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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, 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 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I was thinking about this sermon when God became a man. You know, it’s Christmas time, and you’re supposed to have a Christmas type message. And so as I was thinking about it, I also wrote why God became a man. I know we know when He became a man, but why? And so I hope that you’ll be able to follow this little simple outline is that when God became a man, you’ll see the first point is this child is God.

Point number two, this man is God. And down at the bottom, this God is God. I thought that was a pretty good outline, and I knew you’d appreciate it. And I even gave some scripture to try to back it up. But here in your texts, all these are scriptures that are right there in your Bible. You can note them later, but I wanna read them in and comment and you can follow along in your Bible. You see the text is 1 Timothy chapter three and verse 16.

tremendous verse, and it says, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, the mystery of godliness. The mystery of godliness is God manifesting himself in the flesh. God becoming a man. Now I know we like to have men that think they’re God, but now God became a man. God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in the glory. Isn’t that a good picture of Christ coming?

He was born and He died, raised from the dead, justified in the Spirit by the power of the Holy Spirit, and ascended into heaven? And this is a story. The most beautiful love story that’s ever been told. There is no story greater than this story, but why would God become a man? Why did He do this? And so you look there in the first statement, this child is God. You see, Jesus, well, He was a expected baby. People were expecting this baby to be born, And he was a prophesied baby because the Old Testament has all these scriptures telling us about this child that was going to be born.

And this child was a perfect child, no child like this child because this child was God in the flesh. And the Bible tells us that He had a plan, that this child was going to live and grow and take upon Himself the sins of the world so that God could offer to us the free gift of everlasting life. So we have the child being born. J read those scriptures just born from the book of Luke. He whole is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

That’s who he was. He was the Lord. Christ. Christ is a reference to the Messiah that would be the payment for the sins of the whole world. That’s all prophesied. He came right on schedule. Born of a woman at just the right time. Look there at this scripture. Isaiah 714. says, Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son shall call his name Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God with us. This is not going to be just any child born.

This is not just anybody. This is a particular individual. And I just, chapter 9 and verse 6, it says, for unto us a child is born. That’s the flesh. That’s the body that was prepared for the Son that was given. You see, the Son is as old as the Father. Because the Son was going to be called the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father. Can’t have an everlasting Father without having an everlasting Son. So the Son is as old as the Father.

God is in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and they’re all God. Now there’s not three gods, only one God. You say, I can’t explain that, I can’t either. I believe it, but it’s the most difficult thing in your world to try to understand. That’s why God says, your thoughts are not my thoughts, your ways are not my ways. So therefore, he shows us that there is Jehovah, God himself, the Father. And then the Bible talks about the Son, and the Son was God.

And the Holy Spirit is God. But this child that was born was God and the flesh. For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. That’s because the Son has always existed. He didn’t just begin when Mary had a child. No, the son of God has always been. And you’ll notice what he says here. For unto us a child is born unto us, a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Means he’s going to rule, he’s going to reign.

He’s coming for a purpose. He is the king of Israel, but the Savior of the world. And the day he was born, They said, where is he that is born king of Israel in the book of Matthew? And in book of Luke, he is Christ the Savior of the world. So he was king, but this king was going to die, die for the people. So he says here, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. See those next three words?

That’s who Jesus is going to be called. That’s who he is. the mighty God, the Prince of Peace. Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 says, but thou Bethlehem Ephrata thou thou thou be little among the thousands of Judea. Yet out of these shall he come forth that is be ruler in Israel who’s going forth of old down everlasting. He never had a beginning, never has an ending. This child that was going to be born was going to be born in Bethlehem, the house of bread.

And that’s why Miriam Joseph had to go there because they were of the lineage of David, and that’s where David was from. Isn’t it amazing that just at the right time they issued to this decree, they had to go to the place and pay their taxes. And Jesus just happens to be born at the right time. Coincidence, isn’t it? No it’s not a coincidence. This is all prophesied because this baby was prophesied. This baby was expected. Now, when my momma was expecting me, I probably was more of a surprise than an expectation.

