Un Destello de Esperanza, Diciembre 14, 2025

♪♪ ♪♪ Good morning, Fellowship Español. Good morning. All right. It's so good to be here with you all this morning. I'm thankful to God for another opportunity to gather. I'm thankful to God for a warm place to gather. I love cold weather, but it's too cold. Well, if you have your Bible, turn with me to Matthew 1. This morning, we're beginning our Christmas series. And our hope is that this series will encourage you and be a reminder of what Christmas is all about. We'll be reading verses 18 through 25. And this morning, I'll be focusing on who Jesus is. That's the question we'll answer, who is he? And then next week, Pastor Alfredo will focus on what Jesus came to do for us. So, Daniel's going to read this passage for us in Spanish. Y José, su marido, siendo un hombre justo y no queriendo difamarla, quiso abandonarla en secreto. Pero, mientras pensaba en esto, aquí se le apareció en sueños un ángel del Señor, diciendo, José, hijo de David, no temas recibir a María, tu mujer, porque el niño que se ha engendrado en ella es del Espíritu Santo, y dará a luz un hijo, y le pondrás por nombre Jesús, porque él salvará a su pueblo de sus pecados. Todo esto sucedió para que se cumpliera lo que el Señor había hablado por medio del profeta, diciendo, he aquí la virgen concebirá y dará a luz un hijo, y le pondrán por nombre

Emanuel, que traducido significa Dios con nosotros. Y cuando despertó José del sueño, hizo como el ángel del Señor le había mandado, y tomó consigo a su mujer, y la conservó virgen hasta que dio a luz un hijo, y le puso por nombre Jesús. Esta es la palabra de Dios para el pueblo de Dios. Así que alabado sea el Señor, vamos a orar. Señor, gracias. Gracias, Señor, por tu palabra para nosotros. Señor, por favor, bendice la lectura y la enseñanza de tu palabra hoy. Señor, danos ojos para ver, oídos para oír, todo lo que tú nos quieres enseñar de tu palabra esta mañana. Oramos en tu nombre, Señor Jesús. Amén. Amén. Jesús fue un gran maestro, pero no fue Dios. Jesus fue un gran maestro, pero no era Dios. Let me say that again. Déjeme decirlo otra vez. Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God. Jesús era un gran maestro, pero Dios, no, Dios, él no era Dios. Now listen to this. Ahora, déjeme decirles algo. According to one survey done by Ligonier Ministries, de acuerdo con una encuesta hecha por un ministerio llamado Ligonier, over 52% of adults in America agree with that statement. Alrededor de más, más de 52% de los adultos

en Estados Unidos están de acuerdo con eso que acabamos de decir, que Jesús fue un gran maestro, pero no Dios. This means that the majority of Americans have a heretical view of Jesus. Y eso significa que la mayoría de las personas que viven en los Estados Unidos tienen una visión herética, es una herejía acerca de Jesús. But here's what's even more heartbreaking. Pero aquí está lo peor de todo. Over 30% of evangelicals agree with that statement. Más del 30% de los evangélicos en este país están de acuerdo con eso de que Jesús era un gran maestro, pero no era Dios. This means that three out of 10 people in the church have a heretical view of Jesus. Y eso significa que tres de cada 10 personas aquí en Fellowship cree en Jesús de una manera herética. Tiene una visión herética de Jesús. This is heartbreaking, brothers and sisters. Y esto es algo que rompe el corazón cuando uno se pone a pensar en eso. So who is He? Entonces, esta pregunta es clave, ¿quién es Él? Who is Jesus? ¿Quién es Jesús? This is a question we all need to be asked and know the answer to. Esta es una pregunta que todos necesitamos hacernos y que todos necesitamos ser capaces de responder.

