The Stars & Scars of Christmas | Part 1

One of the stars and stars of Christmas and listen to Adrian Rogers.

Did you know that the only man they thing had happened. All the stars of Jesus Christ. Jesus visited her and went back to heaven he took some souvenirs of his visit with those souvenirs. All the stars in his hand at the start. Aside DS Postcards as a lasting memorial of his humanity through all eternity.

Welcome to love worth finding in Mary Chris. We are so honored decided to tune in on this special day for an inspiring were pastor and teacher Adrian Rogers in the Nativity story star pointed the wisemen and the baby Jesus. But we cannot have the stars of crisp without the scars of Christmas.

Jesus was born to die for our sins we worship a God with stars. They are not incidental, they are fundamental because Jesus carried those scars with him to heaven. If you have your Bible turned out to John chapter 20 begin in verse 24 is Adrian Rogers shares the stars and scars of Christmas. This is theology 101. Are you ready for the test.

One question on the test is Jesus God or man are either answer to that question is yes, he is the God man God in human flesh. The prophet Isaiah said unto us a child is bought and unto us a son is given when Isaiah said a child is born he was speaking of his humanity when he said a son is given, he was speaking of his deity. He is a God man now as a child he was born in Bethlehem as God, he has ruled from eternity. He did not have this beginning only his birth at Bethlehem the star pointed the way to where the child wants in the Christmas story but as a darker side to Christmas not only the stars but the scar's because as a man. He was born to die as God he died for our sins.

Can you think of a God was scars is a little baby there in the manger and you see those little dimpled feet those little dimpled feet are going to be pierced with a hideous cruel name. See those little chubby hands of those pink fingers. They will one day bear scar is now the time for Scripture. Is this Jesus has lived a sinless life. He has been falsely accuse is butchered on a cruel Roman cross is put into a grave and a gray seal with the stone yet. On the third day he rises it comes out that grade a living victorious Savior. He has appeared to his disciples and he has shown himself alive. Thomas was not there when he first appeared. Eight days later, Jesus appears again and here is the passage I'm reading John chapter 20 and verse 24.

But Thomas, one of the 12 called minimus was not with them when Jesus came the other disciples therefore said to him, we have seen the Lord and he said to them, except I see in his hands, the print of the veil and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side. I will not believe that is I want to see if he was crucified and risen. I want to know it's him the way I will know is when I see the scars in his hand, and in aside and after eight days again. His disciples were with him and Thomas with then came Jesus was being shut and stood in the midst, and said, peace be unto you, then saith he to Thomas retentive. I finger and behold my hands and retailer thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless, but believing and Thomas answered and said to him, I love this part, my Lord and my God Jesus at the him him Thomas because that has seen me that has believe Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed in their ladies and gentlemen he's talking about you and me. Blessed are they have not seen what Thomas saw, but I believe now Thomas saw the scars and he said my Lord and my God. Think of it with scars now I want you to consider with me the scars of the Lord Jesus. They are not incidental. They are so fundamental that Jesus carried those scars with him to heaven. Did you know that the only man-made thing in heaven of the stars of Jesus Christ. Jesus visited her and when he went back to heaven he took some souvenirs of his visit within those souvenirs are the stars in his hand and the scar in aside DS. Those scars as a lasting memorial of his humanity through all eternity.

When Jesus comes again. One of the ways that we will know that it is the dear Savior of the many ways the blessed scars putting a margin Zechariah chapter 13 in verse six and once will say to him what these wounds in thine hands they shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends when it comes again when he comes again he will bear those blessed scars so I want us to think about the stars in the scars of Christmas and the three things as we think about God in human flesh that I want to learn about the scars of the Lord Jesus Christ number one. The scars tell us that as a man, Jesus suffered is very important to understand this, that, as a man, Jesus suffered in John chapter 20 verse 17 Jesus invited Thomas to examine those God they were brutal testimony to the fact that Jesus indeed was pierced with those hideous nails is a great problem in the world today when you try to testify about God.

The problem is not primarily science. The problem is primarily history.

The problem is primarily suffering and people will ask you again and again how can you believe in a God, if there be a God who allows so much suffering in this causes great doubt because here's the way the human mind works. What if God is love and God is all-powerful, why does God allow so much suffering and so they think well, perhaps he is a God of infinite love, but he has no power. Therefore, he is a week God, or else he is all-powerful but has no love. And so he is a God, or perhaps he has no power and no love. So he is no God at all. That's the way people think there's a greater question, not why do men suffer.

