Christmas Questions
Three Questions for Christmas
Revelation 1:5
There is a interesting little verse found in Luke 2 that hardly ever gets mentioned in our discussions and observances of Christmas, and this morning, I just want to reference it, and allow it to spark a thought or two. Listen to what it says:
Luke 2:19
There was certainly a lot to think about! I wonder how many times she replayed the visit the angel had paid to her?
Luke 1:26-38
From there, she went to her cousin, Elizabeth's house, and strange things were going on there also!
Luke 1:39-45
Before long, angels were paying a visit to the shepherds with their announcement that a Savior had been born!
And how the words of Simeon must have haunted her! Simeon turns from that beautiful moment of holding in His arms the long-awaited Savior and offering a blessing to lock eyes with Mary and say,
Luke 2:34-35
Talk about Christmas questions! Mary must have been overloaded with them.
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the last few weeks, we've been exploring some Christmas questions ourselves. And to be honest, with the exception of the question of whether or not Mary was really a virgin, they are really not the stuff of major doctrinal debate.
Answers to the questions of whether Jesus was born in a cave or a stable, and if the three visitors from the East were kings or magi are not essential to the faith. But they are the kinds of things that add some credibility to the story as we try to determine the facts as given in Scripture.
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unfortunately, they are also the kinds of things that skeptics love to attack as being inconsistent with history, and therefore speak to the issue of whether or not the Bible can be validated.
And that really is the biggest Christmas question of them all. Who is this baby lying in the manger, and what difference does He make today? To help us with that, I want to invite your attention to Revelation 1 where we discover a threefold picture of our Lord.
This verse is part of John’s introduction to the book that is often labeled as "The Revelation of St. John the Divine". But we need to make some corrections to that title. It is not the Revelation of St. John at all. In fact, I think John would even resist the title of saint, although he certainly understood his position as a child of God.
Instead, I would offer this as a more appropriate title for the book. It is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ recorded by John, the Servant of God."
Now in the opening chapter of the book, after introducing himself as the one recording the message, and identifying to whom he is writing, John offers his readers a brief salutation, then gives a description of Jesus Christ that reads like this:
Revelation 1:5
Now understand, according to verse 1, this is the of Jesus Himself. He provides it so that His servants can understand things that are going to take place in the future.
But before He shares the message, He gives this self-description, and in this one verse, He offers three phrases to help those who are His servants understand the true identity of Who He is.
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if you ever wonder about the Baby that was born in Bethlehem, and in particular how He turns out, then here is the answer. And in particular, the three phrases of this verse answer some Christmas questions about Jesus Christ.
The first question is the most basic of all. History has repeated the name of Jesus for centuries. But in every generation, including ours, people need to know,
1. Can I Trust Him?
The question is especially pertinent in today's world, because we live in a world of religious plurality, and there are a lot of charlatans out there who claim to be trustworthy.
Everyone claims to have the answers to life's issues and questions. So what is it about Jesus that differentiates Him from the others? What makes Him trustworthy? Why should we believe Him and discard all other approaches to God?
The answer is found in John’s first title. He calls Jesus “the faithful witness.” Now as you know, a witness tells what he has seen or heard. A faithful witness is one whose testimony is reliable every time.
In fact, it is the responsibility of every child of God to bear witness to Our Savior and His power to change lives and impact eternity.
But here, Jesus identifies Himself as a "witness". In fact, He is not just " a witness", He is "the faithful Witness."
That means Jesus Christ can be relied upon to tell the truth. When he speaks, he speaks only the truth. His words are absolutely true and authoritative. 1 Timothy 6:13 speaks of “Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate, made the good confession.”
So what did he say when he stood before Pilate? "I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).
Jesus Christ is the supreme truth-teller, and those who want to find the truth must listen to him.
