CHRISTMAS MESSAGE:

                                             "MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS"

                                                               LUKE 2:1-7

 INTRODUCTION:

           DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON:

     *  SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY DECORATED YOUR HOUSE WITH ALL THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS.

     *  SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATED BEAUTIFULLY AND HAVE PRESENTS PUT UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

           BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST FOR THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, YOUR CHRISTMAS WILL BE INCOMPLETE.

     *  SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES.

     *  SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN SINGING AND PLAYING ALL THE CHRISTMAS SONGS.

     *  SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY GONE TO CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND ATE A LOT OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES AND EGGNOG (NON-ALCOHOL TYPE OF COURSE).

           BUT STILL, YOU CANNOT HAVE A TRUE CHRISTMAS UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST.

     *  SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE TRAVEL PLANS DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON TO BE WITH RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES.

     *  SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE INVITED YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES TO YOUR HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER.

           BUT STILL, YOU CANNOT HAVE A TRUE CHRISTMAS UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST.

           NOW, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG:

     *  WITH DECORATING YOUR HOUSE WITH ALL THE LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS.

     *  WITH DECORATING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE WITH ALL THE DECORATIONS FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

     *  WITH BUYING AND RECEIVING GIFTS, SINGING CHRISTMAS SONGS, EATING CHRISTMAS GOODIES, OR TRAVELING OR INVITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY OVER FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER.

          BUT STILL, YOUR CHRISTMAS WILL BE INCOMPLETE IF YOU DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST.

           JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AND WE SHOULD LOVE, KINDNESS,CARE, GENTLENESS, PEACE, BE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND PRAISE GOD FOR HIS SON JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

     1. WHY SHOULD JESUS CHRIST BE THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION?

           THE REASON WHY JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IS BECAUSE DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND ON DECEMBER 25th IS THE TIME THAT WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

           NOW, SOME WILL ARGUE AND DEBATE WITH YOU AND ME ABOUT THE BIRTH DATE OF JESUS SAYING THAT HE WAS NOT BORN ON THIS DATE AND THEY WOULD BE RIGHT, BUT THE IMPORTANCE IS IN KNOWING AND BELIEVING THAT HE WAS BORN AS THE BIBLE SAYS.

           OVER 2000 YEARS AGO, JESUS WAS BORN IN A CITY CALLED BETHLEHEM AND WAS 

"WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LAID IN A MANGER" A FEED TROUGH, WHERE THE ANIMALS WERE FED, IN A STABLE WHERE THE ANIMALS SLEPT.

           THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM (MARY, JOSEPH, AND THE NEWBORN BABY JESUS) IN THE INN.     ALL WE KNOW FROM SCRIPTURE IS THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THIS EXPECTANT MOTHER AND SO JESUS WAS BORN IN A STABLE AND HAD TO BE LAID IN A MANGER.

          NOTE: IN VERSE 7B "AND WRAPPED HIM IN SWADDLING CLOTHES," 

           WITH NO MIDWIFE TO HELP, MARY GAVE BIRTH, WRAPPED BABY JESUS IN LONG BANDS OF CLOTH SUCH AS WERE USED IN WRAPPING THE BODIES OF THE DEAD.

           NOTICE IN JOHN 19:40 "THEN TOOK THEY THE BODY OF JESUS, AND WOUND IT IN LINEN CLOTHES WITH THE SPICES,"

           NOTE: IN VERSE 7C: "BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN."

           THE POINT BEING MADE HERE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH JESUS IS GOD'S SON, NO ONE MADE ROOM FOR HIM WHEN HE WAS BORN.

           AND MANY DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR HIM TODAY, AND BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY MISS CHRISTMAS.     THE TRUE CHRISTMAS!

           NOTE: MOST OF THE KNOWN WORLD AT THE TIME OF JESUS' BIRTH HAD BEEN TAUGHT IN THE SCRIPTURES KNOWN TO US AS THE OLD TESTAMENT AND KNEW PROPHECY CONCERNING THIS EVENT.

 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."

           "IMMANUEL": MEANING "GOD WITH US", MATTHEW 1:23.

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."

           NOTE: THE GIFT-CHILD IN VERSE 6 IS CERTAINLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE SAME PERSON AS "IMMANUEL" WHO APPEARED EARLIER, VERSE 14 OF CHAPTER 7.

           THIS CHILD IS CERTAINLY NONE OTHER THAT THE VIRGIN'S SON, JESUS  IN LUKE 7.

