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MATTHEW 18:21

"THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING, TO SAVE US 
FROM OUR SINS, HOW TO CELEBRATE."

I. THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING DECLARED.
        A. To Joseph by an angel.
                1. It lies in His very name.
                2. To the Hebrews a name significant.
                3. Name Jesus is Greek for Hebrew Joshua.
                        a. Contraction of Jehovah Shua.
                        b. Means Jehovah is salvation.
                4. "Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins."
        B. By the angels to the shepherds.
                1. We are surrounded by a glorious unseen world.
                        a. It seems that one from this unseen world by the name of Gabriel
                           given charge of overseeing the events of the birth of Jesus.
                                1. 500 years earlier, appeared to Daniel.
                                2. He appeared to Zacharias.
                                3. He appeared to Mary.
                2. I believe it was Gabriel, His task finished, so excited he had to share saw
                   the shepherds. Probably the Temple shepherds.
                3. "There is born this day in the city of David a "Savior."
        C. Jesus announced at the house of Zacchaeus, "For the Son Of Man has come to seek and
           to save that which was lost."

III. MAN'S NEED OF SALVATION.
        A. Natural selection is a downward trend.
                1. Develop a high breed of cattle, let them go.
                2. Develop a pedigree of dog let it go-mongrel.
                3. Man had followed his natural instincts.
                        a. Greed, hatred, lust, resulted.
                                1. Some of the motorcycle gang today excellent example of
                                   natural selection.
                        b. Mankind was caught in the horrible pit of sin.
                                1. No on to lift him out. Tried to climb out.
                                2. He was without hope, lost.
        B. Every endeavor of man failed.
                1. Each form of government became corrupted.
                        a. The dream of our fore-fathers, to create a system of check and
                           balances that would eliminate the possibility of corruption.
                2. Each religious system equally disastrous.
                3. Each philosophy had its own flaw.
                4. It was obvious man could not help himself.
                5. He needed help from without, for he was lost.
        c. Jesus came to save that which was lost.
                1. Sin was the corrupting factor in man.
                        a. He took the guilt of our sins upon Himself and died in our stead.
                        b. "He was rich...."
                        c. "God made Him to be sin..."

III. HOW SHOULD WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?
        A. Day of rejoicing and praise for those who are saved, who have received the gift of
           God.
        B. The Romans used to have a pagan celebration on the 25th of December called
           Saturnalia and they would give gifts, feast and get drunk. They were celebrating
           the Sun's victory over the winter's solstice, purely pagan.
        C. Some of you tomorrow are going to exchange gifts, feast and drink.
        D. Other's are going to give gifts, feast and worship.