December 24, 2025 • 16 mins
What if the most important gift under the tree arrived with a card that told you exactly why you needed it? We walk from Isaiah’s ancient promise to a Bethlehem manger and discover why the name Jesus changes how we see our ache, our efforts, and our hope. Instead of vague comfort or seasonal glow, we talk plainly about the gap we all feel between who we are and who we want to be—and why the diagnosis goes deeper than stress, busyness, or circumstance.
This conversation is for listeners who came hoping for comfort, who showed up out of tradition, or who aren’t sure what they believe. We talk about sin as separation, the limits of willpower and new beginnings, and the unique claim of Christianity: you are made right with God not by steps but by a person who did what you could not do. The gift is given, not earned. It is for us—personal, specific, and available now.
If this resonates, share it with a friend who needs hope tonight. Subscribe for more thoughtful, faith-centered episodes, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. Will you receive the gift and come to Jesus today?
Thank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:24):
Let's pray together.
Father, Christmas brings up somany different things in our
hearts.
It is so wonderful in so manyways.
We get to gather with peoplethat we love.
It's a time for us to celebrateand to give.
(00:47):
But at the same time, for many,Christmas reminds us of our
loneliness.
It's a reminder of loss andgrief and the brokenness in our
families and relationships.
We carry lots in this room.
And some of us are strugglingwith whether or not we even
(01:10):
believe this at all.
I pray that through your spirit,through your word, that you
would meet each and every personand that we would have an
encounter with the Lord JesusChrist through his word and
spirit this evening.
You've brought us here.
It's no accident that we're hereto hear this word.
(01:34):
And I pray that you wouldcapture us in a new way with the
beauty of Christmas.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
I want to wish you a MerryChristmas.
Really glad that you're here,especially if you're visiting
with us.
Thank you for being here on thisChristmas Eve.
(01:57):
We have been in our church forthe last four weeks during the
season of Advent leading up toChristmas.
We have been walking throughIsaiah chapter 9, verse 6, and
we have been unpacking the royaltitles given in that verse to
the coming and promised Messiah.
(02:17):
For to us a child is born, to usa son is given.
His name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince ofPeace.
Tonight on this Christmas Eve,we're going to conclude our
Advent series.
We will not stay in Isaiah.
(02:38):
Instead, I want to show you whathappened 700 years later, when
this promise, this promisedchild, actually arrived into the
world, when this prophecy inIsaiah chapter 9 became flesh,
when the waiting was finallyover and the rescue was here.
(03:01):
Imagine tomorrow morning youwere to get up and you were to
find a beautifully wrappedpackage under your tree.
And you're like, what is this?
Who is this?
There's no card, there's noname.
Maybe you've had that happen toyou before.
And you open up the gift and youfind something, you're not quite
(03:26):
sure what it is or what it'sfor.
You're grateful, yes, but you'realso very confused.
Now imagine that same gift, butthis time there is a card, and
the card says, This is for you.
And here's what it does, andthis is why you need it.
(03:50):
Well, suddenly that changeseverything, doesn't it?
The mystery becomes clear.
You move from confusion now toconfidence.
You know exactly why you havethe gift and why you need it.
And that is exactly what God did2,000 years ago.
(04:10):
He gave the world a gift, a babyin a stable, laid in a manger,
and God did not leave usguessing.
He actually attached a name, andhe attached a title, and the
name and title explaineverything.
(04:34):
Matthew chapter 1, verse 21.
Martin read it.
I'll read one verse.
She, Mary, will bear a son, andyou shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people fromtheir sins.
In the ancient Near East, thefather had the privilege and the
right responsibility to name thechild, not here, not this child,
(05:01):
because this was God's child.
God was the father.
And so God gets to name thechild.
And the angel appears to Josephand he says, Name your son
Jesus.
And throughout this series,through the royal titles, we've
(05:22):
been unpacking what the namesmean.
Jesus.
