The Amazing Child of Christmas

He is a revealer of the heart and He is a determiner of destiny. It is what you do with Jesus Christ that determines whether you fall or rise again. Your eternal destiny, your falling into a pit of hell, your rising into the glories of heaven depends upon Christ. Welcome to Grace To You with John MacArthur.

I'm your host, Phil Johnson. This time of year, you're likely to see countless nativity scenes and hear songs about a baby born in a manger, but do you know what the Christmas story is all about? How could a child born in utter poverty, born in a stable, make such an astounding mark on history?

John MacArthur will answer that question today on Grace To You. So with Christmas approaching fast, stay here for some crucial but often forgotten truths about Christ's birth. The title of John's current study, The Best of Christmas, and now with a lesson, here's John. I want us to look at a text of Scripture found in the first couple of chapters of the Gospel of Luke, and I would invite you, if you will, to open your Bible to Luke.

We're going to look at chapter 1, a portion of it, and chapter 2, a portion of that as well. We find here six things that identify Jesus Christ in His unique greatness from the very time of His birth. The first amazing message that came to the parents of Jesus was that this child would be God, God, the Lord. The second and amazing thing, and an equally amazing thing, is that the child was also man, also man.

Back to Luke 1 31 again. And behold, says the angel to Mary, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son. Now it would be one thing for God to just come into the world, just sort of fly down and arrive, and God could certainly do that. God came and went in the Old Testament without the need of a human mother, without human birth. There are many occasions in the Old Testament when God appeared. He walked and talked in the garden with Adam and Eve. God made appearances over and over again in the life of Israel.

He came down to Mount Sinai. He showed Himself to Abraham. There are times and places where God put on an appearance, and He did not need to be born of a woman. But that was because God never before came into the world as man. And now when He comes, He comes not only as fully God, but as fully man, and therefore must be fully born as men are born through the womb and the birth canal of a human woman. And thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son is to emphasize His humanness. By the way, in verse 36, regarding Elizabeth, it says, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

The parallel is obvious. Elizabeth was carrying a child to which she would give birth, just like Mary was carrying a child to which she would give birth. And if John the Baptist was human, then so would Jesus be.

Fully God, yes, but fully man, yes, as well. Look at, for a moment, chapter 1 of Matthew and verse 19. And Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to divorce her.

When he found her pregnant and he knew he had never had a relationship with her, he was going to divorce her, thinking she'd been unfaithful to him. And while he thought on these things, an 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 Spirit, and she shall bring forth a son. So Matthew says the same thing. This conception took place in her, and she will bring forth a son. Now go to Luke 2, 6. It says, And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished, or the days were fulfilled, that she should be delivered. Now while they were in Bethlehem, the days were fulfilled. That is to say, her nine-month pregnancy had run its course.

The normal nine-month period had taken place. This is a very normal birth. It is not a normal conception. Jesus Christ was conceived by the work of the Spirit of God, but He was born through the normal processes of the body of Mary.

And notice what it says in an almost off-handed way. In verse 7, she brought forth her firstborn son. Now it just hits me that the phrase her firstborn son says something very significant. She brought forth her firstborn son implies that she also brought forth what?

Some more. And that is to say that her firstborn and all the rest were born in the same way. In the normal process, she brought forth her firstborn son. If you read the Gospel of Matthew, you will find that the testimony of Matthew 12, 46, and 47, the testimony of Matthew 13, 55, and 56, the testimony of John 2, 12, John 7, verses 3, 5, and 10, is that she had other children. Jesus had brothers and sisters. In terms of her womb, she carried many children. In giving birth, she brought forth many children.

This was only the first. The point being that Jesus was born in a normal human manner. And so this is fully man. And the amazing and astounding thing is, how can a woman bring forth one who is totally human without the aid of a human father? That's as profound a mystery as how the child could be God, for it demands the infinite miracle as well.

This is a real human being. Look at chapter 2 and verse 12. The shepherds are told that they'll find a real baby, wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.

Notice verse 21. When eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus. Just like any other Jewish baby, they wanted to be sure this one had the sign of the covenant, circumcision, the cutting away of the foreskin. That would be done to the little baby Jesus, just like any other baby.

This is not some bizarre, some strange, weird, creepy, strange, weird creature that's come into the world. This is fully God, yes, but fully man, yes, as well. And the circumcision which was commanded from Genesis 17, 12, reiterated in Leviticus 12, 3, as the law of God for the covenant people is upheld in the case of this little one as well. You will notice also in chapter 2 of Luke and verse 40, it says, the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him. That is very similar to what is said in chapter 1, verse 80 about John the Baptist. It says of John the Baptist, and the child grew and became strong in spirit.

