Our eternal destiny hangs on one question, asked here three ways: Who is the baby born in Bethlehem? What Child is this? Who is Jesus Christ?

Some believe he was simply a great man, a moral teacher or a messenger of God. But as believers, we know the right answer: Jesus is the Son of God. We worship one God, who has revealed Himself in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We know that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, but He is also God the Son.

John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

The Trinity is a sacred mystery; it does not rise or fall on logic, but by divine revelation. Not understanding the Trinity shouldn’t bother us; instead, it should give us comfort.

Adrian Rogers says, “I wouldn’t have any confidence in a God that I could understand.”

We must recognize the sovereign majesty of the Trinity. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are equally sovereign.

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3-4). The Trinity is evident in creation (Genesis 1:1) and in the greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The Trinity is also evident in the Christmas story (Matthew 1:20-23) and in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus Christ’s beginning was not in Bethlehem. The Son of God is spoken of throughout the Old Testament, in prophecy and physical presence. He has no beginning and He will never have an ending.

Once we accept this knowledge, we can receive the Trinity’s saving ministry. Our destiny depends upon the work of the Trinity.

Ephesians 1:3-5 shares that we are selected by God the Father. He knew from all eternity that we would receive and trust him. Ephesians 1:6-7 reveals that we are saved by God the Son, who has redeemed us by His blood. And once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit seals us in, becoming our eternal security.

Life Application

Praise God, that He is bigger than our understanding. Today, worship Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son. Lay down your intellectual pride and offer your heart to Him.