And if we get this question wrong, we get the gospel wrong. Y si la pregunta, esta respuesta, la tenemos mala, entonces tenemos mal todo nuestro evangelio. And this is a question that Jesus himself asked people. Y esta fue una pregunta que Jesús mismo le hizo a la gente de su tiempo. Look at Matthew 22, verses 41 through 46. Fíjense en Mateo capítulo 22, versículos 41 al 46. Listen to this interaction between Jesus and the religious leaders. Escuchen cómo fue la interacción en ese episodio entre Jesús y los líderes religiosos. Listen to what he asked them. Escuchen lo que Jesús les preguntó. Daniel will read this for us in Spanish. Estando reunidos los fariseos, Jesús les hizo una pregunta, diciendo, ¿cuál es vuestra opinión sobre el Cristo? ¿De quién es Hijo? Ellos le dijeron, ¿de David? Él les dijo, entonces, ¿cómo es que David, en el Espíritu, le llama Señor? Diciendo, dijo el Señor a mi Señor, siéntate a mi diestra, hasta que ponga a tus enemigos debajo de tus pies. Pues, si David le llama Señor, entonces, ¿cómo es que es Hijo de David? Y nadie pudo contestarle ni una palabra, ni ninguno desde ese día se atrevió

a hacerle más preguntas. So what is he claiming here? Entonces, ¿qué es lo que Jesús está diciendo aquí con esta declaración? Who is he claiming to be? ¿Quién está declarando Jesús que Él es? He's claiming to be the one that David worshiped. Él está declarando que Él es aquel a quien David adoraba. He's claiming that He is both the Son of David and the Son of God. Él está diciendo que Él es, al mismo tiempo, Hijo de David y también el Hijo de Dios. He's claiming that He is the ultimate deliverer and Savior of humanity. Él está declarando que Él es el principal, es el salvador, es el único salvador de la humanidad. He's claiming that He is the promised Messiah. Y Él está declarando también que Él es el Mesías prometido. That's who Jesus is. Ese es Jesús. Jesus is the promised Messiah. Jesús es el Mesías prometido. But the Jewish leaders didn't believe this. Pero los líderes judíos no le creyeron. They believed the Messiah would be a man. Ellos creían que el Mesías iba a ser un hombre. And they believed He would be a man from the line of David with a legal right to the royal throne. Y también creían que iba a ser un hombre.

...ser un hombre descendiente del linaje de David y por lo tanto con un derecho real de sentarse en el trono de Israel. But they didn't believe that the Messiah would be God in human flesh. Pero lo que ellos sí no creían era que el Mesías iba a ser Dios en carne humana. They didn't believe He was the Son of God who came into the world to save sinners. Ellos no creyeron que Jesús, ellos no creyeron que el Mesías era el Hijo de Dios que había venido para salvar a la gente de sus pecados. And many people today still don't believe this. Y hay muchas personas que aún el día de hoy no creen en esto. This is one reason the genealogy of Jesus is so important. In Matthew chapter 1, before Matthew gets to the birth of Christ, he gives us the genealogy of Jesus. A lot of people just skip over this part. They just see a long list of names that are hard to pronounce, then move on to the next section. But we don't want to miss what Matthew's trying to show us in verses 1 through 17. Just look at verse 1. Look how Matthew introduces Jesus. The Son of David. The Son of Abraham. What does Matthew want us to see? He wants us to see that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament covenants and prophecies. What did God promise Abraham in Genesis 12? He promised Abraham that all the nations of the earth will be blessed through his seed. And what does God promise David in 2 Samuel 7? He promised David that one of his descendants would be the Messiah and King who would sit on his throne forever. And then in verses 2 through 17, Matthew traces Jesus' lineage from Abraham all the way to Joseph and Mary. And then we come to the virgin birth in verses 18 through 25.

And Matthew wants us to see that Jesus is more than just the Son of Abraham and David. He wants us to see that Jesus is the Son of God and the fulfillment of all the promises of God. The virgin birth points to the truth that Jesus really is the Son of God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was not conceived through a human father. Mary was a virgin. And she became pregnant before she and Joseph came together. So the virgin birth is a divine miracle. And all this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through Isaiah 700 years before Look at verse 23. Matthew quotes Isaiah. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us. Jesus is God with us. He is God with us. And this is what Christmas is all about. It's not about the trees. It's not about the lights. It's not about the food. It's not about ugly Christmas sweaters. Christmas is not about us and all the things we want. It's about the Son of God becoming a man in order to give us what we need. As R.C. Sproul said, Christmas is about celebrating the incarnation of God himself. That's who Jesus is. He is the God-man. He is truly God and truly man. Jesus is God in human flesh. You remember how John begins his gospel.

