By every measure, the evangelical church in the West is dying. On average, nine churches close their doors daily in America, as over 3,500 people decide to discard the church as being relevant to their needs. According to the most recent survey, over 30% of Americans now have no religious preference or denomination identity.
The church is reaping the fruit of the man-centric church-growth movement that began in the early 19th century but exploded exponentially in the 20th century as the younger Pastors abandoned the teaching of sound doctrine and tried to keep attendance up through Christian entertainment.
Therefore, the most significant issue facing the church today is not how to attract the next generation to get involved in a dying denomination but whether the church can survive another generation without the proclamation of the uncompromised gospel. 

In Luke 18:7-8, Jesus asked the question: “When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” As we know, the Son of man will not come on earth until the end of the seven-year tribulation, and with the Church removed via the rapture, and with most of those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord during the Tribulation martyred, Jesus is predicting that only a remnant of believers will remain alive at His return.

However, there will be great religion on earth during those seven years which will be led by the False Prophet, and that is the false church that is growing today, spawned by the apostasy from the true Church, and therefore it is a form of Christianity but without Christ, and a form of godliness, but without the truth, and therefore the power of God.

We will explain this further in our next sermon, “Earnestly Contending for the Faith – Holding to the Truth in the Midst of Apostasy!” (Jude 1-25)

Today, people all over the world are asking the question, “What Child is This?” In his “woke” address, without speaking His name, President Biden referred to Jesus as “A Child Christians Believe to Be the Son of God.”

With all due respect, Mr. President, over 300 specific prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, and a few more left to be fulfilled when He soon returns to earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Here are a few of the more notable messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled.

“Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Linda and I share the heartbreak of many parents who, on Christmas morning, find their children more enamored by the bright bows and colorful boxes than the toys inside. Such is the case with many Christians today – they are more interested in the idea and feeling of Christmas than they are in Christ. 
Beloved, Christmas is not about the Savior’s Infancy! Christmas is about that infant’s Deity, and OUR CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT ANYTHING LESS OR ANYTHING ELSE. 

The heart of Christmas, yea, even the crux of Christianity, is that God Himself entered the world as a human being, and they called His name, Jesus. Therefore, to truly receive Jesus as our Savior, we must first recognize His deity and then fully surrender unto Him as our Lord! See Romans 10:9-10
We will explain this further in our next sermon, “What Child is This? Child of Perfection.”

While the Christmas story may inspire us for the moment, unless that Baby was, in fact, the Savior sent from God to redeem us from our sins, that event that happened 2000 years ago is insignificant to the predicament in which we live. However, contrary to contemporary thought, Jesus didn’t come to earth to create a holiday! Jesus was born to die for sinners, and if His death was sufficient payment for the sins of all who believe in Him, He had to be more than a man.

In 2 Peter 3:12-13, the Apostle said at the end of this age, the current heavens will be dissolved, and the current earth will be cleansed by fervent heat, “Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

  According to Barna Research Group, while most Americans still believe Jesus was a real person who lived 2000 years ago, they find it hard to believe He was the sinless Savior sent by God to redeem us from our sins.

 According to a recent survey, 2/3rds of American adults over the age of 18 identified themselves as Christians. However, as we see the sinfulness of our culture today, we must question the validity of those conversions. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
   Sadly, some have confused the Pure gospel with:
The Prosperity Gospel – believing in Jesus is the way to health, wealth, and financial prosperity, for God wants His children to have their best life now. In other words, if they are prospering financially, they must be saved.
The Personal Gospel – this can also be called the “self-help” gospel; that Jesus died to meet our needs and to make our lives better, because life is all about me, my, and mine, never about others.
The Political Gospel – this false gospel says it is possible to proclaim Jesus as our Savior, but put our hope for the future in a political party.
The pure gospel is to believe the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ provided the way for the lost man to be forgiven of his sins and reconciled to God. Anything we add to that or take away from it belittles God’s grace.
We will explain this further in our next sermon, “This I Believe: Saved by Grace – The Power of Salvation.”