My daddy was really surprised. And this was after I was born. He said I was the ugliest kid he had ever seen in his life. Some say I had the face only a mother can love. You know, as you go through life, we’re not always as privileged to be able to pick what family we will be born in. I might have chose somebody else. I don’t know. But then if they could have chose what I was going to be like, they might have chosen another kid too.

So in Micah chapter 5, Jesus that was going to be born, the Son, the child was God in the flesh. You see there in John chapter one, John chapter one, in verse one says, in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and that’s before he became flesh in verse 14. Verse 14 where he makes a statement and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.

That’s why Jesus says, He that have seen me has seen the Father. I am the Father or one. Jesus is God. And so in the birth of Christ, that little baby that was born, that was God in the flesh. The scriptures tell us that. Now when we talk about this man, this man is God. See, whenever that little child grew up, this man was different. All of us, we can do pretty much the same thing. None of us can do any miracles.

We might be able to, some can sing or play a guitar, a piano, or something like that. And different people got different talents and abilities, but we’re still just a man. We’re just human. And the Bible said, but this man, see, this man came from this child. It’s amazing how many people worship the babe and the manger and reject the man on the cross. You see, you can’t love one without loving the other. It’s amazing how many people want to worship the babe and the manger doesn’t require anything from them.

They don’t have to believe anything. But you realize that babe was God in the flesh. And he grew up, look at number one. The Bible says in John chapter seven and verse 46, no man spake like this man. Now think of all the people in all the world. No man spake like this man. This man spoke with authority. This man was authority. This man was God in the flesh. Jesus was no sissy. I believe he was a well-built, strong man.

And notice what he says here. The officer’s answer, never man spake like this man. You see, whenever you keep hearing about this man, this man, this man, there’s something different about this man. You see, this man, nobody was born like this man. Nobody lived like this man. Nobody died like this man because this man was God in the flesh. You see, number two, this man receiveth sinners. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured saying, this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.

See, Jesus came into the world because there’s sinners in the world. Everybody is a sinner, but there were people in his day that despised sinners because they were righteous. They weren’t part of that group. You see, those are the low class down there, all those sinners down there, and they lifted themselves up above the rest of them. And that’s why they call a bunch of Pharisees claiming to be something that they’re not. They didn’t think they were sick, so they don’t need a physician.

But Jesus came to heal. And there’s some that knew they were sick. There’s some people don’t know they’re sick. They don’t know how bad they are. You may be here this morning and you really don’t know how bad off you really are. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, do you realize that when when you die, you will spend an eternity in hell. And some people claim to be so smart, so wise. Well, if you’re wise and you’re really smart, a man would be a fool to turn down a free gift.

When he makes a statement about those who had crucified him, he says, if they were so wise and so smart, why Why then did they crucify the Lord of glory? Why would a smart man deal with wisdom reject Jesus Christ as his Savior if he so wise? The Bible says the full have said in his heart, there is no God. Doesn’t it say that? But the Bible says Jesus was born into this world and Jesus was God. He’s the evidence that anybody wants to see, prove to me there’s a God.

Jesus is God. And He lived a life in such a way that there was all the evidence that anybody would ever need to see, hey, He has to be God. He has to be God. And no man died like this man. You see, a lot of people died. A lot of people were crucified. But he’s the only one that had the power to stop it. He could have called 10,000 angels, delivered himself. He could have blinded everybody. He could have destroyed the world.

