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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline. Everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for a Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage.

We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. she shall bring forth a son and get this, shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” So right from the very beginning, Joseph was even told what his name would be and the purpose of him being born. So Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, Jehovah, Yasha, he is the one who saves, keeps and protects and defends.

This is why in the Old Testament, God over about 2,000 years gave prophecies, telling in advance what was going to happen. And where was he supposed to be born? In Bethlehem, Ephrata. As it says in the book of Micah chapter 5 and verse 2, about Bethlehem, Ephrata, though there will be little among the thousands of Judea. Yet out of these shall he come forth that is to be ruler in Israel who’s going forth have been from old everlasting. The one that’s going to be born never had to begin and never has an ending.

That’s why John the Baptist said afterward he says, he that comeeth after me was before me. Good stuff. But anyway, look what he says here. And he makes a statement in verse 23, behold, they quote the scriptures that we just read just a moment ago. Behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son. I shall call his name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us. But when he says up there behold a virgin shall be with child after she was impregnated by the Holy Spirit she was still a virgin.

A virgin shall be with child. She was a virgin before and she still is. Joseph had never touched her. Here’s a young woman gonna have a young man. And verse 24, then Joseph been raised from sleep dead as the angel of the Lord had been him and took unto him his wife and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son and called his name Jesus. So this is how the story begins. But there’s a little bit more to the story.

Take your Bible, and I turn over there to the book of Luke, to the book of Luke, and chapter 1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and I want you to look there in verse 26, chapter 1 of Luke and verse 26. Now this was an expected baby. This was a prepared baby. This was a prophesied baby. This was a perfect baby. my parents thought I was the perfect child, not really. Did you know that my dad really wanted to put me in a burlap sack and throw me in a river and drown me?

That is the truth. My mom would just wouldn’t let him. He would have done so. Anyway, as we’ll move in right along. Here in Luke chapter 1, look down in verse 26, and in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth. Now they were from Bethlehem, see, but they came up there to the Nazareth and they lived in Nazareth but they had to go to Bethlehem toward the taxes. But anyway, verse 27, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David because he had to be on the line of David to claim the throne of David.

So after all these years, you know, there’s King David and he had some sons and Nathan and Solomon and the line goes on down and lo and behold, down in the future, you know, a thousand years later, there has to be a man born of the right line and there has to be a woman born of the right line, of the right family. And they had to live in a right place because the son has to be born in a certain city that’s mentioned over 700 years in advance.

Coincidence? Not by the hair of my chin, chin, chin. This is the Word of God and it’s truth. And look what he says here. He makes a statement in verse 28. And the angel came in unto her and said, Hey Ola, thou that are highly favored, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou among women. I don’t believe she was the blessed above women, but among women. But she was blessed because many of the women wanted to be the one that would bring the Messiah into the world and she has this honor.

And verse 29, and when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner salutation this should be. I mean, when’s the last time you saw an angel? It’s so all it’s my husband. Then he, you married him, then he turned into the little devil, right? We would just let that alone and just stay with this here. Let me let it. So it says here in verse 30, “‘And the angel said unto her, “‘Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.'”

That means favor to have a child. In verse 31, “‘And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb “‘and bring forth a son, shall call his name Jesus. “‘He shall be great.'” Now look what it says about this child she’s going to have. Now she didn’t make this happen. Joseph didn’t make this happen. But this is what happened. He shall be great, shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.

He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom, there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be? See, and I know not a man. And the angel answered and said unto her, The holy go shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow them. Therefore also that,” and you ought to underline these two words, holy thing shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is a six month with her. And when they got together and one heard it and the babe leaped in the womb talking about John the baddest before he was born because he they were cousins, Mary and Elizabeth. And so she’d gone to see her and don’t you think those two ladies really had some things to talk about?

I mean one, a miracle because she was a virgin and the other one, she was an old woman. But it doesn’t say she was an old woman. It says that Zachariah was an old man and his wife. This is This is what he said to Yannan. And my wife is well-stricken in years. I’m an old man. Why didn’t he just say, I’m an old man. She’s an old woman. Because even back then they knew psychology a little bit. And knew I better not say it like that.

She’s just stricken in age. But anyway, she says all kind of good stuff found in the Word of God. Take your Bible and just turn over there to another good scripture. Let me just read this down here for you. It says in verse 39, And Mary arose in those days and went into the healed country with hasten to a city of Judah, entered into the house of Zachariah and saluted Elizabeth, came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost because she was gonna have a baby too. I mean a miracle of all miracles. I’m gonna preach that sermon a little bit later. Verse 40, and she spoke out with a loud voice and said, blessed are thou among women. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Wouldn’t it be great if all women believed that today, the fruit of the womb? And do you believe that it would have been okay for Mary to have an abortion?

No. What about Elizabeth? Should she have had an abortion? No. I don’t believe that that is the wise thing to do. But look what he says here in verse 45, and blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. God is going to perform all that he said he’s going to do. You see he hadn’t told many things and that’s the last part of the chapter here in chapter 2.

And as Zechariah is rehearsing the things about his own son and he’s talking about all the promises that God had made and the covenant that he had made and the Jacob his father and all these things, it just over weapons thing. This is it. It’s happening in their day. And they knew the visitation of the Lord. You know, when the Bible says in Luke chapter 19, when God was going to destroy the nation of Israel, it was because they knew not the day of his visitation.

when God Came to earth. It’s like, you know, a visitor coming to your house, or somebody coming to church. The Lord says in the Old Testament, I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming, here I come. And He told them where He would come, the year He would come, and how He would come, and lo and behold, He shows up. And the Bible says He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not.

They didn’t know him. And so because of hardheadedness, people we fused to believe, and yet he gave them all this revelation, the prophecies, and lo and behold, here he is. And they would not believe the truth. So I want you to look there in verse 46. And look what Mary said. Now this is the mom. And Mary says, my soul does magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my what? Now you ought to underline those last two are my savior.

You do not need a savior if you have no sins to be saved from. You don’t need a savior if there’s no hell to be saved from. So the Bible says that Mary said, in so many words indirectly, I am a sinner. I am a sinner. And she also says, I’m going to a place I need to be saved from. Means that Mary could go to hell. It means that when she understood, she says, this is my Savior. The woman is going to have a child that’s going to save her.

Why? Because This was the be the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. What an awesome story. You know, a man couldn’t make up a story like this. And then how do you tell the next guy 200 years later to add a little bit more to it? And then how do you tell the next guy down the road add a little bit more information so that after a couple thousand years, somebody is born that fulfills all those things to the T and does it miss a lick.

Can it just happen? Is it just a coincidence? They were just lucky guesses, or could itStage be possible that there really is a God in heaven that knows what’s going to take place before it ever happens? Because see, if you can believe this story, you can believe anything. I don’t have a trouble even with the book of Genesis because it says in the very first verse, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And because I believe in God, I can believe that God can create the heavens and the earth.

I don’t need any proof. I don’t need any facts. Because inwardly I know the world is here and I didn’t do it. And neither did you. And I don’t believe that something can come from nothing. When’s the last time you ever seen something created by nothing? And yet the world is here. So how did it happen? I believe the Bible. And that is my foundation to bone everything else that comes from it. But look what he says here. In verse 48, for he hath regarded and you ought to underline these two little words, low estate.

You see, Joseph and Mary, they weren’t rich folks living high on the hog. They were not somebody that was, you know, like today, maybe run around with all these things all over them. And like the pope does today, no. Jesus Christ was born in a stable or in a little cave a manger with the animals. Mary wasn’t rich. They couldn’t even afford to stay in an end. If they did have it, they couldn’t pay the price or they said there was no room in the Lumia.

And whenever Jesus was to be circumcised, it says they offered two small pigeons. That’s the sacrifice for the circumcision of poor folks. The rich folks would offer a bull or you know on up catam. But look what he says. In verse 49, for he that is mighty have done me great things and holy is his name. And this is how she began to understand some of the things. Did you know that Mary did not understand everything was going on?

