John Isaacs

KingsWay Community Church

December 9, 2007
Hebrews 10:5
Therefore, when He came into the
world, He said: "Sacrifice and
offering You did not desire, But a
body You have prepared for
Me.
“The Christmas Story is so clear that
there is little need of learned
interpretation. It is only necessary to
ponder it well, to contemplate it, and to
take it completely into your heart.
None will derive more benefit from it
than they whose hearts hold still and
who divest themselves of material
considerations and concentrate
diligently on it. This lesson is just like
(the reflection of) the sun: in a quiet
and still pond it can be seen clearly
and warms the water powerfully, but in
a rushing current it cannot be seen as
well nor can it warm up the water as
much. So if you wish to be illumined
and warmed here, to see God's mercy
and wondrous deeds, so that your
heart is filled with fire and light and
becomes reverent and joyous, then go
to where you may be still and impress
the picture of Christmas deep into your
heart.”
- Martin Luther
Isaacs’ Christmas Preparation
• Driving up to the mountains to chop
down a Christmas tree.
• Pulling all the boxes of decorations
and lights down from the rafters in the
garage.
• Stringing the lights on the tree.
Isaacs’ Christmas Preparation
• Decorating the tree and our house.
• Lunch with Nardis at Red Lobster.
• The soup pot-luck party.
• Going to Christmas parties. White
Elephant gifts.
Isaacs’ Christmas Preparation
• Shopping for gifts for our family and
friends.
• Wrapping presents, packing them,
and getting them mailed in time.
• Addressing and mailing Christmas
cards.
Isaacs’ Christmas Preparation
• Delivering Honey Baked Christmas
Hams to a few faithful servants.
• Gathering the family around the
fireplace on Christmas Eve.
• Wrapping gifts and placing them
under the tree.
Hebrews 10:5
Therefore, when He came into the
world, He said: "Sacrifice and
offering You did not desire, But a
body You have prepared for
Me.
First Christmas Preparation
• He had to create a universe, a
specific galaxy, our planet, a garden,
and finally man.
• Establish a nation in the earth.
• All the patriarchs -- Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph
First Christmas Preparation
• All the deliverers and judges --
Moses and Joshua
• All the heroes -- Gideon and
Sampson
• All the kings -- David and Solomon
• All the prophets -- Elijah and Isaiah
First Christmas Preparation
• He had to prepare for the birth of
Mary and Joseph and make sure their
families would arrange a marriage.
• He had to send an angel to Mary
and convince her to be the mother to
the Son of God.
First Christmas Preparation
• He had to make sure that Joseph
would not break off the engagement
after discovering Mary was pregnant.
• He had to arrange for a Census to
be taken throughout all of Judea so
the Messiah would be born in
Bethlehem.
First Christmas Preparation
• He had to make sure all the hotels
were full and have Joseph go to the
one that had the perfect little stable.
• He had to get a host of angels out
to the shepherds in the fields so they
could herald the new born King.
First Christmas Preparation
• He had to arrange for a new star to
be set into the heavens.
• He had to get Three Wisemen to
know an important event was about
to take place and get them on a
journey following this new star that
suddenly appeared in the sky.
First Christmas
Jesus had to make the leap from His
place in the Godhead. At that
moment, He turned to His Father
and said. “Sacrifice and offering You
did not desire, But a body You have
prepared for Me.”
First Christmas
All the way down, He was reducing
Himself. Until, He could fit into a
single cell that began to grow in a
young girl’s womb.
 First Christmas
“So this is He. Immanuel. So this is God’s
gift. A Savior. He shall save His people
from their sins. “Worthy is the Lamb.” I
whispered, as I knelt before my God. My
heart was full. I turned to Mary as she
cradled her child and I spoke. It didn’t
matter that she couldn’t hear me. The
stars could. All of nature could. And most
 First Christmas
of all, my King could.
Do you know who you hold, Mary? You
secure the Author of grace. He who is
ageless is now moments old. He who is
limitless is now suckling your milk. He
who strides upon the stars, now has legs
too weak to walk; the hands which held
 First Christmas
the oceans are now an infant’s fist. To
Him who has never asked a question, you
will teach the name of the wind. The
Source of language will learn words from
you. He who has never stumbled, you will
carry. He who has never hungered, you
will feed. The King of creation is in your
arms.
 First Christmas
“What manner of love is this?” Michael
whispered, and again we were covered
with silence. A blanket of awe. Finally,
Michael again opened his mouth, this time
to sing. He began quietly, pausing
between the words. “Glory, glory, glory to
God in the highest.”
 First Christmas
One by one we joined. “Glory, glory, glory
to God in the highest.” Gradually the
chorus grew louder and faster. “Glory,
glory to God in the highest. Glory, glory to
God in the highest. Glory, glory to God in
the highest.”
Our praise rose into the realms of the
 First Christmas
universe. In the most distant galaxy the
dust on the oldest star danced with our
praise. In the depths of the ocean, the
water rippled with adoration. The tiniest
microbe turned, the mightiest constellation
spun, all of nature joined with us as we
worshiped Immanuel, the God who had
become flesh.
- Max Lucado, “The Cosmic Christmas”
 His Preparation For You

And now, we turn to God this

morning and say, “sacrifice and
offering you did not desire, but You
have prepared something for me.”