“WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CHRISTMAS?” Enjoying the Rest of Your Life – Part 12 Philippians 2:5-11

““WHAT'S SO SPECIAL WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CHRISTMAS?”ABOUT CHRISTMAS?”

Enjoying the Rest of Your Life – Part 12Enjoying the Rest of Your Life – Part 12

Philippians 2:5-11Philippians 2:5-11

I. THE RELEVANCE OF I. THE RELEVANCE OF CHRISTMAS - GOD CAME TO CHRISTMAS - GOD CAME TO

EARTHEARTHPhilippians 2:5-6a "Your attitude Philippians 2:5-6a "Your attitude should be the same as that of should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who being in very Christ Jesus: who being in very nature GOD nature GOD ..." Phillips: "... He ..." Phillips: "... He had had alwaysalways been God by been God by nature ..."nature ..."


EARTHEARTHColossians 1:15-16a (LB) "Christ Colossians 1:15-16a (LB) "Christ is the is the exact likeness of the exact likeness of the unseen Godunseen God. He existed before . He existed before God made anything at all, and in God made anything at all, and in fact, fact, Christ himself is the CreatorChrist himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven who made everything in heaven and earth..."and earth..."


EARTHEARTHJohn 1:1-3 (NIV) John 1:1-3 (NIV) In the beginning In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made; without him nothing was made that has been made.made that has been made.

II. THE REALITY OF II. THE REALITY OF CHRISTMAS – CHRISTMAS –

GOD BECAME A MANGOD BECAME A MANPhilippians 2:7-8a "He made Philippians 2:7-8a "He made himself nothing, taking the very himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made nature of a servant, being made in in human likenesshuman likeness and being found and being found in appearance as a manin appearance as a man ..." ..." Amplified: "...He became like men Amplified: "...He became like men and was born a human being."and was born a human being."

II. THE REALITY OF II. THE REALITY OF CHRISTMAS – CHRISTMAS –

GOD BECAME A MANGOD BECAME A MANHOW IS JESUS LIKE US?HOW IS JESUS LIKE US?

1) HE WAS BORN LIKE US. 1) HE WAS BORN LIKE US.

2) HE GREW LIKE US. 2) HE GREW LIKE US.

3) HE WAS TEMPTED LIKE US. 3) HE WAS TEMPTED LIKE US.

4) HE SUFFERED LIKE US.4) HE SUFFERED LIKE US.

III. THE REASON FOR III. THE REASON FOR CHRISTMAS: CHRISTMAS:

JESUS CAME TO DIEJESUS CAME TO DIEPhilippians 2:8b "...He humbled Philippians 2:8b "...He humbled himself and became obedient to himself and became obedient to death – even death – even death on a crossdeath on a cross!"!"


JESUS CAME TO DIEJESUS CAME TO DIEWHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO WHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO

GO TO THE CROSS? GO TO THE CROSS?

1) TO DEMONSTRATE GOD'S 1) TO DEMONSTRATE GOD'S LOVE.LOVE.


JESUS CAME TO DIEJESUS CAME TO DIE1) TO DEMONSTRATE GOD'S 1) TO DEMONSTRATE GOD'S

LOVE.LOVE.

Romans 5:8 "God Romans 5:8 "God showed His showed His great love for usgreat love for us by sending by sending Christ to die for us while we were Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."still sinners."


JESUS CAME TO DIEJESUS CAME TO DIEWHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO WHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO

GO TO THE CROSS? GO TO THE CROSS? 2) TO PAY FOR MY SINS. 2) TO PAY FOR MY SINS.

Romans 6:23 The Bible says, "The Romans 6:23 The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death." wages of sin is death." ButBut “... “... the gift of God is eternal life." the gift of God is eternal life."


JESUS CAME TO DIEJESUS CAME TO DIEWHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO GO WHY DID HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO GO

TO THE CROSS? TO THE CROSS?

2) TO PAY FOR MY SINS. 2) TO PAY FOR MY SINS.

1 Peter 2:24 (LB) "He personally 1 Peter 2:24 (LB) "He personally carried the load of our sinscarried the load of our sins in his own in his own body when he died on the cross, so body when he died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and that we can be finished with sin and live a good life." live a good life."

IV. THE RESULT OF IV. THE RESULT OF CHRISTMAS - JESUS IS LORDCHRISTMAS - JESUS IS LORD

Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God exalted himexalted him to the highest place and to the highest place and gave him gave him the name that is above every the name that is above every namename, that at the name of Jesus , that at the name of Jesus every every knee should bowknee should bow in heaven and on in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and earth and under the earth, and every every tongue confesstongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD ..." LORD ..."


God has done two things:God has done two things:

1) HE HAS GIVEN HIM THE 1) HE HAS GIVEN HIM THE PLACE OF TOP HONOUR IN THE PLACE OF TOP HONOUR IN THE UNIVERSE. UNIVERSE.

2) HE HAS BEEN GIVEN A NEW 2) HE HAS BEEN GIVEN A NEW NAME. NAME.


WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY "JESUS IS LORD"?"JESUS IS LORD"?A) I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE A) I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE REALLY IS GOD. REALLY IS GOD.

B) I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS B) I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL. EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL.

C) I COMMIT ALL OF MY LIFE TO HIM. C) I COMMIT ALL OF MY LIFE TO HIM.


C) I COMMIT ALL OF MY LIFE C) I COMMIT ALL OF MY LIFE TO HIM. TO HIM. Romans 10:9 "If you Romans 10:9 "If you confess confess with with your mouth, ‘JESUS IS LORD’, your mouth, ‘JESUS IS LORD’, and believe in your heart that God and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will raised him from the dead, you will be saved."be saved."

Let’s Reflect & Pray…Let’s Reflect & Pray…

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“WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CHRISTMAS?” Enjoying the Rest of Your Life – Part 12 Philippians 2:5-11