Sunday Sermon
What's so special about this child?
Date: December 23, 2007
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Isaiah 7:10-14
Listen to Audio Sermon

ISAIAH 7:10-14
10Moreover, the Lord spoke again to King Ahaz, saying,
11Ask for yourself a sign (a token or proof) of the Lord your God [one that will convince you that God has spoken and will keep His word]; ask it either in the depth below or in the height above [let it be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven].
12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.
13And [Isaiah] said, Hear then, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary and try the patience of men, but will you weary and try the patience of my God also?
14Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].

VERSE 14 SAYS THAT THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL GIVE THE SIGN. THIS SIGN WAS TO SIGNIFY THAT GOD WILL KEEP HIS WORD. WHAT HE HAS SPOKEN, THAT IT WILL COME TO PASS.

SO THIS MIRACLE AT CHRISTMAS IS TO REMIND US THAT GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO. IT NOT ONLY SAVED ALL SINNERS THAT RECEIVE CHRIST’S SACRIFICE, BUT IT ALSO WAS A SIGN THAT WHATEVER GOD HAS IN HIS WORD WILL COME TO PASS.

LOOK AT PSALM 127:3-5 —
3Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
4As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.
5Happy, blessed, and fortunate is the man whose quiver is filled with them! They will not be put to shame when they speak with their adversaries [in gatherings] at the [city's] gate.

ALL CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM GOD, BUT THE GIFT OF JESUS WAS GOD’S GIFT TO THE WORLD TO SAVE THEM FROM THEIR SINS AND A SIGN THAT HE WILL KEEP ALL HIS WORD. THAT IS TO SAY THAT ALL HIS PROMISES WILL COME TO PASS, ESPECIALLY FOR US IF WE ACCEPT JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR AND KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT THOSE PROMISES WILL COME TO PASS IN OUR LIVES.

LOOK AT WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT DESTRUCTION IN MATTHEW 7:13-14. —
13Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.
14But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

THIS BABY’S BIRTH WAS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FIND THE PATH INTO HEAVEN. THIS BIRTH, IF UNDERSTOOD BY PEOPLE, CAN LEAD THEM AWAY FROM THE WAY THE LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.

SO WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS CHILD? HIS BIRTH IS DETERMINING YOUR ETERNITY AND IT’S YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE. YOU MUST MAKE THE DECISION AND CONCLUDE THAT THIS BABY’S BIRTH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR YOU OR YOU CAN SAY THAT IT MEANS NOTHING FOR YOU AND GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE AS IS. IF YOU DO THAT, YOU ARE ON THE PATH OF DESTRUCTION AS STATED IN MATTHEW 7:13.

NOW MARY AND JOSEPH DEDICATED JESUS TO THE LORD.

LOOK AT LUKE 2:22 –
22And when the time for their purification [the mother's purification and the Baby's dedication] came according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.

BECAUSE OF THIS DEDICATION AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THEY RAISED HIM IN THE ADMONITION OF THE LORD. THAT IS KEEPING HIM CONNECTED TO GOD SO THAT HE COULD DISCERN GOD’S PLAN FOR HIMSELF. THEY TRAINED HIM SO WELL THAT AT AGE 12 HE DID SOMETHING THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING.

LOOK AT LUKE 2:41-49 –
41Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year to the Passover Feast.
42And when He was twelve years [old], they went up, as was their custom.
43And when the Feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. Now His parents did not know this,
44But, supposing Him to be in the caravan, they traveled on a day's journey; and [then] they sought Him [diligently, looking up and down for Him] among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.
45And when they failed to find Him, they went back to Jerusalem, looking for Him [up and down] all the way.
46After three days they found Him [came upon Him] in the [court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard Him were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His intelligence and understanding and His replies.
48And when they [Joseph and Mary] saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, Child, why have You treated us like this? Here Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You [distressed and tormented].
49And He said to them, How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary [as a duty] for Me ]to be in My Father's house and [occupied] about My Father's business?

HE KNEW WHAT HIS CALLING WAS, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT PREMATURE, THAT’S WHY JOSEPH AND MARY BROUGHT HIM BACK WITH THEM.

LOOK AT LUKE 2:50-52 —
50But they did not comprehend what He was saying to them.
51And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was [habitually] obedient to them; and his mother kept and closely and persistently guarded all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.

OUR JOB AS PARENTS IS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST AND FULLNESS OF HIS MINISTRY AND TO BE ABEL TO RELATE THAT TO OUR CHILDREN, WHICH WE SAID WERE GIFTS FROM GOD.

THAT BIRTH IN THE MANGER WAS RELATING TO US THAT GOD WOULD KEEP HIS PROMISES AND WORD AND THAT AS WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WE ARE TO RELATE TO OUR CHILDREN, WHY HE WAS BORN, WHY HE LIVED AND WHY HE DIED AND RESURRECTED. THE POINT BEING, THAT IT WAS ALL FOR YOU AND I. BUT YOUR CHILD MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT UNLESS YOU RAISE THEM IN THE ADMONITION OF THE LORD. AND IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU CAN CLAIM THE PROMISE OF...

PROVERBS 22:6 –
6Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

WHAT YOU ARE DOING TODAY IS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WILL INSURE YOUR CHILD’S CHOOSING THE PATH TO HEAVEN. THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME DEAL FOR PARENTS, IT IS A DAILY EXAMPLE THAT YOU MUST PROVIDE TO THEM BY EXPOSING THEM TO THE GOSPEL, PRAYING FOR AND WITH THEM AND KEEPING THEM IN FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS. AS LONG AS THAT CHILD IS IN YOUR PROTECTION THIS DUTY DOES NOT STOP.

MY QUESTION TODAY TO PARENTS IS, ARE YOU DOING THIS WITH YOUR KIDS? IF NOT WILL YOU START TODAY, NOT ONLY INSURING YOUR ETERNITY BUT THE ETERNITY OF YOUR WHOLE FAMILY?

SEAN AND DELIA ARE TAKING THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS OF RAISING THEIR CHILD, BECKHAM ELIAS.
THIS STEP DOES NOT END TODAY FOR YOU AND ALL OTHER PARENTS IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. YOU MUST BE THE STRONG EXAMPLE THAT HE WILL NEED, JUST LIKE MARY AND JOSEPH WERE TO JESUS.

BUT, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN PROPERLY IF YOU HAVE NEVER INSURED YOUR PATH TO HEAVEN BY ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD. THAT BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION WAS FOR YOU. IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THAT, WILL YOU DO IT TODAY?

ALTAR CALL
PROCEED WITH THE DEDICATION AND INVITATION TO THE CHURCH.