“WELL NOW THAT CHRISTMAS IS OVER, AND ALL THE PRESENTS ARE UNWRAPPED, and THE FAMILY VISITORS HAVE DEPARTED, WHAT’s NEXT?”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about the still wonderful and marvelous promise of God to send us a Savior of the world…

…Who is the greatest person and personality who ever walked the face of the earth? Well I know folks will think of many different people down through the ages, but the truth is there is only one who is non-compare - it is the Person of Jesus Christ! Yes, He is the greatest personality of the Bible and the ages of human existence. Although His name is not mentioned prior to the first century into which He was born, the Bible does speak of His coming way back to the beginning days of existence. So today as Christmas is passed and the New Year is ahead, I want to dwell again on this worthy Person and His work, so important, not only to our world; but to every human being who has ever lived. Stay with me now as we pause for one more seasonal moment of music, then I’ll return to talk about the greatest person who ever lived in my message – COME LORD JESUS…

…Go with me for a moment to the beginning of earth existence and the foundation appearance of mankind. No, it will not take us back millions of years, nor will it take us back to one small spark of subterranean life. There is no such thing as evolution of the species. Contrary to the silly and dangerous fairytales of angry minds that hate the thought of being responsible to a Creator, the Bible clearly tells us we are created beings fashioned in the very image of the Great God who has revealed Himself as “Elohim” or “Jehovah” of the Old Testament; And, as Jesus Christ in the New Testament. It is He who brought all things into existence. The Bible begins with this grand and glorious statement,

Gen 1:1 (NIV)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Here are ten words that carry the greatest impact and truth ever spoken! It is here in the opening verses of the Bible that God reveals Himself as Elohim, which is related to the name El, having a root meaning of “power” or “fear.” It suggests “God’s greatness or superiority over all other gods.” Now, the name “Elohim” identifies God as “the subject of all divine activity revealed to man, and as the object of all true reverence and fear for men.” Also, these verses emphasize 

(1)  God the Creator’s sovereignty (Gen. 24:3; Isa. 37:16; 54:5), 
(2)  His role as Judge of all life (Ps. 50:6; 58:11; 75:7), 
(3)  His majesty or glory revealed in the Creation (Isa. 40:28; 65:16); and 
(4)  His role as the great GOD and Savior of humanity (Gen. 17:8; 26:24; 28:13).

Now while God presents Himself as a transcendent God, Scripture shows He is also immanent, and seeking fellowship with those whom He created. In the very first chapter of Genesis, God Himself, recognizes the creation of man as “very good,” (Gen. 1:31) for God created man in His own image and likeness that He may have a living and intimate relationship with mankind, and that His highest creation, man, might rule over the earth (Gen. 1:26).[1]

But the story does not have a happy beginning for not long after the great creation of man, which is Adam and Eve, we discover a terrible thing happened. Scripture calls it sin! Soon after the Creation of all things, God’s angelic forces called angels sinned. The chief angel Scripture calls Lucifer, began to exercise his own will in defiance to God’s. In the early stages of angelic existence, somewhat like mankind’s, God gave the power of free will, that is the creature could choose to love and accept God as His Master and friend. With this power of choice, the possibility to choose to say “no,” did become a reality for what might be millions of billions of angels. 

Lucifer the chief angel fell as a result and came crashing to earth where he tempted the first man and woman with the same creative ability. You know the story of the “Fall of man,” but many are not as aware of the great love and promise of God that followed. This then is really the beginning of the “Christmas story.”

Immediately after Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, their perfect sinless life and nature was destroyed. God warned them of this danger. He gave them a choice. They could walk with God in total obedience by their own will, or choose to separate from God and “go it alone” with their mind and heart on the throne of their lives. Sadly they chose the latter. Yet God thankfully didn’t abandon them nor the entire human race that followed. How? Why? What did God do? This is the beginning of the Christmas story for we read of it in,

Gen 3:15 (NLT)  From now on, you [Satan] and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Right here at the judgment of the sin of Adam and Eve, God displayed His unfailing love for us and promised that through Eve’s offspring, or children would come s Savior who would bruised by Satan (that is die). Indeed, this was fulfilled many centuries later on a cross at Calvary in the first century AD. But God also makes another astounding prediction in this verse. Did you catch it? God also predicted the Messiah, born of a woman (Gal. 4:4) would finally crush the head of Satan (completely destroy his power and person). This action will be completed or fulfilled in the future at what the Bible tells us is the end of the Age when Jesus returns to the earth as its ultimate ruler. This then is the embryo first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.

True Bible saints of every age longed for and cried out in their hearts – “COME LORD JESUS.” Admittedly the Old Testament saints didn’t know His name or by whom this Christ child would be born, but they believed and waited none the less. Perhaps the greatest prophecies of His first coming are found in three passages of Scripture,

Isa 7:14 (NLT) “… the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel—‘ God is with us.’

Isa 9:6 (NLT)  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Micah 5:2 (NLT)  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.

Yes, God promised He would save all of Adam and Eve’s children, who like them faced death for the sin of unhooking their lifeline from God the Creator and Sustainer of life. You know, it’s like a deep sea diver who is tethered to a air hose and lifeline rope who in the depts. Of darkness below, becomes disoriented and thinks he doesn’t need these life sustaining things. He begins to think he can walk down there without any aid or assistance from above. So, in his disorientation he cuts away these lifelines, he feels are inhibiting him. Oh, once he does this he can live for a few moments with the remaining air in his diving helmet, but soon death will come.

This is what Adam and Eve did, and God promised them would happen too. Now death in this matter is slow, but it is sure. Indeed, God warned Adam and Eve not to do this, even though they had the power to do it,

Gen 2:16-17 (NLT)  But the LORD God gave him this warning: “You may freely eat any fruit in the garden 17 except fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die.”

