Christmas Message Chapter :

I know there's a group that thinks we're gonna all figure out our answers and we're all marching towards some blissful, peaceful situation.

But friend, it's not gonna happen. Not without the Prince of Peace. You think about what Herod did.

That's humanity. We need help. We need a messiah. Jesus came because this world is filled with pain, tragedy, sin, and selfishness. We needed a messiah.

Some may have wanted one, some may have not, but we need one. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the Bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Is Christmas just a holiday to you? Is something about tomorrow special? On today's program, we have one of David McGee's associate pastors, D.A.

Brown. Welcome, brothers. Help us understand what some of the real reasons for Christmas. Bob, this is a significant time of year. God with us. That's what Jesus came to do, is to dwell among men, become a sacrifice for us, and give us an opportunity to live forever with Him.

What a gift! That sounds like some really good news. So here on Christmas Eve, let's listen to part two of David McGee's teaching, Why Did Jesus Come to Earth? Today, we're going to be talking about Christmas and why did Jesus come to earth?

Well, let's look at some of the things he said. Matthew chapter 5 verse 17, he said, Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

What's he talking about? There were certain prophecies about the Messiah that had to be fulfilled, and Jesus fulfilled not just one or two of them, or some of them, or part of them. He fulfilled every single one of them. Again, mathematically impossible. I figured it out mathematically.

Let me get into compound probabilities, but it would be if you covered the entire state of North Carolina nine feet deep and marked one silver dollar, and you blindfolded somebody, and they got to choose one. Those are the odds that Jesus fulfilled 32 prophecies. Jesus fulfilled over 300 distinct prophecies.

Mathematical improbability, which again begs the question, who is he, and why did he come? But again, he tells us, he didn't leave it in ministry. He said, I came to fulfill, not to destroy, but to fulfill. It's interesting how we've spun the whole Christmas thing to be something so much different than what it is. Jesus says, Matthew 10, 34, he says, do not think I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

I love to ask this. When's the last time you saw that on a Christmas card? I used to be able to say, I've never seen that on a Christmas card.

Then last year, a dear friend here made up a little Christmas card with that exact words on the front of it. And in Luke 12, 51, a similar verse. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you not at all, but rather division. So Jesus came to bring division.

How? I mean, the hurts was already divided. Why did he come to bring division? Division between the religious people who didn't feel like they really needed God, but they could depend upon their own goodness and those who really knew they needed God to bring division between those two. And there were and was and is sharp division between those groups. Still one group actually began to feel like they were good enough for God.

And let's think about that. Good enough for God. How good is good enough?

Well, see therein lies the problem. Good enough for God, the standards perfection. Now you may think of yourself as a good person, but honestly, perfect? I don't think so. And if you think you're perfect and you're married, just ask your spouse.

And when they quit laughing, they'll say, no, no. So the standards perfection. And let's understand something that God's nature is righteousness.

He's perfect. He can't just lower or change his nature. He cannot be in the presence of sin.

And he may want a relationship with us or with you or with me, but since we have sinned and he can't be in the presence of sin, he can't have a relationship with us by nature. In other words, it's like, if I can use this analogy, it's like a fire with a dry leaf. If I take a dry leaf and I place it in the fire, the fire is not deciding to consume the leaf.

It's the nature of the two items that causes the consuming fire to consume the leaf. So it's a real problem in trying to have a relationship with God when the standard is perfection. And so part of the fulfillment of the Messiah was to come and live a perfect life and be tempted, but not sin. And the Bible records that Jesus was tempted in every way like we are, but he never sinned. See, to be tempted is not bad or wrong.

To give in or yield to the temptation is what sin is. Now, John 12, 27, and this is getting towards the garden. Jesus says this, he says, now my soul is troubled, but what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour?

But for this purpose, I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Jesus in the garden pleads with the Father and says, Father, if there is any other way, let's not do this, but not my will, but your will. Now that's an interesting thing, because in that moment, you need to understand that if there was any other way to heaven, surely the Father in his love would have allowed it and would have said, well, as a matter of fact, son, you can get there through Buddha and Confucius and Muhammad, so let's not do this thing.

But that's not what happened. Evidently, Jesus is, was the only way to heaven. He told us, I am the way, the truth, and the life. So we need to understand that if we call ourselves a Christian, we cannot say that there's many ways to heaven, because that's calling Jesus a liar, the one we claim that we're following. And when we talk about one way to heaven, somebody, oh, that's very narrow-minded.

Narrow-minded? Let me ask you a question. If you went to the doctor and the doctor said, look, got some good news and bad news, which one do you want first? Give me the bad news, doc. Well, bad news is you got a terminal disease.

Passed away in 90 days. What's the good news? Good news is we got a cure. Well, you just got one cure? It's kind of narrow-minded, isn't it, doc? You wouldn't say that. You'd say, praise God, you've got a cure.

You know what? I don't think it's narrow-minded that there's one cure for sin, for death, for eternal separation from God. I thank God that there is a cure called Jesus.

