Christ is Christmas
“Christ is Christmas” was preached by Pastor Mike Ray at Hopewell Baptist Church on the Sunday before Christmas, 12/19/2021.
Christ is Christmas
If you have your Bibles, let’s open them please to the book of Matthew. Matthew chapter number one.
If you’re looking for the Christmas story to read Christmas morning… I’ve done it for years and years. Did it before I got married, after I got married, and after we had kids. We used to always read part of the Christmas story before the kids could open presents. They would always find us the shortest verse and say, “Here it is right here.”
Matthew 1 and Luke 1 are where you’ll find the Christmas story. Notice please in Matthew 1:21:
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Notice His name in all capital letters — JESUS. And then if you’ll skip a little further on over into the book of Luke, let’s look over there, please. And we see this account in the book of Luke. We see that an angel appears to Mary.
“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” Luke 1:31
And then if you look a little bit further on to Luke 2:21, now, Jesus is brought to the temple. It was a custom of the Jews on the eighth day to bring the child and publicly present him or dedicate him, if you will, to the Lord.
“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” Luke 2:21
And then one of the last verses in the book of John, St. John, just a book over in John 21:25. This is the very last verse in the book In the Gospel of John. Notice what a great verse this is. It says,
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did…”
So, we have four books of the Bible that tell us about the life of Jesus. Someone said, if you were to take all the gospels, all the writings in the Bible about Jesus, and found out how many days they included, it’s only 33 days. We only have parts of 33 days of Jesus’ life mentioned in the Bible. So not everything in His life was talked about. His life was a lot more than 33 days long. But notice the verse.
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:25
I love that statement. He’s saying if you wrote down everything wonderful about Jesus, the world could not contain all the books. That’s quite a statement. What are we trying to say? Jesus is wonderful. And He is wonderful. He’s God. He’s the Savior.
I want to have a prayer, and then we’re going to bring the Christmas message this morning to you.
Heavenly Father, we dedicate this message to Thee. We’ve studied, we’ve thought, we’ve prayed. We want to give something that would encourage these people. How in the world can one man say something to help hundreds of people with tons of different needs and desires and wishes? We pray that You would do what You do — miraculously take the Word of God, and apply it, and speak differently to each person, and tell them what they need from the message. We’ll ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
What is Christmas?
I like the colder weather when I’m inside. I like the hot cocoa, eggnog, occasionally the scarfs, the mittens, the snow. But Christ is Christmas.
I like the Charlie Brown Christmas special, It’s a Wonderful Life, even Rudolph. I like the elves, the North Pole (I’ve been there), the nativity scenes. But Christ is really Christmas.
I like the extra days out of school, setting up and decorating the Christmas tree. I like the snowman, and Frosty, and the red and the green. I like the presents, the wrapping. But did I tell you? Christ is Christmas.
I like the surprise packages that come in the mail and the specialty coffee drinks this time of the year. I like hearing “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy holidays,” whatever that means. I like the Christmas lights, Tiny Tim, and even Scrooge at the end. I like the Christmas carols and even the Grinch. But did I tell you? Christ is Christmas.
I like the four stages of Santa Claus: 1. You believe in Santa Claus, 2. Then you don’t believe in Santa Claus, 3. Then you are Santa Claus, 4. Then the last one — you look like Santa Claus. I like the stockings over the fireplace and looking at Christmas lights. I like the carols. But have I said it yet? Christ is Christmas.
You won’t find Him in a bottle of alcohol or at the company party. You won’t find Him at the shopping mall, or eBay, or even Amazon, and not even in some churches. But you will find Him in a Bible-believing church, and a Bible-believing Sunday School class, and in a Christian home. The world has told Him we have no room for You. In the end, He came unto His own, the Bible says, and His own received Him not, “but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). He has gradually been kicked out of His own holiday. Most children would not even know the figures and the characters at the nativity scene.
