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[0:00] So that is gospel chapter 1 and verse 21. And she shall bring forth a son and there shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.

[0:21] Here we have the announcement by the angel to Joseph of the expected and anticipated birth of the son of God.

[0:42] This is the wonder of what we call the incarnation when God assumed human form.

[0:56] Now for us living in our day in New Testament times we are able to comprehend to a certain degree what is meant by the incarnation.

[1:20] Even the man in the street, the non-Christian, the man without any special profession of Christian faith would know what we are talking about when we talk of Jesus Christ coming into the world.

[1:42] Not all of course believe that he came by means of a virgin birth. But at least the majority of folk in our own land and in Western Hemisphere have some understanding of the idea of the Christian concept of the incarnation.

[2:09] But I wonder if we lived before the event occurred, whether it would ever dawn upon our minds what might take place.

[2:27] The incarnation is almost beyond man's comprehension. It is, it takes a great deal of faith for man to believe in a supreme being.

[2:48] Unless he worships an idol which he makes himself out of wood or stone and he carves it and he bows down to it. But if man believes in God who is a spirit, then that takes a great deal of faith to believe that outside the realm of tangible things exists a being.

[3:14] Not only that with whom we can have contact, but one that is infinitely greater than we are in every respect.

[3:30] So it amounts to a marvel that men believe in God at all. But it's even more amazing that men should be able to comprehend the Christian concept that God, the Spirit, God the Infinite assumed human form.

[4:00] As I say, we are able to understand at least what is meant by that concept today. But because of that it takes away, I think, something of the wonder and the marvel of it.

[4:20] To believe and to realize that God came into this world. And he assumed not some marvelous form and shape.

[4:38] So amazing that everyone would suddenly realize that this was a supernatural being. No, he assumed ordinary human form.

[4:53] And yet that is the Christian claim. That is the Christian belief. The Christian gospel hangs on this foundation.

[5:09] That God condescended to come into this world. The world that you and I inhabit.

[5:24] And assume a form like you and I have. Now, we know, I am sure, that no one can put a date on the day when the Lord Jesus Christ was born.

[5:46] There is no justification in scripture or anywhere else for believing that it happened on December the 25th. But marvelously, we do know the year in which this occurred.

[6:03] It occurred 1,995 years ago. It is truly remarkable that our calendar is based upon this historical fact.

[6:21] That in the year that we would class as year zero, something happened. Something that took the world by storm.

[6:32] So much so that history books and calendars and the whole economy of certainly of the western world runs on the fact that we now live in the year 1995 Anno Domini, A.D.

[6:47] If you want an argument to sustain your conversation with your neighbors and friends, then use this one.

[7:01] Very basic. Something must have happened in that year. Zero. Zero. And it was just this. That Mary shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus.

[7:20] For he shall save his people from their sins. This is the announcement here of this wondrous and amazing happening.

[7:36] The announcement of the incarnation. The incarnation concerns a person. The Lord Jesus Christ.

[7:47] Let's think of him for a few moments. First of all, his person. Then his name. And then his mission. The person.

[7:59] The person. The person of the Lord Jesus Christ. She. That is Mary. Shall bring forth a son.

[8:12] We believe. The Christian faith. Believes. That that. Conception. And that birth. Was miraculous. We believe.

[8:24] And we deny. That Joseph. Was. The father. Of. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Gospel.

[8:35] Of Luke. Explains. In more detail. What happened. The Holy Ghost. The angel said to Mary. The Holy Ghost. Shall come upon thee.

[8:45] And the power of the highest. Shall overshadow thee. Therefore also. That holy thing. Which shall be born of thee. Shall be called.

[8:56] The son. Of God. He had. A miraculous. Birth. A miraculous. Beginning. In this world.

[9:09] Because of that. He. Was not. Tainted. With original sin. Like every other. Human being. Like you.

[9:21] And I. We come into this world. We have a human mother. We have a human father. And genetically. Somehow or other. Mysteriously.

[9:32] Is passed on to us. Original sin. So that. From the moment. We are born. We begin to manifest. The signs.

