Good evening, everyone. I'd just like to start our gospel evening service with a reading anything darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighted every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him. received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave him power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the words made flesh and dwelt among us. Well, let's turn to the hymn number 79. The hymn number 79. O come, all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant, to Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord. Let me thank our brother, Mr. Murphy, for opening our meeting with a reading of scripture. Let's sing to God's praise this great carol, this great hymn. The hymn number 79, we will remain seated as we do so, please. O come, all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant, To Bethlehem case now in love. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. O true God, O true God, Light of light eternal, Bearer of our virgin, be our light. Son of the Father, begotten of creation, O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him. Choirs of angels, songs of loudest triumph, through heaven's highest, we your praises roar. Now to our God be glory in the highest, O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Amen. Lord, we bless Thee. Born for our salvation, O Jesus, forever. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Well, let's unite in a word of prayer together to commit this gospel service to the Lord in prayer and believe all the outworkings of it and the results of it to Him. Some plant, others water, but it is God who gives the increase. And so we seek the Lord for His blessing even this evening. Let's pray. Loving Father, we come to adore Thee. who is Christ the Lord, we come to the one who came into this world and lived for us and died on the cross and shed his precious blood to reconcile humanity, sinful humanity on to God. We thank thee for all that believe in him, are brought nigh to God and are brought into saving union with Jesus Christ. Lord, we come to adore thee. The one in the manger becomes the one upon the cross. One, O God, who's swaddled in those swaddling bands, is again entwined with linen cloth as he lies in the tomb. But we rejoice that, O God, the manger and the garments of death are no longer, O God, his place of rest, and neither, O God, his garments that he wears, but he's on the throne. And He wears the robes of majesty. He is King of Kings. He is Lord of Lords. And tonight He reigns and rules over all. God, we bless Thee that the government of His kingdom is upon the shoulder of Christ. And Lord, we thank Thee that He bears it. Lord, it is no weight to Him. It is but a speck of dust, as it were. Lord, that He governs all things in the created universe. Hell and earth and heaven, Christ rose over all. And He is the great God and King of glory. Who is He in yonder stall? At His feet we humbly fall. Tis the Lord a wondrous story. Tis the Lord, O King of glory. At His feet we humbly fall. Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all. Bless, O God, in all that happens this evening and all who will take part. We do cry to Thee that Thy hand will be upon all such, we pray, and grant, dear God, Thine enabling and Thy help, dear Father, as we make our way through this Christmas carol service. Let us know, Lord, the circumstances that we're found in, and Lord, we cry to Thee again for mercy. Lord, be pleased to bring us into that place where we are able, Lord, to gather without inner fear or outer fear. Lord, to gather together, to hear the word of God preached, and to sing thy praise. Bless thy believing people in these days, and give, dear God, us faith in thee. And may we see God working, even on our behalf. We do cry to thee for those, O God, whose hearts are heavy, as we make our way towards Christmas day. Think of many in our congregation this year who have laid to rest loved ones. We do take them up before thee. We take them in the arms of faith to the throne of grace. Lord, we lay them before thee. Comfort their hearts. And Lord, grant dear God joy in the midst of sadness, where joy set many have gone on to be with Christ, and for that it is far better for them. And Lord, we cry therefore that thou wilt console the heart with this truth, that they're with thee. And Lord, they're enjoying the bliss and the glory of heaven. Lord, we pray that we may make sure of our own salvation, that we will join them in the glory And grant, dear God, that day to be a day of glad reunion, where no seat will be empty, but all the family gathered into Christ. Lord, answer prayer we pray, and bless us now. We offer prayer in Jesus' precious name. Amen, and amen. We're going to have our second reading, and our sister, Mrs. Pamela Murphy, is going to read to us from Matthew chapter one, verses 18 through to 25. Matthew chapter 1, 18 to 25. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this lies, when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her way privileged. But while he'd gotten these things, Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, A virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being an interpreter is God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And knew her not, till she had brought forth her firstborn son, and he called his name Thasis. We thank Pamela for reading to us God's precious word. Now there are many constants within the church fellowship here. We're very thankful for the eldership and their faithfulness. But there is an other individual who is, I would say here, I suppose more faithfully than even I am here and that is our sister Mrs. Strong. I decided that our sister would play for us tonight. So our sister Mrs. Strong is going to play for us. She is going to play hymn number 93. If you want to turn there you can follow along In the words you'll play a number of verses of that and then maybe add a little bit in at the end. And so our sister is going to play for us. We trust you'll enjoy even as she plays to us at this time. Well, amen. The hymn in every verse begins, I cannot tell, and then it goes on to say, But this I know, and that last verse, but this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture, and myriad, myriad human voices sing, and earth to heaven, and heaven to earth will answer at last, the Savior, Savior of the world is King. What a grand day that will be when Christ will appear in all. of his glory. We're going to ask Noah, Murphy is going to read at this time, I think it's Noah, Luke chapter 2 verse 1 to 7. And it came to pass in Noah's day, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made against in his own city, and Joseph also went up on Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, onto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, by saying so of the house and the lineage of David. To be taxed with marriage is as bad as to life, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be living. And she brought forth the firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the end. Well thank you Noah for reading so well. Now the next item will happen in a moment of madness and so we're going to invite Andrea and Abigail to come and we're going to sing So Andrea said it took a pandemic for this to happen. And so it's going to take another pandemic for it to happen again. So enjoy it while you get it. And if nothing else, enjoy the tune. So come on ahead. And we'll try our best to sing this piece together. From God's heaven to a manger, From great riches to the poor, Came this Son of God to seek and save. From the azure halls of heaven, To a rough and rugged cross Jesus came And there His life for all He gave Redeeming love, a love that knows no limit Redeeming love, a love that shall not die My soul shall sing throughout the endless ages, with choirs extolling this great love on high. From a loving Heavenly Father to a world that knew Him not, came the Man of Sorrows, cried the Lord. In my wanderings He found me, But my soul with His own blood Gave to me a peace this world could not afford. Redeeming love, a love that knows no limits. Redeeming love, a love that shall not die. My soul shall sing throughout the endless ages With choirs exploring this great love of mine Redeeming love, a love that knows no limits Redeeming love, a love that shall not die. My soul shall sing throughout the endless ages, with choirs extolling this great love of mine. Well, what words have nothing else? Redeeming love. God's redeeming love for us. A love that knows no limit. Redeeming love, a love that shall not die. My soul shall sing. Throughout the ages, endless ages, with choirs extolling this great love on high. May the Lord bless even the words to your heart this evening. We're gonna have a final Bible reading, and we're glad that Luke is coming to read Matthew chapter two, verses one through to 11. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born, king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where I should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus is written by the prophet. And now Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah. Proudly shall come a governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had correctly called the wise men, inquired then diligently what time the star appeared, and he sent him to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you find him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king made a part of it, and lo, the star, which he saw in Hades, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw a star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. How good it is to familiarise ourselves again with all of the events that happened off Christ coming into the world and the divine record that we have to remind us of that great and most momentous event ever in human history. Let me begin the announcements by just thanking those who have helped tonight. wanted to have some kind of carol service and want to try and keep everyone as safe as possible and that's why I asked one family to do it and want to thank the Murphy family for doing it. That's them off the hook for a number of years now so they can relax and hopefully you'll be ready all for next year to help out. We trust in the will of God and again our sister Mrs. Strong for her playing tonight and helping us out as well. We deeply appreciate it. Welcome one and all. Thank you for coming. We trust that the Lord will bless even as we meet together. The announcement very quickly, Wednesday night, eight to nine, we'll be meeting in the house of God. Well, that's as much as we know tonight. All things change very quickly in these days, but we trust that that will be maintained. 