Thanks for the Victory

Amen. You may be seated. Children can be dismissed for children's church at this time. That's for little John back there. I say this isn't a Christmas song.

We don't sing it at Christmas usually but but I this first verse, I heard an old, old what? Story. What story is that? That's the story of Jesus. That's a Christmas story, isn't it?

It's not just about the baby in a manger that we have portrayed here in front of us. It is about a savior who came to save his people from their sins. It's about having victory in Jesus. So, really this is actually a pretty good Christmas song and this is I think a good Christmas message. Alright.

Thanks for the victory. We've been taking time the last few weeks looking at some things to be thankful for following Christmas. Thanksgiving that is and today, thanks for the victory. First Corinthians fifteen seven fifty seven, but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. This wonderful day that you've given a day to to serve you, to praise your name, to let you know of our love and and to celebrate your love for us. Lord, we pray as we look at your word this morning that you'd speak to us, that your holy spirit would take the sword of the spirit and use it mightily in our lives and our hearts. Pray that you would encourage us, challenge us, and our service for you and strengthen Lord our faith and our hope and our savior Jesus Christ and all that you have done and will do for your children today. We pray in Jesus name.

Amen. Among all the other things that you're thanking God for and I hope they are many. I hope you won't forget to thank God for the victory. For the victory that he won for us. For the victory that he is for us.

If you take your Bibles and turn to first Corinthians 15, I I want to look at the larger context there for just a moment. First Corinthians 15 verse 51 It's a passage about the day of the the rapture, the resurrection when we'll get our our new bodies no more sickness, no more sin, no more death, no more suffering in the presence of our savior. Verse 51 says, behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep. Paul likes to use sleep as a metaphor for the death of a Christian because well, the the body went in the ground but well, that's not the end of us, is it? Behold, I show you mystery, we shall not all sleep or shall all be changed.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption. This mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written.

Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is victory in Jesus Christ for all those who come to him by faith.

There is a victory that is awaiting us but there's a victory that is ours to be had and grateful for today. The Bible says in first John, if you look up here on the screen, five, four, and five, for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the what? The victory that overcometh the world even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the son. Of God.

If you've put your faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God, and as your savior, you have victory today. May not always feel like you have victory. Maybe some things going on in your life today that that just don't make you feel real victorious right now. That's okay. Life is like that.

It has its ups and its downs but you are assured. A, you already have the most important victory in Christ Jesus and you will experience all the fruits of that. Someday soon. You are an overcomer. You are a victor in Christ Jesus.

First John four four, you are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that's in you. Than he that's in the world. We are overcomers because of he who is in us, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit he has given. We have gained the victory over the enemy. As Paul reminds us and John reminds us in these passages this morning and we should be grateful particularly around Christmas time for our victory in Christ.

Grateful. For without Christ, there would be no victory. For without Christ, there would be no Christmas. For without Christ, there would be no salvation. No rescue no rescue from the clutches of sin and Satan.

From what? You ask, have you been rescued? How? You ask, have I been rescued? What victory do I have?

When Christ Jesus, you are a victor of victors. This morning. We're going to take a few minutes to be reminded today or maybe to hear it for the very first time. This victory that you have won. This victory that is yours to claim.

This victory that you can rest and be assured of. If you have Jesus as Lord. Jesus came into this world. We celebrate that at Christmas. To defeat his enemy and ours.

To crush the head of that old serpent, the devil. Let's take a quick look back. And what happened? First, the problem. Where did this problem begin?

Why why is it that we need a savior, a rescuer? Why is it that that we have this battle in which there must be victory? There's a problem. After God created man and woman and placed them in the garden, God's enemy attacked. The devil had lost his bid for godhood in heaven.

He was cast out of heaven to the earth. And so he thought to himself, well, I can't win there. But I'll take my battle to Earth. Take God's place here. Rob God of his glory.

Steal away God's most precious treasure. You. And me. He put his plan into motion in the garden. He mad and deceived and tempted Eve to take of the forbidden fruit that God had told them not to.

Sadly, they failed for it. They fell for it. Both of them disobeyed. Our ancestors listened to the enemy, gave in, lost their innocence, and became one. And became sinners.

Satan's plan was what? Well, seem to be working. The image of God and them was marred by their wicked choice. Remember, God made us in his what? In his image.

Do you think that made Satan happy? I don't think so. But that image was marred by sin. They would now taste death. They weren't created to taste death.