[9:44] Of this disease. And ere long. We do that. Which we ought not to do. And we don't do that. Which we. Should do. But our Lord.

[9:55] Jesus Christ. Was not. Like that. He was in all points. Tempted as we are. But. Without. Sin.

[10:05] He was fully human. And yet. Fully. Fully. Divine. He looked.

[10:18] Perfectly human. There is nothing. In. The description. We have. Of him. In the gospels. To suggest. That he was in any way.

[10:29] Physically different. From anyone else. In fact. There are. Suggestions. That he went. Unnoticed. Amongst. The majority. Of people.

[10:42] He was perfectly. And fully human. He suffered. Hunger. And tiredness. Fatigue. And he revealed.

[10:52] Human emotions. Of joy. And sorrow. And yet. He was. Fully. Divine. Fully.

[11:04] God. The second. Person. Of. The Trinity. This.

[11:15] This. Fact. Has. Exercised. The minds. Of. Theologians. Down. Through. The years. How.

[11:26] Can. A divine. Nature. And a human. Nature. Occur. In one. Human. Form. The thing.

[11:37] Is called. The hypostatic. Union. And if you want. To. Exercise. Your minds. Then. I would suggest. You take a. Volume.

[11:47] And read. About the hypostatic. Union. But it is. Interesting. Isn't it. Without. Going into the. Details. And intricacies. Of it. How.

[11:57] Can. God. And man. Exist. In one person. We wouldn't know. Unless. It had been revealed. To us. In the person. Of Jesus Christ.

[12:13] Another thing. And an important thing. Concerning his person. Is that he existed. Before. He became. Incarnate. Christ. He existed.

[12:25] Before. He was born. At Bethlehem. There are those. Who deny this. There. There are those. Who say. That Christ. Was a created.

[12:36] Being. Two thousand. Years ago. God created him. And made him. His son. That is what. The Jehovah's. Witnesses. Believe. And others also.

[12:50] But remember. The words. Of the beginning. Of John's gospel. In the beginning. Was the word. And the word. Was with God. And the word.

[13:02] Was God. The same. Was in the beginning. With God. Lord Jesus Christ. Christ. Has always.

[13:12] Existed. As the second. Person. Of the Trinity. Moreover. He still exists. Today. When he ascended up.

[13:24] Into heaven. He didn't disappear. Forever. He is there. Sitting at the right. Hand. Of the majesty. On high. He is looking down.

[13:37] He is beholding. All that takes place. In this world. And one day. He will return. And come.

[13:48] For his own. So he existed. From eternity. To eternity. He is truly.

[13:59] The son. Of God. The second. Person. Of the divine. Trinity. And yet. He condescended. To come.

[14:10] Into this world. And be made. Like. One of us. Why did he do that?

[14:21] Well. We shall consider. In a moment. But first of all. Let's briefly. Consider his name. Thou shalt call.

[14:32] His name. Jesus. Jesus. Names. In scripture. Almost invariably. Have a meaning. Today.

[14:44] With us. Names. Rarely. Mean anything. John. And. Mary. And. Fred.

[14:54] And. Albert. And I suppose. Jock. And Murdoch. And. Others. Names. That you may be more. Acquainted with. As far as I know.

[15:04] Don't mean. Anything. Special. Or anything at all. But in scripture. Names. Have a meaning. Samuel.

[15:16] For instance. Means. Heard of God. Samuel's mother. Hannah. Desperately. Wanted.

[15:27] A child. God. And. When her prayer. Was heard. She called her son. Heard of God. Samuel. Other names.

[15:39] Have meanings. David. For instance. Means. Beloved. Solomon. Means. Peace. Shalom. As in.

[15:49] Shalom. You're probably. Well aware. That is the Jewish word. For peace. Peter. We're told. In the New Testament. Means a stone. And so on. Wherever you come across a name.

[16:02] More often than not. It has a meaning. What is the name of Jesus? Jesus. Jesus. Was. A fairly common name. In.

[16:14] Old Testament times. It's the same name as Joshua. In the Old Testament. And it has the. Root meaning. Of.