As John the Baptist grew, Jesus grew in a very normal process of human growth. Jesus, it says in John 1, 14, was the Word made flesh that dwelled among us. In Hebrews, several places the Scripture delineates things about Christ that are essential. For example, in Hebrews 2, 17, it says, wherefore in all things it was fitting for him to be made like his brethren. In all things, made like his brethren.

He was in all points, Hebrews 4, 15, tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In Galatians 4, 4, that wonderful testimony says, in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. That is to say, He was born like everybody else. He came into the world like everybody else, from a woman, from a woman.

Obligated as all human beings are to keep the law of God, made like His brethren in all things. If He was to substitute for man on the cross, He had to be man. If He was to rise from the dead for men, He had to be man.

That's why Paul so wonderfully says we have one mediator between God and man, 1 Timothy 2, 5, the man, Christ Jesus. His parents were astounded that His parents were astounded that He was God. They were astounded that He was man, fully God and fully man.

A miracle child. The third amazing aspect of this child, back in chapter 1 of Luke, again in verse 35, is the fact that He was not only God and man, but He was sinless. He was holy.

He was perfect. The angel said, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you. The power of the Most High overshadow you. And that's really all we know about how the virgin birth conception took place. Therefore also, follow this, that holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. This is a holy child.

Oh, what a remarkable statement. Think about it. There has only been in the history of the human race reproduction process, one holy child born.

Only one. No one has ever produced a holy child except Mary by the power of the Spirit of God. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit, Luke 1.15 says, and that's a remarkable thing, but he was not holy. He was not sinless. He was not perfect.

He was not without flaw. What a child. Imagine being told that the child you will bring forth will be absolutely perfect. That presents no challenge at all to your parenting process.

None whatsoever. There was never a moment in the life and experience of that family where Jesus produced any unhappiness caused by something that He did that wasn't as it always as it ought to be. There was never a disobedient word, thought, act. There was never a bad attitude.

There was never a thoughtless or unkind or selfish act. He produced only awe and wonder and respect and worship. He entered holiness at birth, which we will not know until death. He starts where we end. He begins in a holiness we wait for. He is in the fullness of His holiness long before us.

He entered into the full liberty on the same day we enter into our great bondage. He began by being fully sanctified and we, by God's grace, will end by being fully sanctified. No child ever like Him. Hebrews says He is separate from sinners. He is undefiled. He never needed discipline. He never needed correction. He never needed forgiveness.

He never needed salvation. The holy child, unlike any other child and the model for every child. Not only God, man, and sinless, but, fourthly, His parents were astonished because they were told that His parents were astonished because they were told the child would also be the sovereign Lord, that He would also be King.

Back again, please, to verse 32. The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. Of His kingdom there shall be no end. He will have an eternal kingdom.

The Lord will give him that throne. This, of course, fulfills the prophecy of 2 Samuel 7, 11 to 13, which said David someday would have a greater son, one who would come centuries later out of his loins, who would take up the throne and re-establish the kingdom and then it would be a kingdom of righteousness and an eternal kingdom and that is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He was born into the Davidic line. You read the genealogy of Joseph in Matthew 1. You read the genealogy of Mary in Luke's Gospel chapter 3 and you will find that this is one born of parents who come from David's loins. Both Mary and Joseph come in the Davidic line and they, therefore, carried royal blood, which comes together in Christ and He indeed is the rightful heir to the throne of David.

He is not born, as was John the Baptist, to the house of Levi, the priestly house. He is born to the royal house, the house of kings, the house of David. And He has the right to the throne of Israel, which becomes the throne of the world, which becomes the throne of the universe, which becomes the throne of the eternal new heavens and new earth. He is sovereign Lord. This little child, they hear, will receive the throne of his father David and reign in an eternal kingdom.

What an announcement! I mean, it would be enough for some of us if the Lord just said, Your child will grow up to believe. Your child will grow up to be a great missionary. Your child will grow up to be a great teacher.

But the influence of this child is absolutely astounding and staggering and his parents' minds find it hard to even grasp the sweeping statements being made about this small infant. The king of the universe, king of kings and Lord of lords. And Matthew sets out to show the significance of this in the second chapter of his gospel. Verses 1 through 80 describes the Magi, or as we call them, the wise men. The Magi were a hereditary group of priests who had risen to great prominence in the Orient in Babylon and Media and Persia. And they were the official kingmakers of the East. They were the ones who knew the laws of the Medes and the Persians.

