329 -1 TO HEAVEN WITH LOVE (Special 73)
December 19, 1976
PASTOR HENRY F KULP
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God so love that He gave His son, Jesus Christ. And he loves the world, all of mankind. you, me, and all who inhabit this earth—past, present and future. Christmas is God giving the best that He had to man in his son.
1/ Yet the story of Christmas is not only a story of love, it is a story of faith. Christmas embodies love and faith. Very few in this world understand the story of Christmas.
2/ God’s giving started with the Virgin Birth.
3/ Luke 1: 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
This is the story of John the Baptist and His birth. To understand his birth and the birth of Jesus Christ you must understand a fact that is very important. To appreciate these two births, we must see the interval of 400 years between the book of Malachi—the last book of the Old Testament, and the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.
4/ Some call them the 400 silent years. For in those years, we have no record of God speaking to man. He did not speak to man audibly, in a vision, nor did He send any angel with a message to man.
5/ Some have the Apocrypha and some of these books speak of this period. But there is no question they are not inspired. They do not belong in the Bible.
6/ They were 400 years of waiting. The people of Israel had returned from captivity in Babylon about 445 BC. And God had given Daniel a prophecy. At the end of the 483 years or 69 periods of 7 years, the Messiah, for the time had just expired.
7/ Year after year they went up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of the Lord, hoping that Messiah would come, but nothing had happened until this very special day comes. And Zacharias was in the temple in the holy place, burning incense at the golden altar.
8/ We need to look at him for a second. Zacharias, and Elizabeth, his wife, were childless. Elizabeth was barren and well past the time of having children. It was a great reproach in Israel for a married woman not to give birth to a child, and I am sure many people thought God was displeased with this couple, and as a matter of fact, Zacharias was very bitter. He wanted a son.
9/ As he stood at the altar and sprinkled incense upon the fire that was ever burning there, outside the multitudes of people were gathered in prayer before God. As he stood at the altar suddenly the silence of four centuries was broken.
Luke 1: 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
It was a startling experience. No living Israelite had ever seen an angel—they had heard and read of angels appearing in years gone by, but none of them had ever seen an angel.
10/ Luke 1: 12 He was troubled the Scripture says, and fear fell upon him.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
It was the custom of that time for the Jews to think that it meant death to look upon either God or any heavenly representative. I am sure you will remember that in the Old Testament that when angels appeared to various ones they were filled with dread and thought that they were about to die.
11/ Luke 1: 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
But the angel immediately quieted his mind by saying Fear not. Did you ever notice how the angel always said, Fear not.
Luke 1: 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Here the angel said Fear not, to Mary.
Luke 2: 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
The angelic host appeared to the shepherds who were attending their flocks on the hillside and again the angel said, “Fear not”.
12/ Verse 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
He was to call his name, John. God told Abraham he was to name his son, Isaac. John means the grace of Jehovah. He was to prepare the way for the coming King. He was to baptize the King and then present the King to Israel.
13/ Here we see the priest, Zacharias, was very bitter. And he said, What sign are you going to vie me? He is filled with unbelief.
14/ Luke 1: 19 Gabriel actually says, have you failed to realize that I am Gabriel. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. I am the one who appeared to Daniel. You should accept my word.
I will give you a sign, that you will not enjoy verse 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
15/ Luke 1: 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
The people waited and realized he was in there longer than he should have been and they become anxious. And when he came out he could not speak.
Luke 1: 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
This was to be the time when the priest should have blessed the people through the blessing that is found in Numbers 6: 23 – 26. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. But he could not speak. So, he speaks of unbelief at this Christmas season.
16/ The angel and Mary – Luke 1: 30 – 33 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Mary’s response to the angel is very touching. She was well-prepared, for the message. She had child-like faith. Luke 1: 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
17/ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
It would be well to recognize at this point that she was a sinner. Many say she had no inbred sin, but they are wrong, for here she acknowledges that God is her Saviour. She was just a sinner saved by grace and used by God. But she was a woman of faith. She believed the message of God.
18/ We then have her going to the house of Elizabeth, the future mother of John the Baptist, and a cousin of Mary.
19/ Now notice the difference. The priest Zacharias does not believe and he is struck dumb, and cannot speak.
In Luke 1: 46 – 49 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for,
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Mary speaks and her heart overflows with joy. Of all the sweet psalms and hymns recorded in the Bible, none is more touching or beautiful than Mary’s song of praise to God. This is the difference between unbelief and faith.
20/ At this Christmas season if you believe God’s Word, concerning His Son, you too, can have a song in your heart. Belief allows one to break forth into song.
Romans 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1: 18, 19 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
Here we come to Joseph, and he, of course is troubled. The Scripture says she was espoused to Joseph, yet, Verse 20 calls her Joseph’s wife. The espousal of that day was much different then our modern engagement. A man and woman had agreed to enter into marriage. It was just as binding as a marriage contract, even though they did not live together. I am sure he was troubled, for why did Mary go away and stay so long? She had been here about three months. So, he thought to put her away privately, not making a public example of her.
21/ Verses 20, 21 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
The angel of the Lord again appears and explains what has happened to Mary, and it must have relieved Joseph’s troubled mind.
22/ Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
Here again we see faith in action. He did not doubt as Zacharias did. And he, too, had reason to rejoice. Faith is always rewarded.
23/ Do you believe the story of Christmas as it is recorded in the Bible? It is not the Baby of Christmas that can save you. It is the Man Who went to the cross of Calvary and was made sin for us that will save you and make you a child of God.
24/ II Corinthians 8: 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
If you believe in Jesus Christ, you must believe that He was virgin born, He lived a sinless life, paid the price of sin, and was resurrected for the dead.
I Timothy 1: 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
His birth without His death means nothing.
Matthew 20: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
I Timothy 2: 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
AMEN
Ref: 12/19/1976 / 329-1 TO HEAVEN WITH LOVE (Special 73) / 07/29/2020
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