R260 The Real Meaning of Christmas

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on the meaning of Christmas. Just a moment will have the book of John chapter 1 as we study God's word together with Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist Pastor and oh, if you haven't read his latest book call Saturdays with really good such a blessing is a great Christmas gift is just a great encouragement. You'll find it and other wonderful resources on our website and by lightly drop by new and improved, so to speak. We have this wonderful heaven life and resurrection Bible guide.

It is a part of daily devotions and Dr. Don and 51 other wonderful pastors put together that's available as well as many other resources on our website tewonline.org large, he that's DEW online.org now Dr. Don Wilton with me in your Bibles. John's Gospel chapter 1, the gospel according to John in chapter 1 we discover the real meaning of Christmas that is subject this morning.

The real meaning of Christmas. I wonder what Christmas means to you. Christmas means so many different things to so many different people and we know that to be effective, but if we're ever going to understand the real meaning of Christmas.

There is no better place to turn to them the word of God and I want to read a few words in the prologue of John's Gospel because here in the first 18 verses of the Gospel of John we discover the real meaning of Christmas in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, and without him nothing was made that has been made in him was life and that life was the life of man.

The light shines in darkness but the darkness has not understood. There came a man who was sent from God.

His name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that life so that man might believe he himself was not the life he came only as a witness to the light, the true light that gives light to every man according to the world that was coming into the world.

He was in the blue and so the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own buddies own did not receive him, yet all receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.

Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or of a husband's will, but born of God the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the father of grace and full of truth by the Lord, right his word upon our hearts this morning. The real meaning of Christmas. I wish that I could of been able to really get in amongst the children this morning. I was a little bit held back there. We had so many all the way across the front and I wish that I could've gone to every single one of our precious children in Austin to questions number one what did you get for Christmas this morning and number two. What does Christmas mean to you.

It seems to me rather noteworthy don't you think that you're in the in the Gospel of John that in John's Gospel and in the book of Genesis. Both of these books begin and open with the words in the beginning, that's incredible. You see, Genesis was written as a book of beginnings and the Gospel of John was written about the new beginning in Genesis and in the Gospel of John. What is God. He accomplishes his purpose through his word in Genesis, God created life through his word in the Gospel of John, God re-created lives which have been modeled by sin. Through his word the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to remember to note that in Matthew and in Luke's gospel.

Both of these accounts report the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. But in the Gospel of John we find the Tyson of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is here in the prologue of John's Gospel, my friends, that we discover the real meaning of Christmas and that's what I want us to look at this morning.

You see Francis John begins to interpret the incarnation as he begins to interpret what the real meaning, the real essence of who Jesus Christ was and who he is.

We going to discover four glorious points that he brings to bear upon each one of us. There are four special so that we discover here about Christmas and about the essence of the real meaning of Christmas them and give them to you. You might want to drop them down number one God's word for us at Christmas. Number two God's witness for us at Christmas. Number three God's will for us at Christmas and hair as John begins to interpret the meaning of Christmas we find in the fourth place. God's word the nurse for us at Christmas. I'm convinced today beloved friends, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls that if we begin to understand the real meaning of God and the meaning of the Christ of Christmas we go to understand God's word God's witness, God's will and God's worthiness because of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ came and he was born in Bethlehem's manger for you and for me.

Let's look at this very brief now. This is an action-packed section. Folks, there is a tremendous amount to about who Jesus Christ is and you know that I'm not data keeping a very long this morning so we going to just touch on certain salient points and issues number one if we going to understand the real meaning of the Christ of Christmas festival. We go to understand God's word for us across and share in the first five verses of the Gospel of John. John outlines for us for any psychodynamics concerning God's word press the Christmas number one the word as God.

Number two, the word as creator number three the word as life and number for the word as lack.

How is that relevant to you and to me today as we celebrate the Christ of Christmas. And as we try and understand the real meaning of Christmas will festival the word is God. One of my favorite passages of Scripture and we don't really have time to get into it but it's found in Psalm 19. Listen to what the word of God sees the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The psalmist as he pointed toward the birth of Jesus Christ said that everything that is ever been declared is the very glory of the presence of God. And so it is here in the prologue to John's Gospel that we discover God's word for us at Christmas and the word is press the bowl. The word is God. Why because Jesus Christ is the output X question of the very character of who God is.

You see my friends as God. The word encompasses everything that God is the encompasses God's thoughts. He encompasses God's reason. He encompasses God's revelation and what the gospel of John is trying to teach us your my beloved frame is that the word as God declares God is, he declares the very essence and the character and the personality and the holiness and be who God is, therefore, when God became man in Jesus Christ.

He gave to man the very saints and meaning of life itself.

The word as God.

But note in the second place, the word is creator. The Bible tells us that in verse three through him all things were made without him nothing was made that has been made. The word of God says that this one born in Bethlehem's manger created all things and that all created things were brought into being through God's word the Lord Jesus Christ and so how does that apply to the real meaning of the Christ of Christmas. You see, because Jesus Christ is creator because the word is created because God's word is the meaning of the Christ of Christmas, my friends man has structure man has the ability man has coherence man has nondirectional man's has meaning, and man has vitality because of the Lord Jesus Christ is not incredible to discover the real meaning of the Christ of Christmas word is God word is creator, then the word is life in verse four just what the writer says in him was life and that life was the light of man. He here is talking about a life of vitality, a life of abundance.

