Christmas Message Chapter

In the book of Ruth were introduced into the concept of the go well, it means kinsman redeemer.

What it is somebody that wants to redeem somebody out of bondage out of slavery out of debt. But there were some requirements for that to be a kinsman redeemer to be a go well. The two requirements. First of all you had to be willing you could before. Which reminds us the words of Jesus was our kinsman Redeemer.

He said nobody takes my life from me. I lay it down willingly welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

On today's program. We have one of David McGee's associate pastors with it. Welcome DA Merry Christmas Bob Merry Christmas to all you listen to cross the bridge and pass the DA wanted. Some of the things that we need to be remembering is Christmas is quickly coming up Friday during all the hustle and bustle of Christmas Bob. We can't forget that Jesus came to offer his life as a sacrifice. He came to die so that we could live. Let's hear more about that.

Here's David McGee with his teaching.

Why did Jesus come to our as you look around as you see the nativities as you see the trees as you see the different things the gifts and the greenery and all this thing at all, causes us to wonder why why Jesus come to earth and a lot of people have wondered this written books about it had discussions and whatnot but it what we want to do is look at what the Bible says because thankfully Jesus is actually told us why he came, and we can learn a lot by looking at the reasons he said he came in. The reasons he said he didn't kill we start talking about Christmas, we have to ask ourselves is this just a holiday that we recognize once a year.

The answer determines a whole lot about each one of us because each one of us has to answer that question and how we answer that question not only determines how we live actually determines how we die now there are things in our discussion that will go ahead and throw out table be open about December 25 is that the day we don't know were not sure it's the date that we've agreed upon and for me that's enough. We've agreed on this day.

This call this the date, because this is when we've chosen the celebrated the put it in June. At this point below where so in probably in actuality it's probably not the date the shepherds probably wouldn't of had the sheep out in the fields in the dead of winter that have corralled her in the cave or in a major type of thing so not sure the date but you know what even that when I mentioned the lands the sheep that the shepherds were watching who got that announcement. There is so much prophetical fulfillment in the Bible that it is passed a math matter cool probability that the Bible is true. What I mean is are so many confirmed prophecies in here that is a mathematical improbability that the Bible is not true is definitely true, it could not predict the future.

Such things as though shepherds were watching the sheep though sheep were actually the pass over. She that were used as sacrifices to place the blood upon the doorpost that the angel of death passed over symbolizing Jesus himself that when his blood is applied to our lives. We are forgiven and the angel of death passes over and we can receiving eternal life through him.

So the date and probably not. We've agreed on the day the cards that get sent and if you sent me cards with these things, please. I love that that church. I think they're awesome but in a lot of them. They have this little barn sitting there and it looks really cute and is really heartwarming and stuff that you know I've been in his role a lot and and there's not a lot of lumber there in the manger was probably not a barn.

It was probably a small case which is where they used to keep animals in which freedom and what and also sometimes above the little barn you see this is not even the star of Bethlehem. It's the supernova of Bethlehem over the over the little barn and let me help you with this. There's a lot of fascinating things that that could have been a supernova. Probably not, because Herod said when did this thing appear and where is it going and that sort of thing and he had it been a supernova. I think he would have noticed it.

What's the big supernova that's making it like daylight in the middle of the night. It's really and I would encourage you to do some studying on your own, but I going to get into it today, but there is some movement since the constellations of the lion which was symbolic of the tribe of Judah which was of kingship and royalty in the nation of Israel. There were quite fascinating that were going on that I believe had to do with the star of Bethlehem rather than super. So you know let's admit those things is look at those things because I want to take a real look at this stuff. Now, don't. Please, if you know maybe is come here and go well.

I came here to get encouraged and and you know and now you told me that we do it on the wrong day and you, not down the manger and you blew out the star of Bethlehem thanks a lot I really encourage thanks their pastor David see I want to give you some real stuff to think about, to contemplate and for you to make the decision is Christmas just another holiday or is it something much, much deeper… Be upfront that I believe that it's something much, much deeper that it is actually that God came from heaven to earth temporarily so man could go from Earth to heaven to live eternally. And that's part of the Christmas story, but I have reasons this is just conjecture reasons that I believe this and you know with this celebration of Christmas is there's a hope and not just hope it works out her hope. My favorite team wins, but a hope in the sense of an assurance of waiting on the passing of something so because with similar things in Christmas you have to ask yourself is there something here that changes everything in there is when you consider that word.

Immanuel God with us does have the power to change everything and so when we talk about the things that we want to do is look at the Bible see what it has to say.

See what it has to do with the celebration and more exactly what has to do with you now to talk about different aspects and issues.