It’s now an X-mas tree. We’ve Xed Him out. It’s “happy holidays.” It’s a “winter solstice.” It’s “a winter break.” It’s not even “Christmas break.” It’s secular songs. It’s just Santa. I was door to door on the street, kind of a poor neighborhood in Napa yesterday — 1-million-dollar homes. I said a poor neighborhood in Napa — 1-million-dollar homes. And as I went by every house, there were decorations, decorations, decorations. The decorations said “Happy holidays, happy holidays.” I saw Santa Claus and the elves. One decoration on the whole block had “Merry Christmas.” Only one. It’s become secular songs, and alcohol, and parties, and traditions. But I do want to say Christ is still Christmas.
Where is Christ in Christmas?
He was Bethlehem’s bread. “Bethlehem” means house of bread and praise. He was the bread of life that came to a starving world. He’s the Shepherd of all the shepherds. He’s the star, the main event. He’s the wisest of all the wise men. He’s the real King, not the fake king like Herod.
He is the peace on earth. He called Himself the Prince of Peace. He is the promised messiah Who Isaiah says they shall call His name “Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Prince of Peace means tranquilizer. I like that. We kind of need some of those these days. And I love that He’s the everlasting Father. Wonderful. He’s the one you get your counsel from.
He’s the babe in the manger Who grabs the attention of children around the world. They ask, “Who is this?” He once a year gets the world’s attention for a brief moment.
He was raised in obscurity. He never traveled more than about 60 miles away from His home. At age 12 He already knew His purpose. He said, “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). He never did a miracle till age 30. He only had a three-year ministry. He never married. He had no children. He never wrote a book, never held a political office, never owned a house, or had a savings account. He owned one coat that He left behind when He died. His followers were common people, only a few with education or any money. He hung around sinners that needed saving. He conquered hearts by love, not by war. He began a church on the seashore of Galilee with fishermen. He told them if you follow me, I’ll make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). And then later He said, except you forsake everything, you cannot be my disciples (Luke 14:33).
He was a preacher Who never did a funeral because He was life. When people died, He raised them from the dead. His words, His touch, His death and resurrection caused miracles. He commissioned a church to preach about His good news. He ascended. He’s preparing a place for us. And one day He’s returning. Did I mention? Christ is Christmas.
No one can compare to Jesus Christ.
If today we had visitors walk in that we’re orators — maybe Socrates or Plato — we would perhaps stand. If famous artists walked in today — Michelangelo or DaVinci — we may applaud. If politicians like Franklin or Churchill came in, we may stand to get a glimpse. If leaders like Napoleon or Caesar came, we would probably stand to see them. But if Jesus walked in today and we knew it was Him, I believe we as Christians would not stand. We would kneel at his feet. He is in a class all His own.
Bob Jones, the evangelist, said, “If I knew that Jesus was on earth right now in a physical body, I would sell everything I had to catch the earliest flight just to get a glimpse of my Savior.”
No one was ever born like Jesus. A star signaled His birth. Kings showed up to worship Him. Shepherd showed up unannounced. He was born of a virgin.
No one was ever baptized like Jesus. The greatest man who’s ever lived outside of Christ, John the Baptist. Born of women, there was no greater prophet than John, Jesus said (Luke 7:28). The Bible says he’s the one that when Jesus came, John said, I need to be baptized of You. And when Jesus came up out of the water, a voice from Heaven spoke that said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
No one ever overcame temptation like Jesus. It wasn’t a demon, it wasn’t the flesh, it wasn’t the world. It was satan himself who showed up in the wilderness after Jesus had fasted 40 days. Satan tempted Jesus over and over, and Jesus answered him with Scripture: “it is written, it is written…” He’s Jesus, our Savior. Sinless. Never sinned, never failed a temptation. What an example for us.
No one ever had a purpose like Jesus. “This day the prophecy is fulfilled,” Matthew repeats. Jesus opened the Bible in a synagogue. He said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). What a savior!
No one ever worked like Jesus Christ. You feel like you’re overworked? From the time He got up to the time He went to bed, people wanted a piece of Jesus. They wanted to touch Him. He healed, He taught, He preached, He rebuked, He corrected, He taught the Word of God — just day and night. No wonder He fell asleep during the storm. He was sound asleep and could hardly be awakened.