What does his name mean?
Literally, the Lord saves.
Jesus.
God saves.
And those two words, that titlegets right to the very heart of
(05:43):
Christmas.
And you could say this evening,it gets right at the very heart
of Christianity.
Because the title tells us whoJesus is and what he came to do.
Again, lots we could unpack, butjust notice who is Jesus, the
Lord.
That is the covenant name of Godin the Old Testament.
(06:06):
The same God who spoke to Mosesin the burning bush.
The same God who delivered hispeople from the Egyptians, the
same God who promised a Messiah.
We've been studying about forthe past few weeks in the book
of Isaiah.
That God has now come in theperson of Jesus Christ.
The one who spoke the world intohis existence is born into a
(06:30):
stable.
The one who holds the worldtogether is wrapped in swaddling
clothes.
The creator became creation.
Why did God come?
Well, again, Matthew 121 to savehis people, not from their
(06:51):
circumstances, not fromdiscomfort or from our problems.
He came into the world to savehis people, to save us from our
sins.
And so the assumption is veryclear.
We're sinners and we need asavior.
(07:15):
We need to be rescued.
And let's be honest, reallyhonest here, just for a moment.
We all know this to be true inour hearts because we know,
don't we?
Don't you feel it that you arenot what you were meant to be
and who you were meant to be?
We all fill this gap between whoit is we want to be and who we
(07:39):
actually are.
And we try to fix ourselves andwe try to improve ourselves and
we try to hide the parts of ourlives that cause us deep shame.
But deep down we know.
And Christmas reminds us thatour biggest problem is not other
(08:03):
people, it's not ourcircumstances, it's not even our
past.
Our biggest problem is our sin.
Sin, our separation from God.
And what that means is that achange of address or moving to
(08:25):
another state or getting a newjob will not fix you.
And will not fix what is brokenin you.
A new relationship will notultimately satisfy you.
More success and more money willnot fix in silence the nagging
sense that something is wrong,that we can't save ourselves,
(08:49):
and that we need total rescue.
Merry Christmas.
And listen, I know that soundsheavy here on Christmas Eve, but
please understand if we don'tget that, then we don't get
(09:10):
Christmas.
If we miss that, we miss Jesus.
And the whole reason that hecame into this world, friends,
Christmas is not just aboutcomfort, it is about salvation.
Think about the shepherds in thefields on the first Christmas
(09:32):
night.
This will be a sign to you.
You will find a baby wrapped inswaddling clothes, lying in a
manger, Luke chapter 2, verse12.
A sign for what?
Well, if you keep reading, thata savior has come.
To you this day is born a saviorwho is Christ the Lord.
(09:56):
And what is stunning is that thesign of God's rescue is not a
mighty warrior with a sword or aking leading an army, but rather
a helpless baby, a vulnerablechild in a stable.
There's a story in the old TVshow, The West Wing.
(10:19):
And one of the characters tellsthis parable.
Leo tells this parable about aguy who's walking down the
street.
He falls into this hole, andit's so steep that he can't get
out of the hole.
And so he needs help.
And so people are passing by,and a doctor passes by above
him, and he starts, help, helpme.
(10:42):
And the doctor writes aprescription and throws it down
into the hole.
And then next, a priest walks byand he starts yelling, help.
Well, the priest offers up aprayer and throws it down and
walks on.
A friend then appears and he'ssaying, Hey, help me out.
(11:04):
The friend actually jumps downinto the hole with him, and the
man says, What are you doing?
Are you crazy?
Now we're both stuck down here.
And the friend says, Yeah, butI've been down here before, and
I know the way out.
That's the good news ofChristmas.
(11:26):
Jesus did not just pass us by.
He did not just shout downinstructions from heaven.
He didn't lob down aprescription and some good
advice.
He jumped down here with us.
He came in a stable in swaddlingclothes, laid in a manger,
(11:47):
entering into our darkness andbrokenness and sin.