there’s no greater question that I could ask then who is jesus christ answer it wrong. All else will be wrong. Listen, precious friend, your eternal destiny hangs on that question. My child is this Adrian Rogers had the unique ability to apply biblical truth to everyday life. It was one of the many things that made him such a remarkable pastor bible teacher and writer. And you’ll hear that in this series of christmas messages that were calling, what child is this Before we begin, remember you can follow along with pastor Rogers outline notes or complete transcript of today’s message at L WF dot org or the my L WF app. Now let’s join Adrian Rogers Take your bibles and turn please to the gospel of John Chapter one and hardly christmas goes by that. We don’t come back to this wonderful text. Now the title of our message and our thoughts today is what child is this? You know, we have a the christmas carol that we sing and it has that phrase in it. What child is this? Who is that baby born in the manger? Now the question, it’s not incidental. There’s no greater question that I could ask. Then who is jesus christ Well, he was the son of God and is the son of God, he was and is God the son. Now you have your bibles open to john one, let’s read the first four verses in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God. All things, all things were made by him and without him Was not anything made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men. That’s John one verses 1 through four and we’ll come back to that in just a moment. Now, how could he be God and the son of God at the same time? How could he be God? The son and the son of God. This is what we’re going to call the doctrine of the trinity. Now you’ve sung it many times. Holy Holy, Holy merciful and mighty God in three persons blessed trinity. Now, having said all of that and that’s the front porch, let’s go in the house. I want to give you three wonderful thoughts about God the trinity. And first of all, I want you to think of what I’m going to call the sacred mystery of the trinity. The sacred mystery of the trinity. Go back to john 11 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. Now, how do we know that jesus is God? Because God told us so well, how can he be God and the son of God at the same time, it is a sacred mystery. How do you know about the Holy trinity only by divine revelation. You don’t understand this by logic. You don’t understand this by investigation. You don’t understand this by philosophy. You do not understand this by mathematics. So lay your pride in the dust and understand that this is a sacred mystery and don’t ever cast anything out because you can’t understand it, john Wesley said, how can a worm understand a man? How are you going to understand Almighty God being finite and he being infinite. Put in your margin First Timothy chapter 3: verse 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. This is a great mystery. It may sound contradictory to you and outside the realm of logic, but I want to remind you that there are many things that you must believe that are contradictory and outside the realm of logic infinity. Which of you understands infinity that things go on and on and on and on and on and on. When I was a little boy, I used to lie in bed and think, how big is the universe does it ever end if it does end? How can it end? And what’s on the other side when it ends? Have you ever thought about that friend? Your mind cannot even begin to conceive of infinity. You just believe it eternity. Everything we know has a beginning and an end. But we know that that time cannot cease to exist on and on and on and on and on and on. You don’t understand that. You don’t understand that time in eternity never had a beginning and never has an ending, not only infinity and eternity, but you don’t understand that God is everywhere at the same time. How can God be here and there? That’s contrary to human logic. If I’m here, I can’t be there. But God is a presence whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. Now you don’t understand that. I don’t understand that. We don’t have to understand it. The idea of the trinity does not rise or fall on logic, but by divine revelation, it is a sacred mystery. Now don’t get the idea therefore that you can illustrate the holy trinity. Teachers often try to do this. They say that God is like this, our God is like that God did not like anything. He’s gone. Let me give you a verse Isaiah chapter 40 verse 18. To whom Then will he like in God or what likeness will you compare to him? I can say one musician is like another musician. I can say one chair is like another chair. One light bulb is like another light bulb. He is God the one and only. And he can’t be compared. The girl told her boyfriend, I went out with Henry last night and um Henry kissed me. The boyfriend said, is that so I’ll teach him, She said, oh you couldn’t teach him anything. You can compare one Kiss to another Kiss. But you can, you can’t compare God to anything. I’m from florida, I love the ocean, my blood is about 75% salt water, But suppose I go down with a teacup and a pail and I try to put the atlantic ocean in that pale with my teacup. Do you think that you can put almighty God in your teacup mind or in europe rusty bucket? You can’t do it. God is bigger than you are, God is bigger than your logic. God is bigger than your understanding. And so what I’m trying to say to you is there is a sacred mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. I’ll say get it, you say, got it, get it good. Alright, now, here’s the second thing I want you to understand about the wonderful trinity, not only the sacred uh mystery, but I want you to notice the sovereign majesty of the trinity? The sovereign majesty of the trinity. God is God God the father God, the son is God, God is the spirit is God, all our sovereign. Look, if you will in john one again, verses two through three Speaking of jesus, the word the same was in the beginning with God and all things were made by him who jesus. And without him was not anything made that was