Here's the great question why does God suffer. Now you want to question frame the question is not why do we as humans suffer, but those scars tell us that God in human flesh suffered Isaiah 53 verse three. Speaking of Jesus, he is despised and rejected of men man of sorrows and acquainted with grief not remind you he was gone in human flesh and he suffered again. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 63 in verse nine, in all their affliction, talking about us. He was afflicted and not only did he suffer when he was here, but I have some information for you.

God still suffers God and his glory's office is or how could God supper willing to give you. Verse Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30.

The Bible says and grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption herein. Grieve grief is a form of emotional suffering God in heaven still suffers. God brings that you can understand this doesn't bother suffer when as a wayward son. That's what the story of the prodigal son is all about God the father suffers because he has children of away from him grieve is a lot more you can only grieve somebody who loves you your lot more may vex you. Your children will grieve you a man because you love. By the way that verse in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30 is a great verse to teach the personality of the Holy Spirit are Jehovah's Witnesses tell us that the Holy Spirit is not a person. He is just an influence from God when you can grieve and influence. Only a person can be grieve and the only person who can be grieved is someone who loves you grieve is a love word, God still suffers. I would ask your question does they had suffer when the body feels pain. Of course it does. Christ is the head of the church where his body.

When you suffer, Lord Socrates, touched with the feeling of your infirmity. When Saul was persecuting the church, Jesus appeared to Saul and said, Saul, Saul, why persecutors now mean he can settle on the person you are persecuting these Christian but friend when a Christian is persecuted. Jesus is persecuted when the body hurts the head hurts where the bride Jesus is the groom. If the bride is unfaithful to the groom would not. The groom grieve when the church is unfaithful to the Lord Jesus Christ is not is part broken Jesus suffers as a man, he suffered the scars tell us the scars tell us that God has suffered. I is a big question why why would God Almighty who could do anything whatever he wants whenever he wants, why would he choose to suffer second point. Not only do the scars of Jesus tell us that as a man, he suffered with the scars of Jesus tell us that as a man, Jesus sympathizes that Jesus understands why going to home. There's been a death the tragedy. The loss of a child or whatever.

I try never to say I understand because it's an insult to the person who suffering they say no you don't understand in their right.

Nobody really knows that Kurt nobody really knows the pain in the human heart, except Jesus.

But Jesus really does suffer when we go off on a trip somewhere Joyce a pickup some trinket somewhere and trinkets us. Mostly what they are there souvenirs. Why do we buy souvenirs when we go somewhere whether sort of a reminder. I've been there.

I have been there. Jesus, when he went to heaven brought with him to heaven some souvenirs from her and though souvenirs are the scars that remain in his hand and wonder, though, souvenirs of birth, tell us that he is been there. He has felt and he understands our pain put down now. Hebrews chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 wherefore in all things. It behooved him to be made like his brethren.

The hymn is Jesus, the brother that's us is made like this that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for and that he himself hath suffered on the school that he himself hath suffered being tempted. That means being tested. He is able to suckle for SU CCO are which means to help them that are tempted Jesus said when you suffer. I suffer and not only do I suffer, but because I suffer I understand. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15 for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tested like as we are yet without sin. He's taught. He knows he cares he feels he understands and he loves Dr. Paul Brand was a missionary, a great surgeon who spent a lot of time ministering to lepers and leper colonies and Dr. Brand talked about the horrible sin of leprosy and he said one of the debilitating sins of leprosy years that it removes the ability of the human body to feel pain and then here's what Dr. Paul Brand said, and I copied it down for you. Listen to what this great doctor said he said if I had the power to eliminate pain.

I would not exercise that right pains value is two great notes pains value. Rather, I would lend all of my energies and doing all that I can to help with the pain. Turns the suffering I would say something our Lord suffered in our Lord sympathizes and the pain that he allows us to have is really proof of his love the pain that he allows us to have is proof of his love after Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden.

God said, cursed is the ground not listen to this for your sake he did save you punishment, but for your welfare for your sake on synthesis would bring forth the God put a curse on the environment in which we live because the worst thing could happen to us, would be for us to have the sickness the infection of sin and to feel no pain, there is the prototyping purpose of pain when you and I will we stand on 1 foot, then on the matter when we sit we shift our weight around, but a leper doesn't do that.

Dr. Brand said that a leper doesn't lamp when his leg is hurt because he feels no pain, so he walks on the wound injured legs. Never get any rest when you turn your ankle if your body is healthy. The nerves immediately order your body to take the weight off that ankle. It happened so fast, it happened just like that. I was walking down the mountainside with my bride Joyce was a beautiful day, a beautiful mountain and suddenly Joyce was on the ground just like that what it happened. Joyce had turned her ankle and when she turned her ankle the nerves in her body because this muscle to relax and she went down just like that.

