Don’t Be Deceived!

 

Intro: We need to pay close attention to what is being said and taught as truth today, in the media, our government and churches. We need to be ready for the deception going on now and that which is to come in the future. God does not want us to be deceived so He warns us in His word.

I. The bible warns there will be much deception in the last days. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ² speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, The bible warns that there will be many false prophets in the last days. 1 John 4:1 (NKJV) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

II. Satan’s goal is to deceive the whole world. Satan is brilliantly clever at taking age-old lies, disguising them as realities, and gradually introducing them to even those churches who insist that they believe in the infallible authority of the Bible. Revelation 12:9 speaks of, " that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world." To deceive means to lead astray. Devil tries to lead astray by contradicting and twisting the word of God to say something other than what is true as he did Eve. The Lord put this and similar verses in his Word to warn us of a reality of world history: Global deception. Even those who profess to be Evangelical Christians are susceptible to the Serpent's lie. We already are and will continue to be exposed to deception about the intentions of other religions that are trying to establish a one world religion. There is deception by our government leaders about their intentions for a new world order to get control of the people.

III. Some examples of Satan’s deception. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) ⁸  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹  not of works, lest anyone should boast. Satan deceives people by the teaching of salvation by works instead of God’s grace. The bible tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 the true way of salvation. What all the world’s religions and philosophies have in common is a form of self-righteousness that teaches salvation by works, that you earn salvation by what you do. They deny the Biblical Jesus and salvation by grace through faith in Him which is not of works lest any should boast. Jesus prayed to the Father that if there was any other way for mankind to be saved remove this cup from me. Jesus would not have had to go to the cross if there was any other way. Satan's is infiltrating the church with error through pastors and false teachers. Not only is Satan the "Father of lies," but he is also the "Author of confusion." It is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between the world views and the liberal church. The message and the priorities of the Church are becoming just like the World. There are books that teach on many different religions, philosophies and ideas. Beware of what you read and fill your mind with! Remember books written by mankind cannot replace the gospel. Only the gospel is error free. Christians are being deceived more and more with religious groups and movements which teach a mixture of beliefs and compromise of God's truth and priorities. The different religions are uniting for the purpose of solving the problems that create differences of religion in the world, thus one world religion. They do this in the name of God and peace. The only one world religion that will work is when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom on this earth. The bible warns in; 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NLT) ¹⁴ Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? Any religion that denies Jesus as God and Savior of the world is anti-Christ, evil and deceptive. It is of the devil. There is no harmony between Christ and the devil.

IV. The solution for avoiding deception is the Holy word of God. Christians are much more likely, these days, to not read their Bible for their convictions and world- view, but instead they follow the opinions of leaders they look up to. Celebrity preachers and some T.V. Ministers are likely to draw our attention and our allegiance. In these last days we cannot afford to follow human leaders as if they were experts; no matter who they are. We are to be disciples of Jesus and follow him alone. So how can we be sure we are not being deceived? The only way we will be able to spot deception is by having encounters with the truth. Knowledge of the truth exposes lies. Our only hope to not be deceived in these last days is to "abide in Jesus and His words"; according to John 15:7 We must surrender our hearts moment by moment to the Holy Spirit. We need to be like those in Acts 17:11 (NKJV) They searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. We should read our bibles every day if possible. That's the only way we will be able to spot deception is by having regular encounters with the truth of God’s word. When we read the bible John 8:32 says “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Invitation: Do not be deceived about your salvation. Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.” Romans 6:23 says “The wages of our sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, In Christ Jesus our Lord.” Be sure you have confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you so you can receive the gift of eternal life. Then invite Him into your heart to take charge of your life. Be baptized in His name to show you are sincere.

Bless the Lord

 

Psalms 103:1-2 (NKJV)
¹ A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!² Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: That’s our problem, we forget so easily! We must think before we can thank. We must ponder before we can praise. We must remember before we can rejoice. Here are five blessed benefits of the Lord that we must not forget.