Writing several hundred years ago, one commentator said that the title “faithful witness” means four things:
1. What God said, Christ made known.
2. He taught without regard to the words of men.
3. He was faithful even in death.
4. He will reveal the truth in the end.
I love this statement by John Watson:
“No one has yet discovered the word Jesus ought to have said, none suggested the better word he might have said. No action of his has shocked our moral sense. None has fallen short of the ideal. He is full of surprises, but they are all the surprises of perfection.”
Every person has to deal with this fundamental issue about Jesus–Can I trust him? Some people will answer yes, others will say no. Until this issue is settled, there is no point in talking about anything else.
Many years ago Bob Harrington, the Chaplain of Bourbon Street, and Madeline Murray O’Hair, the famous atheist, had a debate on the Donohue TV program. At one point someone in the audience asked Mrs. O’Hair what she was going to do when Jesus returned. What would she say then?
With great confidence she declared, “It won’t happen, so I don’t have to worry about that.” To which Bob Harrington replied, “The Bible contains 318 verses that speak of the return of Jesus Christ. She’s just said he isn’t going to return. Over here you’ve got 318 verses in the book of God and over there you’ve got one verse from the book of O’Hair. Now, who you gonna believe?"
That’s the key question.
Who are you going to believe? Let’s suppose you don’t want to take my word for it. Read the record for yourself. Take 30 days to read the Gospel account. Read the story for yourself and come to your own conclusions. I will tell you what I believe will happen.
If you read with an open mind and an open heart, you will come to the inevitable conclusion that what Jesus said is true, that He is the Truth, and that His word can be eternally trusted.
I am not saying anything to try to prove it to you. I simply challenge you to read it for yourself. Make up your own mind. When you do, you will find that he is entirely trustworthy.
Can I trust him? Yes I can, for He is the faithful witness.
Here's the second question.
2. Does He Have The Power To Help Me?
Now remember, we're talking about a baby lying in a manger. By the way, this is the same baby that Simeon was holding in his arms when he said,
Luke 2:29-32
So, if I trust Him, does he have the power to help me?” The answer is found in John’s second title for Jesus Christ.
He calls him “the firstborn from the dead.”
Obviously, that is a reference to His resurrection from the dead. When He rose from the dead, He was the “firstborn from the dead.” What exactly does that mean? Didn't He raise others before He was resurrected back to life? He did. So it can't mean the firstborn in terms of chronology. It must mean something different.
So what does it mean to say that Jesus is "the firstborn from the dead"? It means He is the first person who ever rose from the dead never to die again.
During his ministry Jesus raised several people from the dead, including Lazarus who had been dead four days (John 11). And every one of them was a remarkable, unexplainable miracle! But they all had this in common. Their families had to pay for two funerals! They all died, they were raised back to life, and they all died a second time.
But not Jesus! When he came out of the tomb on that first Easter Sunday morning, He rose once and for all. When he left the grave, he left for good. And that means Jesus is the firstborn from the dead in the sense that he is the first in a long line of people who will be raised from the dead never to die again.
I find great comfort in this. Over the years I have presided at many funerals. I know what it’s like to stand at the graveside and try to say something hopeful in the calloused face of death. It’s not easy to pray when someone you love has been taken from you. No wonder the Bible calls death “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26).
In those moments I find strength in one thing and one thing only. Jesus has conquered the grave and done what no mortal man has ever done. He has come back from the dead never to die again. What happens to those who believe in him? Thank God, we are not left to wonder or to speculate. God himself has spoken on that subject.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
“If we believe.” It is as simple and as difficult as that. You will never convince yourself of the resurrection by camping out in a cemetery. If you go to a cemetery and wait for a resurrection, you’ll have to wait a long time. After all, the last one happened over 2,000 years ago.
But we have the Word of God which overrides anything we can see with our eyes. Our faith in the resurrection of the dead does not rest in what our eyes can see. Our faith rests in that act of God whereby he raised Jesus from the dead. If God can do that, He can do anything.
Does Jesus have the power to help you? Yes He does, because He is the firstborn from the dead.