[16:26] Savior. It can be interpreted. As. Jehovah. Jehovah. Saves. Or Jehovah. Is a savior. Or Jehovah.

[16:37] Is salvation. But the significance. Of course. Is that the angel. Said to Joseph. This child.

[16:48] Has to be called. Jesus. Jesus. It has to be. It has to be. Implied. In his very name. That he came.

[17:00] To save. That was his work. And his mission. And it's implied. In his name. Names are important.

[17:13] Even to us. This morning. I. I. Mentioned the. First question. Of the. Shorter catechism.

[17:24] When I was very young. I was. Taught. The. Church of England. Catechism. And the first question. Of the church. Of England. Catechism. Which you find.

[17:35] In the book. Of common prayer. Is. What is your name? Rather a strange. Question. You might think. First of all. What is your name? And the reply.

[17:46] You have to give. If you're a candidate. Is. Well my name is. Is. Tom. Or Dick. Or. Or whatever it is. That's the answer. To the. Catechism. Why was that important?

[18:00] Well it was. The importance. Of it. Is to give. Every. Newborn. Child. An identity. From this. We get. The terminology.

[18:12] A Christian. Name. Sadly. That's dropping out. Of our vocabulary. These days. And on. Forms. And. Other. Legal documents.

[18:24] We no longer. Put down. The Christian name. You put down. Your forename. Or your first name. It's just another sign. Of our. Drift. Away. From our Christian.

[18:35] Foundation. Originally. We put down. Our surname. And we put down. Our Christian name. And our Christian name. Gives us. An identity. As a person.

[18:48] Living in a Christian. Country. Assuming. A Christian. Profession. And one assumes. A Christian profession.

[18:58] Because in God's sight. We are important. As individuals. God sees us. All. As individuals. And what is more.

[19:10] He says. That he writes. The names. Of his. Elect people. In the Lamb's. Book of life. Names.

[19:20] Are important. To God. Your name. Is important. And my name. Is important. But most of all. Of course. The name of Jesus.

[19:31] Is important. Why is the name of Jesus. Important. Well. Peter. Brings this out. Very clearly. In Acts. Chapter 4.

[19:43] He says this. Neither. Is there salvation. In any other. For there is none other name. Under heaven. Given among men.

[19:55] Whereby. We must. Be saved. There is salvation. In no other name. Under heaven. Except.

[20:07] In the name. Of the Lord. Jesus Christ. Salvation. Is not to be found. In the name. Of Allah. Salvation.

[20:18] Is not to be found. In the name. Of the Pope. Salvation. Is not to be found. In the name. Of any guru. Salvation.

[20:28] Is not to be found. In the name. Of any politician. Or political party. Salvation. Is only. To be found. In the name.

[20:40] Of Jesus. Christ. God's son. God's son. But. Salvation. Is to be found. There. That is the glorious. Thing. And if you.

[20:52] Or I. Have a. Hungering. After. Salvation. If we have. Any desire. For. Salvation. Then.

[21:04] This is. Where. That salvation. Can. Be found. That brings us. On to our. Third point. What.

[21:15] Was. The mission. Of the Lord. Jesus Christ. For he. Shall. Save. His people. From. Their sins.

[21:28] He came. To. Fulfill. A mission. He came. To do. A work. Amazing. The number. Of people. Who. Believe.

[21:38] That. Jesus Christ. Just came. To. Give. A good example. Of how. People. Should live. He came.

[21:49] To preach. The sermon. On the mount. And that was. The sum. Total. Of what he had. To say. To his. Creation. Follow.

[22:00] This. Example. If you can. Do this. And. If you. Score. Enough. Marks. At the end. Of the day. Then you'll. Be all right. That is.

[22:12] The gospel. That is understood. By so many. Today. No. He had. A mission. He had.

[22:23] To come. He had. To live. A sinless. Life. And. What's more. He had. To die. The work. The work.

[22:34] Was that. Of. Of. Saving. Men. And women. From. Their sins. Now. This presupposes. That men and women.

[22:45] Need saving. And. This is the. The difficulty. With the christian gospel. As I see it. Particularly. In our own day and age. People don't.

