Pastor Mark Olmos
December 19, 2004 - W0451

I am sure that we are all familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth. It was a supernatural birth in which was meant for great rejoicing. Even the angels in heaven recognized the significance of what was about to occur and were sent as messengers to declare: “I bring you good news of great joy…”(Luke 2:10). However, when it comes to Christmas, there are so many people who miss its reason. They miss it because they fail to know what happened behind the scenes so that even when they’re in the presence of Christ, like seeing a manger scene, they don’t respond to it with joy. Let’s take a look at the reason behind this season so that when ever we do encounter Jesus, in all it’s forms, we will respond to it with joy.

In order to do that, we have to go all the way back to the beginning (of the Bible). Now, the Bible says that we were created in His image. That also means that we were designed to have a very close personal relationship with God. However, God also gave man a choice on whether not he wanted to be in that relationship. This “choice” came in the form of the Garden of Eden. Of all the fruit trees that man was allowed to eat from there was one that God commanded not to eat of. God also allowed a serpent to tempt man in order to give him a clear choice. But, if you’ll remember the story with me…

Before the Good News…

“…[Eve] she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6).

When satan tempted the first man and woman, they failed to choose God. They committed a cosmic rebellion. Little did they know their actions would impact generation after generation afterward. God saw Adam as representative of the human race and so because of this, we are still affected with that choice today. In what ways does this choice affect us? Well, there are four ways and the first way is this:

1.     I’M FALLEN – I’VE LOST RIGHT STANDING WITH MY CREATOR.

We are told that “[t]here is no one righteous, not even one…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). How many? No one! Whenever the Bible mentions the word “righteousness” it really means “right standing” with God. How can this be true? Some of us are convinced that we know of some really good people, perhaps we may think of ourselves as pretty good people. We have to understand however, that we usually measure ourselves by how we stand with other people; this is a measurement that God doesn’t use. This is a very common mistake we make.

We were born with a broken relationship with God because Adam severed it first. Have you ever noticed that you don’t have to teach your kids how to sin? In fact, I have never heard any parent come up to me and tell me that there kids just keep getting better and better. No, they come preprogrammed to sin. We have been preprogrammed to sin; we simply cannot help ourselves.

Therefore, because we all have sinned (lost right standing with God) and fallen short of the glory of God, it means that we are unfit for His presence. This brings us to the second reason why the sin of the first man affects us today.

2.     I’M SEPERATED FROM GOD – I’VE BEEN DECLARED GUILTY BEFORE GOD!

Not only are we unfit for God’s presence but, because He is holy, He has to punish us. Look what God had to do to Adam: “So the LORD God banished him…” (Genesis 3:23).

Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden; they had to be removed from God’s presence. We are told that “…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). It’s not just a physical death either, it’s a spiritual death. It means eternal separation from God. All of mankind is scheduled for punishment and none of us can try to put together a moral resume together to get an “A”, we have all failed.

So right from the beginning we’ve lost our right standing with God, we’re separated from Him, and we’re guilty. But there’s more. Here’s another way Adam’s choice holds lasting effect.

3.     I’M POLLUTED – I’VE BEEN TOTALLY INFECTED WITH SIN.

If you have ever gone to a city dump to drop off your trash, you might realize that the smell tends to linger. Like the smell of trash, sin also lingers on us and we are immersed in it. Some of us might think that sin comes around us and then it makes us do wrong things. But, that isn’t true because we are totally polluted by it. Look at what Jesus says: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matthew 15:19). It also mentions in Galatians 5:19-21 that “[t]he acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” There are incalculable ways in which sin can occur because it is already resident in us. I don’t have to convince you of the effects of sin in your lives. You all know of the regrets that you carry because of things perhaps have done or said. Some of us just wear the regrets and guilt and shame all evident on our faces. Some of us carry wounds that have been caused by those that have sinned against us.

There are so many times as a pastor where I’ve witnessed the devastating effects of sin in the lives of those I’ve watched or counseled, it especially devastates me when I see it in my own life. Sin just wrecks our lives.

But, there is hope because God’s grace is sufficient and we’ll get to that.

