Christmas Eve: Christ the Savior

Series:  Immanuel – God with Us
Part 4: Christ the Savior
Sermon by Paul Lawler
Scripture:  Luke 2:8-14

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 (ESV)

Christ:  He is the fulfillment of all that the Old Testament spoke.  There are more than 300 specific O.T. prophecies spoken of Jesus. Lord:  He is pre-existent and is sovereign over all things. Savior:  He saves us from something. But what are we saved from? 

"(We have created) a god without wrath [who] brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross" H. Richard Niebuhr

HOW IS JESUS A SAVIOR?

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Amen and amen. I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My name is Paul Mueller. I have the honor of serving as the senior pastor here at Christ Church, and we welcome you in Merry Christmas. Now, I want to take just a few moments and lift one verse out of what Pastor Ken just read. Chapter 2, verse 11, that reads like this For unto us is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And what I'm going to do over the next three years, I know that sounds scary to you, but I'll explain, is on Christmas Eve, here in 2022, I'm going to lift up one word, Savior. What does it mean? Next year, 2023, we'll lift up the word Christ, and then in the following year we'll lift up the word Lord on Christmas Eve. Because if the angel took the time to highlight these details, then we need to pause and ask, what does this mean? So he's the Christ, he's the fulfillment of the Old Testament, of all that was spoken, the Messiah, over 300 specific prophecies out of the Old Testament declaring that he would come. He is the Lord, preeminent, sovereign over all things, King of kings, Lord of Lords. But where we will focus tonight is that he is Savior. Now, if one is a Savior, here's a common sense statement. Get ready. A Savior saves us from something. But the question is, what exactly does He save us from? Before we answer that question, let me affirm a couple of things about the nature of God. Here's the first one: God is absolutely loving. We see that in 1 John, where John writes, God is love. But we also recognize out of a loving spirit, a loving nature, that God is absolutely just. And these are two truths that we can stand on in regard to the nature of the creator of the heavens and the earth. However, sometimes when we consider the nature of the living God, we sometimes there's a veneer over what we think about God versus what is revealed about God in Holy Scripture. Richard Reinhold Nieber once wrote it this way, in the characterizing the age in which we live, in which he said this. And what we will seek to do in these few emerging moments is pierce through the veneer together in regard to the cloudiness, the fuzziness that Nieber is writing about when he made that declaration. And so we'll begin with this question on Christmas Eve 2022. Here it is. How is Jesus a Savior? Well, I'm going to begin with a sobering phrase. And with this sobering phrase, I just want you to know that I'm aware that this is a little unusual to hear a phrase like this in many churches on Christmas Eve. And I just want you to know that I know. So here we go. First of all, he saves us from God's judgment. He saves us from God's wrath. Christ is saving us, as many would say, saving us from our sin. That's why he goes to the cross. He's saving us from our sin, but to be more specific, he's offering himself to save us from the consequences of our sins. He's actually saving us at the cross from the judgment of a holy and loving God. He's saving us from God's wrath. Karl Marx once said this: that he once declared that religion is the opiate of the people. There was a time in my life that I believed something rather similar, but properly understood, as Tim Keller would say, Christianity is by no means the opiate of the people. It's more like the smelling salts. In other words, it's an invitation to push through the veneer and come awake, to come alive. Many of you remember an old movie called The Matrix. Yes, for some of you don't realize it, it's an old movie now. But you may remember the matrix. You may remember that theme in the Matrix. Take the red pill, you wake up to what reality really is. Or you can take the blue pill and live with the veneer. I'm translating the words out of the matrix. You can live, go on to live with not being in touch with the basement of reality. Really, what Christianity is, one of the things it offers is the opportunity to see the basement of reality. That there is a God. And God created you. And as God Almighty created you and created me, we are ultimately accountable to our Creator. One of my favorite verses in Scripture, and I think that I'm probably not alone, is Romans 8:1 that says this there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Now I'm thankful for that verse and its truth. But one of the things that we process together is this. If that is true, then it also has an inference. And the inference is that if I'm not condemned, if I'm in Christ, what is the inference for the man or woman who is not in Christ? Well, let's examine that for just a moment. And I would again remind you that we're trying to press through some veneer here. So, first of all, John 3.18, whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned. But whoever does