8 to 9, bringing a short message and then getting down to prayer. We'll be in the church on Sermon Audio and on Facebook Live. Friday is Christmas Day. We trust you have a blessed and a safe Christmas and we wish you, our family, to your family and your home to have a very, I trust a very blessed Christmas and keeping our Savior at the heart of all that we do. And then Please do remember in prayer those individuals within our church family who have lost dear ones this year. We remember them. I always remember them, Christmas morning, always think about them, always have a prayer for them, that the Lord will just help them through. And then others who miss their loved ones dearly, but we do rejoice that for them who have died in Christ, it is for better. But remember those in our prayers, even in the lead up to Christmas Day. Next Lord's Day, the last Lord's Day of the old year, 11 o'clock, our Sunday school Bible class, we have noon family worship, 6 p.m. the gospel service, and I will preach at the services in the will of God. Remember, just the freewill offering envelopes, they're available in the church hall. If you use them, then take them after the service. You can pick them up in the church hallway there. If you do need pastoral help, then please contact, pick up the phone, we're there to help. be happy to speak with you in the will of God. Now there have been some changes made because of regulations that have come in and we trust in the will of God that Wednesday the 30th we'll meet for prayer in the church but that will be 6.30 to 7.30 so that will enable everyone to get home for 8 p.m. so that's Wednesday the 30th and then Thursday the 31st I want to broadcast from the manse so it'll be watch night from the manse in the will of God 1115. Join us there on Facebook Live. It will only be on Facebook Live, so join with us on Facebook Live. 11.15 to 12 midnight, and we'll meet around God's precious word, and we'll end out the old year around the word of God. No better way could we do that, and we trust that you'll be able to join with us. Keep all of these, please, items in prayer, and may the Lord bless even your heart over the weeks that lie before us. Returning this evening to Luke's gospel, chapter two, I want to take up the reading where And Noah ended the reading, and so we're taking a reading from Luke chapter two, and we'll read from the verse eight. So Luke chapter two, and let's read from the verse number eight. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and though the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore 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 Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the bee abrapt and swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest on an earth, peace, goodwill, toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even on to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph in the day, blind in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the same which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. We'll end our reading there at the end of verse 20. Let's briefly pray. Our loving Father, we thank Thee, O God, for the opportunity gather together and to now come under the preaching of thy word. Bless these, our hearts. Grant, Lord, the infilling of thy spirit, and God, give clarity, and give, grant, O God, the anointing of God the Holy Spirit. For we offer prayer in the name of Christ our Savior. Amen. This Christmas will be a Christmas like none other. I'm sure you've maybe heard statements like that from news readers, politicians, chief medical officers, doctors in recent days. What normally would have happened in a family Christmas Sunday service has been curtailed greatly. The singing of the many carols that we so enjoy. The musical contribution by our youth fellowship and by our children of the Sunday school. The many bible readings that we would read concerning the record of the incarnation. The special supper that we would have enjoyed having fellowship around. by and large being shelved as we continue to deal with COVID-19 at the end of this year 2020. It is most certainly a Christmas Sunday like none other than we have had in recent years. Those extended family get-togethers and home One home around a crowded table on Christmas Day will not be taking place. Family bubbles and all the discussions of who is going to be with who has caused many to say that this Christmas is going to be a Christmas like none other. how we will exchange gifts, how we will interact with our family members on the day, how we will communicate to those we don't even have opportunity to fellowship with on Christmas Day will again make it a Christmas like none other than we have known in recent times. While Christmas 2020 will be different than what we have experienced in the past, as a curtailed event it is not as unique as you might think. We think of those Christmas celebrations during the World Wars, especially the Second World War when the celebrations had to be scaled down and unadjusted because of restrictions and shortages taking their toll. Christmas luxuries were especially hard to come by even whenever It was even basic foods, things were scarce. Gifts were often homemade, practical. Children's toys were made from recycled materials. Card was printed on small and flimsy paper in 1941. in order to conserve paper, the Ministry of Supply decreed that no retailer shall provide any paper for the packing or wrapping of goods except foodstuffs or articles which the shopkeeper has agreed to deliver. And so a scaling back of Christmas celebrations is not as unique as you might think it is. Because in the past history of our nation, we have known times when Christmas just hasn't been as we I've hoped it to be. Tonight, however, I want to preach about a unique event. And in it, it is unique. A