WHEN GOD CAME DOWN!
by Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
In this little message, I would like to share with you some wonderful truths about the birth of our Saviour, including the reason and results of His coming and what this marvellous event means to us today. I have entitled this message, "WHEN GOD CAME DOWN" - For truly it was a day in which God did come down upon the earth to redeem mankind.
The Bible declares that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Rom. 1:3-4). He who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21), and He who was rich became poor that we could become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 8:9). The Word of God states that Jesus Christ was in the form of God, and that He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He never thought an evil thought therefore He was equal with God but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:5-7).
When I say that God came down, that is the truth. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh (Col. 2:9). He was true God and true man and could therefore stand between a Holy God and a sinful world. He filled the gap between us and became our substitute. Jesus paid the debt and took our place, so that we could be redeemed. Zacharias prophesied: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people." (Luke 1:68).
Zacharias prophesied that God was preparing the people for a great visitation by His Son and would shatter the darkness of sin, sickness, disease, fear and demon influence through the Redemptive Plan of Jesus Christ.
THE LAMB Of GOD SLAIN
Before the foundation of the world, God knew that Sin would come through the fall of man. Even then, God prepared His Salvation to redeem mankind from the snare of Satan. The Bible says, Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 5:6). The Redemption Plan was mapped out and decided upon even then.
Jesus Christ the Son of God was to be the burden-bearer and deliverer of lost humanity! The Bible says: "For God so loved, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). And Jesus was willing to meet the righteous demands of Divine Justice for Adam’s treacherous Sin of disobedience, through His own death on the Cross and glorious Redemption on the third day!
God had prepared the Royal Visitation of Redemption before the worlds came into being. When all looked hopeless with sin and spiritual darkness covering the world, it was God's time to bring a Ray of Heavenly Light to bless humanity, destroy the power of Satan and to set men and women free.
Satan's plan for domination of mankind was thwarted, upset and nullified because the love of God drew Salvation's Plan, and the Grace of God brought it down to man. St. Paul wrote: "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2: 8,9)
When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:4-5).
PROPHETS FORETOLD COMING OF MESSIAH
For 4,000 years the prophets had been read to the people of God, declaring that God Almighty had promised a Messiah to deliver them. No doubt every young Jewish girl secretly hoped that she would be the one that would be favoured by God to bear the Christ child, because the Scriptures stated in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign, Behold the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel".
Also in Isaiah 9:6 we read, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the Government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace". "And thou, Oh Bethlehem art not least, for out of thee shall come a Governor".
ANGEL OF GOD COMES TO MARY
"And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said Hail thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou among women.
“And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. And He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:26-38)
Mary was that virgin: (Matt. 1:18) She was found with child
of the Holy Ghost. Verse 20: "for that which is conceived in her is
of the Holy Ghost". Verse 23: "a virgin shall be with
child". The angel said
(Luke 1:31) "and behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring
forth a son and shalt call His Name Jesus". (Luke 1:35-36),
Mary asked, "How shall this be since I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
MARY TRUSTED IN GOD AS HER SAVIOUR
1. Mary said (Luke 1:46): "My soul doth magnify the Lord. (verse 47), "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour".
2. Mary was filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:14).
3. Joseph knew her not until after the birth
of Jesus (Matt. 1:25). Mary lived a
normal married life after the birth of Jesus and had several children by her
husband Joseph.
4. Mary had children by Joseph (Jesus’
brethren - Acts 1:14, Matt. 12:47).
5. Jesus did not give any special worship to
Mary - (Matt. 12:47-50).
JESUS' BIRTH WAS SUPERNATURAL
His birth was a Miracle Birth (born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Ghost - humanly impossible but quite easy for God) - because He is a Miracle God. The Holy Bible is a Miracle Bible, and we who are His people, are those who believe in and are accustomed to miracles. When we were born again, we experienced a Miracle (Regeneration – New Birth, filled with the Holy Ghost) and we are healed in Jesus’ Name, Peter 1:23).
When we were filled with the Holy Ghost, we experienced a Miracle (spoken with new tongues - something no one can do in the natural, never having been to a linguistic school) (Acts 2:4). The many who have been healed by God's power have experienced a Miracle (James 5:5; Mark 16:17-18). I have seen hundreds of such Miracles of Healing in our crusades. God is a Miracle God and we are His people. Our walk is a walk of faith. (We who believe in the Resurrection and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ certainly believe in Miracles!)
JESUS' BIRTH WAS A MIRACLE – His life was a continuous miracle (He healed the sick, raised the dead, multiplied the food, walked on the water, forgave the sinner). His death was a miracle (He laid His life down – John 10:17-18).
His resurrection was a miracle (Acts 1:9). When He
comes again in the clouds to receive us to Himself, it will be a miracle (1
Thess. 4:16) He is our miracle God and
we are His miracle children, living by faith in the finished work of Calvary
found in His divine word.