So no man with the power that he had has ever done what he did. There’s nobody quite like him. No man ever speak like this man. And so the Bible says, for the Son of Man has come to seek him to save that which was lost. If only a man, then he could save no one. If he was only a man, he could save nobody. But because he was more than a man, he was a perfect man. He had no sin to think.

from a child till the day he died on the cross, never committed one sin, never did anything wrong, never had one bad thought, never said one bad word, nothing. And they examined him. And they said they find no fault in this man, because this man was different from all other men. No fault found in him. And that’s That’s why as a lamb, he was being examinated to find out is there any flaws in this lamb? And this was the perfect lamb without spot, without blemish, who was able to take upon himself the sin of the world, the lamb of God, the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Look there at number three, Pilate stated three times, said to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. See, this man is different. This man, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 12 says, but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever set down on the right hand of God, this man, gave himself for the sins of the world, By Himself purged our sin, paid for our sins. One man by Himself did something nobody could do.

See, I can’t pay for your sins. Why? I gotta pay for my home. Reason you can’t pay for your wives? She’s got a lot more than you. I know, she’s gotta pay for her own. Now you know what I just did. I just erased that. You can’t pay for somebody else’s sin because you’re guilty of your own. If you was to start from this day forward and never commit another sin, you say, well, that helped. No, right, because you’ve already done it.

You’re already condemned. Well, how many sins do you have to commit before you condemned? One. Man, I almost made it. You’re right. So Christ came, made the complete payment for all the sins of the world. And by trusting Him we have as a free gift ever lasting life. He made the payment, sending into heaven, set down, work is done. So the work for you and I to do to go to heaven Christ did. He died for your sins. Why?

You were supposed to die for your sins. And you would be eternally separated from God for all eternity. But He did it for you. And all that you have to do is believe He did it for you. It’s so simple, most people miss it. All you have to do to go to heaven is believe that He did that for you and you accept His payment for you. So that means you’re not going to try to earn your way to heaven.

You’re not going to try to buy it. It’s not because of how you live your life. And this is what blows people’s minds. How you live has nothing to do with your destination. Most people, they believe that if they live good, they go to heaven. If you live bad, you’re going to hell. You ever heard that? Ah, if you live good, you go to heaven. Bad, you go to hell. Well, the Bible says there is none good. There’s none righteous.

There’s none perfect. All have sinned. There is no difference. We’re all in the same boat. Number five, number five. There’s only forgiveness through this man. See in Acts 1338, be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is priests and needs of forgiveness of sin. The only way you can be forgiven of all of your sins is through this man, Jesus. That little baby that was born, he was born that he might die. You hear the song that we sing.

You hear it all the time. But the Bible says in the book of Hebrews in chapter 10, A body has not prepared me. Mary was used by God to produce a body in which the son of God would dwell in. Pabronac with a mungus. And then to go to the cross and the die for the sins of everybody. So he offers salvation freely to anybody. And if you’ll believe that he died and paid for your sins, he will forgive you of all of your, forgiven.

And so you never did it. He said, well, I just can’t believe that. Then you’ll have to take the consequences. I chose to believe it. I believe he loved me that much. So all my sins are forgiven. But he died for yours too. Only thing you have to do is believe He did it for you, and He will give you as a free gift everlasting life, and you get to go to heaven when you die. Look down to last statement.

This, God is God. Revelation chapter 1 verse 7 through 8 says, Behold, He cometh with clouds. Every eye shall see Him. They also, which pierced Him, and all kindreds of the earth shall well because of Him. Even so, amen, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty.” Now you can’t say that about a man, but this one that was pierced on the cross, this one that was crucified, buried, came back from the dead, ascended into heaven, and behold, he cometh with Ralph Woodclout, he’s coming back.

He is the Almighty. I had a person one time that was a Jehovah Witness, and there are anything but Jehovah’s Witnesses. I’m really Jehovah’s Witness. I’m really a witness for Jehovah. But they say, well the Bible doesn’t say that Jesus was the mighty God. I says it does too. It even says that Jehovah, capital, ill, O.R.D., is the mighty God and it says that Jesus is the mighty God and it says that Jesus is the Jesus is the Almighty God.

