“CHRISTMAS THEMES OF JESUS”

Sermon Series by Rev. Richard Jones

Part 2: The Name of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25

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THE BACKGROUND OF THE NAME

Matthew 1:18-25 (ESV)
¹⁸  Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
¹⁹  And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
²⁰  But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
²¹  She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
²²  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
²³  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
²⁴  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
²⁵  but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

THE BLESSING OF THE NAME

Matthew 1:1 (ESV)
¹  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Acts 5:30-31 (ESV)
³⁰  The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
³¹  God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 10:42-43 (ESV)
⁴²  And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
⁴³  To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

John 1:12 (ESV)
¹²  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

John 20:30-31 (ESV)
³⁰  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
³¹  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 John 3:9 (ESV)
⁹  No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God”™s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Romans 8:2-4 (ESV)
²  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
³  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
⁴  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)
¹  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
²  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
³  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
⁴  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Acts 4:12 (ESV)
¹²  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

“CHRISTMAS THEMES OF JESUS”

Sermon Series by Rev. Richard Jones

Part 1: Titles of Jesus

Isaiah 9:1-7

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Isaiah 9:1-7 (ESV)
¹   But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
²   The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
³  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Matthew 4:12-16 (ESV)
¹²  Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.
¹³  And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
¹⁴  so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
¹⁵  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles””
¹⁶  the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)
¹¹  Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
¹²  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
¹³  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
¹⁴  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
¹⁵  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
¹⁶  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 20:4-6 (ESV)
⁴  Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
⁵  The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
⁶  Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Micah 4:1-4 (ESV)
¹  It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it,
²  and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
³  He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;
⁴  but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

Psalm 33:11 (ESV)
¹¹  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

John 3:16 (ESV)
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 1:4 (ESV)
⁴  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 10:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Colossians 3:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Sermon by Rev. Richard Jones

(No audio recording available due to technical problems)

THE FIRST PERSECUTION

Message 3: The Prayer That Changed History

Acts:4 23-31

Acts 4:23-31 (ESV)
²³  When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
²⁴  And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
²⁵  who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “”˜Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”™””
²⁷  for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
²⁸  to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
²⁹  And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
³⁰  while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
³¹  And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

A PRAYER OF CONFIDENCE

Peter and John told the church all about it.

²³  When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

How would the church respond?

They prayed a corporate prayer.

²⁴  And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

They began with a powerful name for God. “Sovereign Lord,” Absolute master, “Despato,” All powerful. You are also the creator of everything with the right to rule.

Then their minds immediately turn to Scripture.

A quotation from Psalm 2. This was a Psalm written by David, guided by the Holy Spirit, a prophesy with DOUBLE FULFILLMENT.

 ²⁵  who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “”˜Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”™””

And they understood that this Psalm in part referred to their situation right then.

²⁷  for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

The world around us has ganged up on Jesus.

BUT…

²⁸  to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

It was to fulfill Your plan…Free will and God’s Sovereignty (God overrules).

Note that these Christians do not cry out in fear, but thy cry up in confidence. They are not running away from their problem, but they are kneeling before the God of solutions. And they ask for Divine enablement, not escape.

A PRAYER OF CONVICTION

They honestly laid the situation before God with humility. They stated the facts as they saw them, but they left the judgement up to Him.

²⁹  And now, Lord, look upon their threats

William MacDonald wrote, “They did not presume to dictate to God how to punish these wicked men, but simply left the matter to Him.”

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “True prayer is not telling God what to do, but asking God to do His will in and through us.”

The church presented the difficulty to God with a united voice. They prayed specifically, but they also prayed courageously. They never considered the possibility of stopping the message. They never considered quitting.

²⁹  grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

Safety was not the important thing. Fearless preaching was.

“God give us the grace to keep going! Help us keep telling the message.”

They did not pray to be kept safe, but to be kept courageous. They did not ask for protection, but for power.

Phillip Brooks once wrote, “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”

These early Christians asked God for the one thing that they knew beyond doubt was His will. They asked for grace to continue sharing the Gospel.

Someone has stated, “Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God.”

This prayer was in the center of God’s will. It still is. God will always give us the strength to witness about Jesus.

So, these believers prayed for three things. They prayed, “Look on their threats…grant to your servants”…and then they prayed, “Stretch out your hand.”

³⁰  while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

“Lord, show your power. Demonstrate the power of the name of Jesus.”

Show that Jesus is truly Messiah!!!