made. Now wait a minute. Adrian, did jesus create the world or did God the father create the world? Yes, Yes. Look, if you will in John 13, all things were made uh by him and without him was not anything made that was made. And then put in your margin genesis 11 in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The word God, there is the Hebrew word Elohim and it is a plural now, but it takes a singular verb. And actually, if you were to translate Elohim in your bible genesis, 11 where it says in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. Uh if you were to translate that literally, Elohim, it is plural and it would say God’s G O. D. S. Created the heavens and the earth. And uh skip on down to genesis one verse 26. And God said, let us make man in our image. God singular said, Let us make man in our image. Well, that doesn’t make sense unless you translate that word. Gods, Elohim in the plural, it is a plural now, God is speaking of himself. So how do you see this? This majesty of the of the trinity in creation number two. You see it in the great commandment. What is the great commandment? Again? Here’s one of the most sacred verses to our jewish friends. I’m talking now about the trinity in the old testament. Don’t get the idea that the trinity is a new testament, doctrine only. Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses four and five. This is what God said to Israel hear O Israel the Lord. Our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. Now look at the word there. One Lord. Uh actually the one word one. That word one is E C H A D. In anglicized or spelled out etching. And the word one there, the Lord Thy God is one. Lord Does not speak of a singular one. It speaks of a plural one. And say, well how can you have a plural one? You go to grocery store and get a bunch of grapes. You’ve got what? One bunch of grapes? When the bible speaks of husband and wife being one, it says in genesis chapter two verse 24 they shall be one flesh, a man and a woman, a unitary one. And uh genesis 11 verse six, God saw the people gathered together there to build a tower of Babel, which he disapproved of. And he said there in genesis chapter 11 6. The people is one not the people are one, the people is one in numbers 13. And verse 23 the bible speaks of them with one cluster of grapes. Now, when the bible says, the Lord, our God is one Lord, It is one Lord who is a unity, A unity one. Uh The eternal think of Next of the eternal fatherhood of God. We’ve talked about the trinity and creation. We’ve talked about the trinity and the great commandment. Think about the trinity in the eternal fatherhood of God. When did God become father? When Jesus was born in Bethlehem. No, put this first down your margin proverbs. Chapter 30 verse four. Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended? Who had gathered the wind in his fist, Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name? And what is his son’s name? In the old testament, the bible speaks of the great creator God and his son in Psalm chapter two, verses six and seven. God has spoken of his purpose in this world. Now listen to it. God says in spite of all the wicked machinations and rebellions of men. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion and will declare the decree the Lord had said unto me, thou art my son this day. Have I begotten thee this is the old testament. The Lord has said unto me, Jesus is speaking how art my son. And then here’s a verse that you know, that’s it’s a great christmas verse, Isaiah chapter nine verse six. For unto us, a child is born and to us, a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of Peace. One of the names for the sun is the mighty God. What I’m trying to say is this, that you see the trinity not only in the new testament. You see the trinity in the old testament. Now, the Gospel of Matthew begins with the trinity, that’s the christmas story. Let me just review that christmas story with you for just a second, Matthew, chapter one verses 20 and 23. But why 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 under the mary thy wife for that which is conceived in the in her is of the Holy Ghost underscore Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a son underscore Sun and thou shall call his name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now, all this was done, that it might be fulfilled. Which was spoken of by spoken of of the Lord underscored the Lord by the Prophet saying, behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us underscore God with us, the Holy Spirit, the Sun God with us. Now, the, the christmas story begins with the trinity. And how does the Gospel of Matthew that tells the story? How does it end with jesus saying in Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20. Uh and forward, Jesus is giving his great commission to the church to you, To me, listen go ye therefore and teach all nations. Now watch this baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Now you’re you’re reasonable people. You look halfway intelligent, you say you don’t look so good yourself. Listen, would it not be sheer blasphemy for jesus to put himself on the level with the father if he’s not on the level with the father, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. So that’s that’s that’s the second thing I’m teaching. I’ve said. There’s a sacred mystery, there is a sovereign majesty. There is God the father, God the son, God the Spirit and three are one Almighty God. Now let’s tighten the focus and come to the conclusion very quickly. I want you to see the saving ministry of the trinity. That’s the reason I said, I’m not just talking to you about niceties. I am talking to you about your eternal destiny. Your destiny depends upon the Holy Spirit. Now, I want you this time to go, if you will to the book of Ephesians and this time, open your bible to Ephesians. Chapter one Ephesians. Chapter one let me tell you the reason that your destiny hangs on the trinity. First of all, you were selected by God the Father. Listen to Ephesians one verses three and following, Blessed