Christmas Celebration - Jesus Christ: The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

Class Outline:

---

Only one can forcast the splendor of His blood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(#012) Christmas Celebration - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God.  Welcome to our Christmas Celebration, the time when we honor the birth of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  John, Chapter 1, Verse 14 says…

 

JOHN 1:14 And the Word (the Lord…God the Son…the eternal God) … became flesh (He took for Himself a human nature…as a man, Jesus Christ…true humanity) … and lived for a while among us…and we were eyewitnesses of His glory (His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension) … the glory of the uniquely born One from God the Father (100% God and 100% man in One Person forever) … full of grace and full of truth.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION
 

Many people will question the sign that hangs behind my head…the sign that says JESUS CHRIST IS GOD.  Such a bold statement conjures up thoughts that Barah Ministries must be a cult…after all, Barah is quite a funny name.  We live in a cynical world…jaded by religion, the enemy of God’s strategy that is being perpetrated against the human race.  

 

When you think about it, none of us came from the womb having thoughts about God. We came from the womb seeking milk and a diaper change!  So, all the things we know about God have been taught to us by someone…we have been influenced by the thoughts of others…in most cases by our parent's thoughts. 

At Barah Ministries, we’re influenced by the Bible’s thoughts…a written work that calls itself the Word of God…the exact thinking of Jesus Christ.  The Bible houses a set of PREDICTIONS about Jesus Christ …when He would come to earth…to whom He would be born…and where He would be born.  The Bible describes Jesus Christ as a PRODIGY…someone with supernatural thoughts and abilities.  The Bible says that Jesus Christ is a PROPITIATION…the One who made the only sacrifice that God the Father would find acceptable to repair a broken relationship between God and Man.  

 

In today’s lesson, we’ll celebrate Christmas by fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ…and we’ll investigate what the Bible has to say about the PREDICTION…THE PRODIGY…and the PROPITIATION. 

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Songs capture the feelings we have today.  Joy to the World!  The Lord is come!  Let earth receive her King!  Lord, we lift Your Name on high…Lord, we love to sing Your praises…we’re so glad you’re in our lives…we’re so glad You came to save us…You came from heaven to earth…to show the way…from the earth to the Cross…our debt to pay…from the Cross to the grave…from the grave to the sky…Lord we lift Your name on high.  Let’s hear a song that June Murphy wrote and produced in honor of our amazing God…HE CAME FROM CHRISTMAS TO THE CROSS.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

HE CAME FROM CHRISTMAS TO THE CROSS

June Murphy

 

Let’s continue with the music.  As you hear the songs of Christmas, really listen to the words.  Listen to how the writers of the songs capture the meaning of this season.  See if you can feel what the characters in the songs must have been feeling…what they must have been thinking.  This is a time of great excitement for the whole world…especially for Christians.  We celebrate in ecstasy.  We imagine what the human parents of Jesus Christ… Joseph and Mary…must have felt when they first laid eyes on their beautiful baby boy.  Let’s listen to Clay Aiken capture the moment with his song, Mary Did You Know?  After that, June Murphy, sings, “What Child is This?”

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

MARY DID YOU KNOW?

Clay Aiken

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

June Murphy

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful to you, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Thank you, Father, for your indescribable, unfathomable, magnificent, precious and gracious gift…the gift of Your Son…thank you for counting us worthy to receive Him…in gratitude we lift our hearts to You every day, and on this day especially, Father, as we let in the feelings that overwhelm our souls at the celebration of Jesus’ birth…our soul rejoices as we experience, at this moment, exactly what You did for us by sending Jesus Christ, the Messiah, here to earth…

 

Illuminate for us the Scriptures we will hear today…help us to feel Your perfect plan for all of your imperfect creatures…help us to see the intricacy of Your unconditional love for us…help us to experience Your peace by knowing that You are for us…and You have nothing against us… 

 

We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit...in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

Merry Christmas!

 

The PREDICTION About the Christ

 

Let’s start with the PREDICTION about the Christ from Old Testament Scripture.  What were the PREDICTIONS?  There were hundreds of them!  The Old Testament prophesied about the Messiah who would come as a Lamb without spot or blemish…One who would take away the sins of the world.    Here are just a few of the PREDICTIONS.