They were created to live in those bodies for how long? Forever and ever. But now because of their sin, wherefore as by one man's sin, Sin entered the world and death by sin. So, now, they would die as would their offspring. Their children would be born with a proclivity to rebel against their maker.

Their fellowship with God was broken so they would now serve him. Satan instead or at least that was that was his plan. He would build his kingdom here. He would persuade them to follow his wicked ways and he would thumb his nose at God who could do nothing about it. Or so he thought.

But just as the devil began his reign on planet Earth, God's plan was already in motion. A plan which would lead to Satan's defeat and the rescue of his creation from the devil's clutches. Sin. And even death. Let's look at the plan.

Point number two. The plan God tells us was already formed in the mind of God before the foundations of the world were built. Look, if you would, take your Bibles, turn if you would to first Peter first Peter. Yeah, I don't have that up here. First Peter chapter one.

First Peter chapter one. You know, God wasn't surprised by what Satan did. He wasn't caught off guard by what Adam and Eve chose. He already had a plan formulated and ready to go. To get victory over his enemy, not only in heaven but also on earth and to rescue his fallen creation.

First Peter 118 says this, for as much as you know that you were not redeemed, the word redeemed means bought back. Why do we need to be bought back? Because Satan robbed God of us. He stole us. He deceived us in the Garden of Eden.

We need to be bought back. That's the word redeem means. For as much as you know, you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your father. But with the precious blood of Christ, Every time you see Christ in the New Testament, think what? Anybody know?

Think Messiah, okay? Christ means Messiah. So, every time you see Christ, think Messiah. Okay, he is the Messiah. God promised in the Old Testament.

We'll come back to that but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the what? The foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you. God had a plan formulated. Air before he even made Adam and Eve of what he would do to rescue his fallen creation. When they succumbed to the enemy.

God knew all about his enemy and his plans. Even before he put his plans into action, God knew he would be tested by the devil and challenged over this new battlefield. God also knew that in the Excuse me. God also knew in the end that he would prevail. The plan.

The declaration. Genesis three fifteen. This plan has a declaration. God revealed this plan in part in Genesis three fifteen. It's up on the screen there.

He said to Adam and Eve and to Satan before he cast Adam and Eve out of the garden, he said this, I will put enmity between thee, that's Satan, and the woman, that's Eve. Between thy seed and her seed, it that is the seed of the woman shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel. So, God said to the serpent and he said to Adam and Eve, I will send the seed, the seed of the what? Of the woman, who will bruise the head of the serpent. Who who was the seed?

The offspring, the descendant of the woman who would defeat Satan. Bruise his head. That's a fatal blow. Who is this? Seed.

Well, that's the story of the Bible. The story of the Bible is all about this this seed, this offspring, this descendant, the seed of the woman, who is going to put into action the plan of God and rescue fallen humanity. So, we see the declaration here in Genesis three fifteen and then we see the plan put into action. Eve thought this seed was her first son. When she had her first son, she went, oh yes, I received a man from the Lord and he is going to fix all this.

Who was that man? That man was Cain. Was he the seed? Definitely not. Definitely not.

After Cain and Abel, who Cain killed, she had more children but none of them were the seed either. Although there was something special about one, his name was Seth and the Bible indicates there was just something special. About this one, whom God said would replace Abel. Sadly, the devil was very active in the days following and after the fall of man leading Adam's children further and further into weakness and away from their creator and God even to the point to which God finally decided, I'm just going to get rid of what? I'm going get rid of em all.

They've been been corrupted by sin and Satan and the thoughts of their minds and imagination are only evil continually and God said, I'm just going to start over. But not altogether. He saved one man and his family Noah, a descendant of Seth by the way One man who had not forgotten God. He found grace in the eyes of the Lord and so his family were saved in the ark and God started over but again, not completely. No one, his family were still what?

Still sinners. And so their descendants were still under the thumb of the enemy. They devolve quite rapidly into idolatry, the false religion of Satan, intending to keep men from worshiping the true God by giving them what? False gods. Idols.

To worship instead. Yet, another man and his wife found grace in the eyes of the Lord also. Several generations later, we meet Abraham and Sarah. God called them out of their idolatrous culture to serve and follow him. And by faith, they did.

He promised to to give them descendants as vast as the sands on the seashore. And the stars in the heaven. When as yet, they had none. They trusted God and God kept his wife. God kept his promise.