not believe is condemned already. Now, again, that's not a verse that's just declaring, oh, just cognitively believe on Jesus. It is a verse that's inviting us to trust what God Almighty has done through sending his Son in taking our sin on a cross. Or John 3.36, whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God remains on him. Or Romans 2.8, but for those who are self-seeking do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Or out of 2 Peter, for God, if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until judgment, if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. Say that with tenderness, loved ones. Or Ephesians 2, 1 through 3. You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working, the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind. You were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. And I, again, I want you to know I'm in touch. The wrath of God is not a popular notion, but the wrath of God is a biblical reality. I could go on, we won't for the sake of time. But the wrath of God is real. And people have tried to ignore these passages altogether. Some people even go to great lengths, even people in pulpits to twist their meaning to indicate that somehow we're not accountable to God, our Creator, with our lives. Think with me for a moment. What if there were an F-5 tornado coming down Poplar Avenue and Memphis' finest meteorologists all looked at one another and said, We know this is a threat to people. But let's not warn them. Let's don't disturb their comfort. Let's keep this to ourselves. We all know rhetorically, would that be right? Absolutely not. Would that be ethical? Absolutely not. Tim Keller, whom I'm going to quote several times tonight, breaking up a paragraph of his quotes, once said this: to stay away from Christianity because parts of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God, he wouldn't have any views that upset you. Does that belief really make sense? These are things God tells us in the Bible that are, well, disturbing. But we have an offer of a savior. And the Bible teaches that we have a savior that saves you from something. That savior saves you from God's judgment, from God's wrath. You say, Pastor, are you making that up? No, just look with me. Look at me with what the scripture says. 1 Thessalonians 1:10. Wait for the Son from heaven, whom God raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. Think about that. And in fact, some of you have a Methodist background. Everybody in here doesn't, but many of you know that the founder of Methodism was a man named John Wesley. Did you know that John Wesley, in order for you to attend a Methodist society class, or ban, you had to answer a question when you came in the door. Do you know what the question was? Here it is. Do you desire to be saved from your sins and delivered from the wrath or flee from the wrath to come? What? Imagine tonight when you were coming in this sanctuary. Imagine if we had stationed the ushers at all the doors. And in order for you to enter this sanctuary, that you had to answer a question like that, would it, wouldn't it, isn't it true? Can we keep again keep it real? Isn't it true that many people probably would just go, you know what, that's offensive, and would have turned the other way? But why did John Wesley ask a question like this? Why was Methodism founded asking such questions that pierced through the veneer? John Wesley asked questions like this and required early Methodists to respond to questions like this because John Wesley was a student of the Bible. And John Wesley loved God deeply. And John Wesley loved people deeply. And so, in light of that, he could not gloss over or help enable a veneer regarding the reality of the power of Jesus Christ to save to the uttermost. Listen to what the Bible teaches about God's desire for people, rooted in his love for God, so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes on him will not perish, but have everlasting life. Listen to what the Bible says regarding God's desire for people out of 1 Thessalonians. God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. If God is all powerful, then why does he not just forgive sin? I mean, why does he need to send his son Jesus to die for sin? Well, first of all, when people reason if God is all-powerful, often they're not taking into consideration the full nature of God. He is all-powerful, but he's loving. He's love. God is love. And you cannot love without being just. And in light of that, God knows that sin robs life. God knows that sin takes life. You take a group of junior high girls and they have a spend the night party. And at the spend the night party, they begin to gossip about someone, one of their friends that's not present. And they all get back to school the next week, and the girl who wasn't at the spend the night party discovers that she was gossiped about and her heart is hurt. Friendships are damaged. You see, sin takes life. A father is emotionally absent because he drinks himself into a stupor every evening, and he's emotionally absent from his sons and his daughters and his wife, and sin takes life. Someone is abused emotionally, physically, sexually, and then the enemy sows a thousand lies into their minds and souls as victims. Sin takes life. Something is said or misunderstood, and jealousy and resentment sets