[22:58] Believe. Or don't realize. Don't acknowledge. That they need. Saving. Do you. Believe. If you're.

[23:09] Perhaps. Not a professing christian. Here tonight. Do you believe. That you. Desperately. Need. To be saved. If you suffer.

[23:20] From some. Medical. Infirmity. Or problem. Usually. Nine times. Out of ten.

[23:30] You're conscious. Of that problem. You experience. Pain. Or something. Is wrong. With your metabolism. Or you can't.

[23:41] Walk. Properly. Or you can't. Sleep. Or you can't. Function. As you should. And so you go to the doctor. And he. Prescribes something. And. Hopefully you recover.

[23:55] The bible tells us. That. All of us. Every man. Woman. Boy. And girl. In this world. Are suffering. From a disease.

[24:06] Called sin. It's like a cancer. In the soul. And it has affected. Every part. Of our being.

[24:19] The trouble is. We don't realize. We're not conscious of it. Except. As it manifests itself. In. Some violent way.

[24:30] And usually. We're far more. Conscious of it. In other people. Than we are. In ourselves. We're ready to point the finger. At others.

[24:41] For their misdeeds. So very few. Acknowledge. That they. Are guilty.

[24:51] Of these things. And that they. You and I. Are affected. By this. Terrible. Disease.

[25:03] This thing. That has been. The. Reason. For all the ills. This world. Has ever known.

[25:15] You want. To know. The reason. For wars. The reason. For famines. The reason. For distresses. The reason.

[25:26] For. Hatred. Between. Men and women. Between races. Between families. Is. Whatever. Whatever. Ill. You like to think of.

[25:37] The cause. Is. This little word. Three lettered word. Called sin. If sin. Had not entered into the world.

[25:48] Then this world. Would be paradise. Lives. But sadly. It is here. A good doctor. Will tell you. That. In order to.

[26:00] Deal. With. A disease. Or a. Medical. Problem. You have to get. Right. To the root. Of the problem.

[26:11] It's no good. Dealing. On the surface. Putting. A bit of a. Lastoplast. Over the. Over the. Sore. And hoping. It will go away.

[26:23] No. You have to. Dig. Deep. With the. Scarple. Find. The tumor. Find. The cause. And remove. That.

[26:35] And the. Christian gospel. Declares. That. Only. One. Person. Was. Able. And is. Able. To deal. With the. Root. Cause.

[26:46] Of sin. And that. Is. Our. Lord. Jesus. Christ. What is. More. Sin.

[26:56] Involves. A penalty. Today. We. Sin. With. Impunity. I think. It's. Very. Aptly. Summed. Up. By. Paul.

[27:08] When he. Wrote. To the. To the. Church. At Rome. And he. Described. The. Described. Men. Women. In this way. He says.

[27:21] These. People. Who. Knowing. The. Judgment. Of. God. That. They. Which. Commit. Such. Things. Are. Worthy. Of. Death. Not. Only. Do. The. Same. But.

[27:32] Have. Pleasure. In. Them. That. Do. Them. Surely. That's. A. Photograph. Of. 20th. Century. Society. We. Not.

[27:42] Only. Do. Not. Only. Sin. But. We. Have. Pleasure. In. Sin. We. We. Think. It's. A. Wonderful. Way. To. Act. And. To. Carry. On. God.

[27:55] On. The. Other. Hand. Takes. Note. God. Records. Even. Even. Every. Loose. Word. Which.

[28:05] Falls. From. Our. Lips. And. The. Wages. Of. Sin. God. Says. Is. Death. We. Must.

[28:15] All. Stand. Before. The. Judgment. Seat. Of. Christ. And. Give. An. Account. Of. How. We. Have. Lived. In. This. World.

[28:25] We. Might. Get. Away. With. It. For. Three. Score. Years. And. Ten. But. No. One. Will. Get. Away. With. It. For.

[28:36] Eternity. That. Is. Apart. From. The. Mission. Which.

[28:47] Our. Saviour. Fulfilled. There. Shall. Call. His. Name. Jesus. For. He. Shall. Save. His.