most unique event. In a message that I've entitled, An Event Like None Other. An Event Like None Other. The event to which I refer to is the moment when the Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us. Tonight in this gospel message I simply want to furnish you with a number of reasons why I believe that the incarnation of Jesus Christ was an event like none other. An event like none other. This event was an event like none other because firstly it involved a birth like none other. It would involve a birth like none other. What I'm about to say is not some over-exaggeration by me as a preacher, but what I'm going to say is both biblically and historically factual. There has never been a birth like the birth of Jesus Christ. The Savior of man was born of a virgin. This unique means of bringing a child into the womb where no input from a human father is required in the act of procreation was spoken prophetically off by two Old Testament prophets hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. We read one this morning, Isaiah speaking off the Messiah's birth That supernatural birth by a virgin, say it in Isaiah 7 verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. And so this virgin birth is spoken of by Isaiah the prophet. Then hundreds of years later, the prophet Jeremiah would utter another prophecy of Christ's virgin birth there in Jeremiah chapter 31 and the verse 22, where we read these words, for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. A woman shall compass a man. What is this new thing that Jeremiah speaks off here? Well it is the mystery of a woman compassing a man child without the relationship with a man. It is the mystery that can only find its explanation in the events surrounding the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. J.C. Philpott made the comment about this particular text in Jeremiah 31. He said this, here we have a clear intimation of that miraculous incarnation of the Son of God, which was able to take place at the appointed time. He said, it is a delicate foreshadowing of the miraculous conception of the pure humanity of the Son of God in the womb of the Virgin Mary. In that sense it was true that a woman should compass a man, for when a pure virgin compassed in her womb the sacred manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and embraced him in his arms when brought forth, she compassed a man as conceiving and bringing forth a perfect man by the sole influence and operation of the perfect spirit. And so both Isaiah and Jeremiah prophetically spoke of the virgin birth when they spoke about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the fact that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin is intended to cause surprise and to excite wonder for the Bible reading. reader there's no example of this in scripture no example of ever this happening before in holy scripture there's no precedent for it in scripture there's no precursor for it within the word of god but rather it is to set forth the uniqueness of who this one is who's going to come into the world he is going to be virgin born The virgin birth sets forth twin truths. The first truth it sets forth is the deity of Jesus Christ. The second truth it brings forth is the sinless humanity of Jesus Christ. Without the doctrine of the virgin birth, all these important truths are compromised. I say tonight, salvation from sin and death and hell the full pardoning of our sin, the righteousness which perfectly justifies the sinner, the superabounding and the sovereign grace of God, the righteousness which perfectly justifies the sinner, yes, all stands upon the foundational truth that the Son of God becomes man. He becomes a man, not by natural generation, but by the supernatural and the miraculous virgin birth. Without such a birth, there would be no salvation from sin. This is how key the virgin birth and the doctrine of it is. The savior of men must be preserved from sin in order for him to be a savior for sinners. And only such is possible by the virgin birth. One preacher put it like this, Christ's birth stands alone in history. After this work of the Holy Spirit, God himself took up residency in the Virgin's womb in embryonic form. So after a natural nine-month pregnancy, she gives birth to a son who is God's son. He was the God-man Savior, not a God-indwelt man. He was both true and genuine humanity, an undiminished deity, united in one person forever. No other birth was like this in fact or fiction. It's a unique birth. And tonight in the gospel, we present to you a unique Savior. There's none like Him. He's one of a kind. He's incomparable to anyone else. It is the God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. And tonight He would become and desire to become your Savior and your Lord and your Master and your Friend. You see, this unique birth that Christ has, being born of a virgin, guarantees what He has done for us in His life, and at the end of His life, that such has been unspoiled by sin. Christ's virgin birth preserved the Savior from sin so that He might save us from our sin. He is the sinless one. And then no wonder, no wonder then this event, this incarnation, The coming of Christ into the world is an event like none other because it involves a birth like none other. Who has ever been born like this but Christ himself? None born like him, born of a virgin. Therefore, it is an event like none other. In the second place, the incarnation was an event like none other because it involved a place like none other, a place like none other. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the Judean town of Bethlehem, all accommodation facilities were filled to capacity. That was only to be expected due to the large numbers of people who had come to be registered in the town of their birth on the orders of Caesar Augustus. A taxing was taking place, a census. All now encouraged to return to the place of their home, their father. And for Joseph, it would be Bethlehem. For whatever reason, it seems to be that they arrive later than the rest. And no accommodation can be found for them. Luke takes up the narrative of what happened on their arrival in Bethlehem in the verse six and seven of Luke chapter two. And it was, it says, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. I want you to underline the word manger. You see, the presence of the manger in Luke's account indicates that the Son of God was born in a place that normally housed livestock. Now I'm sure that Mary, when she thought about her pregnancy, when she thought about how and where she was going to give birth to this son, I'm sure she never thought that she would give birth to him in a stable, or in a place where there were livestock. But this is what happened. No humbler place, no humbler place could the king of kings be born in than the place that was normally reserved to house the brute beasts of the field. We see in this the grace of God. And we see the condescension of the Son of God. Does the place of the Messiah's birth not bring to our minds those words we find in 2 Corinthians 8 verse 9? For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. The palaces of emperors The halls of kings afforded this royal stranger no refuge, only a cattle shed. He would come on to his own, and his own would receive him not. What does this detail teach us? What does the place of the Savior's birth teach us? Well, it teaches us that as Christ was born in such a place, it shows to us that How free is to all comers. Class and distinctions are not known here. No caste are acknowledged. No forms of etiquette are required to enter a stable, not like a royal palace. But all may come, open to all. The shepherds would come. The kings would eventually find the savior in the house. But the shepherds found a welcome there in the place where the livestock were housed. They were welcomed. And so are you. You're welcomed. Welcome to Christ. You're invited to come. No etiquette required. No, as it were, means by which you have prepared to enter in before some royal dignity not required, simply for you to come and take your place as a sinner. Come as you are and come now. I wonder, will you come? Will you come to the one who was born in low estate, will you come to the one who exchanged heaven's throne for a manger? I wonder, is there room in that heart of yours for Christ, or would there be hanging on the door of your heart, as it were, metaphorically speaking, that sign stating, no room, no vacancy, no room for Christ, no room for the Savior, no room in my heart for Him. No, too many things. take up my attention. Too many other cares clamor for my attention. No room for the Savior. No room for the Christ. No room for the Redeemer. No room for the friend of sinners. No room in my heart for Christ. Is that what you would say this evening? I say Christ seeks to enter that heart of yours this evening. Will you swing The heart's door widely open. Will you bid him enter while you may, a place like none other? What other birth do you know where a child was born in a livestock stable? This is why it makes this event an event like none other. In the third place, the incarnation was an event like none other because it involved an announcement like none other. It would involve an announcement like none other. When a baby of royal pedigree is born, their birth is announced in a way that is most certainly different than how we would announce the birth of our own children or of our grandchildren. There is something unique about how that birth is announced. Protocol must be followed. If that child be of the royal household of Windsor, here in Britain, after the safe arrival of the child, the Queen is the first person to be informed. I'm told that she's informed via an encrypted telephone line so that nobody else knows before the news is then put out in public. when she knows then an official statement is put out to the press, placed on royal websites and intermedia outlets and then we have that strange sight when we find the two individuals walking to the gates of Buckingham Palace setting up an easel and tying a little framed a piece of paper that will include the details of the child's gender, the time of birth, as well as a sentence or two about the well-being of the mother and of the child. We all know how it has worked. We have seen it in recent years. And we would think that to be a very strange, a very unique way to announce the birth of a child. But what child has ever had an announcement like the announcement of Christ's birth? Think of it. as different as the royal birth is announced. I want you to notice how the Savior's forthcoming birth, an actual birth, was announced. I want you to see how most unique it is. Two thoughts. The first thought I want you to consider with me is the prophetic announcement of the Messiah's birth. The prophetic announcement of the Messiah's birth. Nanny are the Old Testament prophetic utterances about the Saviour's birth. They are familiar to us from that proto-evangel there in Genesis 3. Write to Malachi's announcement