I. There’s the Benefit of Pardon. “Who forgives all your iniquities!” David begins by reminding us that God forgives all our iniquity (sin -wickedness). Our greatest problem is the guilt we feel because of our sin, and our greatest need is to know forgiveness from the Lord. David says that God forgives “all” our iniquity. That’s good news, isn’t it? Some of us have really blown it big time, and we have messed up over and over and over again. And we’ve done the same dumb things repeatedly even after promising never to do them again. I’m glad the word “all” is included because it means that God intends to forgive my future sins. When Christ died, all our sins were in the future. And when we come to Christ, all our sins are forgiven, even the yet-to-be-committed sins. But we must not let our forgiveness be a license to sin! What a God we serve! What grace! He forgives all our sins—past, present and future. He’s more willing to forgive than we are to be forgiven. He is eager and ready to forgive. He wants to forgive us all.

II. Benefit of Healing. “Who heals all your diseases.” After doctors and nurses have done all they can do, and after we have used all the latest technology and taken the newest drugs, healing must come from the Lord. Good medicine and good prayer go together. That’s why we pray for the sick. We may be healed by medicine or by surgery or by some other course of treatment or we may find healing through prayer or by a miracle from the Lord. All of those things are possible. And remember that any healing in this life is limited and temporary. Our ultimate healing comes when we are raised immortal and incorruptible. In that happy resurrection day, when Jesus comes and the “dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), then at last we will be totally, completely, and finally healed once and for all. Between now and then give thanks to the Lord for every bit of healing you experience. “Do you believe in divine healing?” That’s the only kind there is. It just comes in many different varieties.

III. Benefit of Deliverance from Destruction. “Who redeems your life from the destruction.” To redeem means to rescue from danger in the time of trouble. Destruction refers to death itself. That you are here today is proof positive that you are not dead. God has preserved you to this very moment and has protected you every step of your journey. If God willed it to be so, you would die today—and you might die today—but it cannot happen without God’s permission. Satan himself cannot touch you without God’s permission. Since all our days are written in God’s book (Psalm 139:16), and He alone knows how our earthly journey will end, we don’t have to live in fear of the future. Every day the Lord rescues us in a million ways that we don’t see. His angels encamp around us to deliver us from trouble. When the time comes to die, we will die. We are immortal until our work on earth is done. God is constantly at work behind the scenes, working to protect us from trouble, to clear the way ahead, and to give us strength for each new day.

IV. Benefit of a Coronation. “Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” We are crowned with the loyal, unending, unchanging love of God. He heaps up his blessings—and then he pours them out on us. Then he crowns us with “tender mercies.” Mercy implies our failures and defeat. Tender mercies means God knows what we are going through and He meets us where we are. If we were to receive what we truly deserve from God, we would stand no chance. Instead of justice or fairness, God give us “tender mercies.” The crown reminds us of our position as the children of God. Only kings and queens wear crowns, but it is the privilege of every Christian to be crowned with lovingkindness and the tender mercy of God.

V. Benefit of Satisfaction. ” Psalms 103:5 (NKJV) Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so your youth is renewed like the eagle's. God satisfies your life with good. That means there is nothing on earth that can satisfy us deeply except God Himself. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of light with whom is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17) But the emphasis is not on what we possess but on what possesses us. To be satisfied means to be so full that you need nothing else. Here David speaks of satisfaction deeper than anything the world can offer. God says to His children, “I will give you whatever you need so you can soar like the eagle.” All of us need this. I know I need it. There is a way to renew yourself, your energy, your outlook and your attitude. And what is this “miracle cure”? Fill your life with God’s good gifts to you. If you will let him, the Lord will give you something the world cannot match. The end result will be everlasting immortal life. God says, “I want to satisfy you—not with gold but with good.” Not with that which glitters today and is gone tomorrow but with that which is permanent, eternal, and ever increasing in value.

Conclusion: We can thank God for all His benefits toward us and show our thanks by living for Him each day. What a wonderful God we serve!