In Genesis God also said to Abraham, verse chapter 12 He promised to bless all the world through the seed the offspring of Abraham. To bless all the world through Abraham's seed. Wonder what he meant by that. God made similar promises to Isaac, his son, to Jacob, his grandson. But none of these were the one was the one who would bring ultimate defeat to Satan.

He was still to come. God multiplied Jacob's descendants though in bondage in the land of Egypt. They measured in number at least 2,000,000 when they left Egypt. When God delivered them via the hand of a man named Moses. God did so by slaying the firstborn of the Egyptians and protecting the firstborn of Israel.

It involved the slain of an innocent what? An innocent lamb. Spotless without blemish. Whose blood was then put on the doorpost of the Israelite homes. So, the death angel did what?

Passed over. Therefore, they called it Passover. God parted the waters of the Red Sea for Israel to cross and he destroyed the army of Pharaoh in the process. What a great victory God gave to Israel that day. He delivered them out of the hands of the mightiest military and mightiest nation on the face of the earth.

Moses said to them, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And they did. And God delivered them. But don't forget about that seed. God led them to Mount Sinai and there he made them a nation, a nation with laws.

He provided them with a means to worship him and approach him despite their sin. This too involved the sacrifice of an animal and the shedding of its blood to cover the sins of the people on the day of atonement. God gave them Canaan, the land he had promised to Abraham. Despite all of God's care and provision, sadly, though, they still rebelled again and again but God did not cast them aside. Not completely.

They complained that they had no king like other nations. So, God gave them one. First, Saul and then who? Then David. David, the man after God's own heart.

David, the musician who wrote the Psalms, many of the Psalms in our Bible but David, the great warrior, who led his nation to what? Victory, time, and time again. Beginning as a youth. With a giant named what? Goliath.

To David, God made this promise. Psalm eighty nine four. He said, thy seed will I establish forever and build up thy throne to all generations. God promised David, your offspring, your offspring, he says here, your seed will I establish on the throne for how long? Forever.

And will build your throne to all generations. To David was born a son named Solomon. He became the next king. Was he that man? The answer is no.

He was not that man. His kingdom didn't last forever. He died just like other men did. And eventually, the throne of David seemingly came to an end. But before it did, God sent prophets to Israel.

Prophets, said stuff like this. Isaiah nine six. Isaiah wrote, for unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. The government shall be upon his shoulders.

Name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of the host will perform this. Isaiah said, God isn't done yet.

God has made a promise. His promise is going to come true. This seed, this offspring, this child of whom I speak, will take up the throne of David once again and he will rule forever. Isaiah seven fourteen, Isaiah wrote, therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign as to who this person is. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel which means God with us.

Isaiah said, there will be a virgin who will do the impossible As a virgin, conceive and bear a son. A child who will be called God with us. If you would, turn with me to Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah 53. I'll read a few verses there.

Isaiah 53, speaking of the same person whom God would send It says in verse four, surely if born our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions, he's bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him. This seed the iniquity of us all. Verse 10, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

He hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors and he bear the sin of many and made intercession for their transgressions. The seed, this child of which God spoke of which David spoke of which Isaiah spoke. He would come but before he ruled, he would what? He would die die a sacrifice for the sins of fallen humanity but God would prolong his days.

What do you think that means? He would raise him from the the dead and he would give him his kingdom. Israel was about to go down to defeat but yet not without hope. As Isaiah continued to give them hope and to repeat the promises that God had made to them and to us. That one day, they would have the what?

The victory. At least those who put their trust in the Lord. It all had to do with this seed, this child. I am sure Satan giggled with glee when Israel was conquered and Judah defeated. Once again, Satan thought his plan was working.

Humanity was putty in his hands. However, the line of Seth to Noah through Abraham and David remained intact. You ever wondered why you're reading along in the Old Testament and you come to a genealogy and then you go a little ways and you come to another genealogy and you come to numbers and you read genealogy and you get to Chronicles. Wow. Chronicles, genealogy after genealogy that boy, this this is awful lot of this person begat that person and this person begat that person.

Why is that? Well, when we get to the book of Matthew, what is Matthew start out his gospel with? Another genealogy. Why? To make all the links in this line to show that the line of the Messiah traces its way from Adam to Seth, to Noah.

To Judah to Abraham, to Judah, to David, and finally, onto Jesus. Seventy years after Israel was defeated, God sent some back. They rebuilt their temple and Israel was still standing despite all of Satan's best efforts and that brings us to my favorite path. Well, like my songs, I have several favorites. My my verses I do too.