One of them is if you have your Bible, you can turn it in Matthew 11 this is the start of the New Testament. This is the first gospel in the line. It may have not been the first chronological written gospel. We can talk about that another time.

But it talks about the genealogies not taught enough told you before that in every genealogy in the Bible there is something in there, there's a reason that's there.

We connected all sorts of incredible stuff when we've been through these genealogies. Now, as we look at the genealogy of Jesus Christ there some interesting things that pop up that says verse one.

The book the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac forgot Jacob. Jacob got Judah and his brothers. There's the 12 tribes out so far. You probably recognize these names and Matthew, who was a tax collector.

Interestingly enough, has more statistics and more numbers than any of the other Gospels because of his love for numbers. He and this genealogy divides 1414 14 seven being a biblically perfect heavenly number but listen live verse three Judah begot Perez and Sarawak by Tae mar now Taymor is somebody that we can read about in the book of Genesis. She was married and her husband.and biblically. What's was to happen was the brother was supposed to then marry her to look after and to continue the line the father-in-law in this case, shirked his duty and he didn't do that.

He 10 E. said to her, he would do this but he didn't do it in tomorrow and an active desperation dressed up as a harlot is a prostitute covered her face and actually was a prostitute to her father-in-law to get his attention is not a good way to get your father-in-law's attention, but this I can't make this stuff up. The stuff is in there so smart. Does this and then comes back in and she has his segment his ring and and some other stuff and he knows he's done wrong and he repents and the situation turns better but here in the genealogy of Christ, we have this tomorrow plate. The role of a prostitute and yet it's recorded.

Three. Don't Perez begot his room and is run begot RAM verse four RAM begot them in a down a minute at begot the shot in the shotgun salmon salmon begot Boaz by Rahab. There's another interesting character, why you Taymor played the role of a prostitute for a couple of days. Rahab will that was her profession. We read this in the Bible. But there was a man that came Joshua came to the city and is a beautiful story that she throughout a scarlet thread. We caught the scarlet thread of redemption and she throws this thread out to say that she wants to be rescued by this man named Joshua and there's an interplay there. This just beautiful because Joshua is his English name his Hebrew name is Joshua. The reason that's interesting is Joshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus.

So we have Jesus rescuing into the picture of Jesus.

Joshua rescuing a prostitute long before we come to the story of Mary Magdalene and the New Testament will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob are excitable, God is doing to cross a bridge of pastor David and want to take a minute to pray for some listeners in these cities in Idaho Mountain home Pocatello salmon Sandpoint in Twin Falls and Decatur in Mount Vernon, Illinois God, we thank you for everyone tuning in.

Today we pray that they would have an expectant heart. Hey, you want to speak to them right now knowing all situations that are going on in their life low. We praise are going to some sickness, some health issues that you please heal and in God that you would remind them that you love them, you know what's going on and you have a good plan.

You will be glorified in their life and lower pray for the pastors and churches in this area.

We pray that they will be excited about following you, Lord, that they wouldn't grow weary in doing good and lower that you would remind the pastors that they are loved.

They are called and you're going to blossom in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse back to our genealogy.

We've got a woman who played the role of a prostitute was got a woman who was a prostitute and we sit, verse 57 begot Boaz Rahab Boaz begot Oved by Ruth Oved begot Jesse Ruth, let me mention this because this is important. The book of Ruth will help you understand the Christmas story you can't understand the Christmas story without understanding the Hebrew Scriptures in the book of Ruth were introduced into the concept of the go well is the Hebrew word, it means kinsman redeemer.

What it is is somebody that wants to redeem somebody out of bondage out of slavery out of debt.

But there were some requirements for that to be a kinsman redeemer to be a well.

The two requirements. First of all you had to be willing, you could be forced which reminds us the words of Jesus, who is our kinsman redeemer. He said nobody takes my life from me.

I lay it down willingly. The second requirement was you had to be related to the person you were renaming. This is a very important concept. One this is why Jesus had to be both God and man.

He needed be related to us in order to redeem us.

That's why he came through Mary and Mary.

There's another sanitized. We've got to sanitize that whole portion of the Bible, but understand that Mary was a young girl, unmarried Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Now Petrova was much more than being engaged in order to split up after you are betrothed you needed to get a writ of divorce.