Amen? So Jesus said, look, this is why I came. And Jesus knew the whole time he was here.

Imagine that. Probably an apprentice in his father's carpentry shop. And he was in there. And then one day it was time to step out in the ministry. But this ministry he knew would involve three years, pour his life into 12 people, one of which would betray him.

Another would deny him. And the high point and the ending point of the ministry would be his gruesome execution. Nobody really knew why he was there up till then in that carpentry shop. And he could have stayed in that carpentry shop.

That's not what happened, is it? He stepped out of anonymity where nobody knew who he was or why he was here. I've often imagined that maybe he looked at the hammer and the nails in the wood and he knew. But in a few short years, those things would come together in an explosion of pain as he gave his life for you and I. And that is part of why he came.

He stepped out of the carpentry shop and began to walk in his ministry. And he makes the statement in John 12, 32, he says, and when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself. He said this to indicate how he was going to die. He knew he was going to die through crucifixion.

This brings up another interesting consideration when it comes to prophecy. At what historical point would a Jewish male be executed by crucifixion? That's an interesting historical question. Up until about 19 AD or 20 AD, Israel had the right of self-government and they had the right to execute in their courts of law. After riots and whatnot, Rome removed their right to govern themselves, their right to decide to execute, so they would have to go to the Roman government to execute somebody. Thereby, instead of having somebody being stoned, which was the Jewish way of execution, it was changed to the Roman form of execution, which had been crucifixion. In 70 AD, Israel fell at the siege of Jerusalem. So, in all the hundreds of years and even thousands of years of human history, there's a 50-year window where a Jewish male would have been executed by a Roman crucifixion and it was in that window the Messiah fell.

Astronomical odds. Life lesson here is Jesus came to offer his life as a sacrifice. He came to die so that we could live. Jesus came to offer his life as a sacrifice.

He came to die so that we could live. Now, when Jesus started talking about the suffering Messiah, some people didn't get it, because in the Hebrew Scriptures, there's two comings of the Messiah. There's the lion and the lamb. Jesus came the first time as the lamb, the lamb as to a slaughter.

They were looking for the lion. The lion will be how Jesus comes next time, and some people will be looking for the lamb. Now, when he started talking about suffering and dying, it was confusing to them. John 12, 34 says, the crowd responded, we understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Mentally, they just couldn't get their mind wrapped around the fact that he was going to die and be resurrected, which was what was going to happen.

They didn't understand this whole concept of the suffering servant. And in that passage, the crowd responded, we understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is the Son of Man anyway? Son of Man is a very interesting phrase. It's a prophetic phrase. It's a messianic phrase. Son of Man means son of a human.

The interesting thing is, it was his favorite phrase to describe himself. Not son of God. Oh, he claimed to be the Son of God.

Please don't mistake that. The people who say that he didn't haven't read the Bible. He was executed for claiming to be not only the Son of God, but God. But he is Son of Man. That is so striking because if your father was the president or a king or a billionaire like Bill Gates, we would try to figure out how we could work that into every conversation, wouldn't we? Well, that's what you got there. Is that a Microsoft computer?

Yeah. My dad's Bill Gates. You may have heard of him.

He made that whole thing up, made billions and billions of dollars. That's my dad, Bill Gates. Hey, did I tell you my dad's Bill Gates?

Well, Jesus is the Son of God and God himself in the flesh, but his favorite title is Son of Man. Saying, I'm one of you. I'm your Goel. I'm related to you. I'm here to redeem you.

Man. That's a very powerful thing. To be saved, you have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for him.

You need someone to present God's word to him. Every day we're presenting God's word to him here on Cross the Bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well just by simply going to crossthebridge.com and click on the Pray for the Lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people will begin praying for your lost loved ones. And what an awesome way to bring your loved ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor D.A.

Brown. Hey, Bob, we're excited about what God is doing to Cross the Bridge with Pastor David, and we want to take a minute to pray for some listeners in these cities in Idaho, Mountain Home, Pocatello, Salmon, Sandpoint, and Twin Falls, and Decatur and Mount Vernon, Illinois. God, we thank you for everyone tuning in today. We pray that they would have an expectant heart. Hey, you want to speak to them right now knowing all situations that are going on in their life. Lord, we pray if they're going through some sickness, some health issues, that you would please heal them. And God, that you would remind them that you love them, you know what's going on, and you have a good plan, and you will be glorified in their life. And Lord, we pray for the pastors and churches in this area. We pray that they would be excited about following you. Lord, that they wouldn't grow weary in doing good. And Lord, that you would remind the pastors that they are loved, they are called, and that you're going to bless them. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

Thank you, brother. And now, let's get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Matthew 18, 11. Jesus says, For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. He tells us, I've come to save that which was lost. He didn't say, I've come to save those who are the stellar star students at the Jewish yeshiva, the study of school of the Torah.