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Descended from Abraham

 

The Lord predicted Abraham’s future of in the Old Testament…Genesis, Chapter 17, Verses 7 and 8…

 

GENESIS 17:7 “I (Jehovah Elohim…God the Son) will establish My covenant between Me and you (Abraham…a name meaning father of a multitude of nations)…and between Me and your descendants after you (Isaac and Jacob) throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant…to be God to you (Abraham) and to your descendants after you (Isaac, Jacob, and the entire Jewish Race).”

 

GENESIS 17:8  “I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings…all the land of Canaan…for an everlasting possession…and I will be their God.”

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Descended from Isaac

 

Genesis, Chapter 17, Verse 19…

 

GENESIS 17:19  But God said to Abraham, “No! (Ishmael will not be your heir) … but Sarah your wife will bear you a son…and you shall call his name Isaac…and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”

 

Genesis, Chapter 28, Verse 14…

 

GENESIS 28:14 “Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south…and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

 

Anti-Semitism is treated with contempt by our loving God. 

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Descended from Jesse

 

Isaiah, Chapter 11 Verse 1…

 

ISAIAH 11:1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse…and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Descended from David

 

Isaiah, Chapter 9, Verses 6 and 7…

 

ISAIAH 9:6  For a child will be born to us…a son will be given to us…and the government will rest on His shoulders (He will be a king) … and His name (because of His character) will be called…Wonderful Counselor…Mighty God…Eternal Father…Prince of Peace.

 

ISAIAH 9:7  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of His peace…on the throne of David and over his kingdom…to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

 

As the Messiah, it was predicted that the Lord Jesus Christ would rule forever.

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come from the Tribe of Judah

 

Genesis, Chapter 49, Verses 8 to 10…

 

GENESIS 49:8 “Judah…your brothers shall praise you…your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies …your father’s sons shall bow down to you.”

 

GENESIS 49:9  “Judah is a lion’s whelp (child)…from the prey, my son, you have gone up.  He couches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him up?”

 

GENESIS 49:10  “The scepter (rightfully His) shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh (the Messiah) comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Born in Bethlehem of Judah

 

Micah, Chapter 5, Verse 2…

 

MICAH 5:2 “But as for you, Bethlehem…too little to be among the clans of Judah…from you, One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

 

Matthew, Chapter 1, Verses 1 to 3…

 

MATTHEW 1:1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son

of Abraham…

 

MATTHEW 1:2  Abraham was the father of Isaac…Isaac was the father of Jacob…and Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

 

MATTHEW 1:3  Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar…Perez was the father of Hezron …and Hezron was the father of Ram.

 

Hebrews, Chapter 7, Verse 14…

 

HEBREWS 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

 

PREDICTION
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Be Born of a Virgin

 

ISAIAH 7:14 Therefore, the Lord (God the Father) Himself will give you a sign…behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son…and she will call His name Immanuel (which means God with Us).

 

What are the chances of all these predictions coming true?  With God, all things are possible.  These predictions DID come true!  It’s just fun to witness the orchestration of God the Father on behalf of His Son for the benefit of all of us.  Take a five-minute break.

 

BREAK

THE CHRISTMAS SONG

Nat King Cole

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

Welcome back!  Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with the offering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

JOHN 16:33 “These things I (the Lord Jesus Christ) have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage…I have overcome the world.”

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

David Bauer, Instrumental

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Isaac Watt did not write the next song as a Christmas song…it was written as a celebration of Psalm 98…here’s Verse 1…

 

PSALM 98:1 O sing to the Lord a new song…for the Lord has done wonderful things… His right hand and His holy arm (symbols of power) have gained the victory for Him.

 

The song is now a Christmas classic…we use it today, and every year, to celebrate the victory of a “so great salvation” … JOY TO THE WORLD!

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

JOY TO THE WORLD

Nat King Cole

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is a PRODIGY, a marvelous example of His Father’s unconditional love…someone with supernatural thoughts and abilities.