No one ever prayed like Jesus. The Bible says early in the morning the disciples knew where to find Him. He would be out on the Mount of Olives, spending time with his Heavenly Father. He gave out. And He knew the secret — He had to take in. He spent time with people, and then He spent time with God. No one prayed like him.
No one ever preached like Jesus. Today we will be here maybe half an hour. At about twenty minutes some of you start looking at your watch. Or maybe you set your timer. “Pastor, time to end the message.” Jesus held people spellbound for days. For three days. They would just sit at His feet. They forgot to eat. And he says, “You guys need to go home. It’s been three days.” What a preacher He was!
No one was ever as courageous as Jesus. He went into the temple and instead of people praying or teaching the word of God, they were selling and making money in the lobby. He flipped over the money changers’ tables by himself, and no one attacked Him. No one hurt Him. He’s the one that looked at the religious leaders and said, “You scribes, you Pharisees, you’re a bunch of hypocrites. You’re a bunch of actors. You’re serpents.” That was the loving Jesus saying that. But He said that to a group of people by Himself. What a courageous man He was. What a savior!
No one ever suffered like Jesus. He took the sins of the entire world on the cross. He suffered the Hell for every person those six hours.
No one ever restored like Jesus. His disciples weren’t perfect. He said to Thomas, “I know you doubt. Here you go. Put your hands in the scars. I really rose from the dead.” “Simon, I know you cursed Me and you said you didn’t know Me, but don’t you love me?” He restored.
No one ever did miracles like Jesus. He walked on the water. He settled the storm. He healed blinded eyes. He healed cripple legs. He raised the dead. He fed the hungry. He cast out demons with his words.
No one ever changed lives like Jesus. It was a woman with seven devils. Her name was Mary Magdalene, and she became one of the greatest disciples He ever had. It was fishermen…and everyone knows fishermen lie. “It was his big. We almost had a 25-pound bass in the boat.” “How do you know he weighed 25 pounds?” “I could just feel by the tug.” He took fishermen and turned them into preachers. He took a maniac who had been in mental institutions and turn him into an evangelist. It was a tax collector who climbed up in a tree to get a glimpse of Him. Jesus knew his name. “Zacchaeus, you come down.” It was Matthew at the receipt of custom. Jesus said, “I know you’re a publican and you’re a cheater. Let me change your life. I’ll make you a disciple.”
No one ever lived like Jesus. He was eternal. As much man as He was never God; as much God as he was never man.
Have I said it yet? Christ is Christmas.
What’s His Name?
What do we always ask when babies are born? The new baby, the Dela Cruz baby picture is on the nursery door this morning. When someone has a child, we always hear, “What’s its name?” And then, “How much did it cost?” No, no, I’m sorry. That’s what men ask after the insurance comes in. But, “What is his name?” His name was Jesus. No one ever has to say. “Jesus who? Which Jesus are you’re talking about?” He’s in a class of his own.
It’s a simple name. I’m glad any little child can say it. Perhaps, today in our Sunday School classes they’re singing the songs like “Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me.” It’s a simple name.
It’s a prayerful name. If you’ve ever prayed a prayer out loud, I guarantee you, at some time you said, “in Jesus’ name, Amen.” He said, “If you ask anything in My name — if you know I want it for you, if you know that I want you to have this,” He said, “I’ll give it to you.” It’s like signing the check — it’s got His name on it.
It’s an exalted name. The Bible says it’s a name above every name. No matter what your name is today — whether you put “president” in front of it or “mayor” or “governor” or “congressman” or “quarterback” for an NFL team or whoever you are, Jesus trumps that and tops that. He’s in a class of His own. I love the song, “All hail the power of Jesus’ name. Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.”
Not only that. It’s an authoritative name. When He was in the garden praying, the guards came and they said, “We’re looking for Jesus of Nazareth. Where is He?” Jesus just said this: “I am He.” That’s His Old Testament name: I am. “I am He.” He just said His name. The Bible said the soldiers flew backward and landed on their backs. All He said was His name. It’s authoritative.