In fact, later on in John's Gospel. In chapter 10.

In verse 10, just what he says. He said that Jesus told us. I am life and I am giving you life and I'm giving it to you abundantly. I'm giving it to you violently. Why because the word is life and we received this life by receiving him into our lives by faith.

What is the writer trying to tell us your under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

Perhaps what he is saying. My friends is that if we live again to understand the real meaning of the Christ of Christmas we go to understand that God's word is his word for us at Christmas the word as God.

The word is creator of the word as life and also the word is like the word is like. He tells us right there in verse five he says in him was life and that life was the lack of man. It was the light of men. But there is a second understanding here are the real meaning of Christmas this morning on this beautiful Sunday morning.

The word my friend, God's witness at Christmas.

You see, the Bible teaches us that Jesus not only came as God as creator as life and as lack. He was not only the word that he was the word at witness.

He was the witness at Christmas and here the writer in the Gospel of John points us to two things festival he is an illuminating witness. I love that he is an illuminating witness. Look at verse seven. The Bible says he came as a witness to testify concerning that life, so that through him all men might believe just what the writer assigned the writer is saying that the word as witness illuminates the lives of those who come to know him as their personal Lord and Savior. Do you know him today. You see, he's not only an illuminating witness that he is an inviting witness. He is an inviting witness. That is the most precious component of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is inextricably intertwined into the very person and work of who God is. It is very much bound into the very character of God, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not die but should have eternal life.

He is not only an illuminating witness. He is an inviting witness look with me at verse seven. Again on the reader. The second time. The Bible says that he came as a witness to testify concerning that life John did, so that through Jesus Christ all men might believe that the Bible says they that believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be cited. What is the birth of Jesus all about. It is all about that baby who was saved with the authority and the express purpose of God was gone and who is God who came down in the form of man, and took upon himself the sin of the world and then wrote down that horrible road right to the cross of Calvary and was nailed to the cross and gave his life in order that you and I might have life and that we might have it more abundantly. He is an illuminating witness. Forgive the corruption will be back in just a moment with the rest of Dr. Don Wilton's message below how we long nation great resource on our website right now in TW online.org called heaven life and the resurrection. It's a powerful 52 week devotional leather bound book to help guide us to God's word together through the year 2022. I hope you consider getting that there other resources on the website as well.

And also if you're on our website TW online.org you'll hear about an exciting gift special couple friends of the ministry. The Encouraging Word have given $200,000. Let me let Dr. Wilton tell you all about it. Wow God has done great things again this year through The Encouraging Word Rd. cost ministry. Do you know that over 5000 people have less telling us what this ministry means to them in their spiritual life and so many are coming to know Jesus friend has just given a $200,000 challenge to this ministry and we are asking as he is awesome that listeners will give an additional thousand dollars.

This ministry by December 31 so that would go out across the world in London.

Recently someone came up to me and said thank you for The Encouraging Word and for what it means.

Would you help us if less participated, even at 2 to 3 to 4 dollars each. God will help us reach this goal together. Yes we can do wonderful times together to play our efforts as each of us give will merely watch it multiple cheese lives of people around like to give a call right now with your gift at 86689 number again is 866-899-9673 happy to receive your gift and tell you more about how the resources that you will invest in. You can also visit us on our website TW online.org that's T online.org. Now let's dive back in today's great teaching the real meaning of Christmas with Dr. Don Wilton but he is an inviting witness and he's inviting everyone of us today to accept it, to receive him, trusting him. I wonder how many people today are going to church out of Judy. I wonder how many people today are celebrating Christmas as nothing more than a commercial enterprise. I wonder how many people are interested in Christmas just because of the holiday.

All these things.

My friend all have their place in society but I want you to know that what the writer is saying here in John's prologue is that God's word for us at Christmas is vital to our understanding and God's goodness for us at Christmas is vital to our understanding because he illuminates us through this person and he invites us to his person. Do you know the Lord Jesus, I want you to note in the third place I said glorious point to consider as we try to understand the real meaning of Christmas we got to understand God's will for us at Christmas.

I just picked up something this morning that was intended for hub Blankenship and he doesn't even know that I bought it.

But how Bob got up this morning. This kind do you it's from Focus on the Family, and it's hot off the press you see when we begin to understand God's will that Christmas my friends, we begin to understand verses nine through 13 in this incredible passage we going to see three things number one we going to see a world of darkness that modern he searched for, but needed that black that's what verse nine tells us about.

Secondly we going to see a world of gross ignorance who failed to recognize the maker in verse 10, but in the third place we going to see a world that wanted to see Rhonda then receive the one who was born in Bethlehem's major what is this world of darkness.

