The Gospel of Christmas II Corinthians 5:14-21 750 years before the cross, the prophet Isaiah had this to say about Emmanuel: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) That’s an apt description of us in our lost condition—we want things our way! We are by nature, sinful, self-centered people. One of the greatest problems people face is the guilt and shame they carry from their past mistakes. Every one of us has done things in the past we regret. What the Gospel of Christmas means to us 1.Christmas means we have a new revelation of God. (verse 18). (A) GOD EXCHANGES MY GUILT FOR HIS GRACE. The Doctrine: The Grace of God My Response: I rejoice that God loves me so much!2.Christmas means we have a new relationship to God. (verse 19).(B) GOD EXCHANGES MY FAILURE FOR HIS FORGIVENESS The Doctrine: The substitutionary atonement of Christ My Response: I’m forever grateful my sin-debt has been paid! 3. Christmas means a new regard for others (verses 16-17).
(C) GOD EXCHANGES MY RAGS FOR HIS ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Doctrine: Justification by faith. My Response: I’m free from the pressure to perform to please God!Martin Luther, wrote these famous words back to him: “Learn to know Christ and Him crucified. Learn to sing to Him and say—Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness. You took on You what was mine; You set on me what was Yours. You became what you were not that I might become what I was not.”