 

THE PRODIGY
A Blessing to Two Women…Mary and Elizabeth

 

Luke, Chapter 1, Verse 26…

 

LUKE 1:26  Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God the Father to a city in Galilee called Nazareth…

 

LUKE 1:27  …to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David…and the virgin’s name was Mary. 

 

LUKE 1:28  And coming in, the angel said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

 

LUKE 1:29  But Mary was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of greeting this was.

 

LUKE 1:30  The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary…for you have found favor with God.”

 

LUKE 1:31  “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

 

LUKE 1:32  “He will be great and He will be called the Son of the Most High…and the Lord God (the Father) will give Jesus the throne of His father David…”

 

LUKE 1:33  “…and Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

 

LUKE 1:34  Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I am a virgin?"

 

LUKE 1:35  The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”

 

LUKE 1:36  “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age…and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month (of pregnancy).”

 

LUKE 1:37  “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 

 

LUKE 1:38  And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord…may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

 

LUKE 1:39  Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah…

 

LUKE 1:40  …and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

 

LUKE 1:41  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby (Elizabeth was carrying) leaped in her womb…and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

LUKE 1:42  And Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you Mary, among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

 

LUKE 1:43  “And how has it happened to me (Elizabeth), that the mother of my Lord

would come to me?”

 

LUKE 1:44  “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, Mary, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”

 

LUKE 1:45  “And blessed are you who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

 

LUKE 1:46  And Mary said:  “My soul exalts the Lord…”

 

LUKE 1:47  “And my spirit has rejoiced in the God who is my Savior (the Lord Jesus Christ).”

 

LUKE 1:48  “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave..for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.”

 

LUKE 1:49  "For the Mighty One has done great things for me...and holy is His name."

 

THE PRODIGY
A Blessing to an Obedient Joseph

 

Matthew, Chapter 1, Verse 18…

 

MATTHEW1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together (had sexual intercourse), she was found to be “with child” by the agency of God the Holy Spirit. 

 

MATTHEW 1:19  And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man (a believer in Christ) and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away (divorce her) secretly.

 

MATTHEW 1:20  But when Joseph had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared

to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…for the Child who has been conceived in her is by the (agency of the) Holy Spirit.” 

 

MATTHEW 1:21  “She will bear a Son…and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 

 

MATTHEW 1:22  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet (Isaiah)…

 

MATTHEW 1:23  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” 

 

MATTHEW 1:24  And Joseph awoke from his sleep and he chose to do as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife…

 

MATTHEW 1:25 …but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son…and Joseph called His name Jesus.

 

THE PRODIGY
The Birth of Jesus Christ

 

Luke, Chapter 2, Verse 1…

 

LUKE 2:1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

 

LUKE 2:2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 

 

LUKE 2:3  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 

 

LUKE 2:4  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David…

 

LUKE 2:5  …in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with (pregnant with THE) child.

 

LUKE 2:6  While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

 

LUKE 2:7  And she gave birth to her firstborn son…and she wrapped Him in cloths (the strips use to wrap a mangled corpse)…and laid Him in a manger (a feeding trough for cattle)…because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

LUKE 2:8  In the same region, some shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock (of sheep) by night.

 

LUKE 2:9  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…and they were terribly frightened.

 

LUKE 2:10  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid…for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…”

 

LUKE 2:11  "…for today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is the Christ (the Messiah)…the Lord (God the Son).”

 

LUKE 2:12  “This will be a sign for you…you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

 

LUKE 2:13  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying…

 

LUKE 2:14  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

 

LUKE 2:15  When the angels (the heavenly hosts) had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

 

LUKE 2:16  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and to the baby as He lay in the manger. 

 

LUKE 2:17  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

 

LUKE 2:18  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

 

LUKE 2:19  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

 

LUKE 2:20  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

 

THE PRODIGY
A Reflection of God’s Sacrificial Love For Us

 

First John, Chapter 4, Verse 7…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:7  Beloved (divinely loved ones), let us love one another (unconditionally), for (unconditional) love is from (the source of) God…and everyone who loves (unconditionally) is born of God (a believer in Christ is born again) and knows God (they are children of a King).