It’s powerful. He said, “I am the way the truth and the life.” “I am the good shepherd.” “I am the bread of life.” “I am the light of the world.” He is. I am blank. He is whatever you need. What is it you need today? That’s Who Jesus Christ is. Is it a friend? Is it a savior? Is it a forgiver? Is it your strength? Who is it you need? That’s Who He is. Have I said it lately in the message? Christ is Christmas.
It’s a saving name. Someone says, “Well who needs saving?” We all need saving. Why? We’re all sinners. “All if sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “The wages of sin is death [or hell]” (Romans 6:23a). “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet” — he puts it in the verse — “sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We need saving. He’s the Savior. A saving name. “He shall save his people from their sins.” “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
It’s a personal name. The Bible says His name is Emmanuel, God with us. You came to church today. Perhaps you came lonely. Perhaps you feel like I don’t have any family. I don’t have any friends. I have nobody, no one to lean on. You came in, and after a little while, you felt like, “Man, I got someone to lean on. I got people in this church.” But when you get in your car and head home He says, “I am with you. I am with you.” God with us. You don’t have to be alone.
It’s a gathering name. You say, “Pastor, why is this crowd of people here every Sunday? What’s this all about Jesus?” We don’t come because we love the pews. We don’t come because it’s warmer here than at our houses. We don’t come because there’s breakfast. Well, probably Brother Chris’s class does when you eat like them at church! But why do we come? What gathers people to drive an hour and a half to come here on Sunday morning? What gets people back here Sunday night and Wednesday night? It’s the name of Jesus. He said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).
Not only that. It’s a conquering name. The Bible says, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…” (Philippians 2:10–11). What’s that mean? You say, “I ain’t never bowed to anybody.” You bow now, or you bow later. You bow in this lifetime and say, “Lord, I cannot save myself. I cannot earn Heaven. I know You paid it all on the cross. You rose from the dead. You’re the only way to Heaven. Come in my heart. Forgive me. I need You. I can’t save myself.” You bow now, or you bow later at the judgment when it’s too late to get saved. And let me encourage you today if you have never been saved: You’ve thought about it all Christmas season. You’ve thought about it all year. Maybe for years you’ve thought, “I need to become a Christian. I need to receive Christ. I need to turn my life over to Him.” Today is the day. It’s Christmas Sunday. If not today, when?
It’s a conquering name. The apostle Paul hated Christianity. He was killing Christians. God humbled him. Paul ends up on the ground, a light is shining in his eyes. He’s blind, and he hears a voice, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul looks up and says, “Who art thou, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” God does win, folks. Your arms are too short to fight against the Lord. He will win. It’s a conquering name.
I want to say this, and then I’m heading down for the landing). It’s an offensive name to many. They’re offended. I remember years ago when one of the presidents was being inaugurated, they were going to swear him in, and they asked a well-known pastor in America to say the inaugural prayer. You know this is, like, America. Like, the USA. He had to submit his prayer to the prayer committee before the inauguration. He had to submit it. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to write all yours down, submit them, have a bunch of people look at, and say “All right, you can pray this to God.”? I was wondering who he was praying the prayer for. They had to make sure it didn’t say “in Jesus’ name,” lest it offend all the religions that don’t believe in Jesus. It’s an offensive name.
That’s why there’s no nativity in our schools. That’s why no prayer in our schools. Why? It offends the atheist. Know what I say? Tell the atheists to cover their ears while we’re praying. If someone doesn’t like the nativity, let someone cover his eyes while we have a nativity. It’s going to offend somebody. Jesus said this: “They hated me without a cause” (John 15:25).