Imagine Mary popping up to Joseph in St. Joseph and pregnant and Joseph knowing he's been sexually pure with her. Go to Wyatt's and she says to him it's okay. It's the Holy Spirit's. Can you imagine the wide range of emotion that Joseph felt at that moment. On one hand he probably thought betrothed to a lunatic on the other who is he killing data and yet he didn't do anything like that you need understand that with a word, Joseph could had Mary executed and we have to understand that at some point that young man felt pain at what was going on. There was confusion that he ended up in spoken to in a dream. There's got uses dreams five times in the first two chapters of Matthew first two chapters of the New Testament, God speaks to people five times in dreams.

I believe he still peaked speaks to people through dreams.

Joseph, who would've had to be the one to cast the first of as the accuser doesn't do that God speaks to them through dream and he accepts he accepts that it is God who impregnated Mary. That's an amazing thing to consider, that weighs heavy towards the incarnation.

We use the incarnation. That's when God became a man, so that people could become the children of God, so let's read on see who else we find in this list verse six and Jesse begot David the king David, the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Well, if you know much about the Bible you realize that speaking of Bathsheba.

Bathsheba is the woman who David fell in lust, love with and plotted the murder of her husband is a blemish on the nation of Israel in all David's kingship and yet you know it's weird, it's in their why did Jesus put these people in his genealogy. Well, in part, this is what he had to work with people. He had no choice and you know what sleep we can kinda relate to this. Can't wait. These Christmas were getting together with our family and you've probably hit certain things from your uncle Ed was a little imbalanced and you know different things in different family members in your life. Nine. And yet Jesus mentions him interesting thing is, Jesus was actually proud of his humanity use that the good way, but he came why I become what, let's look at some of the things he said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 17 he said do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law, till all is fulfilled. What's he talking about.

There were certain prophecies about the Messiah that had to be fulfilled and Jesus fulfilled not just one or two of them are some of them are part of him. He fulfilled every single one of them again mathematically impossible.

I figured it out mathematically, and given the compound probabilities but it would be if you covered the entire state of North Carolina 9 feet deep and marked, one silver dollar and you blindfolded somebody and they got to choose one. Those are the odds that Jesus fulfilled 32 prophecies Jesus fulfilled over 300 distinct prophecies mathematical improbability which again begs the question, who is he and why did he come. But again, he tells us he did leave a message that I came to fulfill not to destroy but to fulfill it. It's interesting how we've spun the whole Christmas thing to be something so much different than what it is.

Jesus says Matthew 1034.

He says do not think I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. I love that when the last time you saw that on Christmas card. I used to be able to say I've never seen that on the Christmas garden last year dear friend here made up a little Christmas card without exact words on the front and in Luke 1251 a similar verse do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth. I tell you, not at all, but rather division. Jesus came to bring division how what I mean that the hurtles are divided wanted to come to bring division division between the religious people who didn't feel like they really needed God, but they could depend upon their own goodness and those who really knew they needed God to bring division between those two. And there were and was and is sharp division between those groups still one group actually began to feel like they were good enough for God must think about that Goodenough forgot how good is good enough will.

She therein lies the problem.

Good enough for God standards perfection. Now you may think of yourself as a good person, but honestly perfect. I don't think so. And if you think you're perfect in your Mary, just ask your spouse when they quit laughing will say no, no to the standards. Perfection was understand something that God's nature is righteousness.

He's perfect. He can't just lower or change his nature, he cannot be in the presence of sin, and he may want to relationship with us or with you are with me, but since we have sinned, and he can't be in the presence of sin. He can't have a relationship with. By nature, in other words, it it's like if I can use this analogy, it's like a fire with a dry leaf if I take a dry leaf and a place it in the fire. The fire is not deciding to consume the leaf. It's the nature of the two items that causes the consuming fire to consume the leaf since a real problem in trying to have a relationship with God. When the standard is perfect as a part of the fulfillment of the Messiah was to come and live a perfect life and be tempted but not sin in the Bible records that Jesus was tempted in every way like we are. But he never said to be tempted is not bad or wrong to give in or yield to the temptation is with sentence now. John 1227 and this is getting towards the garden.

Jesus says this he says now my soul is troubled, but what shall I say father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name Jesus in the garden pleads with the father and his father if if there is any other way was not but not my will but your Hudson interesting thing because in that moment, you need to understand that if there was any other way to heaven, surely the father and his love would've allowed it and would've said was a matter fact, son.

You can get there through Buddha and Confucius and Mohammed Celeste not do this thing. But that's not what happened.

Evidently Jesus is the only way to have. He told I am the way the truth and the line is we need to understand that if we cannot call ourselves a Christian. We cannot say that there's many ways to heaven because that's calling Jesus a liar.

The one we claim that were following friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sinned, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous is a congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also. Thank you so much DA before we go. What are some ways bless our listeners days you can wake up with her is Casa David with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day in the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God