NORTH YORK CHURCH OF CHRIST

Pastor Roger C. Marcos
December 11, 2016

The purpose of the bible prophecy is not for us to make a calendar, but to build character.

Jesus Christ was born and lived on earth for a little more than three decades. But Why Did He Come?

Today, I will speak about “SALVATION ULTIMATELY GIVEN”-MORE THAN 2, 000 years AGO.

Text: Ps. 119:41Let Your Faithful Love Come to Me, Lord, Your salvation, as you promised.

The term “faithful love” used in this verse is the covenant love of God. It’s His loyal love-a love that is unconditional, unchanging, and unending. The psalmist knew he couldn’t get this love on his way; he need pray to God for that faithful love.

The psalmist’s next phrase revealed why he needed God’s love in the first place: salvation.

1. Jesus Came From Heaven to Earth.- before else, as the people in the Old covenant longing for salvation. “Salvation” has a specific meaning in the New Testament, the Old Testament writers used it more broadly to speak of rescue from trouble or deliverance from distress. Our text the psalmist responded to his difficult circumstances by praying that God, out of His loyal love, would rescue and deliver him from his burdensome situation. The psalmist wasn’t necessarily looking for a miracle or a supernatural experience. He simply asked God to help according to the faithful promises He’d already given. What God promises, whatever He says, will happened!

Long before Jesus was born it was prophesied He would come so in his coming to be in a process be announced HE CAME IN THE FULNESS OF TIME.Gal.4:4

A. The Actual Prophecy. Isa.7:14 Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.-

Repeatedly in the book of Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

So the prophecy that Jesus the human one was to be born in other words in a miraculous way, divine way, that human mind can’t fully understand so that’s why million upon millions of people ignored and reject God’s way about the redeeming love of God.

How Is Jesus Identified?

Isa. 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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The year in about 722 BC as the Northern kingdom of Israel is under judgment by the Almighty for its wickedness and false prophets.

The nation of Israel was in a state of great darkness. But Isaiah gave them a message of great hope--the Messiah, Jesus, would come. He would take them out of darkness and show them light. Before we came to know Jesus, we were in spiritual darkness. Like our pictures we drew while BLINDFOLDED.

We live in a world that is not peaceful--it is filled with uncertainty and sadness. It seems like troubles and sorrows in this world never end. Apart from God, life can be nothing more than a daily struggle in hopelessness. As we watch the news around the world we see the results of man’s government-some countries are waging war against their enemies, other countries face economic chaos, and everyone suffers from the consequences of man’s sinful heart.

From the Bible, we realize that the troubles and sorrows mankind experiences are a result of broken fellowship with God, which began with the fall of Adam and Eve when sin first entered the world. Suffering as a result of sin and facing future judgment, mankind was in desperate need of a Savior.

B. The Historic Fulfilled Prophecy. Matthew1:18-25

¹⁸ 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.
¹⁹ Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
²⁰ 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.
²¹ And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

²² Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
²³ Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
²⁴ Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
²⁵ And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

Dwight L. Moody, the Billy Graham of the 19th century, once said of the incarnation of Jesus, "It would have been a great sacrifice for Jesus to come and be rocked in a silver cradle, be nursed by an angel, and be fed with a golden spoon. But the Creator of heaven and earth came and took man's flesh, and was born in a stable of poor parents in the worst possible environment."

Why did Jesus come to Our World? What come to your mind then!

An angel told Joseph at the time of Jesus' birth:
“She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” Matthew 1:21.

Jesus, the Creator of the universe (John 1:1-3, 14), was willing to come to our world to rescue us from sin and death. His very name is a promise that enables weak human beings to find true happiness and eternal life.

The birth of Mary’s child clearly would not be a normal birth. She would conceive the child by “The Holy Spirit” and “the power of the Most High.” The child therefore would “be called the Son of God” because He would be the Incarnation of the living God.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” - John 3:16, 17.

By coming to our world, Jesus made the contrast between God's kingdom and Satan's kingdom dramatically clear. His life, death, and resurrection made it possible to forgive and save sinners without trivializing sin, and gave the universe a demonstration of the true character of both Christ and Satan.

The bridge of Christ's broken, bleeding body draws men and women back from the trap of sin. Love spans the chasm, enabling all who place their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord to walk over into eternal life.

Jesus is infinitely more than just a sweet, little baby in a manger whom we celebrate. That fully human child was also fully God, and He grew to be a man who brought the ultimate salvation promised in the Old Testament. This salvation isn’t a work of human achievement; it’s a work of divine accomplishment-and a gift to us from God.

How have you come to understand who Jesus is?

Look back to the prayer offered in Psalm 119:41-“Let Your faithful love come to me, LORD, Your salvation, as You promised.” Isn’t it great to see that God’s faithful love has come to us in the birth of a child? What a blessing to know that Jesus has given us God’s promised salvation.

LIVE IT OUT

1. Accept the gift. Jesus came to earth to give you life. Believe that truth and trust your life in His hands.
2. Live the gift. A life in Christ is a changed life. Identify one step you can take to more fully obey His Word.
3. Share the gift. Many people are aware of the basic story of Jesus’ birth. Tell them the significance of that event- God came to earth as a man to save us-and lead them to embrace the gift of salvation by faith in Christ.

You can have a one-on-one connection with Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Take advantage of that opportunity.

John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he authority to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in his name."

A better life awaits all those who wish to receive Him.