Invitation: If you do not know these benefits of God, just confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell. He will not turn you away and it will be the greatest day of your life and you will receive all of God's benefits.

THE PRVILEGE OF PRAYER

 

INTRO: God has not saved us and left us here on earth to get by the best we can. Our Father God has made us many promises in His word that we have the right and the privilege to ask for and receive from Him. If we are living in a right relationship with God, our potential in prayer is unlimited. God stands ever ready to help us as we ask Him to. Prayer is the strength of the church. We must be persistent in it!

I. God says we have an open door to heaven. THE Invitation to pray is found in Luke 11:9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. God has extended a special privilege to us His children! Open door policy! 24-7! THE PROMISE - Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. When we ask, we receive; when we seek, we find; when we knock, the door is opened unto us. The verbs ask, seek, and knock are all continuous action. We are to keep on asking and seeking and knocking, ever beseeching God to hear us. Jesus drove the point home: perseverance and endurance receives what it asks. The believer shall get what he asks if he...will not leave the throne of God- will not go away - will not let God alone. Don’t give up!

II.  God says when we speak according to the Word and will of God, heaven responds. Mark 11:23–24 (NKJV) ²³For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Our faith must be totally in God, nothing else. Mark 11:22 (NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. WE must pray with our eyes on God and not the difficulty. When we pray to our Father in faith, heaven responds. WOW! What a promise and privilege. Notice the importance of what we say as we pray and after we pray! Mark 11: 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. These verses do not give a person authority to pray for miraculous powers for their own convenience or acclaim. Every act of faith must rest on the promise of God. If we know that it is God’s will to remove a certain difficulty, then we can pray with utter confidence that it will be done. In fact, we can pray with confidence on any subject as long as we are confident it is according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible or by the inner witness of the Spirit. When we are really living in touch with the Lord and praying in the Spirit, we can have the assurance of answered prayer before the answer actually comes.

III. If we ask what God has promised, in Jesus name, He will do it. To ask in Jesus name is to ask according to His will. Find it in His holy word and claim it. The reason He will do it. John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, [ in my will] that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

IV. When we pray according to God’s will we have confidence that He hears us and that we have what we have prayed for. 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. There are many things that we know to be in accordance with his will, if we read His word and if they are sought in a proper manner. Our part is to know God’s will. All that God has promised we are justified in expecting; and what he has promised, we should pray for believing that we receive. Prayer is the language of the children of God. He who is begotten of God speaks this language. What a privilege and what promises God has given us through prayer. May we make the most of it!

INVITATION: If you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, then you need to pray that prayer right now. It is God’s will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of Him. [2 Tim. 2:4] Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you. Invite Him into your life and then be baptized as a piblic testimony to your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. This will be the greatest prayer that you could ever pray.

Thoughts for the New Year

 

Intro: Since we have just entered the New Year; here are some thoughts from God's word we might want to remember so we can have a joyful and blessed year. God has some good advice for us, and we would be wise to heed what He has to say.

I. Forget the Past. Philippians 3:13–14 (NKJV) ¹³Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

a. Like Paul, we should be focusing on one goal: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Our past sins should not be used as a barrier to the future, as an excuse for dropping out, or for avoiding a closeness in our relationship with God. We must repent of past and present sins. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Even the good we have done is past and we cannot hold on to that. We as Christians must forget the past, the good and bad things and press on toward the goal of perfection for which Christ saved us. In (Matthew 5:48) Jesus said to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. Paul did not consider that he had achieved perfection or spiritual maturity; he was not all that he knew he should be, but he lived his life growing in his relationship with God, pressing on toward the goal of ultimate perfection for which Christ died to give him.

