TELECAST SERMON FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 23, 2018 "THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS" HEAD PASTOR BILLY HAN, JR.

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1 TELECAST SERMON FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 23, 2018 "THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS" HEAD PASTOR BILLY HAN, JR. Thank you Jose! It is God's desire that all people come unto Him in full repentance, and receive His salvation, full and free. Those who respond and obey His command will be blessed bountifully: Spiritually, materially, physically, and even financially. The soul who rejects and rises up against the Lord, shall be "devoured by the sword," and there shall be no remedy for his tragic end. Do we dare provoke the Lord to jealousy? Do we dare contend our strength is greater than His? God forbid! He has the power to save, the power to devastate, the power to heal, the power to curse, the power to overcome, and the power to bless. I invite you to partake in today's message, entitled, "THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS," and I pray that by the time it concludes, you will be encouraged to seek the Lord, whose powers are limitless and can sustain you in every way. Once again, on the 25th, of this month, we celebrate the miracle that took place, in the little town of Bethlehem almost 2000 years ago, which was the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But too often, at this wonderful time of year, we seem to lose ourselves in all of the preparations and activities of Christmas. Our thoughts are devoted to selecting and buying or making gifts, to cooking, and to all the "worldly" things with which we have so enthusiastically associated with Christmas. However, if we put these activities aside for a moment and take time to think about the reason for commemorating Christmas and its true meaning, then this Christmas can have a special significance for each and every one of us. As we dwell in the scriptures, we can clearly see that the Bible, God's Word, is the most important Book we could ever read and or possess. The Bible contains everything we need to know about living upright, and acceptably in the eyes of God, while in this world. No matter what others may say about how we should live, or even specify the boundaries to holiness, God's Word is the final authority on the Christian walk. Therefore, based on the knowledge of God, let us ask ourselves, "What in life has given each of us the greatest joy?" Surely the answer wouldn't be any material thing, nor the presence of loved ones, or even the receiving and giving of gifts. The answer would certainly be that the greatest joy and comfort we each received in this life, was the salvation of our souls and becoming "born-again" Christians. The Bible brings to surface many great nights. It was a great night when Jacob slept beneath the stars and dreamed of a ladder, reaching up into heaven, with the angels ascending and descending upon that ladder. Jesus was and still is that ladder of communication between God and man. Let us read in I Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1

2 It was a great night that Daniel spent in the lion's den protected by the almighty hand of God. Facing adversity, and testing His God, whom he served "continually," the Lord, shut the mouths of the lions and no harm came unto him. This is a memorable experience and an example of the power of God, which can overrule the hardness of the heart and keep the people of God safe and secure in time of trouble. We read in Daniel 6:22, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouth, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O King, have I done no hurt." It was a great night when Nicodemus came to Jesus, inquiring of the new doctrine, which Jesus preached, and thusly heard the authoritative eternal truth, "Ye must be born again." These are the words which Jesus spake to Nicodemus, as we read in John 3:5, "Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The opportunity to expound the good news of the gospel was right, because the heart of Nicodemus cried out for righteousness. It was a great night when Peter denied the Lord, and it was greater still, when he went out and wept bitter tears of repentance. Peter demonstrated what true repentance is! The Apostle Paul provides us with guidance thru the scriptures, as we read in II Corinthians 7:9-10, "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." God forgave Peter because of his penitent heart, and unto him were the keys to the kingdom of Heaven given, and these keys were revealed to both Jew and Gentile on the day of Pentecost and during the days which followed. However, there is a night of all nights which is the greatest, most extraordinary, and illustrious night for all times. That night was the night Jesus Christ was born. He was born to be our Saviour, Master, and Lord--born to die for our sins--born to give us second birth--born to take us home to glory. We read in Luke 1:26-33, "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel, was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation (or greeting) this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Mary was puzzled when the angel gave her this news. Being a virgin, she had never had any marital relations, so naturally she asked the question, "How can this be?" 2