THE ANGEL VISITS JOSEPH: (Matt. 1:18-21), "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost". (Matt. 1:23, "and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
When Joseph realized his wife-to-be was expecting a child, he was shocked and suspected, of course, unfaithfulness to purity and chastity from Mary, but as he thought along these lines, the Angel of God came unto him and revealed God's Divine Plan for the child which was to be born.
JESUS IS THE ONLY SAVIOUR: The Angel said in verse 21, "and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins". Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world. No one else can save you from your sins. (Matt. 1:23), "they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us".
Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius the Popes, Yogi, were born as humans and have died as humans but Jesus Christ was born as Saviour and died as Saviour and when He arose, that crowned the Event of events, as He was declared to be the Son of God with power through the Resurrection (Rom. 1:4). Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". (John 14:6) "I am the door, by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:9)
No one else can forgive sins but Jesus - The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from sin (1 John 1:7). "Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:23-24)
"There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out." (Luke 13:28) "There is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL - (Isaiah 9:6) Emmanuel, God with us, Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God.
JESUS WAS BORN KING: As the wise men entered Jerusalem, they asked "Where is He that is born King - we have seen His star in the East and are come to worship Him". (Matt. 2:1-2) When Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth was born, she was born a Princess and became Queen. Nearly every reigning Monarch has been born as a Prince and then become King years later but when Jesus was born, He was not born as a Prince - He was born King and he is still King today, greater than the kings of the earth and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. (Isaiah 9:7)
In Acts 17:7 Paul and Silas were preaching, the multitudes came together and charged Jason saying, These men preach that there is another King, one Jesus. Paul preached it, that Jesus Christ is King. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Thomas, that man of doubt and unbelief, when He saw Jesus he fell down and cried out "My Lord and My God". He wants to be your Saviour but also your Lord and Master and King - Supreme in your life.
In Rev. 19:11-16 we see Jesus riding on a white horse. He is going out to destroy the Anti-Christ with the breath of His mouth. On His thigh and vesture, which has been dipped in blood, a Name is written "The King of kings and Lord of lords". Won't you let Him come in and be the ruler and King in your life?
WISE MEN TODAY ALSO SEEK FOR JESUS. "Ye shall seek for me and find me when ye search for me with all your heart." (Jer. 29:13) "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." (Ps. 14:1) The Wise Men worshipped Him (Jesus), not His mother. (Matt. 2:11)
THE ANGEL'S VISIT TO THE SHEPHERDS:
How surprised and fearful the shepherds were when suddenly the Glory of God filled the hillside and the glory of the Lord shone round about them as the Angel of the Lord came upon them. As they fell to the earth, the Angel said, "Fear thou not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord". And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-18)
Many have wondered why God would send Angels to the shepherds. It was because David was the shepherd king and Jesus Christ was born of the lineage of David and so the poor shepherds were the first to be told. When someone has a baby, they quickly send their neighbours and friends announcement cards - but when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, God the Father sent Angels down to herald the birth of the Saviour.
the shepherds had found the Messiah as told by the angels, they went everywhere telling people about this wonderful happening. When the artist paints the picture of the Saviour and His mother, they usually depict a halo around their heads. The Scripture doesn't mention any halo, however, but the Swaddling Clothes were given as a sign, in which the Christ Child was wrapped, and the Manger.
ROOM IN THE INN:
There was no room in the inn or hotel. Jesus Christ, God's Son was born in a Stable (barn) in Bethlehem. I often wondered why He was born in a stable and then I realized that that is where lambs are born, and Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Today many people have no room for Him in their lives. They have no room for Him in their hearts. They have excluded the Son of God from the throne of their souls. They have been too busy to think about Christianity, about God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. They have been too busy with business, making money along with the cares and pleasures of this world, with no time for Jesus.
WHAT DOES HIS BIRTH MEAN TO US TODAY?
This one thing - that God has given His best to bless humanity. Jesus came to bring life, health and happiness. He came to give peace and joy to those who would believe, here on this earth and Eternal Life for Evermore. He laid down His life for us all to redeem us and rescue us from Satan’s domination and eternal damnation!
HOW CAN YOU BE SAVED?
Believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son (Matt. 16:16), that He is the Messiah (the anointed one), that He came to die for you (John 3:16) to save you from your sins (Matt. 9:12-13), that He died on the cross, rose again from the dead, ascended into Heaven, sat down at the right hand of God the Father and will one day come again in the clouds of Heaven to take us to be with Him forevermore in a wonderful place called Heaven.
Admit to God through Jesus Christ, that you cannot save yourself, that you are lost and desire His salvation. Confess that Jesus is the Saviour, that His Word is truth, and you believe He can save your soul (1 John 1:9). Accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and take Him at His Word. Invite Him to come into your life right now. (John 6:37)
WORSHIP HIM AND THANK HIM FOR SALVATION:
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 Garside Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6; Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; Facebook; Youtube; Blog: MSWM; Donations can be made by e-Transfer. Make your donation to [email protected]. Thank you and God bless you!