II. Remember God is With You. [Rom. 8:29-31 ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

a. God who knew us in advance before we were born has predetermined us to be like Christ. He has called us by name, He has justified us, given us a right standing before Him and He has given us His glory, the glory of His Spirit within. We have a special relationship with the Lord as His covenant people. In verse 31 God says if we are His people then who can be against us? Because God has created us and called us, justified us and glorified us He will also care for us, He will continue as our Shepherd to guide us. Christ not only died for us but is now at God's right hand constantly pleading for us. Therefore, in difficult times, we should not give up and fear, for God is with us and will protect us and this makes us more than conquerors thru Him that loved us. He assures us that nothing in the heavens above or earth below, can separate us from His love which He has for us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Heb. 13:5 God promises He is always with us and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

III. Hold Fast to Your Faith. [Hebrews 6:13-20 (NLT)] ¹³ For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: ¹⁴ “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” ¹⁵ Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

a. Abraham is our example. In verse 14 God made him a promise and in verse 15 the bible says that after he waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. God had confirmed his promise to Abraham with an oath, and these two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. God has promised us Christians His salvation and care for us. He has given His oath that He will provide for us a home in heaven. So we can have the sure hope of security because of the unchanging truth of His promise. It’s impossible for God to lie. Patience is our part whereby we hold on to his promise with confident hope just as Abraham did. We Christians have fled to God for refuge. Christ provides the safest place, the hope we count on, the encouragement we need. We must “hold on to his promise of salvation and blessings,” grasping it, refusing to let go no matter what happens around us. This confidence in God’s word is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, secure and immovable. Not only does this confidence in God’s promises hold us secure, but it leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. The inner sanctuary refers to the Most Holy Place in the Jewish Temple where God’s presence was. God’s presence was closed from the people by a curtain. The curtain was torn from top to bottom and the way into God’s presence was opened when Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sins. Because Jesus has provided access to God's presence; Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Invitation: Have you taken advantage of God’s promise to save you from Hell and give you a home in His Kingdom? When you confess your sins against Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you, God has promised He will give you a home in His Kingdom. If you have not done that, do it right now before it’s eternally too late. Then use this year to draw close to Him as you read His word and communicate with Him in prayer.

“Taking Inventory”

 

Scripture Text

Psalms 26:2 (NKJV)
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

Intro: This time of year all businesses begin to take inventory for the purpose of determining what they accomplished for the past year and from that information, they formulate a plan for the New Year. We Christians need to do the same thing. We take inventory of what we have accomplished spiritually and formulate a plan for 2026.

I. Allow God’s Spirit to examine ~ study you in a very careful way! (v:2) Ask Him to show you where you need to change! God’s purpose for all His people in this life is to conform them to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Conform means to be in agreement on every point. Is your life being brought into agreement with Christ’s way of doing things? Let God examine and show you the truth. Are you fulfilling the purpose of God in your life? Do you even know your purpose? Romans 12:2 (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Our purpose in life is to constantly be changed into that new person He created us to be. We are changed in our thinking as we pray and read God’s word. We find His will for us. We were created to bring praise, honor and glory to Him while we are in this world.

II. Allow God to prove you through your actions! Prove means to show the character or ability expected of one, especially through one's actions. Are you most like the Father God in your actions or the world? Is your life being shaped more by others’ expectations of you than by God’s priorities? Are some of the things you are doing based on guilt, or a desire for approval or a need to make a good impression? Does God see the motive for your actions based on His will, yours, or someone else’s? Take note each week as to the use of your time. How much time is spent on the things of God? Ask God if any activities you are involved in that may not be on His agenda for you. When your activities have a reason, God’s reason, you can be less affected by the opinions of those who may not understand why you do what you do. God blesses His activities!

III. Allow God to test you in mind and heart! Test means to subject to strain, as of endurance, patience, affliction, trouble; or duty. Proverbs 24:10 (NKJV) If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. James 1:3 (NKJV) Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. A lot of people talk the talk of faith, but do not walk the walk of faith when tested. 2 Corinthians 13:5a (NCV) Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith. What you and I are seeking in the end is the  freedom to be who God is calling us to be. Philippians 1:20-21 (NLT) ²⁰ For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. ²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. This should be the goal for our lives this year of 2026! Not just in theory, but in everyday practice.

