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ISAIAH 9:6 

"A CHILD IS BORN; A SON IS GIVEN"

I. "UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN." THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL STORY OF CHRISTMAS.
        A. A young couple from Nazareth forced to go to Bethlehem by govt. decree.
                1. Interesting facts about this couple.
                        a. Their marriage has not been consummated.
                        b. Yet she is "great with child."
                        c. He is not the father of the child.
                        d. Both parents are from the Kingly line of-
                        e. The mother is a virgin.
                        f. They both know the Child is a boy and is to be named Jesus.
                2. It is important that this child be born in Bethlehem.
                        a. 700 years earlier, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah. "I
                           will give you a sign..."
                        b. Through another prophet about the same time
                                "And thou Bethlehem..."
                        c. So 2 of the approximate 300 conditions of the Messiah are
                           being met.
                3. While in Bethlehem the time was fulfilled that she should
                   be delivered...
        B. Nearby shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks by night.
                1. Suddenly the sky lit up and the glory of the Lord enveloped them.
                2. An angel appeared who said to them, "Fear not for behold I
                   bring you..."
                3. They rushed to Bethlehem to see the child and we see them at
                   the stable.
        C. Later, wise men from the East are to appear guided by a star. They will give
           to Him gold, frank-incense and Myrrh.
        D. That's one side of the story, the human side. There is another side to
           this story.

II. "UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN." FOR GOD SO LOVED..."
        A. This is no ordinary Child, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and is to
           be called the Son of God.
        B. He was sent by God to this earth on a special mission.
        C. He came to reveal the Father "No man hath seen God..."
                1. Man had many concepts of God. Most false.
                        a. Some though Him cruel and detached.
                        b. Some saw Him as a harsh unfeeling judge anxious to condemn.
                2. Jesus revealed the Father is loving, kind, understanding, forgiving.
        D. He also came to destroy the works of Satan.
                1. What were the works of Satan? Rob, kill, destroy.
                        a. Look at the world we see how effective.
                        b. Look at those lives under his dominion.
                                1. Robbed of true sense of value.
                                2. Dead to the life of God.
                                3. Being destroyed.
                2. How did He destroy them?
                        a. Sin, the destructive tool of Satan taken care of on the cross.
                        b. He provided the antidote for the deadly malady.
        E. He came to redeem man from the kingdom of darkness.
                1. Man was a hopeless slave to sin.
                        a. All his best efforts could not save him.
                        b. He was spiritually bankrupt. He owed more than he
                           could ever pay.
                2. Unto us a Son was given to pay the price for our redemption.
                3. He purchased us with His blood that we might live with Him in His
                   kingdom forever.