that the Son of Righteousness would arise with healing in his wings, but don't allow the familiarity of the texts of Scripture. Remove the wonder that hundreds of years, think of it, some even thousands of years before Jesus Christ would be born, his coming was made known, announced. through the prophetic utterances and the inspired writings of holy men of God. Let me give you a sample of such announcements. Genesis 3 verse 15, Christ in the garden to Adam and Eve, he said, and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his head, his or her. seed, not his seed, her seed, the seed of a woman. Now that's a mystery, because if you read the Bible, you'll find scripture speaking about his seed, Abraham's seed. It's always the seed of a man, but here we have an intimation that there's someone coming into the world, a unique individual who's going to be the seed of a woman, of a woman. Genesis 49 is another example of the announcement of the coming Christ. Genesis 49 verse 10, you'll know that Jacob has gathered his 12 sons together and now he speaks to the tribe of Judah and he says these words, the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the law giver from between his feet until Shiloh, peace, tranquility come. And on to him shall the gathering of the people be. There we have Jacob speaking about Shiloh. It is a title of Christ. And how he's going to come and how he will gather people onto himself. Isaiah 11 verse 1 and 2. And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall go out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the rod of Jesse, the branch. Who is this? This is Christ. Isaiah 11 verse 1 and 2, then in Micah chapter 5 in the verse 2, But thou Bethlehem athrath, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that shall be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting. This is the eternal Son of God coming to Bethlehem, being born in Bethlehem. What other birth? Apart from the Savior's birth, what other birth was predicted like this? Could you predict a birth 1,000 years from now? Who's going to be born? You couldn't do it. Could you tell me who's going to be, as it were, the next royal baby in the house of Windsor? Could you tell me who it's going to be? Of course you couldn't. But this birth. What a unique birth it is. It's announced before it even happens. We announce the birth after it happens, but this announcement is made before the people are ever even going to have the child, Mary, before she even steps on to the stage of human history. The announcement is made. And so the prophetic announcements of the Messiah's birth point to a birth announcement like none other. But what about the angelic announcement of the Messiah's birth? The angelic components of this announcement point again to the uniqueness that surrounded the announcement of the Savior's birth. In the gospel accounts, first of all, we find Gabriel, the angel Gabriel, dispatched from God, by God, to communicate the news to Mary that she had been chosen to become the mother of the Christ child. You can read that account, we don't have time tonight. Luke 1 verse 26 through to 38. And Gabriel speaks to Mary, she's been chosen. to be the mother of the Christ child. Subsequent to Gabriel's announcement to Mary, then the angel is dispatched, the angel of the Lord, whose name we are not aware of, some believe it was Gabriel again, but just termed the angel of the Lord, is dispatched to allay the fears of Joseph regarding the unexpected pregnancy of the woman that he was engaged or betrothed to. Matthew 1.20, fear not to take on to thee Mary thy wife, For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And then fast forward nine months, Christ now born in Bethlehem, the angel of the Lord is sent again to earth to inform some shepherds of the Savior's birth. That angelic proclamation Luke records in the verses 9 through to 12 of the chapter. And both the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were so refrained. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And whenever he finishes his announcement, he is joined with a multitude of the heavenly hosts, We read there verses 13 to 14. And suddenly there was with that angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest on the earth, peace, goodwill toward men. What other birth, think of it, what other birth can you think of where angels were sent to announce the news that a child has been born? There is none. Not in our lifetime. It wasn't some PR agency that was tasked with announcing the news that the Christ of God was born. It was a task entrusted to holy angels. A savior's born. That was their announcement. I wonder tonight, does the substance of both the prophets and the angels' announcements concerning the coming Savior. Does it mean anything to you? The angel spoke of a Savior who'd been born, but is he your Savior? Is tonight a night for you? A night of great joy because through him your sins have been forgiven and forgotten. Or is this most momentous event just like any other event? And have you simply consigned it to history? An event that really has no relevance for you. I would say to you that you need a savior. If you're not a Christian, you need to be saved from your sin. And such a Savior is not found in this church, is not found in the sacraments, is not found in prayers, is not found in religious activity, is not found in good works, it's found in the person of Jesus Christ. So will you seek Him? Will you ask Him to save you from your sin? Nothing is real until it is