And he knows the way out.
Even better, he is the way out.
And he brings us out throughliving the life, the perfect
life that we could never live,and dying the death that we
(12:11):
deserve.
And that's what makesChristianity so unique.
And that's what makesChristianity different from
every other world religion andphilosophy.
Every other religion says,follow these rules and you can
reach God.
Just do these steps.
That is terrible news.
(12:32):
Because you can never do enough.
The good news of Christianity isthat you are made right with
God, not through following allof these steps and rules, but
you are made right with Godthrough a person.
Jesus Christ, who came into theworld to do what you could never
do for yourself.
(12:54):
All the four names in Isaiahchapter 9, verse 6 point to one
reality (12:59):
salvation.
Your rescue.
Wonderful counselor guides usout of the darkness.
Mighty God breaks the power thatsin has on us.
Everlasting Father adopts usinto his family.
(13:19):
Prince of peace reconciles uswith God.
And this name, this one name,Jesus, declares it all and sums
up all of those titles.
God saves.
To us, a child is born.
To us, a son is given.
(13:41):
Notice, given is born.
This is a gift, not a reward forour righteousness, not something
that we earn.
It's yours to be received.
And please don't miss this.
Two words.
(14:01):
For us.
Christ was born for you.
He didn't just die, he died foryou.
He didn't wasn't just raisedfrom the dead.
He was raised for you.
See how personal this is?
(14:22):
And it makes all the differencein the world.
All you need this evening isneed to admit that you need to
be rescued, that you need toreceive Jesus' grace.
Some of you came this eveningand you were hoping for comfort.
Jesus offers you comfort.
(14:44):
Some of you came tonight out ofduty and out of tradition.
Jesus meets you there too.
But all of us, every single oneof us, needs rescued.
We need a savior.
(15:06):
That is what we most need.
And that's what Jesus came todo.
And that's why Christmas is sucha big deal.
Will you come to Jesus thisevening?
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for this timeof year.
(15:27):
We confess that often this storyhas become so familiar that we
just simply go through themotions and we're not moved by
it.
I'm asking that you would moveus this evening by what we've
heard tomorrow as we think aboutwhat you've done.
(15:50):
I pray that you would shape usthrough this story.
And I pray for those here thatmight not know you.
I pray you'd give them faith,give them eyes to see and ears
to hear the good news of thegospel of Jesus Christ.
It's in his name we pray.
(16:12):
Amen.
Let's pray together.
Father, Christmas brings up somany different things in our
hearts.
It is so wonderful in so manyways.
We get to gather with peoplethat we love.
It's a time for us to celebrateand to give.
(00:47):
But at the same time, for many,Christmas reminds us of our
loneliness.
It's a reminder of loss andgrief and the brokenness in our
families and relationships.
We carry lots in this room.
And some of us are strugglingwith whether or not we even
(01:10):
believe this at all.
I pray that through your spirit,through your word, that you
would meet each and every personand that we would have an
encounter with the Lord JesusChrist through his word and
spirit this evening.
You've brought us here.
It's no accident that we're hereto hear this word.
(01:34):
And I pray that you wouldcapture us in a new way with the
beauty of Christmas.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
I want to wish you a MerryChristmas.
Really glad that you're here,especially if you're visiting
with us.
Thank you for being here on thisChristmas Eve.
(01:57):
We have been in our church forthe last four weeks during the
season of Advent leading up toChristmas.
We have been walking throughIsaiah chapter 9, verse 6, and
we have been unpacking the royaltitles given in that verse to
the coming and promised Messiah.
(02:17):
For to us a child is born, to usa son is given.
His name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince ofPeace.
Tonight on this Christmas Eve,we're going to conclude our
Advent series.
We will not stay in Isaiah.
(02:38):
Instead, I want to show you whathappened 700 years later, when
this promise, this promisedchild, actually arrived into the
world, when this prophecy inIsaiah chapter 9 became flesh,
when the waiting was finallyover and the rescue was here.