 

FIRST JOHN 4:8  The one who does not love (unconditionally) does not know God (the Father)…for God (the Father) IS (unconditional) love.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:9  By this, the (unconditional) love of God was manifested (made clearly visible) in us, that God (the Father) has sent His uniquely born Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:10  In this is (unconditional) love…not that we loved God (unconditionally)… but that He loved us (unconditionally) and sent His Son to be the PROPITIATION for our sins.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:11  Beloved (divinely loved ones)…if God so loved us (unconditionally), and he did…we also ought to love one another (unconditionally).

 

FIRST JOHN 4:12  No one has seen God (the Father) at any time…if we love one another (unconditionally), God (the Father) abides in us, and His (unconditional) love is perfected in us.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:13  By this, we know that we abide in Him (God the Father) and He (abides) in(dwelling) us, because He (God the Father) has given us of His (Holy) Spirit.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:14  We have seen and testify that (God) the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

 

Take a five-minute break.

 

BREAK

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

Ray Parker Jr.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

The next song was written in a dark time in human history…in the fifteenth century…and it was meant as a song of encouragement…to remind people that God will make them mighty…and that they should rest in that Biblical truth.  If you ever wondered what GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN means…now you know.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN

Nat King Cole

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - Jesus Christ:  The Prediction, The Prodigy, and The Propitiation

 

Welcome back!  Finally, the Lord Jesus Christ is a PROPITIATION, satisfactory to His Father in every way.

 

THE PROPITIATION

The ONLY Perfectly Satisfactory Payment…His Blood

 

Romans, Chapter 3, Verses 21 to 25…one of my favorite passages and an amazing testimony to our great God…

 

ROMANS 3:21 But now apart from the Law, another principle entirely exists…the righteousness from God…which has been made clearly visible, being witnessed to by the Mosaic Law in the sacrificial offerings…and being witnessed to by the Old Testament Prophets in direct statements…

 

ROMANS 3:22  …a righteousness that comes as a gift from God the Father through the principle of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not through the principle of faith in yourselves for righteousness…and that free gift is available for whosoever believes…for there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks…

 

ROMANS 3:23  …for all have sinned in the past when Adam sinned and all keep on sinning…and all keep on falling short of the glory of God…

 

ROMANS 3:24 …yet all keep on being justified by God the Father as a gift (free of charge) from His grace through the redemption which is a result of being in union with Christ Jesus…

 

ROMANS 3:25 …whom God the Father displayed publicly as a PROPITIATION, through a sacrifice of His blood, for the benefit of all who have faith.  This was to demonstrate God the Father’s righteousness, because in the forbearance of God the Father, He passed over the sins previously committed…

 

First John, Chapter 2, Verses 1 and 2 say…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:1 My little children (believers in Christ), I (John) am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, and we all do, we have an Advocate with God the Father…Jesus Christ the ONLY righteous One…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:2  …and Jesus Christ Himself is the propitiation for our sins (the ONLY perfectly satisfactory payment for sin in the eyes of God the Father)…and not for ours (as believers in Christ) only, but also for those (sins) of the whole world (unbelievers as well).

 

Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 9…

 

HEBREWS 2:9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death…crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God the Father, Jesus might taste death for the benefit of everyone.

 

Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verses 14 to 17…

 

HEBREWS 2:14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, Jesus Himself likewise also partook of flesh and blood, so that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil…

 

HEBREWS 2:15  …and so He might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

 

HEBREWS 2:16  For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.

 

HEBREWS 2:17  Therefore, Jesus had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make PROPITIATION for the sins of the people.

 

Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 15…

 

HEBREWS 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

 

The result of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth is peace between God and Man.

Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 5:1 Therefore, having been justified on the principle of faith in the past, we believers in Christ now and forevermore keep on having peace with God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

Merry Christmas!

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

We close in celebration of that amazing night…O HOLY NIGHT!

 

CLOSING SONG

O HOLY NIGHT

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

THANKS-PETITION-INTERCESSION
 

We pray that You continue to shape the messages from this pulpit that are an accurate reflection of Your unconditional love, Your glorious Person, Your lucid thinking, Your impeccable work, and Your magnificent essence...we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s name, Amen. 

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

www.barahministries.com