The Christ of Christmas pt2

11 December 2022 AM – Matthew 1:23 – Christmas22 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Who is the Christ of Christmas? O, we know some basic facts about Him, but exactly who was He?
Is Jesus Christ the same Being as Jehovah God? How can He be the Son of God and Jehovah God at the same time?
Last week we examined Scriptures that clearly describe God as a triune Being of three Persons – Father, Son and Spirit. We saw that all three Persons of the Godhead are equally God, yet distinct Persons.
Transition: This morning we are going to examine many Scriptures, including comparing Old Testament Scriptures with New Testament Scriptures, to show that Jesus truly IS Jehovah God. During His incarnation, He was the God/Man – fully God yet perfect Man.
  1. Scripture Statements of Christ’s Deity
a.         He is called Immanuel
1)         (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
b.         He possessed God’s form
1)         (Philippians 2:6) “Who, being in the form fundamental nature of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
c.          He is the express image of God’s person
1)         (Hebrews 1:3) “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image exact copy of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
d.         He is our great God and Saviour
1)         (Titus 2:13) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” The grammar indicates that both God and Saviour are the same person.
e.         Thomas called him God
1)         (John 20:28) “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” Jesus never rebuked him for it.
f.           He received worship from men and angels
1)         (Exodus 34:14) “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Matthew 14:33) “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
2)         (Hebrews 1:6) “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
g.         Jesus is eternal like Jehovah
1)         Of Jehovah we read, (Psalms 90:2) “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
2)         Of the Messiah the prophet wrote, (Micah 5:2) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3)         (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
2.        Quotes from the O.T. in the N.T.
a.         New Testament quotes from the Old Testament
1)         (Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
2)         (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
3)         (Psalms 45:6) “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
4)         (Hebrews 1:8) “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
5)         (Psalms 130:3-4) “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
6)         (Matthew 9:6) “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
b.         He is called God in both Testaments
1)         (Isaiah 9:6) “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.
2)         (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
3)          (1 John 5:20) “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
c.          Christ claimed to be Jehovah, the I AM
1)         (Exodus 3:14) “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
2)         (John 8:58) “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” The NWT mistranslates this, but the JW interlinear is correct.
d.         We must call on Jehovah and Christ for salvation
1)         (Joel 2:32) “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: ...
2)        (Romans 10:9) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
e.         Every knee will bow to Jehovah/Jesus
1)         (Isaiah 45:23) “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
2)         (Philippians 2:10) “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
f.           Both Jehovah and Christ are the First and the Last
1)         (Isaiah 44:6) “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
2)         (Revelation 1:17-18) “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
g.         Both Jehovah and Christ are unchanging.
1)         (Malachi 3:6) “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
2)         (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
h.         Both Jehovah and Christ laid the foundations
1)         (Isaiah 48:13) “Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
2)         (Hebrews 1:10-12) “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
Conclusion: Though our minds struggle to comprehend how Jesus and Jehovah God can be two Persons of the same Being, that is what Scripture teaches. They share the same titles, form, image, qualities, abilities, praise and activities because they ARE the same Being. Jesus, the Christ of Christmas is truly God.
            He became the perfect man in order that He could die as our substitute. He offers forgiveness and eternal life as a gift to you today. Every individual must admit his lost condition and receive God’s gift. No one can receive it for you. Have you personally received God’s gift?
Song: Come to the Saviour – 254