(03:01):
Imagine tomorrow morning youwere to get up and you were to
find a beautifully wrappedpackage under your tree.
And you're like, what is this?
Who is this?
There's no card, there's noname.
Maybe you've had that happen toyou before.
And you open up the gift and youfind something, you're not quite
(03:26):
sure what it is or what it'sfor.
You're grateful, yes, but you'realso very confused.
Now imagine that same gift, butthis time there is a card, and
the card says, This is for you.
And here's what it does, andthis is why you need it.
(03:50):
Well, suddenly that changeseverything, doesn't it?
The mystery becomes clear.
You move from confusion now toconfidence.
You know exactly why you havethe gift and why you need it.
And that is exactly what God did2,000 years ago.
(04:10):
He gave the world a gift, a babyin a stable, laid in a manger,
and God did not leave usguessing.
He actually attached a name, andhe attached a title, and the
name and title explaineverything.
(04:34):
Matthew chapter 1, verse 21.
Martin read it.
I'll read one verse.
She, Mary, will bear a son, andyou shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people fromtheir sins.
In the ancient Near East, thefather had the privilege and the
right responsibility to name thechild, not here, not this child,
(05:01):
because this was God's child.
God was the father.
And so God gets to name thechild.
And the angel appears to Josephand he says, Name your son
Jesus.
And throughout this series,through the royal titles, we've
(05:22):
been unpacking what the namesmean.
Jesus.
What does his name mean?
Literally, the Lord saves.
Jesus.
God saves.
And those two words, that titlegets right to the very heart of
(05:43):
Christmas.
And you could say this evening,it gets right at the very heart
of Christianity.
Because the title tells us whoJesus is and what he came to do.
Again, lots we could unpack, butjust notice who is Jesus, the
Lord.
That is the covenant name of Godin the Old Testament.
(06:06):
The same God who spoke to Mosesin the burning bush.
The same God who delivered hispeople from the Egyptians, the
same God who promised a Messiah.
We've been studying about forthe past few weeks in the book
of Isaiah.
That God has now come in theperson of Jesus Christ.
The one who spoke the world intohis existence is born into a
(06:30):
stable.
The one who holds the worldtogether is wrapped in swaddling
clothes.
The creator became creation.
Why did God come?
Well, again, Matthew 121 to savehis people, not from their
(06:51):
circumstances, not fromdiscomfort or from our problems.
He came into the world to savehis people, to save us from our
sins.
And so the assumption is veryclear.
We're sinners and we need asavior.
(07:15):
We need to be rescued.
And let's be honest, reallyhonest here, just for a moment.
We all know this to be true inour hearts because we know,
don't we?
Don't you feel it that you arenot what you were meant to be
and who you were meant to be?
We all fill this gap between whoit is we want to be and who we
(07:39):
actually are.
And we try to fix ourselves andwe try to improve ourselves and
we try to hide the parts of ourlives that cause us deep shame.
But deep down we know.
And Christmas reminds us thatour biggest problem is not other
(08:03):
people, it's not ourcircumstances, it's not even our
past.
Our biggest problem is our sin.
Sin, our separation from God.
And what that means is that achange of address or moving to
(08:25):
another state or getting a newjob will not fix you.
And will not fix what is brokenin you.
A new relationship will notultimately satisfy you.
More success and more money willnot fix in silence the nagging
sense that something is wrong,that we can't save ourselves,
(08:49):
and that we need total rescue.
Merry Christmas.
And listen, I know that soundsheavy here on Christmas Eve, but
please understand if we don'tget that, then we don't get
(09:10):
Christmas.
If we miss that, we miss Jesus.
And the whole reason that hecame into this world, friends,
Christmas is not just aboutcomfort, it is about salvation.
Think about the shepherds in thefields on the first Christmas
(09:32):
night.
This will be a sign to you.