personal. Did you get that? Nothing is real until it is personal. So do you personally know the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you a personal relationship with the Son of God? May tonight you be able to say as Mary said in Luke chapter 1 verse 47, may you be able to say that He is my Savior. My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Is He your Savior? There's one final thought. Why the incarnation was an event like none other. It was unique because it involved a purpose like none other. If I was to ask, or if I was asked to simply state the purpose that lay behind the incarnation, I would have to say that it's all about redemption. The redemption of the sinner from sin. Galatians 4 tells us that in the fullness of time God was sent forth. In the fullness of time he came, born of a woman, made under the law to redeem them. This is his purpose, to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. The word redeem is simply to buy back, to deliver on receipt of a ransom price paid. As sinners we find ourselves under the law. Galatians 4 verse 5. We find ourselves under its demands. We find ourselves under its power, we find ourselves under its sentence, we find ourselves under its condemnation. But thank God, as Savior was sent by God, in the person of God, to redeem us from our sins and to redeem us from the law and his coming to earth. Jesus Christ came as one who was willing and able to pay the ransom price in order to deliver us from our sins. Now what other child was given such a purpose? What other child, what other one born of man or born of a woman was ever given this task? To redeem a people, to rescue, to save, to reconcile sinners to God and God to sinners. What other individual was given that purpose? None but Him. And this is why the incarnation is such a unique event in history. He came to save us. That would involve him living for us, and dying for us, both parts necessary. Living for us, He meets the law's precepts. Dying for us, He meets the law's penalty. And thus all who will believe in Him, trust in Him, receive Him as Savior, are delivered, redeemed, rescued by Him and from their sin. This is good news, good news for you. Yet know not Christ the Savior. Good news that there is deliverance from sin. But if it is to be the case, then you're going to have to do a number of things. You're going to have to humble yourself and take your rightful place as a sinner before God. You're going to have to acknowledge your sins and admit that there is nothing that you can do to make amends for your sins and you're going to have to confess your sins to God alone, repent of them and trust in Christ to be your Savior. Trust in the fact that what He did on the cross is sufficient to put away your sin. I know that it is the prayer of every believer that you'll be brought to that point in your life when you would be saved by your sin and redeemed by the blood of Christ. that you would come to the cross. For the manger is not the end, neither is the cross or the tomb, but the throne. But in order to get to heaven, you must come by the way of the cross. There's no other way, no other savior but this one, of whom we have been speaking of tonight. What a unique event the incarnation is. Unique because it involved a birth like none other, in a place like none other, with an announcement like none other, for a purpose like none other. No wonder then, no wonder then the coming of the Son of God into the world was an event like none other. May tonight you leave this place pondering in your heart as Mary did, all the events that surrounded this most unique event in human history. And if you know not the one around whom this event centers, the Lord Jesus Christ, if you know him not savingly, that tonight will be the night of your salvation. A Savior is born in an event like none other. and He wants to be your Savior. Will you come to Him? Will you trust in Him? Will this moment you be saved by Him? I trust you will. And may we as believers, may we be caught up in wonder that such an event took place, that Christ would come to this world to redeem us from our sin. May God bring us to be lost in wonder, love, and praise. Let's bow our heads, please, in a word of prayer. Can I say, if you do need spiritual help, we're here to help. If you're watching in tonight, you can contact us there. Messenger. If you're in the church, in the church car park, we'll be glad to speak with you. We'll keep our distance from you. Don't worry about that. We'll adhere to all the regulations. But I tell you, make this night the night of your salvation. And may this evening you be brought to know the Christ of God, our loving Father, In our Savior's precious name, we leave the matters with thee with respect to this meeting. We rejoice in thy Son. We praise thee for the sending of him into the world and all the uniqueness surrounding it. No event like it, none whatsoever. May we never lose the wonder of it all. We grant, dear God, these hearts of ours to be taken up with our blessed Redeemer and Savior. Part us with Thy blessing and in Thy fear. And for those who know not the Savior and end another year without Him, may tonight they be found exercising faith in Christ alone. And may they be brought, God, to the point of decision for Thee. And may they gladly say, Jesus, I come to thee, I open my heart wide, enter in. And through prayer and bless our families, we pray in coming days and weeks and months, we offer prayer in our Savior's precious and worthy name. Amen and amen. Thank you.