Galatians four, four, and five. This is my favorite Christmas passage. You know, it's not a Christmas passage. Galatians know. This is a Christmas passage but when the fullness of time was come, when the time was ready, God sent forth his son.

Made of a woman made under the law. To redeem them, to buy them back, that were under the law, condemned under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. That he might defeat the plan of the what? The devil. That he might give us the what?

The victory in Jesus. Yes, when the time was right for the seed to come into the world, he did. Jesus, the son of Mary, was also the son of God. Was conceived and born. God interjected himself into the line of Adam and Eve, of Seth and Noah, of Abraham and Sarah and David as Matthew and Luke recorded for us in the gospels.

God interjected himself. It's called the incarnation into the line of humanity through Mary, the descendant of David. The seed promised to take away the sin of the world and to give us the victory. First Peter three eighteen says this, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins. The just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened or made alive again by the spirit.

Christ suffered on the cross to restore fallen humanity's relationship with who? With God. That had been broken by sin and Satan. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus is that seed and Jesus came to restore that which was broken.

And also to defeat and get victory. Over sin and Satan. As Christ died on the cross paying the price for our sins, he defeated the enemy. He destroyed his plans and he rescued us from eternal damnation. With Christ's resurrection, he made possible our own.

Conquering death and hell. And acquiring for all who trust in him. Eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have ever lasting life. Making the weapons of Satan toothless, powerless against all who come to him in faith.

For by grace, are you what? Saved. Delivered. Rescued. From sin and Satan.

For by grace are you saved through what? Through faith. It is the gift of God to you and to me. Our victory in Christ. So, we celebrate today.

We celebrate victory in Jesus. Not just a babe in a manger, not just lights on a tree. But victory in Jesus. Now, death has no claim on me. It can bear its scary teeth but it cannot have me.

It can threaten with its awful stinger but it cannot hurt me. Now, sin cannot claim me either. It cannot hold me captive. Neither can Satan command me anymore. For I have a new master.

And I have a new God. And I have found freedom from sin and Satan in Christ Jesus and so have you. If you know him as the Lord and savior of your life. Thanks be to God who giveth us the what? The victory.

Romans six fourteen, for sin shall not have dominion over you. For you're not under the law. But under grace. Sin will not have, no longer has dominion over those who in Christ Jesus. We have the victory.

We will experience all the fruits of our victory in Christ one day in heaven. But we already have that victory now. One day, sin will be done away with and Satan will be cast out in the lake of fire to face his punishment forever. One day, neither sin nor its derivatives will trouble me or you anymore. No pain, no death, no sickness.

The former things are all what? All passed away. In Christ Jesus. And how? And they overcame him.

Whose they? Us. And they overcame him. Who's him? Satan.

And they overcame him by the blood of the one, the blood of the lamb. Who's that? The seed of the woman, Jesus Christ and by the word of their testimony, their faith, and that they love not their lives unto the death. But chose to love instead the savior. They overcame him by the blood of the lamb.

Have you overcome the plan of Satan for you? Through the blood of the lamb? Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? Are you still trying to fight Satan alone? Are you thinking why I showed up for church today?

So, that's enough. Without faith, it's impossible to please him. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, that is that Jesus is Lord. Believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be one.

Have you done that? Are you trusting in your own good works or someone or something else? If you have, you have the victory. If you haven't, you're on the losing side. But you don't have to stay there.

For Jesus loves you so much. That when you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. The victory is yours. You can overcome. In Christ, you have overcome.

Overcome. But if you're here today and you're not sure, you've made that decision. You're not sure you're under the blood of Christ and have been restored as a child of God. Come. We give this hymn of invitation.

I'll meet you down there and and we'll make sure before you leave this place today that there's a place reserved in heaven for you and that you're on the winning side. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord. For Jesus Christ, our savior, thank you for the story of Christmas and the story of the Bible, of redemption how you gave of yourself to buy us back. How you that suffered yourself for us or took our punishment.

Lord, thank you for loving us so much. You didn't give up on humanity. Instead, you gave up your life for them. Lord, I pray if there's one here today that's not trusted Christ yet as savior. If there's any doubt in their mind and heart, I pray they'd come as we give this hymn of invitation today and I pray that we that know you and are assured of that this morning.

That we would thank you every day for the victory that is ours. In Jesus Christ. And that we would live every day. In light of that victory. In Jesus name we do pray.

Amen.