WEBVTT 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:11.839 You're listening to the road with pastor teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:13.919 So what is this? 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:27.600 What is this great mystery that Jesus, holy God, holy man, what did he give us becoming a human wife? 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:36.240 What historians and scholars have believed for centuries is that he gave us something of the privileges of heaven. 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:41.359 He gave something of the rewards of heaven, and he became human. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:46.880 At The Road, our mission is to empower people to change the world. 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:51.119 For more information on The Road, visit theroad.org. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:56.159 We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:07.359 So if you have your Bibles or laptop or phone or whatever you use, look at Matthew 1. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:08.959 Would you guys look at Matthew 1? 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:15.599 I want to look at an obscure Christmas passage that's not often used. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:21.760 And look at Matthew 1, and then we're going to flip to Philippians 2. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.640 So put your finger in Philippians 2. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:29.040 Turn to Matthew chapter 1. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:37.359 I think it can be lost on us how controversial the birth of Jesus was. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:44.480 I mean, can you imagine your fiance saying, I'm pregnant because of the Holy Spirit? 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:47.920 I mean, you could say, well, you know what? 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.480 I've heard a lot of excuses, but that's a new one. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.439 Now you couldn't do it now because it's already been used. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.280 But at the time it was just, you know, it was controversial. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.920 And probably Nazareth was about 500 people. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:06.400 We believe it was 500 or less people in Nazareth. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.080 And so everybody knew about it. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:10.800 Everybody knew what was going on with Mary and Joseph. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.719 Joseph had to have been confused. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:18.639 How many of you have been confused by something you did not expect this past year? 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.400 All right. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.120 The rest of you are liars because you know you have. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:31.280 And 2020 is going to have a lot of things and a lot of events and a lot of people in your life that are going to surprise you. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:36.479 And so prepare and even expect the unexpected, because it's coming. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:38.319 So that's the situation here. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:45.840 And so an angel shows up to give Joseph some instruction, and he says some interesting things. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:47.680 So look at verse 18. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:51.680 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:03:01.599 After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:16.240 Then Joseph, her husband, being a just and righteous man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:41.759 But while he thought about these things, so he's pondering what to do, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:51.360 And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:04:16.879 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, and this is a quote from Isaiah, some a thousand years before, Isaiah 7:14, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated, God with us. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:24.079 So holy God did the unmentionable, impossible thing, and became a man. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:43.839 Paul, you may remember his earlier name, Saul, who hated Christianity, hated the way, but got supernaturally converted to Christ, wrote a letter to the Philippians, and so look in your Bible to Philippians 2. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:05:00.879 And in Philippians 2, Paul does as good a job as any place in the New Testament in describing what this phrase means, he shall be called Emmanuel, which is translated God with us. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:15.920 Paul Reese, a great historian, said, This passage is oceanic, for the fathoms are countless and the tides are measureless, and we enter into its depths. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:17.040 Now let me just say this. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:27.920 I could spend a month verse by verse, almost word by word, in what you're about to read, is so phenomenal. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.000 Look at verse 6. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:53.839 Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:07.519 Verse 8, being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:08.480 Verse 9. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:17.199 Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:28.800 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth, meaning those even who are in hell. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:36.959 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:37.439 F. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:37.680 B. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:45.759 Meyer says of this passage, it is almost unapproachable in its unexampled majesty. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:51.759 Well, church, you stare at this first. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:53.199 You stare at this passage. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:54.879 And I would say read it. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:59.519 Talk about it on Christmas morning with your family. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.680 It is so powerful, and there's probably 25 points here. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:05.120 Let me give you three. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:16.800 I see three key issues here that share the essence, the sine qua non of the Christian faith. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:18.399 Three things are found here. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:26.319 The first is that Christ abandoned his sovereign place of majesty. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:34.000 He left heaven and he entered into our world as a human being. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:42.560 It says here, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.120 Being in form. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:54.079 So some of you have blonde hair, and some of you have gray hair, and some of you have gray hair, but you've dyed it red. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:59.519 I mean, we all look different, but in our being we're human. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:05.759 The humanness of heart, soul, mind, strength, legs, you are human. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.160 You are in your being human. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:16.319 God sent his son in human flesh, but in his being, he was divine. 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:18.560 And he never lost his divinity. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:27.519 He never lost the divinity of who he was at his very essence, even though he took on human flesh. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:38.639 And so sinless in his being, entering sinful the human race, he became a man. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:41.840 Changeless, innate. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:42.720 He was God. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:59.360 John Milton wrote, that glorious form, that light insufferable, he laid aside here with us to be forsaken and chose the darksome house of mortal clay. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:01.039 So what is this? 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:15.279 What is this great mystery that Jesus, fully God, fully man, what did he give up by coming in human flesh? 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:23.679 And what historians and scholars have believed for centuries is that he gave up something of the privileges of heaven. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.960 He gave something of the rewards of heaven, and he became human. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:33.679 It's interesting, isn't it, that Christ never did any miracles. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:39.679 Christ never did any signs and wonders before his baptism. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:46.559 But he comes in his baptism, he comes to John, we believe to be his cousin, the son of Elizabeth. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:49.919 He has to be baptized, he's baptized. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:56.080 And then it says the Holy Spirit came upon Christ like a dove. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:05.519 And then he was sent by the Spirit into the wilderness, if you recall, and for 40 days and 40 nights he fasted. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:11.279 He was in relationship with his father, and Satan came, probably demons came. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:23.039 And he came out, it's interesting, it says he went in, being led by the Spirit, he came out of the desert, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:35.039 And then suddenly he was cast into his ministry where he saw signs and wonders, and he rose people from the dead, and he healed the sick, and he cast out demons. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:42.960 Probably if you could say one thing about Jesus that marked his ministry, is he cast out demons. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:46.799 Wherever Christ went, he cast out demons. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:48.879 What's going on? 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.200 Is it because he was God? 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:58.639 Or could it be that he was human, filled with the Holy Spirit? 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:04.320 Might it be, church, that God can use you in a similar manner? 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:14.080 That the Christ who is fully tempted, like all of us, in human flesh, had to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:28.960 That through his baptism into and his baptism of the Holy Spirit upon his life, he was able then, because he said, I can, this is the key to me, I can only do what I see the Father doing. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:38.480 And his divinity of his relationship with his father actually, through the filling of the Holy Spirit, empowered him to do the miraculous. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:42.240 And so Christ being in the form of God. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:47.120 So he never lost his divine essence. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:54.240 Secondly, Christ humbled himself in order to set us free from sin. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.720 Christ humbled himself in order to set us free from sin. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.159 Verse 8. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:12.559 Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:19.519 So God left his sovereign position, he became a man, and he humbled himself to set us free. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:25.279 How many of you have ever heard of a radio commentator named Paul Harvey? 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.559 Don't we miss Paul Harvey? 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:31.440 And that's the rest of the story. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:32.559 Remember that? 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.320 Paul Harvey told a story many years ago. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:46.720 I think it's based on a true story of a man who lived in the Midwest, not a believer, considered himself an atheist. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:58.320 But his wife was a believer, and his kids were believers, and on Christmas Eve, one particular year, they all went to church in a nearby town, and he stayed and read the newspaper in front of the roaring fire. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:01.360 Maybe some of you guys will do that when you leave the service. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:08.080 You'll go get your newspaper and read it from no, you'll read your your uh iPad in front of a roaring fire. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.799 Quiet, nobody's there. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:18.960 Gradually he starts to hear the howl of the wind, and he looks out and he sees that a blizzard is coming. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:24.159 And snow is falling at an increasing rate moment by moment. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:26.559 And then he hears a knock at the door. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.720 And so he goes and he opens the door and there's nobody there. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:38.720 So he closes the door, he goes back, sits down in front of the fire, and he hears another thump at the door. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.720 So he goes back and he opens the door again. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:46.480 Not only is there no one there, there's now snow on the ground and it's filling up fast and there's no steps. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:56.720 But then as he's standing at the door, he hears the thump again and again and again, and it's coming from the left side of the door in a large window. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:13.039 And it's a flock of birds that have lost their way in the blizzard, evidently seeing the light of the fire, knowing there's heat there, and they're trying to get through the window, and they're smashing into the window. 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:22.639 So here's this man who has literally no compassion for the things of God, suddenly has a compassion for a flock of birds. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:32.879 So he gets on, puts on his boots, puts his coat on, and goes outside and begins to try to push the birds toward his barn. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.840 How many of you know what barns are like in the Midwest? 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:36.799 They're huge. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:49.759 And he had this huge, heated barn, and he opened up the door, knowing that if the birds would just fly into the barn, they could be saved from the freezing cold and the blizzard. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.159 Well, the birds aren't listening to him. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:15:04.159 So he takes kernels of corn, crushed corn, and begins to make a trail out to the barn, and the birds just continue to slam against the window. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:07.519 And he's getting more and more frustrated. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.240 They won't follow his directions. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:23.120 And then it dawns on him that if he could just become a bird, he could communicate to him that safety, security, and warmth is in the barn. 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:26.720 And it hits him like a bombshell. 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:30.399 That's exactly what God the Father did for us. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:39.919 He sent his son to become like us to communicate to us that there's a way to safety. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:52.320 And as we continue to bang our heads against all the things we think will make us happy, he calls us to the comfort and the warmth and the security and the safety and the peace. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:16:00.320 It's only found in a personal, vital, dynamic, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:10.960 Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:21.919 Men and women, Christ came, and he died a heinous, ugly, bloody death on a cross. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.080 But he didn't stay there. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:45.919 He died and he was buried, but on the third day, he rose again from the grave, conquering sin, conquering selfishness, conquering the bondage and the chains that hold us so tightly to despair and to loneliness and to depression and addictions in our lives. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:51.360 He set us free and rose again on that third day. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:57.759 So it's Christmas right now, but come April, Easter's are coming. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:05.680 Thirdly, Christ's humility always results in power. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:07.119 Verse 9. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:13.920 Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:21.279 That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:31.039 Of those in heaven, those on earth, and even those under the earth. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:38.559 That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:51.200 Men and women, whatever your religious background, whatever your faith or lack of faith or no faith, you will confess that Jesus is Lord. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.240 You will. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:11.839 I mean, if we looked at all the conversions and hands raised and all that that have happened in all the crusades in America, we have saved America about ten times over. 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:25.279 But if we look at our culture and we look at our values and we look at the way we live, we are as far from being a Christian nation as we could possibly be. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:28.400 But God's coming with a great revival. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.359 God's coming with a great move of his spirit. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:33.440 2020 could be the beginning of it. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:36.319 2020 could be part of the climax of it. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:37.039 I don't know. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:38.720 No one does but God. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:47.839 But we do know that every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord at some point. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.839 Even demons will. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.559 Even those in hell will. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:55.599 So why not do it? 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.400 Why not go for it? 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.079 Over the years. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:11.839 I'm old enough now to have had tons of friends, so many friends that followed Christ at one point and then they just kind of went their own way. 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.920 And it's amazing. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:19.119 Hundred percent, hundred percent don't do well. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:29.440 As you look at their lives and you look at the addictions, and you look at the frustrations that come and all of the bondages and chains of that. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:33.920 And then I look at those who truly are born again and they surrender everything to Christ. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:46.559 Here's what's amazing: it has nothing to do with talent, it has nothing to do with money, it has nothing to do with anything that you kind of came into this life with or that maybe you've earned in your life. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:50.319 It has everything to do with the attitude of one's heart. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:21:00.559 That when we surrender everything to Christ, He takes over and He brings power through your humility. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:02.000 Isn't that fun? 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:03.279 It is. 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:10.000 Through our humility, our surrender, our surrender, he comes in and he empowers you. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.480 And you're still the same person. 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:13.680 Let me tell you something. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:16.079 I've never been good at math. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.200 And when I got saved and got born again, I was never good at math even then. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:28.160 So he doesn't change the natural you, he begins to change the heart of you. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:34.960 And all of us know, and all the studies that have been done, you change a person's heart, you change their future. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:42.640 And so what happens, church, is that your background no longer defines your destiny. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.720 And so that's what Christ does. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.680 And that's what that's what this whole story is about. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:22:03.440 That's what it's all about with this Mary, a poor gal from Nazareth and feeding trough, and a husband who's Totally distraught and doesn't know what to do. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:07.759 The first time he comes, he comes in humility. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:13.039 But men and women, the second time he comes, he's coming in power. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:16.480 He's coming in majesty. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:24.400 He became a bondservant that when he comes back, he'll be a majestic king. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.759 So confess. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.680 You're gonna have to confess anyway. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:34.640 You've been listening to The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.680 We hope you have been blessed by today's message. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:41.759 To connect with us further, visit theroad.org. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:45.759 If you are walking through a difficult time, we want to pray for you. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:53.119 Go to theroad.org, click on the ministries tab, and go to our prayer page to send us your prayer request. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:23:01.200 Thanks again for tuning in today, and be sure to listen to the next edition of The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt.