The Profound Significance of Jesus' Birth and Sacrifice
Summary
In this Christmas season, we are reminded of the profound significance of Jesus' birth, a moment that changed history. While traditionally celebrated on December 25th, there is compelling evidence, particularly from Messianic Jewish teachings, that Jesus was born in the spring. This timing aligns with the birth of sacrificial lambs, which were born in the spring near Bethlehem. Jesus, as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, fulfills the symbolism of these lambs, being born and later sacrificed during Passover. This connection underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the completion of four out of the seven Jewish feasts, with the remaining three fall feasts yet to be fulfilled, signaling the anticipation of His second coming.
The shepherds, who were informed of Jesus' birth, knew precisely where to find Him, not in a typical stable, but in a specific place where lambs destined for sacrifice were kept. This detail highlights Jesus' role as the final sacrificial lamb, a theme that resonates throughout scripture, culminating in Revelation where He is depicted as the lamb that was slain. This imagery is powerful, reminding us of the depth of His sacrifice.
Jesus' mission was not only to forgive sins but to bring comprehensive deliverance and healing—emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. This is what I call the "great exchange," where Jesus offers us His righteousness and healing in exchange for our brokenness. Our response to this incredible gift is to offer ourselves back to Him, acknowledging His worthiness and the magnitude of His sacrifice. As we reflect on His eternal decision to embrace the cross, even before creation, we are called to never lose sight of His humanity and divinity, and to continually give Him praise and glory.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Significance of Jesus' Birth Timing: Jesus' birth in the spring aligns with the birth of sacrificial lambs, symbolizing His role as the ultimate sacrificial lamb. This connection fulfills Old Testament prophecies and highlights the divine orchestration of His life and mission. [02:08]
2. The Shepherds' Knowledge: The shepherds knew where to find Jesus because He was born in a place designated for sacrificial lambs. This detail emphasizes His purpose and the fulfillment of His role as the final sacrificial lamb, destined to bring salvation. [03:14]
3. The Great Exchange: Jesus' sacrifice offers us a profound exchange—His righteousness and healing for our brokenness. This exchange encompasses deliverance and healing in every aspect of our lives, inviting us to respond by offering ourselves back to Him. [05:07]
4. Eternal Sacrifice: Jesus' decision to embrace the cross was made in eternity, before creation. This eternal perspective underscores His worthiness and the depth of His love, calling us to continually acknowledge and praise Him. [05:07]
5. The Fulfillment of Prophecies: Jesus has already fulfilled four of the seven Jewish feasts, with three remaining. This progression points to His second coming, encouraging us to remain vigilant and hopeful for His return. [02:08]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:08] - The Timing of Jesus' Birth
[03:14] - The Shepherds' Insight
[05:07] - The Great Exchange
[06:00] - Eternal Sacrifice
[07:00] - Fulfillment of Prophecies
[08:00] - Jesus' Comprehensive Deliverance
[09:00] - Our Response to His Sacrifice
[10:00] - The Worthiness of Jesus
[11:00] - Closing Praise and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 10:10-14
2. Revelation 5:12
3. Isaiah 53:7
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Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, why is the timing of Jesus' birth significant, and how does it relate to the sacrificial lambs? [02:08]
2. What specific detail about the shepherds' knowledge of Jesus' birth location highlights His role as the final sacrificial lamb? [03:14]
3. How does the sermon describe the "great exchange" that Jesus offers to believers? [05:07]
4. What does the sermon say about Jesus' decision to embrace the cross, and how is this decision described in terms of time? [05:07]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the timing of Jesus' birth in the spring, as suggested in the sermon, enhance the understanding of His role as the ultimate sacrificial lamb? [02:08]
2. In what ways does the knowledge of the shepherds about Jesus' birth location deepen the understanding of His mission and purpose? [03:14]
3. What does the concept of the "great exchange" imply about the nature of Jesus' sacrifice and its impact on believers' lives? [05:07]
4. How does the sermon’s portrayal of Jesus' eternal decision to embrace the cross before creation affect the perception of His love and sacrifice? [05:07]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the significance of Jesus being born in the spring as the ultimate sacrificial lamb. How does this understanding influence your view of the Christmas season? [02:08]
2. The shepherds knew exactly where to find Jesus. How can you be more intentional in seeking Jesus in your daily life, especially during this Christmas season? [03:14]
3. The sermon speaks of a "great exchange" where Jesus offers His righteousness for our brokenness. What areas of brokenness in your life do you need to exchange for His healing and righteousness? [05:07]
4. Jesus' decision to embrace the cross was made in eternity. How does this eternal perspective challenge you to live your life with a focus on eternal values rather than temporary concerns? [05:07]
5. The sermon mentions that Jesus has fulfilled four of the seven Jewish feasts, with three remaining. How does this knowledge encourage you to remain vigilant and hopeful for His second coming? [02:08]
6. In what ways can you offer yourself back to Jesus in response to His sacrifice, acknowledging His worthiness and the magnitude of His love? [05:07]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of continual praise and worship into your daily routine, as encouraged by the sermon? [05:07]
Devotional
Day 1: The Divine Timing of Jesus' Birth
The birth of Jesus is traditionally celebrated on December 25th, but there is compelling evidence suggesting He was born in the spring. This timing aligns with the birth of sacrificial lambs, which were born in the spring near Bethlehem. Jesus, as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, fulfills the symbolism of these lambs, being born and later sacrificed during Passover. This connection underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and highlights the divine orchestration of His life and mission. Understanding this timing deepens our appreciation of the intricate ways God fulfills His promises and orchestrates history for His purposes. [02:08]
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.'" (Leviticus 23:9-11, ESV)
Reflection: How does understanding the timing of Jesus' birth as aligning with the birth of sacrificial lambs change your perspective on the significance of His birth and sacrifice?
Day 2: The Shepherds' Insight
The shepherds, who were informed of Jesus' birth, knew precisely where to find Him, not in a typical stable, but in a specific place where lambs destined for sacrifice were kept. This detail highlights Jesus' role as the final sacrificial lamb, a theme that resonates throughout scripture. The shepherds' knowledge and their immediate response to seek out Jesus emphasize the importance of recognizing and responding to God's revelations in our lives. Their story invites us to consider how we can be more attuned to God's guidance and direction. [03:14]
"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear." (Luke 2:8-9, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you be more attentive to God's guidance in your life, much like the shepherds who responded to the angel's message?
Day 3: The Great Exchange
Jesus' mission was not only to forgive sins but to bring comprehensive deliverance and healing—emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. This is what is called the "great exchange," where Jesus offers us His righteousness and healing in exchange for our brokenness. This exchange encompasses deliverance and healing in every aspect of our lives, inviting us to respond by offering ourselves back to Him. As we reflect on this profound exchange, we are encouraged to embrace the fullness of His gift and allow it to transform every area of our lives. [05:07]
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: What broken areas of your life do you need to bring to Jesus today, trusting in His promise of healing and righteousness?
Day 4: The Eternal Sacrifice
Jesus' decision to embrace the cross was made in eternity, before creation. This eternal perspective underscores His worthiness and the depth of His love, calling us to continually acknowledge and praise Him. Understanding the eternal nature of His sacrifice invites us to live with an eternal perspective, recognizing the significance of His love and the call to respond with our lives. This perspective challenges us to live in a way that reflects His eternal love and sacrifice. [05:07]
"He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." (1 Peter 1:20-21, ESV)
Reflection: How can you live with an eternal perspective today, acknowledging the depth of Jesus' love and sacrifice?
Day 5: The Fulfillment of Prophecies
Jesus has already fulfilled four of the seven Jewish feasts, with three remaining. This progression points to His second coming, encouraging us to remain vigilant and hopeful for His return. The fulfillment of these prophecies serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the assurance that He will complete what He has promised. As we anticipate His return, we are called to live in readiness, aligning our lives with His purposes and remaining steadfast in our faith. [02:08]
"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you prepare your heart and life for Jesus' second coming, living in anticipation of His return?
Quotes
"We all know that we're in the Christmas season right now, amen? And it's the time when the entire world, really Christian or not, the entire world recognizes for just a season something very special about someone very special. Some people can't even explain, all they know is, is that this person was born that changed history and there's so much we could say about that, that, you know, traditionally man has placed the birth of Christ, the celebration of the birth of Christ on the calendar for December the 25th. That's a historical setting done way back in time in the early church history. Amen." [00:00:00] (55 seconds)
"But I think it's pretty clear, I think it's pretty clear scripturally speaking, and I've heard a lot of teaching on this, and specifically from Messianic Jews, who ought to know, Jesus experienced a spring birth because he is the fulfillment of all the other sacrificial lambs that were being born, that would be born in the spring." [00:00:56] (35 seconds)
"They're born in the spring and the sacrificial lambs were birthed very close to and in the vicinity of the city of Bethlehem. And it's kind of like you've got a city and the concentric circles from that city kind of blend out and that area is still considered the city of Bethlehem. You understand what I'm saying? Not like right downtown Bethlehem, but in the outskirts of Bethlehem. And it was in the outskirts of Bethlehem where the sacrificial lambs were born and taken care of." [00:01:35] (33 seconds)
"So doesn't it make sense that the final sacrificial lamb would be born at the very same time in the very same place as all the other sacrificial lambs?" [00:02:08] (15 seconds)
"all that was displayed in the old testament he was the ultimate fulfillment and we love to represent and see jesus as the lion of the tribe of judah we love that he's that throughout scripture but in the end in revelation he's a lamb that was slain he's still the lamb and so that even points to how the shepherds knew exactly where to go to find him" [00:03:14] (33 seconds)
"And I'll save this for later, but it wasn't in a dirty, dusty old stable. It was not. It was in a specific place where those very special shepherds knew where to go to find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes." [00:03:48] (19 seconds)
"in a manger. They knew exactly where to go. Think about it. They were only told, go find a baby in the city of Bethlehem. Well, that's like finding a needle in a haystack unless you know where to find a lamb wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a particular type of manger because he was the final sacrificial lamb." [00:04:07] (27 seconds)
"deliverance, healing, emotional deliverance, mental deliverance, physical deliverance, spiritual deliverance, emotional healing, physical healing, spiritual healing. Anything that sin wrecks in our life, He came to give you that. I like to call it," [00:04:44] (23 seconds)
"one students we're about to hit this Tuesday night the great exchange the great exchange a lot was exchanged from him to you now there's got to be reciprocated we give him something back and he just wants you so Jesus this morning we pause and we say worthy is the lamb that was slain before the found" [00:04:59] (33 seconds)
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