Say, where does it say that in the Bible? I showed him these two verses. Where it says that Jesus is called the Almighty. Look in Jeremiah 32 verse 18 here in your notes, thou showeth loving kindness under thousands of recompentence the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D, Jehovah, God Himself. It’s called the mighty God. And Jesus is called the Almighty God.

How do you like that? Jesus is God. And God has given Him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue she confessed that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father. That little baby He’s being born? That was Jesus. That was God in the flesh. The man that lived that was God in the flesh. Think about this. People literally lived, saw Him, saw Him after His resurrection.

Over 500 at one time, and they had all these witnesses. There was no man like this man, because no man was God like this man. Jesus is who he claimed to be. Let me show you this. You’ve probably never seen this before. I want you to watch me real close. Now watch my hand very closely. At no time will this hand ever leave my wrist. This is you and me. This is sin. We all have sin on us. God loves us.

Now he hates our sin, but he loves us. And the pay for this sin is eternal separation from God and hell. So the whole world is guilty. That’s why we’re all going to die. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect as right. This is God and nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s good to go. So I guess you could say as God who is perfect, made a perfect heaven, perfect world out there. But something was missing. It was you. You were missing.

You’re not there. God wanted you to be there. But you see, you couldn’t get there As He looks over the banister of heaven, He saw they’re all like sheep. They’ve all gone astray. They’ve turned everyone to their own way. They can’t find their way. So the Bible says that Jesus Christ with tears in His eyes and love in His heart came into this world, searching for us to make a way for us to be part of all that He has.

You see, does God need all of that? I don’t know what God needs, but he says something was missing, and so he made a man, made a woman. He wanted to have fellowship with us. He wants us to live in his presence for all eternity. To think that everything but one thing was missing was me. Well, as far as I’m concerned now, I’m not missing anymore. I’ve been found. He come looking for me. for me. And he found me through my father-in-law who sat down with me one day and told me the best news I’ve ever heard in my life.

We can’t find God. We can’t find a way. So God sent his son. He loves us, but he hates our sin, but our sin separates us from him. But we got a debt and we got to pay for it. So Jesus Christ, who loved us so much, took all the sin of all the world, paid for it on the cross and came back from the death. Said, if you would believe he did it for you, you’d be good to go.

He puts that payment to your account your debts paid. You have eternal life. You get to go to heaven. You ain’t missing anymore. But wouldn’t it be a shame for God to have all of this glory that we can’t even see yet, but He tells us about it? Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to miss out on it. Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to be missing? For all eternity didn’t have to be that way. Let’s pray, Showery.

Every head bowed and every eye closed, no one looking around. If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, don’t be missing. You don’t want to miss out on what God has for you. So He made a way He came into this world God became a man and paid a payment for your sins so that you could go to heaven. It would be a shame for you to reject what He did for you. God loves you so much.

And if you hear this morning, you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, I’m going to ask you to do just that. Well, you believe that what I told you was the truth? Would you believe that Christ did die for you and paid for your sins? Would you trust Him as your only hope of going to heaven? And if you’ll do that, I’m gonna ask you in just a moment to raise your hand, raise your hand doesn’t save you. It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you.

And if you’re watching by the internet, right there on the screen, there’s a little button to say, yes, I will trust Christ as my savior. I pray that you will. So we hit by a nice close, is there any one I’ll say yes, that made sense to me and I’ll trust Christ as my savior this morning and pray to our life for you to pray for him. We’ll just slip you in it very quickly, but right back down, is there any one at all?

Don’t be missing. Father, we thank You again for Your blessing. Thank You for all You’ve done for us. Lord, help us to appreciate more of what You’ve done for us when You did send Your Son. A lot of people accelerate Christmas, but they have no clue what it’s about. Help us to be courageous enough to share the gospel. And thank You for this time together. In Christ’s name, Amen. Are You a new listener to Bibleline? Do You enjoy the teachings of Dr.

Arnold? Well, if You’ve never contacted us before, We want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, and we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy. There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of the gospel-driven man.

A mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address, and God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. 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. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed.

Tada can meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.