They prayed. They prayed together. They prayed in one accord. They prayed in unity with the perfect will of God. And God answered. Boy, did He answer!

A PRATER OF CONSEQUENCE

³¹  And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

You know God is approving when the building shakes.

“All were filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Everybody there was filled with God’s power. This is one of seven times in the book of Acts where people are filled with the Holy Spirit, and each time has to do with ministry. The filling is for service.

And what was the ministry then?

“They continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

They kept on witnessing and witnessing powerfully. Not only the Apostles were filled with power, but hundreds of Christians were now filled with power to speak out the Word. An army of Christians was now empowered to tell about Jesus. And they did tell about Jesus.

The Sanhedrin had tried to silence them. They had threatened them, trying to intimidate them. But now, instead of shutting up, they shouted out. The plan of the Sanhedrin had backfired. There was more witnessing about Jesus the Messiah than ever before. The whole city was filled with the message. Thousands heard it. The city was set aflame with the Gospel. The truth was magnified like never before.

That’s God.

And that’s what God can do with a believing church. That’s what God can do with a congregation that is unified and willing to serve Him. God can use His people to tell people the message that changes people. He can create an evangelism explosion.

The greatest purpose of the filling if the Holy Spirit is in telling the message of the Holy Spirit. We are filled to share. We are filled to explain. We are filled to testify.

These early Christians were not trained in Theology. They did not have education. They had little organization. And they had no certain method of evangelism. All they had was their own experience with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to share that with others. And they did.

The filling of the Holy Spirit is always about power to serve God and share God. And as I seek to serve God and share God, the power of God can enter my life in a dynamic way. God fills vessels that are open to Him, who seek to be used by Him.

It’s always a matter of me being open to be used. I don’t get more of God. He gets more of me.

These Christians submitted their lives to God’s purpose, sharing Christ’s message, no matter the cost. And look what happened.

Acts 4:32-33 (ESV)
³²  Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
³³  And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

There was unity…(vs.32)

There was generosity…(vs. 32)

There was powerful preaching…(vs. 33)

There was a sense of Grace…(vs.33)

Look at what God can do with a congregation fully surrendered to Him. All this started with a prayer…the most important prayer the early church had ever prayed.

But not only did their prayer bring about all these wonderful elements, it brought something else, too. It brought a fresh display of God’s power before all the city.

Acts 5:12-16 (ESV)
¹²  Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon”™s Portico.
¹³  None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
¹⁴  And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
¹⁵  so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
¹⁶  The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles did more miracles.

The church met openly at the Temple.

The city folk were both intimidated by them and attracted to them at the same time.

God used Peter as a special healer.

The power of God was on display, and the whole area of Jerusalem knew it.

This all occurred because of the prayer…the first prayer following the first persecution. How different things would have been if they had not prayed the way they did. How the history of Christianity would have been different.  How the world would have been different if these people had chosen to hide in fear. If they had followed the orders of the Sanhedrin, if they had stopped witnessing, how the world would have changed! 

But they didn’t stop. They prayed. They did not pray for safety. They prayed for strength. And God gave them strength. He gave them power. He turned them into excited evangelists.

And the Christian church today exists in part because of that prayer…the prayed that changed history!

Sermon by Rev. Richard Jones

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THE FIRST PERSECUTION

Message 2: Trial of the Truth

Acts 4: 5-22

A QUESTION FROM THE POWERFUL

Acts 4:5-7 (ESV)
⁵  On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,
⁶  with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.
⁷  And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

AN ANSWER BY THE SPIRIT

Acts 4:8-12 (ESV)
⁸  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,
⁹  if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
¹⁰  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead””by him this man is standing before you well.
¹¹  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
¹²  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)
¹³  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
¹⁴  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (ESV)
¹³  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body””Jews or Greeks, slaves or free””and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Luke 12:11-12 (ESV)
¹¹  And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,
¹²  for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Psalm 118:22-23 (ESV)
²²  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
²³  This is the LORD”™s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

1 Peter 2:6-8 (ESV)
⁶  For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
⁷  So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
⁸  and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

A DILEMMA IN THE COUNCIL

Acts 4:13-17 (ESV)
¹³  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
¹⁴  But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
¹⁵  But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,
¹⁶  saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
¹⁷  But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”

A CONVICTION OF THE APOSTLES

Acts 4:18-22 (ESV)
¹⁸  So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
¹⁹  But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
²⁰  for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
²¹  And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
²²  For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.