be the God and father of our Lord, jesus christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places according underscore this as he had chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Before God swung this world into space, God selected God chose us. And if God had not first chosen us, we never would have chosen him. Aren’t you glad that God took the initiative? God looked down through the corridors of time and God chose you? You are the elect. You are the chosen God knew from all eternity that you would receive him and trust him. You’re selected by the Father and then you’re saved by the Sun. Look now in Ephesians chapter one verse six to the praise of the glory of his grace. Whereas he has made where in he hath made us accepted in the beloved who is the beloved jesus, in whom we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. According to the riches of his grace. God the father chose us. The Lord jesus christ has redeemed us. We are saved by the sun. Apart from the precious blood of the Lord jesus christ. No one is saved, but not only are we selected by the Father and saved by the Sun, but we are sealed by the spirit. Look if you will in Ephesians one now, verses 13 and 14 in whom he also trusted. That’s Jesus. After that you heard the word of truth. The gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that she believed were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest or the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Under the praise of his glory. I wish I had more time to get into all those verses. But friend, this is the Holy trinity. The saving ministry of the trinity. God has set his eyes upon you. It is God who has selected you. It is God who wants to save you. And it is jesus who died to save you to redeem you to give the forgiveness of sin. And once you trust the Lord, jesus, it’s the deer, Holy Spirit of God who seals you onto the day of redemption. That’s the reason I believe in eternal security. The Holy Spirit of God seals us to the day of redemption in the bible terminology. The word seal is like a seal. We would put on a document, a stamp. The bible says the king’s seal. No man can break. You’re sealed with the Holy Spirit. A seal in in bible. Government meant a finished transaction, signed, sealed and delivered. It means a transfer of ownership. And it speaks of protection because the seal is there on it. Are you listening to me? You were selected by the father, saved by the sun and sealed by the Spirit. Is that not wonderful? See this friend is the saving ministry of the Holy trinity. We review and then we pray. It’s a sacred mystery. Don’t try to understand it. Somebody said try to understand it. You lose your mind deny it. You lose your soul. God is bigger than you are. The only way you can know this is for God to say it is so and because God says it is so it is so it’s a sacred mystery. But all the sovereign majesty. God, the father is God God, the son is God God. The spirit is God, not three gods, but one god in three. And then the saving ministry selected by the father, saved by the Sun and sealed by the Spirit to him be glory forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever. Don’t miss it. Don’t refuse, jesus. Don’t go your sinful way into hell. When jesus is standing there saying, coming to me all of you who labor and a happy lady, I’ll give you rest by your heads in prayer. And if you’re not certain today that you’re saved, I want you to be saved. God wants you to be saved, christians around you, wants you to be saved. The devil is a liar. He wants you to be damned. Don’t listen to a liar. Satan didn’t sweat blood and get some money for you. You can be saved by trusting jesus christ old friend. Listen the savior is seeking you today. He’s knocking at your heart’s door. If you want to be saved. I want you to pray a prayer like this. Dear God, just speak to him. Dear God, I need you so much. I have failed. I’m a sinner. I I’m weak, I need to be redeemed, I need to be saved, Jesus, You died to save me. You promised to save me. If I would trust you, I do trust you, jesus. Would you tell him that? I trust you, jesus? Right now, I believe you paid for my sin with your blood on the cross. I believe that God raised you from the dead. I believe you’re the son of God and God the son. And now I invite you into my life to take control of my life. And began now to make me the person you want me to be. Thank you for the gift of salvation. I receive it as a gift. I’m weak, you’re strong. You’ll have to take care of me and keep me and I know you will because if I believe on you, you’ll seal me with the spirit. That’s so wonderful Lord. Now, Lord, help me not to be ashamed of. You, give me the courage to make this public because you died for me and your name. I pray amen and friend as I have invited these others to receive, jesus christ into their heart As Lord and savior. I want to personally invite you wherever you are Right now. I promise you on the authority of the word of God. If you will open your heart and by faith, embrace the son of God, he will save you. Not only will he save you, but he will give you joy and strength. You know, if there were no heaven just to know jesus in this world would be wonderful. But there is a heaven, there’s a hell to shun heaven to gain a lord to serve. And he wants to be your savior, pray and ask him to come into your heart and say, Lord jesus come into my heart, forgive my sin, be my Lord and savior and he will do it and friend, it will be absolutely gloriously wonderful. God bless you as you do it. And if you do write to us and let us know, we’ll send you some literature to help you to get started in your christian life. We hope that today’s message from Adrian Rogers has been an encouragement to you. You can stream this message again and download Pastor Rogers outline notes or transcript of this message all at L WF dot org or the my L WF app while you’re there, be sure to check out our new bible studies on today’s topic as well as many other top at L WF dot org. 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