Here's the third question:
3. Will He Take Care Of My Future?
“Suppose I do trust Him, and suppose He does have the power to help me, will Jesus take care of my future?”
The answer comes in John’s final title for Jesus Christ. It is breathtaking in its scope. He calls Jesus “the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
What did the wise men ask? "Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews?" They, as royalty themselves came to bow before Him.
That is a perfect fit for what we read here in the Revelation. He is "the ruler of the kings of the Earth."
The word for “ruler” means he is the ultimate authority. They are great, but He is greater. They are mighty, but He is more mighty! Millions may answer to them, but they answer to Him. He is not merely one of the kings. He rules over them all.
Back in 1989, John Piper preached on this phrase, and he offered this illustration:
"If George Bush says to Jesus, “How can you be the ruler over me? I have my office by the election of the people of the United States, a sovereign nation, and by virtue of a constitutional inauguration and installation,” Jesus will answer, “I have my office as ruler over you by God’s election and by virtue of my resurrection from the dead, my indestructible life, and my installation at God’s right hand.”
Since that sermon, we could have filled in the name of Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush and Barack Obama and Donald Trump. But the quote is still true no matter who occupies the White House. It’s as true for George Washington as it is for George Bush. It's as true for Abraham Lincoln as it is for John Kennedy or Donald Trump.
In the first century the mighty emperor Nero thought he was the ruler of the kings of the earth. He held in his hands the power of life and death. Thumbs up: one man lived. Thumbs down: one man died. It is said that he ordered the burning of Rome and then blamed it on the early Christians.
He had Paul the apostle beheaded, thinking that the Christian movement would die with him. But now 2000 years have passed, and the tables have turned. We name our dogs Nero and our sons Paul.
Who are the rulers of the earth John is talking about? They are political leaders in their various spheres–mayors and councilmen, chairmen and governors, congressmen and senators, presidents and prime ministers, and potentates of every variety. There are small-time kings who rule tiny realms and mighty kings who rule vast empires.
Their names are Putin, Netanyahu, Ahmadinejad, Harper, Blair, Singh, Kim, Abdullah, Sarkozy, Karzai, Hu, Mugabe, Calderon, Merkel, Biya and Cameron. And a million others just like them.
But Jesus is ruler over them all. It’s true this world is in a mess. That’s why it’s hard to believe this is true. All the evidence seems to move in the opposite direction. The pornographers go free, the baby-killers are untouched, the politicians break the laws they write, the drug dealers make their millions, and the nations arm themselves for total destruction. When you look around, you could make a good case that Satan is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
But it only seems that way. Satan has no power except that granted to him by God. In due time and at the proper moment, Jesus will step back on the stage of world history.
And when He does, the hands that were nailed to the cross will rule the world. Though we do not see it today, it is certain and sure of fulfillment. That’s what the book of Revelation is all about. Read it for yourself and see how the story ends.
In the meantime, right now and at this very moment, he is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
By him they reign.
By him they are restrained.
By him they are replaced.
By him they will be judged.
Will Jesus take care of my future? Yes He will, for He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. You’re in good hands when you are in His hands for those hands rule the universe.
Now, none of what we read here in Revelation 1 was evident back on that first night in Bethlehem. A casual onlooker would never have suspected that earthshaking, eternity impacting events were taking place in in a tiny village in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. The prospects for the young child didn’t seem very promising.
But this baby will surprise us all! Therefore, I can say to you on the assurance of the unchanging Word of God, He is the answer to the deepest questions of life!
Can you trust him? Yes you can, for He is the faithful witness. Does He have the power to help you? Yes He does, for He is the firstborn from the dead. Will he take care of your future? Yes He will, forHe is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
We all need him and we need him more than we know. This truth is worth repeating: You’re in good hands when you are in his hands, for those hands rule the universe.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King.
Place your life in his strong hands and you will never be disappointed.
Let's pray.