Unfortunately, they did disobey God, and in so doing severed their eternal life-line to God the Creator, and dying they did and we all will do too. Yet amazing as it is, God’s love was still upon them and every child born of Adam. God promised to send a Savior.

Now, let’s get back to our sea diving friend. Let’s say the warnings not to cut the line were voiced to the disoriented sea diver by the Master of the ship, the Captain. However, the men above who fed the diver his air and held his lifeline, worried deeply he would do this if he got disoriented in the darkness below. Well let’s say it happened. The problem was there was only one auxiliary air tank for diving aboard. Therefore, one of the crew would have to volunteer to don a scuba outfit and go down and rescue the diver if he cut off his air supply. The one who volunteered would then have to give him his air tank and life supply and unfortunately take the diver’s place in death. Only one could make it to the surface if they had air to do it. 

Now of course this is an illustration story. But let’s say no man volunteered, but the Master of the ship did. He said he loved this sea diver and didn’t want to see him perish, so he willingly leaves the surface and goes down to the disoriented sea diver who at the moment he arrives cuts off his air supply as they feared. The friend gives him his tank and pushes him to the surface, but in the end he dies down there in his place. He is innocent and doesn’t deserve to die, yet he does. This my friend is ¾ the Christmas story!

John 3:16 (NLT)  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Rom 5:18 (NLT)  Yes, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness makes all people right in God’s sight and gives them life.

John 10:10 (NLT)  The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

How wonderful it is that Christians long ago set aside a day to remember the birth of the infinite God man Jesus Christ, who came down from Heaven to offer us His life for ours lost in sin by our sinful “derangement.”

The Christmas story therefore can be summed up in three words – COME LORD JESUS! Thanks be to God He came! And once He came, He fulfilled the very purpose of providing life and forgiveness for all our sins. Thus, the second aspect of that first prophecy in the Garden of Eden was fulfilled 33 years later on a cross where Jesus died for you and me. We read in,

Isa 53:5-6 (NLT)  But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! 6 All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

Rom 5:8 (NLT)  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

This Christmas season we should all be asking and crying out – Thank you Lord for coming and saving my soul, but still COME LORD JESUS! Why? Because God has still promised not only to save all humanity that wishes His life to become theirs lost in sin, but also God is going to restore all things to what it was before sin entered our world and the universe. This promise of restoration is called the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. Here too God promises that Jesus Christ the infinite God Man the Second Person of the Triune Godhead revealed in Scripture, will one day surely come again.

Though no one knows the future, for the Christian it is comforting to have the knowledge of what the Bible says concerning Christ's second coming at the end of the Tribulation Period ahead. Since the Old Testament stated over 330 prophecies concerning His first coming, all of which were perfectly fulfilled, we can with confidence trust what He had to say relative to His coming again. Christ has established His credibility with mankind and His promises are ever true.

John 14:1-3 (NLT)  “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Heb 9:28 (NLT)  so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Rev 22:20 (NLT)  He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

The very last words in the Bible are the cry of the heart of the saints – COME LORD JESUS! Is that your cry friend? It is, only if you have come to your senses and accepted God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, and His offer of life eternal to all who receive Him. Scripture says

John 1:1-5 (NLT)  In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5 The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:9-12 (NLT)  The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. 10 But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. 11 Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

So the real Christmas story goes on in the fact that God is offering His Son Jesus Christ, the eternal God man, as the Savior of the world. Our deep-sea diver story still holds a measure of truth too. Consider the ship’s Captain, the Master who goes down from the surface deep into the dark sea, finds the disoriented sea diver who cut his line and is dying. He immediate connects his hose to his airline and he begins breathing again. 

Now the disorientation disappears and he struggles to get to the surface. He does and the workers pull him aboard. After catching his breath he looks around and asks for the Captain. Where is he?  The sad faced workers tell the story, He took your place. He is down there in the darkness of the sea, he died for you that you might live.

Oh friend, how great a salvation and a Savior who left heaven to come to earth, the Captain of our salvation, who offered His life in death so we might live. There is only one response we can make and that is to love Him who died for you and me.

As you enter the New Year and as the Christmas season passes, will you too cry out COME LORD JESUS? We begin with a prayer of faith. If you do not know Jesus Christ personally, then pray this prayer with me as this year ends.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I now realize the great sacrifice you did for me. The Bible says you came to earth as a man to qualify to be a substitute and sacrifice for my sins that warrant death. You’ve offered your life in exchange for mine and all I have to do is allow you to hook up my lifeline to God to breathe new life in me. I accept You Lord Jesus as my God and Savior. Breathe into me that new life and grant me an ever thankful heart to love and serve you till you come again. This I pray in Jesus Name, Amen.”

If you’ll pray this prayer and mean it with your heart, soul, mind and strength, God has a promise for you. Listen to it,

John 6:47 (NLT)  “I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life.

John 5:24 (NLT)  “I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

Oh the glory of Christmas! It is the fulfillment of God’s promises long ago. God did come, and God promises to come again to receive you and me until Himself. Let’s enter this New Year with the cry of our hearts – EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS! May 2004 will be the year of our Lord, will you be ready? I am, I trust and pray deeply you will b with me..

…Everything revolves around the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Who you believe He is, and what you have done with Him and His offer of life eternal will be the judgment of your tomorrow. Although we have life on earth, the promise of longevity is non-existent. It behooves us all to be sure we have taken Christ as our God and Savior now before it is too late. God warns us there is a day coming when He will judge all sin, and unless we have a lifeline Savior we shall die in them for all eternity. God grant you His life now and forevermore.

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[1] Enns, P. P. (1997, c1989). The Moody handbook of theology. Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.