They had risen to such power that no king would be appointed over the East in opposition to the great kings of the West and the Roman Empire, unless he was trained, approved, and appointed by them. Now these Magi grew up in Babylon and even though they were Gentiles and pagan for a while, the influence of Daniel and the Jews in captivity had brought about among them some God-fearing Magi who truly sought this Messiah, this great king who would come. And the king of recent years was deposed and the time for seeking a new king had come. The star appears, they follow the star, seeking to see the fulfillment of prophecy, no doubt related to them by Daniel and other believing Jews in captivity.

And they go, these are generations after the ones who were there when Daniel was there, but the message is fresh with them, passed on. They go to find this king. And the point that Matthew wants us to note is that the non-Jewish Gentile world, the official kingmakers of the East, come to affirm that this indeed is the king. Furthermore, Matthew also confirms that the Jewish world recognized him as a king in a very unique way through Herod's hostility. If he wasn't a king, he wouldn't have been a threat to Herod by the very fact that Herod massacred all the babies who were young in that region and created a holocaust of massive proportions predicted by the prophet Jeremiah. Matthew is showing us that Herod also, representing the hostile Jewish people, affirmed the kingliness of Jesus Christ in an effort to stamp him out so that he poses no threat to Herod. So whether from the positive worship of the Magi or the negative hostility of Herod, it is affirmed by the people that Jesus is indeed a king.

He had the right to rule. His genealogy says it through Joseph. His genealogy says it through Mary. And all the things going on around say it as well. And the Scripture carries it out obviously. King of kings, Lord of lords, the only potentate, the one who will reign forever and supreme. Scripture is full of statements to that effect. Philippians 2 says every knee will bow to him of things in the earth, under the earth. All creatures will bow in submission to the kingliness of the Lord Jesus of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And what an astounding thing. I mean it would be wonderful if when you received your baby you were told your child would be the president of the United States or even the president of a corporation. I mean that would be wonderful to some of us, a great leader, but to be king of kings and Lord of lords is more than Mary can contain.

And it may be well why when we read of her musings she pondered all of these things in her heart, unable to bring resolution because they superseded her capacity to conceive. And the amazement continues. Not only God, man, sinless, sovereign, but fifthly, his parents were told that he would be the Savior, the Savior. Verse 31, and you shall call his name Jesus. And to Joseph it was said, recorded in Matthew 1 21, call his name Jesus, which means God saves, for he shall save his people from their sins. I mean it would be enough for anyone to know they were going to bear God, and then God who is fully man, and who is absolutely holy, and who is the sovereign Lord of the universe, and now to find also that he is the Savior of all the human race who come in faith.

Incredible child. Chapter 2, verse 11, the angel announcing to the shepherd says, unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. By the way, that's the only place in the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where Jesus is called Savior in that very term, although it appears elsewhere in the New Testament. He is born a Savior. In chapter 2, verse 30, Simeon rejoices. He says, mine eyes have seen thy salvation as he holds that child.

In verse 38, Anna the prophetess, who is a widow of many, many years and has been in the temple serving God with fasting and waiting for the coming of redemption, rejoices for the redemption that has arrived in Jerusalem and spreads the word to all who are looking for that redemption. Yes, he came as a Savior. Paul said, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. Jesus said in Luke 19, 10, the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost. And Hebrews 10, 5 to 7 says that since the blood of bulls and goats and all the animal sacrifices couldn't take away sin, God formed a body for Christ that He might come into the world to take away our sin, to sanctify us, to remove our sin, to destroy our enemy, to bring us to spiritual perfection, to make us new creations.

And we are complete in Him, he says, for by one offering He has sanctified us forever. Yes, this is the Savior. This is the one born to die for the sins of the world. There is over the manger the shadow of a cross, and that shadow remained all his life long until he went to that cross. For this reason, he said, I came into the world.

I am come to die. Because from the very start, he was to be the Savior. The only way to save men from sin is to pay the penalty of their sin, which is death, and Jesus comes to die.

Yes, there was astonishment at the birth of Christ because of who the child was, and his parents were amazed at what they were told. Finally, they were told by Simeon in chapter 2, verse 34 and 35 that this child would be the determiner of every human being's destiny. He is the determiner of every person's destiny. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and a sign which shall be spoken against.

Yea, your sword shall pierce your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. He is a revealer of the heart, and he is a determiner of destiny. It is what you do with Jesus Christ that determines whether you fall or rise again.