The Bible says he came in the zone and his own received him not. The Bible says that the light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not from Focus on the Family. One of the finest organizations in America. Listen to this part of the press, December 23 Tyler to Airlines Delta Airlines adopted a policy earlier this year, to rid the area of religious expression. Company policy now prohibits employees from wearing religious symbols or possessing religious literature on the job. Alaska Airlines, however, I don't you're going to Alaska and I'm just reading something you leaves a caught on each passengers try with every meal that includes a Bible verse, listen to this after receiving hundreds of range goals. Bonnie's clothing store on New York City took out a full-page ad last week to apologize for a satirical knit activity seen the Madison Avenue stores window display featured Bart Simpson Bowles as the wise man and a saucy looking cat and I can't read to you what's in between that the pictured Mary listen to this one. 17,000 people are killed every year by drunk drivers and 55% of all traffic fatalities during the Christmas season are alcohol related, but despite these disturbing trends. US District Judge Gerard Google ruled that a court in Woodberry New York violated an atheist, drunken drivers rights by ordering him to attend Alcoholics Anonymous. Google ruled that AA meetings are quote the functional equivalent of religious exercise because they stress group prayer I thought I just read that you this morning. You see friends if we going to understand the real meaning of Christmas. We must not only understand God's word for us at Christmas, we must not only understand God's witness for us at Christmas, but we must understand God's world for us at Christmas.

I'm so glad to see you this morning. You see, from verse nine through 13, my friend.

It is unapologetic. This is a world of democracy.

In verse nine that is searching for meaning.

This is a world of in verse 10 that has rejected the maker of the universe and this is a world in verse 13 that stresses achievement rather than receive meant the Bible says there is nothing that I can do to achieve the preciousness of everything that Jesus Christ did upon the cross. I can only receive his precious gift of grace. Then in the fourth place. My friend there is God's worthiness for us at Christmas. In verses 14 through 18. The Bible says the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. And then one of my favorite verse and we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only from the father full of grace and of truth God's worthiness for us at Christmas. Why because he is unique in person.

He is exceptional in verse 14 he is unmatched. He is the person of glory, the person of grace and the person of truth, he is unique in person, but in verse 15 the Bible says he is unique in these preexistence. He always was any will be. Verse 16 tells us he is unique in his provision. Why because he is a will of grace that knows no limits, he is unique in person.

He is unique in these preexistence. He is unique in his provision, but I want you to note in closing, he is unique in he's reflective profession. Chapter 14 and verse four tells us a very salient and vital point that he that has seen me has seen the father you see for your friends. If we going to understand this baby Jesus. He declared him and he literally explained, God is Jesus because tricks the very character of God. He's reflective profession. He has seen me has seen the father.

Would you bow your heads with me this morning all across our congregation upstairs and downstairs. As we close this Christmas celebration this morning heads about an Isa close. We want to give you an opportunity today to say yes to the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, the Christ of Christmas. You know the real meaning of Christmas. You know that you know beyond any doubt that your name is written in God's book in heaven. If you don't know the Christ of Christmas. Today my friends. I'm going to give you an opportunity to say correct in your own heart right now. If you're serious if you want to know that your sins are forgiven. If you want to know that one day you going to be transported by the angel into the presence of the Lord Jesus, you can say correct that I can. Perhaps the Lord has been speaking to you about what it is you need to settle each of us as we hear God's word taught and preached by Dr. Don Wilton are praying that the Lord would not allow us to stay the same were praying that you and I would both be affected maybe you have been walking with Christ for a long time, but today's the day you need to draw a line in the sand or perhaps never said yes to Jesus Christ for Dr. Wilton as he is been preaching now open your heart to what he wants to share next steps in the studio. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know that you love very very and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven today.

I repainted myself I can face Larson and I invite you to come into my life. Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that pray that Mimi the first want to welcome you to the family. This is wonderful.

I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important since Corliss said we can hope to connect you in the right place you can begin this wonderful June and in just a moment. I'm in a come back with the final perhaps moments ago Frank along with Dr. Milton to give your life to Jesus Christ. Dedicate your life to Christ. We are so excited for what this means in your future as God takes you and multiplies Dr. Don has wonderful resources. Once you have decision for Christ today, perhaps for the first time given life to Jesus.

Maybe dedicating your life to Christ. Wilton has resources for you absolutely free if you call us at 86689 Wilson White out 866899673 numbers available 24 hours a day… Early on to be able to talk and pray.

Connect them with resources that will help them grow.

So this phone 866899673 is available as doctrine on site to be your 2 AM friend to pray with you anytime day or night, 866-899-WORD 96730 we can connect online as well@tbwonline.org that's TW online.org, where you find great resources like the study got a mention to you earlier. You can sign up online@twonline.org and have it delivered to mailbox every single day.

The word of encouragement Bible study with Dr. Donald to speak of Dr. Don before we get away you know before we go today what day of worship you and I have in the middle about our beloved nation, Charles love Jesus. I'm joining with thousands of people trying for our members out grave right now many families place. Don't forget will be back at the same time tomorrow with another great message called experiencing God because of Christmas with Dr. Don Wilton between now and then but stay connected on our website TW online.org