It's not what he said. As a matter of fact, nobody around Jerusalem was really chosen to tour. We think that maybe one, Judas of Iscariot, may have been from that area. The rest from up north, not people who were even really interested in spiritual things, literally those who were lost, who didn't know their way, who didn't know God, who weren't really religious. And Jesus says, That's who I've come for. Next life lesson, Jesus came for those who knew they needed his help. Jesus came for those who knew they needed his help.

And that's still true today. In other words, if you're sitting here listening right now and going, I don't really need any help from God, then you may not receive any. But if you're here today and you're honest and you say, You know what? I need some help.

Then God will be your help. Now, understand again that from the moment Jesus came, even before the incarnation, even before the Christmas, the plan was the plan for him to come here and die for us. That was the plan. Jesus, think of it this way, Jesus grew the tree he would be crucified on. We're told that all things were created through Jesus. So Jesus created the tree that he would be crucified on. He chose Judas, knowing Judas would betray him. He put Pilate in power, knowing Pilate would make the decision to crucify him because it was all part of the plan. Instead of slowing down the plan, we read that the people wanted to wait.

They didn't want to riot during the Passover. We see Jesus sped up the plan. And we also see that he was in control the whole time.

It's astounding when you think about it. He knew. He knew the whole time along the way he was describing to the disciples what was going to happen. And he told parables like the one in Matthew 21, 33, when he said, hear another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it and dug a wine class in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. Now, when vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the vine dressers that they might receive its fruit. And the vine dressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. And again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son to them saying, they will respect my son. But when the vine dresser saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine dressers? Jesus told that parable, knowing what he was describing was himself and people's reaction. One thing that's staggering to consider, when you think about Christmas, of what humanity ended up doing with that little baby, I don't place my hope in humanity.

And if you do, friend, you're going to be hurt and you're going to be disappointed. My hope is in God. Humanity is troubled at best. Humanity has been troubled for a long time. Humanity was expressed through Herod, who considered Jesus a political opponent to the point that he was willing to wipe out all the male infants in the area to take out his political rival. Matthew 2 16, then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men was exceedingly angry and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem in all its districts from two years old and under.

According to the time which he had determined from the wise men, then it was fulfilled which was spoken by Jeremiah, the prophet, saying a voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, or how weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more. And humanity is still has problems. I know there's a group that thinks we're going to all figure out our answers and we're all marching towards some blissful, peaceful situation, but friend, it's not going to happen.

Not without the Prince of peace. You think about what Herod did. That's humanity. We need help. We need a Messiah.

And that's the next life lesson. Jesus came because this world is filled with pain, tragedy, sin, and selfishness. We needed a Messiah.

Some may have wanted one, some may have not, but we need one. Jesus came because this world is filled with pain, tragedy, sin, and selfishness. We needed a Messiah. When we talk about Messiah and we talk about Jesus, we talk about Jesus Christ. Let's understand the name because some people think Jesus Christ. Jesus was the first name. Christ was the second. So it was like Joseph and Mary Christ at 806 gesture road, the Christ house. No, no, that Jesus was his name.

People were known by their name and where they were from. Jesus of Nazareth, Paul of Tarsus. Christ was not his name was his title. Christ, our word comes from the Greek Christos. Christos is the Greek word for the Hebrew word Messiah or Messiah, or he will save, or he is salvation, which is Yeshua. So more appropriately it would be, you could say Jesus, the Christ. Jesus, the anointed one.

Jesus, the Messiah. And we needed him to be the Messiah. Whenever something bad happens, some people always jump up and say, where was God?

And you know what, friend, that is the height of human arrogance. Where was the goodness of man that people talk about? Where was the goodness of man? So Jesus came for anybody who was willing to come to him. Matthew 9, 12, when Jesus heard that, he said to them, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, but go and learn what this means. I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This is a real interesting play on words. Jesus says, I didn't come to call the righteous. Well, if he would have come to call the righteous, let me ask you a question. Who could have responded to that call?

No human. In the New Living Translation, that same passage, Jesus heard this. He said, healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do. Then he added, now go and learn the meaning of the scripture.

I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I've come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they're sinners. And somehow we've gotten this church thing all twisted that we think it's somewhere you go when you've worked all your issues out.

When you've got your whole life with God sorted through, then you go to church. It's interesting to me how some of us try to hide that there's anything wrong. I'm fine. I'm fine. I don't need forgiveness. I'm good.

No, you're not good. We're all broken. Every one of us. We've all done wrong things. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me, that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead, that I could have a new life. And I've done wrong things. I have sinned.

And I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name.

Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer, according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him.

And he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness, those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossthebridge.com to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to Cross the Bridge at P.O. Box 12515, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27117, and share how God is working in your life. You know, the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio, through the internet, and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use. So if you'd like to support this ministry, please go to crossthebridge.com, click on the donate button, and ask God how much he would have you give, either on a one-time basis or a continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's Word continues to go out through Cross the Bridge.

Thank you so much. Well, DA, before we go, what are some ways that we can bless our listeners? Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David through the Word of God with his email devotional, life lessons to consider, a daily reading plan, and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time as David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John.