Isaiah 9:6
God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal the truth of God and bring us to the Father, to restore our fellowship with Him and to give us a taste of His kingdom.
Chuck Smith emphasizes the dual nature of the Christmas story, highlighting both the human aspect of Christ's birth and the divine significance of God giving His Son. He explains that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was given to redeem humanity after sin marred God's original plan for fellowship and harmony. Through His life and teachings, Jesus reveals the truth of God and serves as the only way to restore our relationship with the Father. Smith underscores that God's love is the driving force behind the gift of His Son, intended to bring joy and healing to a broken world.
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"A SON IS GIVEN"
Intro: Two sides to Christmas story. Human side, "Unto us a child is born." This is the
side usually emphasized. Traditional nativity scenes. The divine side of the
story. "Unto us a Son is given."
I. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
A. "For God so loved the world..."
B. The eternal God, the creator of this universe, exists in three persons.
Father, Son, Spirit.
1. They worked in concert in creation.
a. "Let us make man in our image..."
b. "In the beginning was the Word..."
2. They worked in concert in the incarnation.
a. When Mary was told that she had found favor with God and she
was to have a son to be named Joshua. Jah-shua.
b. She questioned how that could be since she was a virgin.
c. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow you, therefore that Holy One that
shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God."
3. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.
a. We have been made sons of God by adoption. God did not beget
me, He adopted me.
C. They work in concert in redemption.
1. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin and points us to Christ.
2. It is by the death of Christ that the Father has a righteous basis to
forgive our sins.
II. WHY WAS THE SON GIVEN?
A. Man had marred God's plan.
1. When God adapted this planet for habitation and placed man on it. It
was God's intent that man should live in fellowship and harmony with Him.
a. Man would thus benefit from His great love.
b. Man would experience a life of beauty and joy.
2. God gave the rules for this perfect existence.
3. Man broke the rules.
a. He suffered the consequence.
1. He began to feel guilt.
2. He now could experience pain and death.
3. His fellowship with God was broken.
4. He was soon fighting and destroying his fellowman.
4. It was soon necessary for God to give more rules, for man was
destroying himself by his unbridled lusts.
a. As man continued to break the rules, he suffered the bitter
consequences.
b. He then began in a perverted way to blame God for the
consequences.
1. He blamed God for his pain.
2. He blamed God for his misery.
3. He blamed God for his messed up life.
c. He began to get false concepts of God.
1. He thought God was cruel, unjust.
2. He thought God hated him.
3. He thought God wanted him to be miserable.
4. Nothing could be further from the truth.
B. So God gave His Son, "Unto us a Son is given."
1. That He might reveal the truth of God.
a. He went about healing the sick.
b. He went about feeding the hungry.
c. He turned their sorrows into joy by restoring their dead.
d. He gave them a taste of His kingdom.
e. This is how you can live if you choose His kingdom.
2. That He might bring us to the Father.
a. "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the
Father but by Me."
Sermon Outline
- What does 'Unto us a Son is given' mean? points: - The eternal God, the creator of this universe, exists in three persons. - They worked in concert in creation and incarnation. - Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and works in concert in redemption.
- Why was the Son given? points: - Man had marred God's plan and broke the rules. - God gave His Son to reveal the truth of God and bring us to the Father.
Key Quotes
“For God so loved the world... He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” — Chuck Smith
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore that Holy One that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” — Chuck Smith
“I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- We need to understand the true nature of God as a triune God, consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We need to recognize our need for redemption and our dependence on Jesus Christ as our Savior.
- We need to respond to the gift of God's Son by believing in Him and receiving Him as our Lord and Savior.