You will find a baby wrapped inswaddling clothes, lying in a
manger, Luke chapter 2, verse12.
A sign for what?
Well, if you keep reading, thata savior has come.
To you this day is born a saviorwho is Christ the Lord.
(09:56):
And what is stunning is that thesign of God's rescue is not a
mighty warrior with a sword or aking leading an army, but rather
a helpless baby, a vulnerablechild in a stable.
There's a story in the old TVshow, The West Wing.
(10:19):
And one of the characters tellsthis parable.
Leo tells this parable about aguy who's walking down the
street.
He falls into this hole, andit's so steep that he can't get
out of the hole.
And so he needs help.
And so people are passing by,and a doctor passes by above
him, and he starts, help, helpme.
(10:42):
And the doctor writes aprescription and throws it down
into the hole.
And then next, a priest walks byand he starts yelling, help.
Well, the priest offers up aprayer and throws it down and
walks on.
A friend then appears and he'ssaying, Hey, help me out.
(11:04):
The friend actually jumps downinto the hole with him, and the
man says, What are you doing?
Are you crazy?
Now we're both stuck down here.
And the friend says, Yeah, butI've been down here before, and
I know the way out.
That's the good news ofChristmas.
(11:26):
Jesus did not just pass us by.
He did not just shout downinstructions from heaven.
He didn't lob down aprescription and some good
advice.
He jumped down here with us.
He came in a stable in swaddlingclothes, laid in a manger,
(11:47):
entering into our darkness andbrokenness and sin.
And he knows the way out.
Even better, he is the way out.
And he brings us out throughliving the life, the perfect
life that we could never live,and dying the death that we
(12:11):
deserve.
And that's what makesChristianity so unique.
And that's what makesChristianity different from
every other world religion andphilosophy.
Every other religion says,follow these rules and you can
reach God.
Just do these steps.
That is terrible news.
(12:32):
Because you can never do enough.
The good news of Christianity isthat you are made right with
God, not through following allof these steps and rules, but
you are made right with Godthrough a person.
Jesus Christ, who came into theworld to do what you could never
do for yourself.
(12:54):
All the four names in Isaiahchapter 9, verse 6 point to one
reality (12:59):
salvation.
Your rescue.
Wonderful counselor guides usout of the darkness.
Mighty God breaks the power thatsin has on us.
Everlasting Father adopts usinto his family.
(13:19):
Prince of peace reconciles uswith God.
And this name, this one name,Jesus, declares it all and sums
up all of those titles.
God saves.
To us, a child is born.
To us, a son is given.
(13:41):
Notice, given is born.
This is a gift, not a reward forour righteousness, not something
that we earn.
It's yours to be received.
And please don't miss this.
Two words.
(14:01):
For us.
Christ was born for you.
He didn't just die, he died foryou.
He didn't wasn't just raisedfrom the dead.
He was raised for you.
See how personal this is?
(14:22):
And it makes all the differencein the world.
All you need this evening isneed to admit that you need to
be rescued, that you need toreceive Jesus' grace.
Some of you came this eveningand you were hoping for comfort.
Jesus offers you comfort.
(14:44):
Some of you came tonight out ofduty and out of tradition.
Jesus meets you there too.
But all of us, every single oneof us, needs rescued.
We need a savior.
(15:06):
That is what we most need.
And that's what Jesus came todo.
And that's why Christmas is sucha big deal.
Will you come to Jesus thisevening?
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for this timeof year.
(15:27):
We confess that often this storyhas become so familiar that we
just simply go through themotions and we're not moved by
it.
I'm asking that you would moveus this evening by what we've
heard tomorrow as we think aboutwhat you've done.
(15:50):
I pray that you would shape usthrough this story.
And I pray for those here thatmight not know you.
I pray you'd give them faith,give them eyes to see and ears
to hear the good news of thegospel of Jesus Christ.
It's in his name we pray.
(16:12):
Amen.
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