The Son of The Most High

Terry Siverd
12/25/16 - Sun AM

THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH

Sermon Outline By Terry Siverd

Cortland Church of Christ / December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas to one and all.

When we think of the birth of Jesus we think of certain key people.

  The prophet Isaiah - - who lived seven centuries before the birth of Jesus,

and spoke in words which seem now to be so very clear, but words which early on were shrouded in mystery.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. / Isa.9:6-7

  The prophet Micah - - who predicted, 700 years before the birth of Christ, that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.

As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth

for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. / Mic.5:2

  The first-century priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth.

Though childless, an angel of God named Gabriel informed Zacharias of the soon-coming birth of a son.

Zacharias was troubled when he saw him (the angel in the temple) and fear gripped him (Lk.1:12).

That son would be named John.  He would be a prophet of the Most High.

For he was to go on before the Lord to prepare His ways (Lk.1:76).

  A carpenter named Joseph and his wife Mary.

Now the birth of Jesus was as follows.  When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph,

before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit (Mt.1:18).

Joseph intended to put her away secretly, not wanting to disgrace her (Mt.1:19), but an angel appeared

to him in a dream informing him that Mary was with child - - a child conceived by the Holy Spirit.

This child of God was to be named Jesus, for it was He who would save His people from their sins (Mt.1:21).

He would be called Immanuel, which translated means, “God with us” (Mt.1:23).

  Simeon, to whom it was revealed that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (Lk.2:26).

Simeon, too, was a priest in the temple.  Joseph & Mary presented Jesus to him in the temple shortly after his birth.

  Anna was a prophetess, contemporary with Simeon, who was widowed and 84 years old. 

She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayer (Lk.2:37).  When Jesus was

presented for dedication to Simeon, Anna prophesied of His role in the redemption of Israel (Lk.2:38).

  Magi (wisemen) from the east, who saw His star and came to worship Him (Mt.2:1).

  Un-named Sheperds keeping watch over their flock by night.

An angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them;

And they were terribly frightened.  And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news

of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior,

Who is Christ the Lord.’  And this will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a heavenly host praising God and saying,

 ‘Glory to god in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.’ / Lk.2:8-13

  There are other players in this story of the incarnation of Divinity - - The Innkeeper (Lk.2:7) … Herod (Mt.2:7).

These aforementioned individuals serve in providing us the setting for the arrival of God’s only begotten Son.

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The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ presents a DICHOTOMY that is almost beyond comprehension.

When we contemplate and rehearse the birth of Jesus many words comes to mind.

On one hand, we talk of the splendor of Christmas.  Some would even say it is a magical time of the year.

While “magi” were involved, the first Christmas was not so much magical as it was miraculous.

That first Christmas was marvelous beyond compare - - even cosmic in its declaration.

The heavens were declaring the glory of God.  A star shone brightly heralding the arrival of The Messiah.

The prologue of John’s gospel states, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  And we

beheld  his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn.1:14).

And it was (and remains) joyous event - - To the shepherds an angel brought good news of a great joy (Lk.2:10).

When they saw the star, the (Magi) rejoiced exceedingly with great joy (Mt.2:10).

Regarding the birth of Jesus, I mentioned the word dichotomy, which insinuates a strong contrast of ideas.

On one hand the birth of Jesus is:  splendorous … miraculous … marvelous … cosmic …glorious and joyous.

But on the other hand, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

can be described with other totally different words and expressions.

It was a truly awesome event.  Awesome in the sense of striking both wonder and fear.

Fear gripped Zacharias (Lk.1:12).  Mary was greatly troubled (Lk.1:29).

The angel told Joseph, do not be afraid… (Mt.1:20).  The shepherds were terribly frightened (Lk.2:9).

The birth of Jesus was filled with incredulity - - it was an  incredible (unbelievable) happening.

Zacharias was rendered speechless until the birth of his son John because he doubted (Lk.1:20).

Mary was incredulous, proclaiming to the angelic messenger, How can this be?… (Lk.1:34).

__________

  The birth of Jesus was also filled with a strong sense of mystery.

It is here where I wish to camp for the balance of today’s sermon.

As Isaiah declares, God’s ways are higher than man’s ways (Isa.55:9).

Our selfishness and sinfulness often derails us from thinking and acting out the goodness and graciousness of God.

Who among us would have authored SUCH A HUMBLE BEGINNING?

Jesus is The Savior.  The King of the Jews.  The King of kings and Lord of Lords.  The Christ.  Immanuel.

He is the Eternal Word.  The Wonderful Counselor.  Eternal Father.  Mighty God.  Prince of Peace.

The only begotten Son of God.  The Son of the Most High.  Think of the power & grandeur in each of these titles.

How might we have orchestrated the “send off” of One so great and holy?

How might we have planned His arrival to planet earth - - His birth (as it were)?

Unlike with us, the birth of Jesus was not His beginning.  Christ is eternal.

As Micah declared, “His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (Mic.5:2).

The birth of Jesus was simply an ACT OF INCARNATION - - “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (Jn.1:14).

The birth of Jesus was simply an act of incarnation.

But in its simplicity (Christ appearing in the form of an infant child in the flesh) it is truly profound beyond measure.

The manner in which God the Father first delivered our Savior defies all human logic and understanding.

Philp.2:7 / Jesus did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped (clung to) … He emptied Himself …

He made Himself of no reputation.  He laid aside His privileges … He laid aside His mighty power and glory …

He set aside the privileges of Deity and took on the status of a slave … He humbled Himself …

He became a servant … He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

That God is GREAT, we know and affirm deeply within.  That God would become a helpless child is mind-blowing.

As Phillip Yancey writes:  One night in the cold, in the dark, among the wrinkled hills of Bethlehem, two worlds

came together at a dramatic point of intersection.  God who knows no before or after, entered space and time.

God, who knows no boundaries, took on the shocking confines of a baby’s skin, the ominous restraints of mortality.

Max Lucado, as he does so well, paints a potent picture for us.

The stench of urine, dung, and the sheep reeks pungently in the air.  The ground is hard, the hay scarce.

Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.  Majesty in the midst of the mundane.  Holiness in the filth of sheep manure.  Divinity entered the world of man on the floor of a stable.

The crib of Christ Jesus would soon bring a cross.  But before Calvary then was a cradle.

We will never fully understand the death of Jesus if we don’t first focus on the birth of Jesus.

Indeed, the very manner of his birth - - the means of His arrival - - was a sign of even more amazing things to come.

Perhaps nowhere is God’s glory so magnified as when He condescends to men by means of the incarnation.

In His humiliation we see His majesty.  In His utter humility we behold great glory.