Because it says that she would She died in verse 56 and Mary abode with her about three months in return to her own house, but it says that she had some things that she would try to ponder these things in her heart because she did not fully get all of the things that was going on. And the Lord tells us in chapter 2, not chapter 2, look in verse 1. Down through here is a brief little story of more background, but just give what it says here.

In verse 1, and it came to pass in those days that there went out of decree from Caesar Augusta that all the world should be taxed. And this taxon was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and all went to be taxed everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth unto Judea and unto the city of David, David, which is called Bethlehem. Now Bethlehem is a place called the House of Bread.

This is where he was going to be born. This is the prophecy that’s written over in the book of Micah in chapter 5 verse 2. But it says here, they went there because they had to pay taxes. So then God used government decrees and all of us this goes on to accomplish his will. And it amazing. And yet how did she get there? Well, she just jumped on the train and they, you know, or maybe she took a plane, you’re talking about almost 100 mile trip.

I mean, it’s a long way. And so they had to come all the way down there. And so she’s pregnant, probably riding on a donkey all that way. And how would you feel when all this is going on if this was happening to you in your life? It seemed like this happens wrong and that happens wrong. Now we’ve got to go do this. We’ve got to do that. And don’t we complain a lot? Just read about the first family here.

I mean, this is the ideal family, two godly individuals that love the Lord, want no problems and look what’s happening there. Like you think about talking about being shook up. Oh, it was all shook up. Anyway, the child was to be born in verse six. And so it was that after they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swelling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the end.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. At low the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were so afraid. The angel said unto them, fear not, for behold I bring you good titans of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, not a trailblazer, Not a Daniel Boomer or a Davy Crockett, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

It shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the Baberact and Swatling clothes, land in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward Ben. And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them in the heaven. The shepherd said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing, which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the say, and which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But look at verse 19, but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.

What a wonderful, wonderful story. And the Bible tells us that in all of these things, God even told Mary some other things. In spite of all the other things that were happening in their life, there was an old man that wanted to see the salvation of God. He wanted to see the Redeemer before he died. And so he patiently waited, but he believed that it was near. And when he saw the child, the Bible says, this is the one.

Now I can rest in peace. And it’s a wonderful thing. Look what he says here in verse 30 of chapter 2, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. See, this was all prepared in advance. This is not accidents happening. God can use the wickedness, the deceitfulness, the evilness of man to accomplish his purpose. God can use evil governments to accomplish his purpose. God knows what he’s doing. And then he says in verse 32, this child, this child, I’ll just mention in the book of Isaiah, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.

So you got the Gentiles and Israel told about this child. Before he was even born. And yet when they saw this child, they knew because the prophecy is written in advance and it was to fulfill the promise that God had made. See, God made a promise to Abraham. Saying, and they shall all families of the earth be blessed. And as it says in the book of Galatians in chapter 3 and verse 8, and the scripture for seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, priests before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee, Tommy Christ, shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

through faith, preached before the gospel under Abraham saying, in thee, Tommy Christ, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. So, justification of the heathen, God made a promise that everyone would be justified by faith and faith alone because of the payment this child will become. We talk about will you accept the payment Christ made for you. Jesus was the payment. Jesus coming back from the dead. That is the proof of payment. He is our living receipt and he is alive forever more.

He’ll never come again, never make another payment. But when he came the first time, he lived a sinless, a perfect life and was able to voluntarily choose to die for the sins of the whole world. And all He wants us to do is to believe He did it for us. How simple can you get? Aren’t you glad it’s not hard and complicated? You don’t have to join the church to go to heaven. You don’t have to give any money to go to heaven.

You don’t have to change your life to go to heaven. All you have to do is believe that that one that was born of a virgin died and paid for all of my sins and was buried and came back again from the dead and I believe that he did it for me. And God says, when you believe it, you have eternal life. But as he talks here, Simeon, I want you to notice something that he says. He says in verse 30, Joseph and his mother marvel at those things which were spoken of him.

Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary, his mother, behold this child, this child is set for the fall and the rise and again of many in Israel. People are going to accept Him or reject Him. And people are going to believe Him or not believe Him. And in makes a statement also there in verse 35, Yay, a sword shall even pierce through thy soul also. How do you think Mary felt on the day when she saw her son pierced with a spear in the side?

And this is still Mom. Oh, that’s her son, but she’s still mom. And to watch what happens to her son and knowing he had done nothing wrong. Even if he’s to be the payment for the sins of the world, you know, there’s a bond between a mom and the son. And notice what he says here, Yay, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Did you know that when you listen and you hear about what Jesus Christ did on the cross for the sins of the world, do you realize how just the teaching of this causes a man to search his own soul?

And that’s why a person comes to the conclusion, you know, I need, I need Jesus Christ. I need to believe on him that he died and paid for my sins. It causes a person to have that discernment through the gospel that I have sinned against God and I’m condemned. I’m not perfect. I’m not righteous. I’m not good enough to go to heaven. I need a Savior and Christ is the only Savior. And when we trust Him as our Savior, He gives us as a free gift ever lasting life.

But God used this woman to bring this child into the world and in the name verse 40, I want to close with this verse. And the child grew and wacked strong in spirit, feel with wisdom and in the grace of God was upon him. And this is a, a wonderful story that also goes down to verse 52 and we’ll cover that at a different time. Alrighty, that’s enough of the story of Mary. Anyway, look up here. This hand represents you and me.

The wallet represents sin. while we all have sin on us. God loves us, but He hates our sin. For us to pay for the sin is eternal separation from God. And since we’ve all sinned, we’re all condensed. We’re all in the same boat. Nobody’s any better than anybody else. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect. As righteous as God. But nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s righteous. Because of sin, we can’t get in. So how am I going to get there?

A body has not prepared me. Jesus Christ came into the world with born of a woman. As the Bible says in due time… Christ was born right on schedule and he lived for 33 and a half years without sin. And he chose to die for our sin because he loved us. Pated on the cross came back from the dead. One payment forever. Never have to be done again. And he did it 2,000 years ago. When he was on the cross, you were on his mind and he paid for your sins.

Now he says, will you believe he did it for you? If you believe he did it for you, he would give you as a freak gift everlasting like you get to go to heaven Oh what he did if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior if you never believed it that he did it for you You’re not saved You’re not a Christian. You will not go to heaven. It’s that simple That’s why it’s so important for you Will you trust Jesus Christ in him alone as your only hope of one to heaven and once you trust him you are saved and you never have to do it again.

If you trusted Christ, you’re Savior six months ago, you don’t have to do it again. If you trusted Him 20 years ago, you never have to do it again. If you trusted Him as your Savior last week, you don’t have to do it again. You can only get saved one time. He can only give you turn like once. He can only save you from hell once because He paid for all of your sins when he came the first time.

Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here this morning, and perhaps you never trust the Lord, why not just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this? For I know I’m a sinner and I realize I cannot save myself. I want to go to heaven, and I believe you died on that cross and pay for my sins. And this morning, right now, I believe you did it for me and I’m trusting you as my Savior. And friend, God said, if you would believe just that much, He would give you as a free gift everlasting life and you get to go to heaven on what Christ did for you.

I’m going to ask in just a moment to raise your hand, raise your hand as not Savior. It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you. And you say, I’m preaching that made sense to me and I will trust Christ right now and I’d like you to pray for me. We’ll just live in it very quickly and put our right back down. Let’s go, bless you, man. Don’t you trust Christ as Savior? It’s eternal life and He’ll never cast you out.

Anyone else before we close? Our Father, we do thank You so much for all You’ve done for us. We’re thankful for this time of year when people’s hearts and their minds are toward perhaps more spiritual things, hopefully, because of Christ. Though they celebrate His birth, we pray that they’ll understand why He came. realize the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. And so we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us, for the one that indicated that they would trust to Savior this morning.

And followed by doing so, you’d guarantee eternal life that you’ll never cast them out and have a bosom. Bless each one here. In Christ name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.