:
The Muslim calendar is dated from the Hegira, when
Mohammed fled to Medina to escape persecution. Our
calendar is also dated from a journey, but it was not
a journey to flee persecution. Christ willingly made
the journey from Heaven to earth, and when his time
had come, willingly went to the cross to die at the
hands of his enemies. -- Robert C. Shannon, 1000
Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing
Company, 1997).
There is no way that God can overlook humanity, He has
experienced being a human, it is the greatest marvel
of the universe!
Few expected God's plan would be so primitive, so
plain, so humble; that He should come as a helpless
baby dependent on human parents for His own survival!
When we behold the man Jesus, we are amazed at God's
love and persistence in saving us!
PROP. SENT: The Bible teaches us that God in
becoming man has made possible the forgiveness of sins
so that we can experience His eternal life.
I. GOD'S MESSAGE 2:1-14
A. Grave Moments 2:1-7
1. The wonderfully pastoral scenes of Christmas plays
in Churches are hardly the reality of the first
Christmas, consider the following facts of the first
one:
a. Big government was running the country into the
ground financially!
b. Constant new taxes were draining the middle class,
big expensive government projects were the cause of
this.
c. Divorce was common, as was ab ...
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