Now the reason for that was to protect her leg, that you would… Walk on that twisted and stretch 10.

Thankfully, that before long she was feeling good again and could walk. Pain has a protecting purpose. Thank God for pain. It tells us something is wrong. Pain as a unifying purpose. It is pain that draws us together your whole body comes to the aid of the suffering member get richer, with a hammer when putting up a picture for your wife on the wall above about one of those attorneys some black I know what you did you graduate with a sand say that you did, you stuck in your mouth and sucked on it. The third thing he did his little dance.

Now why did you do that what you these have to do with you, I don't know but you got to do that dance print pain as a unifying factor.

What unifies a church suffering what brings people together suffering. The Bible says when one member suffers, all members suffer with Dr. Branson. I can tell the help of human body by his reaction. The pain if it doesn't react to pain.

There is something wrong you can tell the help of the church by his reaction to pain, statistic, church, care for the homeless, the sick, those with broken hearts and broken hopes and broken home church is unified by pain. Pain has a protecting purpose. Pain has a unifying purpose and pain has a correcting purpose. Dr. Brand said that the lepers would smoke cigarettes sometimes would smoke a cigarette writing down into the fire in the cigarette would burn the fingers and they continue to smoke and burn the flesh because they could feel no pain. God allows pain to protect us and who work for the pain we would never know that we bring her you put your hand on a hot stove and is a message that goes immediately to your brain and says it's hot down here and brains is blue and moves just like that you don't realize you do and all that thinking that you're doing that because that pain says that you need to protect yourself. Pain comes in all kinds of phone that is physical pain. There is emotional pain.

There is spiritual pain and Americans want to kill pain at any cost. That's the reason we have so many sedatives that's a reason kids get on drugs to kill the pain as a reason some adults are own drugs to kill the pain. Now there is a legitimate use of medicine, but many are trying to dole their sensibilities. They don't get along with her parents and they turned to drugs and I would say when kids get on drugs they really don't care what their parents think they are in another world. Some turned alcohol and it's kind of pathetic to see adults addicted to alcohol criticizing young people addicted to drugs. Why, why do people turn alcohol so many times kill the pain. A man's drunk. He says I'm feeling no pain is at unwanted round my troubles was troubles can swim. The Japanese have a proper first man takes a drink then the drink takes a drink and then the drink takes the man out why what we do this why people have an affair why they commit adultery. Many times trying to kill the pain of insecurity and loneliness.

One of the biggest sedatives that we have Dave's television people watch television because they can't face themselves and they live in a make-believe world. The problem is that many people take a sedative when they need a Savior, the pain is to tell us that something is wrong. Now Jesus gives us peace and joy, not primarily to remove the pain that will be done at the rapture but to help us to endure the pain. Now when we see scars in the hands of Bethlehem to be. They are a testimony to his humanity. Our God was God's. They tell us as God. He suffered as man he suffered as God he sympathizes as man, he sympathizes he knows how we feel.

He understands and Jesus will hear the cries of a blind beggar before he hears the cries of a proud Pharisee. Now here's the third thing not under the stars of Jesus tell us that as a man, Jesus not only do they tell us that as a man, Jesus sympathizes with the stars of Jesus. Tell us as a man, Jesus save that is so important that you understand this. Why was he nail that hellish problems, why did he step out of Lord, why did he allow himself to be peers. Why were those nails put into his quivering hand and those precious feet, why the Bible says about shedding of blood is no remission of sin as you listen on this Christmas Day. Maybe you have questions about who Jesus is about how to receive forgiveness and the mercy that God is offering you how to become his child were discovered.

Jesus page that's why we created can find answers to many of the questions you may have about your faith and we have a response section as well. You can share how this message is impacted your life just go to LWF.org/radio and click the tab at the top discover Jesus. We can't wait to hear from you today again go to LWF.org/radio and click discover Jesus if you like to order a copy of today's message the stars and scars of Christmas. Call us at 1877 love God you receive the entire lesson on your single CD. This message is also part of the powerful Christmas series God in human flesh for the complete collection. All four dynamic messages: number 1877 love God or go to LWF.org/radio or you can write us at loved worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183. Thanks so much for studying in God's word with us today from all of us at loved worth finding Merry Christmas to you and your faith and we hope you join us next the more real truth never changes online where Christmas means were coming down to the end of 2020 and lovely.

Finding what you do know your prayers and your faithfulness have meant so much to us this year we have shared timeless truths from Adrian Rogers in really confusing times and we believe this is one of the best times ever to make a difference for the kingdom.

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