Your eternal destiny, your falling into a pit of hell, your rising into the glories of heaven depends upon Christ. I mean, it's one thing to have an influential child. It's one thing to say, Well, my child has made a great impact on the world. My child has had influence in this area or that area or the other area. But imagine being told that your child is the greatest influence in the world, so influential that the destiny of every living human being is dependent on their relationship to that child. Incredible statement. This is no ordinary child. He that hath the Son hath what? Life. He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

It's that clear cut. He is the determiner of every human being's destiny. Anyone who ever enters into heaven does so because of the work of Jesus Christ in gracious provision for his sin. Anyone who ever goes to hell goes to hell because that work is not applied to them because of their unbelief. You say, What about Old Testament saints before he died? The Old Testament saints before he died had their sins covered by the death of Christ. If Jesus had never died, they would never have gone to heaven. You say, Well, it hadn't happened yet.

Well, it had in the mind of God because there's no time with God. Everyone was redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. You say, Well, they didn't even know about that.

That's right. They believed God. And in believing God, God applied that sacrifice to them because of their faith. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. But it is the work of Christ that paid the penalty for sin. It wasn't the work of bulls and goats.

That's for certain. So every person's destiny is bound to Christ. Yes, the most astonishing child that ever lived. Little wonder verse 33 of chapter 2 says, And Joseph and his mother were amazed at those things which were said about him. I trust that same wonder and amazement is in your heart as you hear those great realities again. You're listening to Grace to You with John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University and Seminary. Today he continued his study called The Best of Christmas, showing you what the Bible reveals about the amazing child of Christmas.

You know, John, you spend all but a couple of minutes of each program teaching listeners God's Word. But in light of the upcoming Christmas celebration, it's appropriate for you to take a moment and mention some items our listeners will want to know about. And I would imagine that these are gifts you'll probably be giving this year. Well, I don't know that I'm much of a salesman, but when I get to talk about these resources, I'm thrilled and excited. This is obviously the Christmas season, and these are Christmas gifts that are going to make an eternal difference in people's lives.

And by the way, second day shipping is what you'll want to ensure delivery by Christmas. But let me mention one volume to start with. Biblical doctrine. Biblical doctrine.

It's 1100 pages. A systematic theology that can fully enhance your understanding of God's truth. What is a systematic theology? It's an orderly and very detailed study of God and all Bible doctrine. It's not just for pastors, it's for everyone who loves God and loves His Word.

I have it sitting by my desk all the time, and I go into the index. Any theological study I want, go back to where it's talked about in the book, and it's just a constant resource. Readable, accessible, powerful, devotional as well. And secondly, I would like to mention on top of biblical doctrine, the MacArthur Daily Bible. Every time we get close to the New Year, we mention this because it is a daily Bible, and it includes a reading for every day of the year. A portion of the Old Testament, some from the New, and Psalms, and Proverbs.

A daily devotional for 2024. A great way to understand how the entire Word of God fits together a day at a time. And you'll find some detailed devotionals along with the Scripture as you go through it. And then finally, to mention the MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series. It explains the entire New Testament. Matthew 2, Revelation, verse by verse.

Are you ready for this? 33 volumes plus an index. That's for the most serious student of the Bible that wants the detailed explanation of everything in the New Testament, the MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series. So we want to remind you again, second day shipping is recommended if you want to get it for Christmas.

That's right. Thank you, John. And friend, these resources make great Christmas gifts because they can strengthen and encourage your loved ones with God's unchanging truth long past Christmas Day. To get the MacArthur Study Bible, the systematic theology book called Biblical Doctrine, or some volumes from John's New Testament Commentary Series, contact us today.

Again, as John said, to get these items before Christmas, you'll want to use an express shipping option. And our customer service team can help you choose the one you need. Just call between 730 and 4 o'clock Pacific Time. The number is 800-55-GRACE. That's 800-55-GRACE. And you can also choose an express shipping option if you order online.

You can do that at GTY.org. The MacArthur Daily Bible costs $20. Biblical Doctrine is $38. And each volume from the MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series is $19.

Again, to order, call 800-55-GRACE or shop online at GTY.org. And keep in mind, there are thousands of free resources available at GTY.org. You can download all of John's sermons, including his current series, The Best of Christmas. In fact, more than 3,600 sermons are available from John's 54-plus years of ministry, free to download in MP3 or transcript format. All that's at our website, again, GTY.org. Now for John MacArthur and our staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Be here tomorrow when John shows you why Christ's royal birth deserves royal worship as he continues his study, The Best of Christmas. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on Grace To You.