OUR GREATEST NEED

MATT. 1:1-25

TX. VS. 21

INTRODUCTION:

-If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us a educator.

-If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.

-If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.

-If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.

-But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us the Saviour, His only begotten son,

Jesus Christ.

-I read one day with interest out of the Daily Bread, this true story:

A south Korean Christian was arrested one day by the North Korean Communists, during the

Korean War. This Christian was sentenced to die before a firing squad. But when the

Officer in charge learned that this man headed an orphanage, he changed the order. Instead,

He forced the believer to watch as his 19-yr. old son was shot to death in his place.

Some time later, the communist officer was captured by United Nations forces, tried and

condemned to die. But before the execution, the Christian whose son had been killed made

an emotional plea in behalf of the officer, asking that he be released into his custody. His

request was granted, and eventfully the officer was saved and converted to Christ, and became

Pastor.

-As I read that story, I asked myself the question, could I do that? I could not in my own strength

but I could in the strength that comes from Jesus Christ's forgiveness of me.

-When God floods the hearts of His children with His love, the Holy Spirit makes that love so

real to us that we can do the impossible.

-When God meet our greatest need of forgiveness, through Jesus coming and being born of the

Virgin, it must make a change in us.

I. WE NEED TO GO ANOTHER WAY---MATT. 1:12

Matt 2:12

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

A. The Wise Men departed another way after being warned by God.

1. God has warned us through His written word, to go and live another way.

Matt 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

B. Jesus said, I am the Way, in Jn. 14:6.

C. When you get saved, born-again, you need to go another way and live another way.

1. Get baptized. 2. Join a bible believing church. 3. Start tihing your income to the Lord

through the Local Church. 4. Need to start witnessing for Jesus of your salvation experience.

5. Need to start helpgetting the gospel to the rest of the world through giving to missions.

6. Need to be a Christian in every thing you do. (Enlarge upon this)

7. All people are sinners, so all people need a Saviour so they can change.

II. WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR THINKING--MATT. 1:19,20,24:

Matt 1:19-20

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on 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.

Matt 1:24-25

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

A. We need to start seeing things like Jesus would see things.

1. We have some tremendous days during our calendar year, that we call holidays.

a. New Years day b. Easter(not the easter bunny) c. Memorial Day d. 4^th of July

e. Christmas.

2. What do you and I think of when we think of Christmas?

a. To many, it is gifts, drinking of alcoholic beverages, adultery, and santa claus.

3. I hope since you got saved, that none of these things represent Christmas to you., but

I am amazed by the Christian families that teach their children of Santa Claus!

4. There are some things you are doing wrong when you do this:

a. Having to teach a lie.

b. Putting a false worldly teaching on the same level as the true spiritual teaching.

c. You are teaching that you have a right to an option.

B. Christmas, if it is Christmas, is only a celebration for Christians.

1. What do the lost have to celebrate? For Christmas is the celebration of the Birth of

of Christ, the One who came to pay for and forgive our sins.

C. If you are a Christian, you need to change your thinking about why we celebrate Christmas

if you do it the way the world does it.

CONCLUSION:

-2 Cor. 5:17

2 Cor 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

-Man's greatest need was for a Saviour to come into this world and forgive man of his sins and

help him to change.

-Is the greatest need in your life been taken care of yet?

-If not, it can be taken care of right now!