[28:57] People. From. Their. Sins. He. Will. Accomplish. His. Mission. And. We. Know. That. He. Did.

[29:08] Do. That. Notice. He. Didn't. Come. Just. To. Make. Salvation. Possible. He.

[29:18] Came. To. Save. The. Late. Professor. John. Murray. Says. It. Must. Be. Noted. That. He. Came.

[29:28] Into. The. World. To. Save. He. Did. Not. Come. Simply. To. Make. It. Possible. For. His. People. To. Be. Saved. Nor. Merely.

[29:39] To. Provide. The. Opportunity. Of. Salvation. For. His. People. It. Is. Not. As. If. He. Made. Salvation. For. His. People. Available. And. That. Self.

[29:54] Supply. The. Case. Is. That. He. Shall. Save. There. Is. No. Uncertainty. Or. Contingency. There.

[30:05] Is. Definiteness. Now. Let me. Give you. An. Illustration. Of. What. I. Mean. By. This. Supposing.

[30:16] There. Is. A. Burning. Building. A. Burning. House. And. People. Are. Trapped. In. The. Upstairs. Room. And.

[30:26] The. Fire. Brigade. Arise. And. Put. Up. Put. Up. A. Ladder. Gates. The. Upstairs. Window. And. The. Fireman. Runs. Up. The. Ladder. And.

[30:37] Sharks. To. The. People. Inside. Here's. The. Fire. Brigade. All. You. Need. To. Do. Is. To. Come. Out. And. Step.

[30:47] Onto. The. Ladder. And. You. Will. But. The. People. Inside. Are. Overcome. With.

[30:58] Fumes. And. They're. Unconscious. Oh. The. Fireman. Would. Be. Dubbed. A. True. Saviour. Of. Those. People.

[31:08] If. He. Did. As. Is. Is. Customary. Practice. To. Go. In. Through. The. Window. And. To.

[31:19] Pick up. The. People. That. Are. Lying. There. Perhaps. Over. His. Shoulder. And. To. Carry. Them. Down. In. Safety. To. The. Ground. That.

[31:30] Is. The. Way. Our. Lord. Jesus. Christ. Acts. As. A. Saviour. He. Actually. Saves. His. People. He.

[31:41] Doesn't. Just. Make. Salvation. Possible. And. Leave. It. For. You. And. I. To. Add. Something. To. His. Work. He. Has. Done. It. All.

[31:54] Now. Who. Did. He. Come. To. Save. He. Came. To. Save. His. People. We're. Told. Who. Are. His.

[32:04] People. People. Some. People. Believe. That. When. The. Bible. Speaks. Of. God's. People. They're. Referring. To. The.

[32:14] Jews. You. Still. Hear. This. Today. Oh. Well. The. Jews. Are. God's. People. Of. Course. There. Is. A. Sense. In. Which. They. Were. God's. People. In. In. The. Old. Testament.

[32:27] But. Not. Even. All. The. Jews. Strictly. Speaking. Are. The. People. Of. God. Because. Amongst.

[32:38] The. Children. Of. Israel. There. Are. Many. Who. Turned. Aside. From. God. Went. And. Served. Other. Gods. And. Didn't. Want. To. Know. Jehovah.

[32:49] Their. God. And. Their. Redeemer. And. We. Understand. That. Even. Amongst. The. Children. Of.

[32:59] Israel. There. Was. What. Is. Described. As. An. Elect. Remnant. Other. People. Say. Well. Of.

[33:09] Course. The. People. Of. God. Are. Religious. People. Professing. Christians. All. Those. Who. Go. To. Church. On. A. Sunday. Or.

[33:20] Something. Like. That. Well. That. May. Be. One. Definition. But. It. Certainly. Not. A. Definition. Supported.

[33:30] By. The. Scriptures. The. People. Of. God. According. To. The. Scriptures. Are. A. People. That. God. Has. Chosen. For.

[33:41] Himself. Chosen. Before. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. Created. The. World. In. Which. We. Live. He.

[33:52] Chosen. Them. By. A. Means. That. Makes. No. Distinction. Whatsoever. Of. Class. Or.