If you stand for Jesus Christ at work, there’s going to be someone offended. You pray over Christmas dinner, there’s going to be some relative upset with you. You put a nativity scene out your front yard, you’ll probably be sued these days because you’ve mentally damaged someone’s feelings. Folks, it’s part of life. He said, if they hated me, they’ll hate you (John 15:18). It’s probably time we got used to a little persecution. It’s probably time. “Pastor, we had a few people say some things about us when we talked about Jesus.” It’s okay. It’s par for the course. The heroes we look to were martyred for the faith. They were burned at the stake. They were killed. Eleven out of twelve disciples were martyred for Christ. It’s an offensive name. The disciples were told to speak no more in this name. They made a law in Israel — you cannot speak the name Jesus or we will put you in jail. You know what the disciples did? They said, “We cannot but speak what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). They let them out of jail, and there they were down the street corner preaching about Jesus again.
It is a sending name. It sent me from Louisiana to here. You say, “Poor thing.” I moved here for the lower cost of housing (not!). We sold our house 35 years ago for $24,000 and moved here.
It’s a sending name. It has sent people from our church to the mission field. It has sent people from America around the world. Why would they do that? Why would they leave the comfort in America and the privileges here and all the money here and all the riches here to go live in a third-world country? Why would they go live in a mud hut and a dirt floor with diseases and not have much? It’s the name of Jesus that has sent them.
Not only that. It’s an encouraging name. It’s encouraging. Next time you get discouraged and you think life’s not worth living, just start saying His name. Jesus. Jesus. It’s hard to keep a frown on your face and say His name. Jesus.
There was a missionary who was on an island. He only had one convert. He was very discouraged. Had been there for years. One person got saved. One young man. The missionary was getting in his boat to go to the next island. He told himself, “If nothing happens there, I’m quitting. I’m coming back home.” He got on the boat, got ready to pull out from shore, and the convert said, “Excuse me, Mr. missionary. I forgot His name.” He said, “Whose name?” He said, “The One Who saved me and died for me. What’s His name again?” The missionary, very discouraged and shyly said, “His name is Jesus.” He started to wipe away the tears coming down his face. As the boat got out a little further, his convert said, “What’s his name again? Tell me his name again.” The missionary said, “His name is Jesus, and it’s the sweetest name I know.” He got a little further away from the shore, and the convert said, “Tell me His name one more time.” The missionary yelled, “HIS NAME IS JESUS, AND IT’S THE SWEETEST NAME I KNOW.” Just by saying his name louder and louder, the missionary got encouraged. He went to the next island, and hundreds and hundreds of people got saved. There’s encouragement by just the name of Jesus.
Let me give you what other people said about His name in the Bible. “Come and see a man that told me all I ever did” (John 4:29). “Behold, the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Here’s the governor: “I find in him no fault at all” (John 18:38). Here’s what people said: “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). Here’s what someone said: “is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29). That’s what the people in Jesus’ day said.
I’m about done with this. A businessman was trying to work from home. I guess we’re all back home now working, right? He was working from home and his daughter was there. He was trying to babysit and work at the same time. She kept just kind of getting in his way. And finally, he said, “Look, look, look. I got to get some work done. Look, here’s a puzzle. Here you go. When the puzzle’s put together, come talk to daddy.” It wasn’t long… Well, let’s find out. How many “puzzle people”? I hate puzzles. Who is not a puzzle person? I mean if it’s three pieces, that’s too many? Just why would you do that? Then there’s always some demented person that when they give it to you, they’ve cut the box open and taken a piece out so you’re always missing a piece… Anyway, so she’s putting the puzzle together. And in just a short amount of time she says, “Dad, it’s all done.” He said, “You couldn’t have put that all together. It was a picture of the world, like a map of the whole world.” She said, “I got it all together. Come see.” He walked over there, and sure enough, it was all put together. He said, “How in the world did you do that?” She said, “It’s kind of odd. This puzzle — it’s a two-in-one. On one side the pieces are a picture of Jesus. On the other side of the puzzle is a picture of the world. When I got Jesus in His place, my world took care of itself.” And yours will too.
Did I tell you? Christ is Christmas. And He loves you.
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Hopewell Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church in Napa, California pastored by Mike Ray. It is Bible-based with a warm, friendly atmosphere. Hopewell is dedicated to bringing the water of life to the Napa Valley and beyond.
