Text: Luke 2:28-33

I. Introduction

Long before mankind existed on this earth, before the earth, the sun, moon, stars were created, God the Father existed and had need of nothing. He had no beginning. He always was. But God made the decision to create. When God initiated creation, He chose to use the “Word” to carry out the process. The Word existed with God before creation.

Joh 1:1-3 (1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

“Words” are used to communicate. So God used the Great Communicator to create things visible and invisible. The heavenly bodies communicate to mankind God’s great power and glory. This Great Communicator would one day give His life for His creation.

(Joh 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ came to this earth to be a Mediator between God and man.

In the Bible there was a man named Simeon, who was a just man and followed the commandments of God. In the book of Luke we have a record of his words.

The word “Jesus” means “Saviour.” God sent mankind a Saviour. One who would rescue from harm or danger.

Luk 2:28-33 (28) Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, (29) Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: (30) For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, (31) Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; (32) A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (33) And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

The word “Jesus” means “Saviour.” God sent mankind a Saviour. One who would rescue from harm or danger.

II. The Necessity of Salvation

Have you ever been rescued: From an accident, or from water, or from some danger? The Bible tells us that we all need to be rescued.

When God created the first man and women, Adam and Eve, He had sweet fellowship with them. God loved them and they loved God. But it wasn’t long until the tempter (Satan) came and found them. His work is to instigate sin, disobedience, and lying.

His primary tool that is so overwhelming success is called deception. The tempter is very clever at making something wrong look attractive. This is how he succeeded to cause Adam & Eve to sin.

Gen 3:4-7 (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Satan can make something wrong desirable to: 1) your flesh 2) your eyes 3) your intellect. God created mankind with a free will to choose. And they chose the wrong.

So sin came into the human race and for 4000 years the solution to the sin problem was not complete.

How could sinful people live with a Holy God, in whose presence there is no sin?

(Rom 3:23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

According to the Bible, we all have sinned sometime in our lives.

(Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God’s punishment for sin is death: Both physical and spiritual. The difficult Question was “How could God rescue a people that had to die because of sin?”

We all know what physical death is, but what is spiritual death?

Rev 20:14-15 (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Spiritual death is defined as being cast into the lake of fire.

But because of God’s great love for mankind, He came up with a plan. And that plan would involve part of Himself.

III. A Prepared Salvation

God’s plan of salvation was planned and prepared for mankind.  It did not happen by chance.

 

In the fullness of His time, God sent His Son to be born on this earth for the purpose of rescuing mankind. It would be about 4000 years after Adam and Eve first sinned.

(Gal 4:4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

God’s plan of salvation was planned and prepared for mankind. It did not happen by chance.

The redemption of mankind would be costly. For Someone would have to bear the punishment for all the sins of mankind. And God chose His only Son.

(Joh 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

What did the Son think about all this?

(Heb 12:2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He had joy! Why? He looked beyond His sacrifice on the cross and understood God’s plan to redeem all of mankind, so that we could dwell with God eternally.

Jesus left the riches of heaven and became poor so that you and I could become rich.

(2Co 8:9) For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Great love causes great sacrifice to be joyous.

IV. Salvation, The Hope of Mankind

Jesus Christ lived a life without sin and so became the perfect substitute for our sins.

(2Co 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, God set in motion His plan to rescue all of mankind from their sins and provide them a way to live in heaven with their Creator and escape God’s judgment on sin.

In Adam all die, but in Jesus Christ we can all live. Rom 5:18-19 (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

No wonder the angels were overjoyed with the Saviour’s birth.

Luk 2:10-14 (10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (12) And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, (14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

V. Conclusion

The Good News is that salvation is to all people, without cost and without having to work for it.

Eph 2:8-9 (8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is obtained by simply repenting and asking for forgiveness for your sins, and by accepting Jesus Christ to be your Saviour.

(1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Rom 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.

Heaven rejoiced when Jesus was born, because Salvation had come.