Promise of Life

Dec 24

What is your favorite holiday? Our calendar, the Christian calendar, is centered around two holidays—Christmas and Easter.

Luke 2:1-20

The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was not a mere historical event, which it was. It really happened in real space and time. It wasn’t just something that happened, though. It carries with it immense meaning. It was the dawn of God's promises fulfilled. From the moment sin entered the world, God promised to send a Savior.[1] In the birth of Jesus, that promise took its first breath. This birth fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies,[2] assuring us that God's Word, and God Himself can be trusted. He is faithful to fulfill His promises.

Today we’re going to see one more promise that He gives, and it’s the promise of life.

Within the manger is the seed of life.

There is so much potential in a seed. It’s almost unfathomable how much potential is in a seed. A giant oak tree exists as stored up potential within a tiny acorn. Actually, a giant oak tree with the potential of a whole forest rests inside a single acorn. Offspring is referred to as seed. We see that in Genesis 3:15. The first messianic promise was that the seed of woman would crush the serpent’s head. You know what exists within a seed? The potential for life.

Remember when you first held your own baby. You are overcome with awe and wonder. It’s because one, that life came from you. Two, life itself is a miracle and a gift from God. Three, an entire life lies ahead of that one little newborn. Think about Jesus. He came from God the Father.[3] His life is a miracle and a gift from God…to YOU! And eternal life for all who believe lies ahead of that one little newborn.

That’s what we’re going to see this morning. With Jesus is the promise of life. The timeless one entered time. The immaterial entered space. So that you, finite creature, might live forever.

Through Jesus we have eternal life.

John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Just like the birth of Jesus wasn’t a mere historical event, the same is true of His resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus was the climax of His mission on Earth. We keep saying that Jesus was born to die. That is true, but it stops too soon. Jesus was born to rise from the dead. Jesus wasn’t just born to live, but to live again. And to offer us life.

I want us to read the resurrection account. I know this may seem weird, reading an Easter passage on Christmas Eve, but Easter is what gives Christmas its meaning. And as we read this, I want you to notice some parallels between the birth narrative and the resurrection narrative.

Matthew 28:1-10

Notice we see similar things with the disciples at the resurrection and the shepherds at His birth (Go and tell…Come and see…). Also, with the angel’s pronouncement and the reality of what was told to them being seen with their own eyes, great joy sprang forth. The birth and resurrection of Jesus is good news of great joy!

It’s good news of great joy because Jesus is Alive! And He offers us the chance to live again. Only, in order to live again, we must first die.

Through Jesus we have abundant life.

Matthew 7:13-14 – 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Dying to self is essential to experience the abundance of life Jesus offers. But it’s difficult. Many people don’t want to give up their desires or the ways of the world because they think they won’t be satisfied…that it won’t lead to life. That’s the same lie Satan tempted Adam and Eve with.

John 10:10 – "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

This verse tells us the reason Jesus came. It tells us the reason of Christmas. It’s to give you life. And not just any life. Life abundantly. Overflowing life. Christmas exists to give you abundance of life. Like an oak tree springing from the ground kind of life. No, like a forest springing forth kind of life.

John 12:24-26 – 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Through Jesus we have new life.

Romans 6:4 – “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

In this verse we see that new life that comes through Jesus, and we also see the sign that is to accompany it. Baptism symbolizes our identification with Christ's death and resurrection, signifying our spiritual rebirth. By grace, through faith, we die to sin and rise with Christ to live a new life. Jesus doesn't just offer a tweak to our old life; He offers a completely new life.

Just like the seed falls into the ground, something different and new comes bursting forth.

Though we die, in Christ we shall live.

Hebrews 9:27-28 – 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The opposite of life is death. And we all face it. It come from the beginning, from that first sin where that first promise was interwoven within. In Adam, all die. But hear the great reversal.

1 Corinthians 15:22 – For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

That promise from the beginning wasn’t just to save, but it was a promise to bring life. To YOU.

Jesus came once, and He’s coming back again. He’s coming to judge. But those whose faith are in Him, are saved and are given life, both now and forevermore.

JESUS BRINGS LIFE!

John 1:4: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men."
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 5:21: "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will."
John 6:35: "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"
John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 11:25-26: "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'"
John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Acts 3:15: "and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses."
Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
1 Corinthians 15:22: "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."
Colossians 3:4: "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
1 John 1:2: "The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us."