Thanksgiving For Christmas

Psalm 75:1-3

Emmanuel Christian Church

11.26.23

INTRODUCTION: I hope that you had a Thanksgiving filled with “thanks” to God. Such gratitude takes time and effort however, and sometimes the time runs short and the effort gives way to exhaustion! So, if all the “hustle and bustle” of Thanksgiving left you with no real time to give thanks, I want to encourage you with a chance to take another “Bite of that apple” with three more reasons for giving God thanks. Psalms 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. 2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. 3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. PROPOSITION: Our three reasons for “thanksgiving” this morning, all actually point to CHRISTMAS! They are, “The Name”, “The Time” The One who holds Creation’s “Pillars Firm”! THE NAME

The Name “Is NEAR”
The “Name” first appeared in the distant past, before there was time, before there was even the Creation: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 1 Peter 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
When our ancient parents Adam and Eve rebelled against God at the Fall of mankind, the Name did NOT abandon us, but rather drew EVEN closer!
God promised that the One who IS the Name would one day settle the score with Satan, crushing his very head! Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Sometime later when God made His promise to Abraham, the “Name” was described as the “Seed”.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Galatians explains: Galatians 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.
“Christ” actually a title meaning “The Anointed One”, or the “Chosen One”.
And then…
The Name became KNOWN!
At an angel’s announcement, the “Name” was revealed: Matthew 1:20 “…an angel of the Lord appeared to (Joseph) in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The Name was “Jesus”!
That name was VERY interesting for two reasons.
First, it was unusual for the fact that it was the Greek version of the ancient Hebrew name “Joshua”. And this name was significant for the fact that it was Joshua who led God’s people into the Promised Land!
The fact that it was the Greek version of a Hebrew name pointed to God’s intention that this “Jesus” was not only for the Jewish people, but also the people of all nations,
The Second reason this name was so special is that it literally means “The Lord Saves”!
Lue records for us the significance of that Name by relating the account of what took place eight days after the birth of the One whom the angel revealed as “Jesus”: Luke 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Matthew gives us another description of the Name that had been foretold long before: Matthew 1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.”
“God with us”. Now, that’s INCREDIBLE! At the Fall, we had run from God in disobedience, but NOW, God was in pursuit of us! His intent was NOT retribution for our sin, but our salvation from the death our sin deserved! God’s desire was TO BE WITH US! The One whose Name is “Jesus” was His plan to make that happen! THE TIME
“I chose the appointed time…”
Paul writes to the Galatian Christians about God’s “perfect timing”: Galatians 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
What was it that made God’s timing “perfect”?
Nearly 4,000 years earlier, God had previously revealed Himself to Adam and Noah, so that fallen man might know his Creator.
2,000 years after that God introduced His plans and promises to Abraham
400 years after that God gave His Law through Moses so that men might know right from wrong.
1,000 years after that, God then communicated through prophets like Isaiah that the time was drawing near where God Himself would come to earth in flesh and blood to save mankind from their death sentence of sin.
And then, God went silent for 400 years! It was a DRAMATIC PAUSE! Because, great communicators all know that powerful messages are not just about content- they’re also about the right timing!
God was about to speak. It would be His most powerful message yet, and it would be PERSONAL!
The opening words to the Book of Hebrews lays it out simply: Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son, The Heir, The Creator of the Universe! THE “GREAT I AM”
“…it is I who hold its pillars firm!”
It is so easy to miss the message and the Messenger when all we see is the little baby born in the manger of Bethlehem!
WE NEED to know Him by NAME:
He is the WORD, Who was with God in the Beginning, the One who IS GOD.
He is the NAME, given among men by which they must be saved!
He is the SEED, from which God’s Kingdom springs.
He is the ANOINTED, CHOSEN One of God.
He is the SAVIOR of mankind.
He is GOD with us! CONCLUSION: In what I believe to be the best description of the One Whose Name is “Jesus”, the Apostle Paul writes: Colossians 1:15 (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.