[34:02] Creed. Or. Social. Standing. Or. Religious. Background. Or. Upbringing. Or. Any. Other. Demarcation. You.

[34:12] Can. Think. Of. Why. He. Chose. Some. And. Not. All. Remains. A. Mystery. The.

[34:24] Wonder. Is. He. Chose. Any. Because. He. Could. Well. Have. Left. Us. All. To. Perish. In. Our. Sins. And. He. Would. Have. Been.

[34:34] Fully. Justified. In. So. Doing. The. Wonder. Of. Grace. Is. That. God. In. His. Mercy. Chose.

[34:45] A. People. For. Himself. A. People. That. We. Are. Told. Is. As. Numerous. Or. Shall. Be. As. Numerous. As. The. Grains.

[34:56] Of. Sand. Upon. The. Seashore. And. The. Stars. In. The. Heavens. Came. To. Save. His.

[35:06] People. From. Their. Sins. Friends. Listen.

[35:21] The. Words. Of. Dr. John. Kennedy. Of. Dingwall. Of. The. Last. Century. Speaking. Of.

[35:32] God's. People. He. Says. their redemption by Christ adds another peculiarity to the relation of the elect to God. For they and they only were redeemed because redemption flowed from the electing love of God.

[35:51] The purpose of God, according to election, defined the people for whom salvation was provided. In behalf of these, the Son engaged to act his part as the head of the covenant of grace and for them in fulfillment of his promise he purchased their redemption.

[36:17] Let us briefly notice three things in application of this text. First of all, how glorious is the announcement that the angel made.

[36:35] The world has never heard a greater announcement than the announcement of the Messiah. The announcement was made to only one man, to Joseph, but it warrants being shouted from the housetops to being proclaimed on every television channel and every public means of communication that exists.

[37:04] That Jesus Christ, God's Son, has come in the flesh. In the second place, notice how glorious is the application of the announcement to God's people.

[37:25] because he came to save us from our sins. Are you one of the people of God?

[37:38] That is the question that you must answer. You must say, well, however do I know if I am one of God's people? How can we tell?

[37:51] How do we know? We are given some guidance in this matter. The Apostle Peter says this, Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

[38:13] For if you do these things, ye shall never fall. And the Apostle Paul says, very similarly, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.

[38:28] Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.

[38:41] So if you are the people of God, you will desire to repent of your sins and to turn from them.

[38:53] You will have the desire in your heart to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and friend. You will have within your heart the desire to love God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength.

[39:12] I am not saying that any of us do these things completely or perfectly, far from it, but we have the seed of the desire within our breasts.

[39:27] We have the love of the brethren shed abroad in our hearts. We love other Christians, do we not? And if you are one of the people of God, you love your fellow Christian believer.

[39:46] You have a desire for the word of God. You take your Bible, you read it, you study it, you love what God has to say to you.

[39:57] You desire to pray. You get down on your knees at the end of the day and you speak to your Heavenly Father.

[40:10] You love the presence of God in his house. You come to the Lord's house Sabbath by Sabbath, week by week. You love the place wherein God's honour lies.

[40:25] These are the marks of the child of God, the man or the woman that God has chosen. It's not so difficult, is it, to work out whether you and I belong to the people of God.

[40:45] If we have something of these desires in our hearts, then we have confidence to believe that God in his mercy and in his infinite grace has reached down and touched our lives and has called us to be his own.

[41:07] And thirdly and lastly, how glorious is the prospect that awaits the people of God as we look forward to eternity.

[41:23] Let Dr. John Kennedy again have the last word. He says, Their soul shall be perfectly conformed to his and their risen body shall be fashioned like to his glorious body.

[41:39] Oh, what a consummation! How delightful to the Father! How satisfying to the sons! Before the Father shall the elder brother present the children, all in the beauty of his likeness!

[41:57] How certain and how fervent shall their welcome be from God! How sure is a mansion for each of them in the Father's house!

[42:08] How ravishing their bliss! as they shall dwell there forever! God grant that that might be your portion and mine for his name's sake.

[42:23] Amen. Let us pray. Amen. Thank you for us. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[42:34] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[42:44]  Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.