           NOTICE THAT THE PROPHET SPEAKS OF HIM AS THOUGH HE WERE ALREADY BORN.

 JOHN 1:1-2, (1) "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD."

 (2) "THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD."

           NOTE: WHEN TIME BEGAN, THE "WORD" (JESUS CHRIST) WAS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.

           THIS UNIQUE NAME FOR CHRIST OCCURS ONLY FOUR TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, JOHN 1:1; JOHN 1:4; 1st JOHN1:1; REVELATION 19:13.

           THE WORDS "WAS WITH GOD" IS TRANSLATED AS "FACE TO FACE WITH GOD".

           THE WORDS "THE WORD WAS GOD" IS TRANSLATED AS "THE WORD WAS COMPLETELY GOD".

 JOHN 1:14 "AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US (AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER,) FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH."

           NOTE: THE TERM "WAS MADE FLESH" REFERS TO THE "INCARNATION": WHICH REFERS TO THE MIRACLE OF GOD THE SON BECOMING HUMAN YET REMAINING GOD.

          THE WORD "FLESH" SPEAKS OF CHRIST'S HUMANITY.     TO DENY EITHER THE DEITY OR HUMANITY OF JESUS IS TO DENY THE VERY NATURE OF THE GOD-MAN AND DENY THE TRUTHS CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST.

 GALATIANS 4:4 SAYS "BUT WHEN THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME WAS COME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON,"

           NOTE: THE PROPER TIME HAD ARRIVED FOR BOTH GOD AND MAN.

           THE TIME APPOINTED BY THE FATHER AND FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS.

           THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD WERE SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT, DEVOID OF POWER TO CHANGE MEN'S LIVES.     SOUNDS MUCH LIKE THE TIMES OF TODAY.

           THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO SAVE MANKIND!

           WITH JESUS CHRIST THERE IS AN ENDLESS HOPE.     WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST THERE IS A HOPELESS END.

     2. BECAUSE JESUS WAS BORN WITHOUT SIN:

     *  HE IS RIGHTLY CALLED "IMMANUEL" WHICH MEANS "GOD WITH US";

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED "WONDERFUL";

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED "THE MIGHTY GOD":

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "EVERLASTING FATHER".

          BECAUSE JESUS WAS BORN WITHOUT SIN:

     *  HE RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "SON OF GOD"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "SON OF THE MOST HIGH"

     *  HE IS RIGHTLY CALLED THE "BREAD OF LIFE"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "GOOD SHEPHERD"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "LIGHT OF THE WORLD"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "SAVIOR"

     *  HE IS RIGHTFULLY CALLED THE "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS"

           BECAUSE JESUS WAS BORN WITHOUT SIN, HE WAS ABLE TO PAY THE PRICE OF OUR SINS;

           HE WAS ABLE TO SAVE US TO THE UPMOST;

           HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE US COMPLETE SALVATION.

          CONCLUSION:

           IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR, YOU OUGHT TO MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST.

           WHEN YOU MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS, NOT JUST DECEMBER 25th, BUT EVERY DAY, IN EVERY WAY, EVERY MONTH, AND EVERY YEAR AND EVERYWHERE (IN YOUR HOME, MARRIAGE, ON YOUR JOB, OUT IN TOWN) YOU OUGHT TO MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS CHRIST.

           THEN ON SUNDAY, COME TO CHURCH, MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS BY MAKING A JOYFUL NOISE OF PRAISE UNTO HIS NAME.     HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!

           IN THE CRAZY BUSY LIFE WE LEAD, WE SHOULD FIND FIVE HOURS PER WEEK FOR JESUS.     2 HOURS SUNDAY MORNING; 1.5 HOURS SUNDAY EVENING; AND 1.5 HOURS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING.     I PROMISE YOU IT WILL BE THE BEST FIVE HOURS OF YOUR WEEK.

           JESUS CHRIST: FROM THE CRADLE---TO THE CROSS---SOON A CROWN, KING OF KINGS.

           SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE IS YOURS IF YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD WHO DIED UPON THE CROSS OF CALVARY AND AROSE FROM THE GRAVE AND NOW LIVES.

           PLACE YOUR TRUST IN HIM AND BY FAITH RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS.

           DON'T MISS CHRISTMAS!     MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS!

          YOU CAN HAVE A MEANINGFUL AND JOYFUL CHRISTMAS BY KNOWING JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR!

           AMEN!