in. It leads to bitterness, and people in families become divided from one another. Again, sin takes life. Life is taken, stolen. That's what sin does. And all of them, the scripture says, all of them ultimately were sins against God because you and I are all made in the image of God. We were not designed for sin to bring damage to our own souls or relationships. Sin takes life. It's costly because it takes life. And because God is loving, and because God is just, he must judge sin. And ultimately, as you look at this cross here right above my head, every time you see Jesus, picture in your mind him hanging there, do you know what he's doing? He's subbing for you. Because God is just. Instead, when you put your faith in what Christ has done, instead of judgment coming toward you, Jesus is taking the judgment on your behalf. You say, Pastor, are you making that up? Well, no, look with me. 2 Corinthians 5.21. It'll be on the screen. Here it goes. Him, Jesus, who knew no sin, he was made to be sin on your behalf, on my behalf, our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. How does Jesus do this? Jesus satisfies God's justice. What does a Savior do? He saves. Why does God do this? Because God is love. He wanted to make a way for you to know Him. This is what the scripture says, 1 John 4 9. In this is the love of God that was made manifest among us that God sent his only son into the world so that you might live. You might not live a diminished life, but a flourishing life because you've forsaken the sin that's bound you and fell in love with the one who has freed you and forgiven you and set you in a different place. Notice what the scripture says in 2 Peter 3 9. The Lord's not slow to fulfill his promises. Some count slowness, but he's patient. Notice this, let it get personal. He's patient toward you. I'm not making this up. Look at what the scripture says. He's patient towards you, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should turn to him. That's what the word repentance means. To turn to the person of Jesus. Because, look, look, John 3.17. Is it okay to quote the Bible in church? John 3.17, look at this. God did not send his son in the world to condemn it, but in order that the world might be saved through him. You know, that's what we would call a holy love. That's a love that doesn't compromise the standard. But he met the standard through his son Jesus. But it's also a passionate son, a passionate love because God sent his son on a cross and extends grace to you. Grace is you don't, you receive what you have not earned. Tim Keller says it this way: God's grace does not come to people who morally outperform others, but to those who admit their failure to perform and acknowledge their need for a savior. I've got a dear friend, I won't share his name. I've got a dear friend, I've been sharing the love of God through Christ for a number of years. And this is what he's been saying to me for years. Paul, I've got to get my act together first. And I keep saying to him, and I'm going to quote Keller again, God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation in Christ that's offered to you as a free gift. The gospel is this we are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe. Yet, at the same time, we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. Is it legal for me to say hallelujah? Hallelujah. The Christian gospel is this I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that God would send his son to die for me. Unto us is born this day in the city of David. A Savior. Now, it's possible you've come into this building and you've never confessed Jesus Christ as Lord. I want you to know I'm not going to give an altar call, I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand or stand up and do anything to embarrass you. But what I do want to appeal to you on the basis of what God has revealed in his holy word. I want to invite you to turn to him, to confess your need of a savior. And in turning to him, receive his forgiveness of your own waywardness. I've been there myself. And in turning to him, be mindful. He's merciful. That's what the scripture says. Mercy is when we don't get what we deserve. Grace is when we receive what we haven't earned. He's like that. Turn to him in faith. Trust that he is God's Son, that he took your sin on the cross because he's on a rescue mission. He's a savior. And I encourage you to turn to him tonight. If you've never turned to Christ, when the service ends tonight, I want to encourage you as you exit the doors. There's some books available called Is Christmas Unbelievable? I want to invite you to take one up. It's written by Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin. She's a Cambridge graduate of PhD. Doesn't mean you have to be smart. I just am aware there's some smart people here, and I want you to be equipped. I want you to understand you don't have to check your brain at the door to become a Christian. Over 60% of Nobel Prize winners are Christians. If you want to Google that, please wait until later, okay? But I want to encourage you, loved ones, that we all need a Savior. And we have one. And his name is Jesus. In the name of the Father who loves you, in the name of the Son who has demonstrated his love, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who comes and empowers you to know him. Amen.