THE APOSTLES’ CHRISTMAS – I BELIEVE IN JESUS

The Apostles’ Christmas

“I Believe in Jesus”

Luke 1:26-33

“I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,” (ELLC)

“[Arguments about God are] like pointing a flashlight toward the sky to see if the sun is shining.”

          ― N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

What do we know about Jesus from this passage?

1. The birth announcement of Jesus was announced in a way to humble people. Vv.26-31

“And there appeared to him an angel of the LORD standing at the right side of the altar of incense.” Luke 1:11

“The tone of the setting of Jesus’ birth matches the tone of his ministry. The great God of heaven sends the gift of salvation to humans in a serene unadorned package of simplicity.” Darrell Bock

2. We believe in Jesus because He is the King. (v.32)

“Zacchaeus may have been a wee little man, but he modeled this big reality by positioning himself along the path of grace. He couldn’t force Jesus’s hand, he couldn’t make grace flow, automatically, but he could put himself by faith along the path where Grace was coming (Luke 19:1-10). The same was true of blind Bartimaeus (Luke 18:35-43). He couldn’t earn the restoration of his sight, but he could station himself along the route of grace where Jesus might give the gift as he passed that way.” David Mathis, Habits of Grace

3. We believe in Jesus because His never ends. (v.33)

“Nothing will overcome Jesus or bring a halt to his reign. Luke-Acts makes clear that neither official Jewish rejection nor crucifixion will stop the plan of God for his Davidic king.”

          ― Darrell Bock