in search of the meaning of christmas

Rolling Hills Community ChurchMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyDecember 2014

Week 1 – The Prophecy of Christmas Week 2 – The Theology of Christmas Week 3 – The Purpose of Christmas

Prophecy Fulfilled by the Birth of Jesus

How accurate is (was) the Bible in predicting the birth of Jesus?

There are 31,124 verses in the Bible

8,352 verses contain prophecy

26.8% of the Bible is Prophetic

Source: J. Barton Payne The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy

There are 1,239 specific prophecies in the Old Testament

There are 578 specific prophecies in the New Testament

Which makes 1,817 specific prophecies in the Bible

Source: J. Barton Payne “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy”

Even in the Garden of Eden,God began to laydown a Highway of prophecy and laydown markers for us….

Source: Dr. J. Vernon McGee sermon series“Unusual Prophecies Pointing to the To the Birth of Christ”

Seed of the Women

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Replace:thee with Satanher seed with Christ

Source: J. Vernon McGee “Thru the Bible Commentary”

And I, God will put enmity between you Satan and the woman, and between your seed and Jesus Christ; he shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise His heel.

Abraham - Nation

Genesis 17:5-7

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Isaac

Genesis 17:19-21

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Jacob

Numbers 24:16

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Tribe of Judah

Genesis 49:10

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Line of David

Jeremiah 23:5-6

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness.

A Child is Born

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Born of a Virgin

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Jesus born to Die

Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Jesus Redeemer

Matthew 1:21

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

If you believe the prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus –can you ignore the prophecy of the second coming of Jesus?

Jesus to Come Again

Matthew 24:29-30

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Revelation 1:8

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.Revelation 22:20-21

Prophecy Fulfilled by the Birth of Jesus

Rolling Hills Community ChurchMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyDecember 2014

God’s Purpose for Christmas

What did Jesus have to do before he enter into this world?

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1. He abandoned a sovereign position.2. He accepted a slave’s place.3. He associated with sinful people.4. He adopted a selfless posture.5. He ascended a supreme Prince.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Reputation is from the Greek word kenoo ̄ which means to empty.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Servant is from the Greek word douloswhich means a slave.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1. He abandoned a sovereign position.2. He accepted a slave’s place.3. He associated with sinful people.4. He adopted a selfless posture.5. He ascended a supreme Prince.

A Manger Full of Dragon Drool

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The birth of Jesus is more than just a holiday, it is a part of the bigger picture of God’s plan.

God’s Purpose for Christmas

Rolling Hills Community ChurchMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyDecember 2014

The Reason for the Season

Prophecy Fulfilled by the Birth of Jesus

Review……

Even in the Garden of Eden,God began to laydown a Highway of prophecy and laydown markers for us….

Source: Dr. J. Vernon McGee sermon series“Unusual Prophecies Pointing to the To the Birth of Christ”

Review……

God’s Purpose for ChristmasReview……

The birth of Jesus is more than just a holiday, it is a part of the bigger picture of God’s plan.

Review……

The Reason for the Season

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:Ecclesiastes 3:1

Luke 2:1-20

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace,good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

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A Time For Celebration

…Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in itPsalms 118:24

A Time For Salvation

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,Galatians 4:4

A Time For Reconciliation

Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace,good will toward men.

…we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.Romans 5:11

The most expensive gift you will ever received. Priceless!

The only gift you will ever received that last forever!

The most practical gift you will ever receive. You can use this EVERY DAY!

1. Are you celebrating the salvation that God has provided through His Son Jesus – so that you could be reconciled with God?

2. Are you sharing the gift God gave you with others?

The Reason for the Season