Invitation: Will you allow God to examine your heart right now? Allow Him to show you your heart as He sees it. Where do you stand in your relationship with God? Do you even have a relationship with God? If not, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and invite Him into your life. If you have a relationship with God, allow God to test your motives and purposes for what you do? Will you take action and look back on what you did last year and see how much it fit God’s plan for your life! Will you rededicate your life to Him right now?

The Greatest Christmas Gift

 

Intro: December 25th we will celebrate Christmas. This is one of the most important holidays for mankind with Easter being the other important holiday. Christmas is a time of giving and rejoicing in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. God was the first to give. John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He (gave) His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Mankind was eternally lost without God’s gift, in sin and error wasting away with no hope until Jesus appeared and the soul felt its worth. Luke tells us in; Luke 2:11 (NKJV) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ts worth. No greater gift has ever been given to mankind than the one given on the first Holy night when God gave us His only begotten Son that through Him we might be forgiven of sin and have eternal life.

II. Jesus gave the ultimate gift of His life on the cross for us. Isaiah 53:5 He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. He suffered these things for our sins, not His own, because He had no sin. Our Lord Jesus suffered all five kinds of wounds known to medical science for us: contusions—blows by a rod; lacerations—scourging; penetrating wounds—crown of thorns; perforating wounds—nails; puncture wounds, spear. He paid the price required by the Father, that we might be healed. What a precious gift Jesus gave to mankind!

III. God has given us the gift of His Spirit. When Jesus ascended, God sent the Spirit. We were baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. The Father has given the guarantee of eternal life by His Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit has given us the gift of His power to live righteously and be witnesses for Jesus Christ. We received that power the moment we were born again. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Our part is to surrender to the Spirit's power in our lives.

IV. We can give Jesus a gift. The greatest gift we can give to Jesus Christ in return for all He has done for us is helping to spread His message of salvation to the world. No greater gift can be given than that of Christ and His salvation to lost souls. Jesus said in (Matt. 10:8b) Freely you have received, freely give. When we give Christ to a lost and dying world it is truly the gift that keeps on giving throughout eternity. Our lives should be a continual testimony of Jesus Christ!

Jesus said “He came to seek and save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Invitation: Have you been the recipient of the greatest gift God has ever given to mankind, which is salvation through Jesus Christ. If not, now is the time according to God’s word. Simply confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you for the kingdom of God. Invite Jesus to take charge of your life till He calls you home. And be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! It will be your greatest Christmas yet!

Christmas Celebration

 

I. We Celebrate our Savior's Birth. Luke 2:9-14 (NKJV) ⁹  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰  Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." ¹³  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ¹⁴  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" There was 400 years of silence from Heaven between the Old Testament which ended with the book of Malachi and the New Testament beginning in the book of Matthew. We are now no longer under the old covenant of law, but Matthew tells we now have a New Covenant with God through the birth of Jesus Christ. That new covenant is based on the blood of Jesus which He shed on the cross as payment for our sin. Matthew tells us that Now You and I have a Savior. A Savior is one who delivers or rescues one from destruction. The bible says in Romans 3:23 that all mankind has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Romans 6:23a (NKJV)  For the wages of sin is death, according to this scripture, The wages of our sin is death, eternal separation from God. But the verse goes on to say Romans 6:23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So we conclude from the previous scripture that all mankind was eternally lost until Jesus came. Jesus came to save us from our sins which had held us in slavery and bondage to the devil. The angels’ message was comforting. The shepherds were told not to be afraid. The message was that “a Savior,” Christ the Lord, was born. This was good news of great joy. Throughout Luke “joy” is often associated with salvation. This news was to be proclaimed to all the people.

II. We Celebrate Jesus as Our Redeemer. He paid the penalty due us for our sins. 1Tim. 2:5-6 ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Because of what Jesus did on the cross we can be forgiven our sins against a holy God. Not only do we celebrate His birth, but we also remember His death and His soon return, because it was not only His birth, but it was also by His death & resurrection that our salvation was made complete. No matter what sin we have committed we can be forgiven if we repent and ask for forgiveness and turn from our sinful ways. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Colossians 2:14 says Jesus has wiped out the handwriting of requirements [10 commandments] that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. O what great news the angel brought that night. What a truly Holy Night when Christ was born! We no longer have to carry the burden of the penalty for our sins, we are forgiven in Christ. This is good news of great joy to all people.

III. WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GIFT OF HIS SON. [Luke 2:13-14]
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, toward men of goodwill!" Praise means the act of expressing approval, admiration or commendation. Since there were no people to praise God He opened the mouths of the angels and they began to praise God saying ^“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, toward men of goodwill!" We can learn a great lesson about praise from the angels and tonight we praise God for His wonderful gift of salvation for all mankind. We Praise Him for the love, mercy, grace, salvation, and eternal security He revealed to us thru His Son Jesus whom we worship.

Invitation: If you don't know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, now is the time to confess your sins to Him and ask Jesus to forgive you of those sins and invite Him into your life to save your soul for Heaven, and you will enjoy the greatest Christmas ever.

What If No Christ in Christmas?

 

Intro: Before Christmas, I saw on one particular news program an interview with an atheist. They had paid for a big sign in New York Times square. It read “Who needs Christ in Christmas?” It had a big X through Christ’s name and it said under it, nobody! Does mankind really need Jesus? What if we didn’t have Jesus Christ? How bad do we need Christ? The New Testament would not have been written? We would not have this New Testament or Covenant with God if Jesus was not needed. Without the New Testament the O.T. would be incomplete. It does not have the O.T. in it, but it has references to it. It is the complete fulfillment of the O.T. prophecy showing a person how to be saved and forgiven of their sins. Have you ever stopped to think about this? What would we have if we didn’t have Christ?

I. Without Christ we could not be justified or made right with God. Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [Ro 5:9] Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

II. Without Christ “There would be no Immanuel, God with us” as Isa. 7:14 & Matt. 1:23 say. If Jesus had not come there would be no mercy, grace, truth, and forgiveness as John 1:14 says. There would be no fulfillment of the wonderful promises in John 10:10b of Jesus coming to give us life and that life more abundant.                                                                                                                  

III. Without Christ there would be No comfort that we find in the New Testament for those that are rejected by the world, spiritually lost, suffering, hurting, and dying without hope and help.                                                                                             

 IV. Without Christ There would be no salvation from the penalty of our sins. Animal sacrifices in the O.T. could not forgive or permanently remove the guilt and penalty of sin, They were only types that pointed the real thing, the forgiveness and removing of the guilt and penalty of sin found in only in the blood of Jesus Christ. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Acts 4:12 (NKJV) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

V. Without Christ There would be no Holy Spirit in our lives to lead, guide, and direct us. There would be no fruit of the Spirit in our lives. No love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)

VI. Without Christ and His resurrection, There would be no hope of the resurrection or eternal life. At death, we would have to bow our heads say an eternal goodbye and weep as those without hope while being cast into hell. The apostle Paul wrote about this in 1 Cor. 15:12-28.

VII. Without Christ There would be no book of Revelation which tells us about our future with Him, or about His coming back to rule and reign and how we will rule and reign with Him over this earth. (Rev. 20:4)Revelation 20:4 (NKJV) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

VIII. Without Christ there would be no promise of a new heaven and earth where sin and death does not dwell. Revelation 21:1 (NKJV) Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah who gives life and who has the right to judge life. He is the One who knows the future and can warn man and tell man how to prepare for the devastating events of the end time. Being the true Messiah, He is bound to declare the truth to us, so we can take of the water of life freely, without cost.

Invitation: So who needs Christ? Everybody does. Let us rejoice today because Christ has come. Revelation 22:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶ "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." ¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Do you have Jesus Christ in your life to forgive you of your sins against God? Have you taken of the water of eternal life freely? The Spirit says come and the church says come! Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your life so when your time comes to die, you will have an eternal home with God the Father and Jesus His Son.