Christmas Is… | Part 3: Promised… [not pagan] | Jordan Brawner

[1] Christmas pagan

• The date of Christmas

• The Christmas tree

Colossians 2:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

[2] Not only is Christmas not pagan… Christmas is

• The where of Christmas…

Micah 5:2 (NIV)

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,
 out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

• A unlike any other would be born

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

• The birth would be

Isaiah 7:14 (GWT)

¹⁴ So the Lord himself will give you this sign: A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel [God Is With Us].

Matthew 1:24-25 (NIV)

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Ignatius in 108 AD:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ… was truly born of a virgin.”

Mark 6:3 (NLT)

³ Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

• A descendant of

2 Samuel 7:12-13 (NIV)

¹² When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

• A in the sky

Numbers 24:17 (NLT)

¹⁷ I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future.
A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.

Matthew 2:2 (TLV)

“Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

[3] Fulfilled prophecy is the of God

Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet…

• Fulfilled prophecy helps us have confidence in God

• Fulfilled prophecy helps us know God is ultimately in control

[4] Christmas teaches us that God plans ahead

• I look at some of the bumps and think…I made a bad

• I look at some of the bumps and think… my faith is being

• I look at some of the bumps and see… I needed to learn

• I look at some of the bumps and realize… that experience helped me

[5] God is even when we don’t see it

[6] Christmas gives us a reason to

• Celebrate Christmas with

James 1:17 (NIV)

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…

• Celebrate Christmas with

• Celebrate knowing God has a plan for you

• Celebrate Christmas remembering God delivers on his

• Celebrate Christmas with

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

⁶ For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given