What could be worse than being infected with sin? Well, the fourth piece of bad news is this: 

4.     I’M HELPLESS – I CAN DO NOTHING TO CHANGE MY SPIRITUAL STANDING.

Sometimes we think that we can “do” things to restore our standing and build a type of spiritual resume of sorts. The Bible says that: “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6).  Here’s an example. Say the whole state of Hawaii is sinking into the Pacific and our only hope of survival is to swim to California. There’d be of course, people that would drown instantly. Others would perhaps make it like, a mile. Then there would be those weekend warriors, the real athletic types or those on the swim teams that could make it even further. Then there’s the Olympic champion swimmer. Surely, we think that he would make it right? Well, pretend there’s a space shuttle up in space and looks down to see the situation and they even see the Olympic champion. From their vantage point, they see the distance and just know that even the best of the best wouldn’t be able to do. It is the same with God and us, God knew we would be able to cover the distance on our own. Even the best we have to offer doesn’t even come close to God’s standard of holiness. So, therefore…

Before the Good News…

I WAS DESPERATELY AND UTTERLY LOST WITH NO HOPE OF CHANGE!

But God…

Man was utterly and desperately lost with no hope of change, but God decided He wouldn’t have it that way and He decided to do something about it. That’s why…   

·        God sends a rescuer…a Savior!

In the Garden of Eden, a great spiritual battle between the serpent and mankind began but God promised, long ago that the womb of the woman would someday end that battle. Of course, God had to deal with a multitude of imperfect people along the way, yet God was faithful to see His plan of a Messiah come to pass.

In between the old and new testament, there was 400 years of what looked like absolute silence from Heaven. But, God was working out His plans and we know this by what the angels declared to a few shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord’” (Luke 2:10). Man was utterly lost and needed the miracle of a savior. God was so excited to send His son! God humbly clothed Himself in human flesh, with all it’s limitations, on the greatest rescue mission of all time.

Jesus didn’t write a book, open any schools or personally open any churches. No, His main objective was to undo the work of satan in the garden; to save us from our sins. The Bible says that “he Himself bore our sins in His body on he tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds [we] have been healed” (1Peter 2:24). Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins (past, present and future) in full so we could be forgiven. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, that right standing with God is restored and He turn gives us His spirit in our lives in the form of Christian growth; like an anti-virus system. His spirit in us begins to work out the symptoms of sin in our lives. When your trust in the work that Jesus did on the cross, you are rescued or what people might call “saved”. This brings us to…

THE REASON FOR OUR JOY… it is that:

1.     I matter to God!

Imprint this on your hearts and minds; never forget this! The apostle Paul said this: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  The Bible makes it so very clear that you matter so much to God.

We have that common adage that says that we get what we pay for. In the world, we determine something’s value or worth by how much was paid for it.  It’s important to do this type of math once in a while.

What did God have to pay to get you into heaven? God sacrificed his perfect and only son’s life to pave the way for us to enter into Heaven and have that personal, intimate fellowship with Him; we gain right standing with God the instant we invite Jesus into our lives. Then how valuable does that make you to God? To God, you were worth saving! Therefore…

2.     I can live with unshakable joy!

Let’s remember what the angel was announcing: “…I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).  The angel was announcing that God was about to introduce a way of life thought could be lived with unshakable joy! We were sinners, utter and totally destined for disaster with no hope of change before Christ came. We can now live differently, positively.

So what do we do then?

SING IT!

Live a life filled with worship and hold an “if it hadn’t been for You” attitude. Remember the story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, that’s the kind of attitude she was filled with (see Matthew 26: 6-13).

LIVE IT!

If we are a saved people, let your face show it. Smile and bring grace and kindness wherever you go. Bring a heart of joy wherever you go.

SHARE IT!

Invite others to church with you. I guarantee that if you pray over someone and then pick up the phone and invite him or her, they might respond with a “funny that you asked”. They might have been going through some tough times with no answers, they might be immersed in sin without any answers.

Before the good news of Jesus Christ in our lives we were bound for a life of sin with death as its end result. However, with Jesus Christ, who was sent as our savior, we can live a life of joy. Don’t let anyone steal the joy that He brings.

Merry Christmas to all!

Discussion questions:

1.      Share about your first experiences during Christmas? Were you aware of the true reason behind the season?

2.      When did Christmas become more than presents and eggnog? How did Jesus meet you in a special way?

3.      Many times, regardless of how much we are told the reason behind Christmas, it is always a struggle to wrap our minds around the magnitude of God’s love for us by sending Jesus. How might you be able to remind yourself of the value God places on your life? How might you be able to remind others of their value to God?

4.      We know that because Jesus came we are able to live lives of unshakable joy. In what ways are you making sure to sing it, live it and share it?

Thank you Liz Texeira for this week’s summary. You definitely exude the joy of being in His presence by serving Him with all your heart. Great job!

We want to extend to you and your family on behalf of the Sermon Notes Ministry: (Jaylene Tsukayama, Doreen Rabaino, Cynthia Whitehouse, Deborah Chang, Leighton Loo, Robin Hart II, Phyllis Unebasami, Liz Texeira, Rhonda Pang and Dawn O’Brien)

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!