3 We read in the 35th verse, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over shadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Mary bowed her head and said in the 38th verse: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." Joseph and Mary seeking shelter, went from one inn to the next, but every place was crowded with guests. It was the time of taxing and great multitudes came to the town of Bethlehem. Exhausted, they finally found a resting place, a humble stable. Mary's time had come, and that very night Christ was born. We read in Luke 2:1-7, "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Agustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with Child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." And sorry to say that today there is no room in the hearts of people for Jesus. "No room for Jesus!" That is like an engine saying there is no room for steam--like a tree saying it has no room for the sap- -like the heavens saying there is no room for the stars, moon, and sun. Make room for Jesus in your lives, television viewers and let Him come into your hearts. Have you ever considered that the destiny of the soul is determined by the choices we make in this life? Christ presents important decisions to every soul. There is a choice of one of two lifestyles, one of two deaths, one of two resurrections and one of two fates. We must choose and make the decision today. Let us continue reading in verses 8-14, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore (or very much) afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Yes, the Son of Man came into the world. This was the most exalted night of all time, the night of nights, the night when Jesus was born. Jesus came to seek and to save that, which was lost. 3

4 The soul is destined for one of two places: Eternal heaven or Eternal hell, and the scriptures, given by the inspiration of God, is a tool God uses to teach us what is truth, and bring us to the realization that we are nothing without Him in our lives. But better yet, there is a reward for the believer. Everyday we are faced with new experiences, temptations, and new decisions. Without God's help, it is hard for us to know what is right or wrong, and to obtain a clear view of the scriptures. However, through the Bible, we are able to see where we should go and what we should do. It is a marvelous experience to know that Jesus cares. He tells us "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Nicodemus, a secret believer in the Lord, came to Jesus by night, hoping to learn more about this new and living gospel Jesus was teaching. He was a man of position, of prominence, of power and probably of great wealth. But Nicodemus was not satisfied with what he possessed. He thought he had fulfillment, but a tremendous void existed. There was hunger in His heart, and the things of the earth did not satisfy him. He was always reaching out for something that would bring him happiness, but joy and happiness and peace seemed always to elude him. Then he heard about Jesus and the wonderful work he was doing, healing all manner of sickness and diseases. Therefore, under the cover of darkness, Nicodemus slipped out to see Jesus and said, in John 3:2, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him." Yes, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance. Nicodemus poured out his heart to Jesus. And Jesus looked into the soul of this hungry-hearted Pharisee and said, "Nicodemus, you must be born again. You have many things that the world can give you, but you'll never, never find peace and joy until you have been born again." The world is full of men who are trying to find happiness in this world. They go everywhere and do everything to find some zest in life, but their search is in vain. To them today, Jesus would say, "You're seeking for satisfaction in the wrong places. Come unto me and be born again and all the joys of earth and heaven will be yours." Jesus said in John 3:3, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Now, you may see wonderful things in this world. You may see the Grand Canyon, but you'll never see the Tree of life in heaven, unless you have been born again. You may see the great cities of the world, but you'll never see the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming out of the clouds, unless you have been born again. You may see the great countries of the world, in all their splendor, but you'll never see the land that is fairer than day, unless you've been born again. You may live in the finest mansions that money can buy, but you'll never see the Father's house of many mansions, unless you've been born again. 4

5 Jesus said, "Ye MUST be born again." He emphasized the "MUST." This is one of His divine imperatives. We read John 3:5, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." To be born of water is to be baptized by immersion and in the name of Jesus Christ, according to Acts 2:38, which states, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." To be born of the Spirit, is to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, speaking in an unknown tongue or language. According to the Bible, this is the only evidence, which can be used to verify and confirm that one has received the Holy Ghost. We read Acts 2:4, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance." In this story of salvation, there can only be one version that is true. Let us read in John 5:39, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." God encourages you to diligently search the scriptures; and as God proved the words which were spoken by the disciples with signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost. He is proving Himself to you this morning, so that you might be saved, and find His righteousness and true holiness. Even Mary, the Mother of Jesus, went to the Upper Room to tarry, as instructed by Jesus before His ascension into heaven. Thus, on the Day of Pentecost, Mary, too, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. Consequently, if Mary, the mother of Jesus, needed the Holy Ghost, how much more then, do we need the Holy Spirit to withstand the endless waves of satan's fiery darts. Peter informs us in Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." There is no name in this world comparable to the name: Jesus! The Present day thoughts deal with the question, "When was Jesus born?" The important point to remember is that Jesus was born! We find in Galatians 4:4, "But, when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of woman, made under the law." God has a timetable for the world. He is always on time--he is never early or late! He sent His only begotten Son, when it was the best time for Him to come, as we read in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God promised a Saviour, a Saviour to redeem man from this sincursed, devil-may-care world. It all started in the Garden of Eden. Men fell into sin, plunging the whole human race into sin, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The serpent had been used by the devil to tempt man, and God pronounced a curse upon it. We read in Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between thee and the women, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." In other words, the seed of the woman, would bruise the head of the serpent, and Christ would someday crush and cast him into the "lake of fire." 5

6 When Abraham came, God told him that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his descendants. Jesus was the One, Who was to bless all nations. And true to God's promise, history shows that He had done so. When King David came, he sang of a great king, whose name would endure forever. The name Jesus, has been used for almost 2000 years, and that precious name shall endure throughout eternity. We read In Philippians 2:9-11, "Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father." Isaiah said in the 9th chapter and 6th verse, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." These titles denote His offices. And He has fulfilled these offices flawlessly. We are told that he would come from the tribe of Judah through the line of David and that He would be born in Bethlehem. Every prophecy of the Old Testament was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Jews made their contribution to this fullness of time. They were a covent of people. God had committed His oracles to them. They believed in One God, and that men should worship God and Him only. The Jews looked for the Messiah, but when the Messiah finally came, they crucified and rejected Him. Peter tells us in Acts 2:36, "Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." It was that Jesus, Who was the Messiah! The Greeks also made their contribution to the fullness of time with language. Language as we know, creates a barrier, but the Greeks were able to break down this barrier, for nearly every nation understood the Greek Language. With the advent of Jesus, His preachers would go into all the world to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God--the selfsame Gospel that Jesus preached on the shores of Galilee. "For this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." The Romans also made a contribution to this fullness of time. They defeated the warring nations of the earth, and peace reigned. It was a time when the gospel could be preached across land and sea, and nations could have understanding of it. Paul and Barnabas carried the gospel across the waters. It was a wonderful time for the Saviour to come and give men a deeper peace--a deep settled peace that the world cannot give. But in spite of all of these advantages, men sank deeper into sin. The world was in darkness, as it is today. Paul tells us in Romans 1:25, "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever." It was the perfect time for Jesus to come. And thank God he did come! He arrived right on time, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord." 6

7 The Birth of Christ was such a precious and priceless miracle, that God opened up the heavens and sent down his angelic choir to sing about it. They sang the sweetest music ever heard this side of heaven, as they proclaimed the Saviour's birth. The angel cried out and said in Matthew 1:21, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Therefore, this Christmas, let us make room for Jesus in our hearts and lives--let us bow down and worship Him--let us bring our gifts unto Him--let us tell others about Jesus, then we will truly have a right Christmas. If you would like to learn more about God s Word and the Church, and view these telecast presentations in their entirety, please visit our website at Until our next telecast, this is your host, Head Pastor Billy Han, Jr. expressing my sincerest appreciation to each of you, who have allowed us to come into your homes. May the good Lord bless and keep you all in the hollow of His hands. Entire contents of this text copyright 2018 by The Apostolic Faith Church (Jesus Coming Soon), Honolulu, Hawaii. All rights reserved. 7