Boone's Creek Baptist Church

We love celebrating Jesus' arrival at Christmas, but what exactly is it we're celebrating? Over the course of three sermons, we'll look at how Jesus came to fulfill the role of prophet, priest, and king. As we do, we'll see how those offices were supposed to function, how they failed to function that way under the Old Covenant, and how Jesus ultimately perfected those roles upon his arrival. In this first sermon, we consider how Jesus is our prophesied prophet.

What does the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah have to do with the Christmas story? You might be surprised to find that there is actually quite a few touchpoints between these two events. Both describe heavenly visitors declaring a warning and an invitation, one to flee destruction, the other to find salvation. Join us as we consider this and other points of connection between Sodom and Bethlehem.

God's judgment is sure, but mercy is possible. In between those two lies intercession. Abraham attempts...unsuccessfully to intercede on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, despite his failure, we can still learn a great deal about the nature of intercession and what it can accomplish.

Sometimes it may seem to us that God's plan is ridiculous, even laughable. That's how it seemed to Sarah when God announced that she would be having a son in about a year's time. However, what was thought to be ridiculous was actually a miraculous way in which God kept his word and brought blessing to the whole world.

Similarly, the gospel may seem ridiculous to us. The idea that God incarnate would die for our sins, then rise again on the third day to give us his righteousness sounds laughable. But it is miraculous, and this ridiculous plan is our only hope.

In this text we see why Abraham is later called a friend of God. He demonstrates exceptional hospitality and qualities that make him worthy of that esteemed moniker. In Abraham's actions then, we see the kind of behaviors that are desirable in both our relationships with God and our relationships with other people.