We're all familiar with this passage. In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. And then what happened? The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He left his heavenly throne to become a man for our sakes. And Jesus didn't stop being God when he became a man. He was not half God and half man. He is 100% God and 100% man. He is one person with two distinct natures. He is both fully divine and fully human. He had to be both. If he's not truly God and truly man, then he cannot perfectly represent God and man. He had to be both so he could be the perfect mediator between God and man. And as a man, Jesus experienced everything you and I experience. He felt everything you feel. He felt hunger like you and me. He cried like you and me. He felt pain like you and me. He got tired like you and me. He sweat like you and me. And this is why he can sympathize with our human weaknesses. It says he was tempted in every way. But he was without sin. And he was without sin because he is truly God and truly man. Jesus was not just a great teacher as many believe. He is God in human flesh. But over 50% of American adults don't believe that. And 30% of people sitting in the chairs on Sunday morning don't believe that. The chances are you probably know someone who doesn't believe that.

So we need to be ready and willing to open the Bible and show them who Jesus is. So I want to show you a few examples that affirm the deity of Christ. I really hope these will encourage you and help you when talking to others about who Jesus really is. All these verses will be on the screen. I would just encourage you to write them down. So you can remember them and share them. Exodus 3 verse 14. This is God speaking to Moses through the burning bush. God said to Moses, I am who I am. And he said, say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent you. Now look at John 8 verse 58. What does Jesus declare about himself in response to the leaders? Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. What is Jesus doing here? He's claiming to be the voice that spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Jesus is saying, I am the God of Abraham. Here's another example. Isaiah 42 verse 8. I am the Lord. That is my name. My glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. God will not share his glory with another. No one but the God of the universe is worthy of glory and honor and praise. Now look at Hebrews 1 verse 3. Listen to what the writer says. says about Jesus. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins,

he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. If Jesus is not God, then how is he the radiance of the glory of God? This can only mean one thing. Jesus is truly God. He's the exact imprint of his nature. So if you want to know what God is like, look to Jesus. He reveals God's holiness. He reveals God's goodness. He reveals God's power. He reveals God's wisdom. He reveals God's love. He's the perfect example of humility. And he is the embodiment of God's grace. Let's look at one more example. Isaiah 45, verse 23. This is God speaking through the prophet Isaiah. By myself, I have sworn. From my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return. To me, every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall swear allegiance. God is declaring that he is the one true God who is worthy of worship. Now look at Philippians 2, verses 9 and 10. Paul applies this to Jesus. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Every knee will bow before Jesus. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

Why? Because he is truly God. And this is why he is worthy of our worship. Jesus is worthy of our worship. He's more than just a great teacher. He's more than just a loving prophet. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God. He is the great I am. He is the wonderful counselor. He is the mighty God. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the Living Water. He is the Bread of Life. He is the Good Shepherd. He is the Name Above All Names. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the One that holds all things together. He is the Ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King. And every knee will bow before Him. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Because He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. He is the Promised Messiah. He is truly God and truly Man. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. Even death on a cross. Jesus came and died a criminal's death for our sins. So that all who repent and trust in Christ alone will be saved and reconciled to God forever.

Praise be to God. Praise God. And this is what we come to the table remembering this morning. We remember His death on our behalf. And we celebrate what we've been freely given by His grace alone. If you're here this morning and you've not placed your faith in Christ alone, we want to talk more about that with you. But we do kindly ask that you refrain from partaking. We just ask that you think about what has been said this morning. And our leaders will be available to talk with you after the service. And as we prepare to sing the last song, the ushers will dismiss everyone by rows. And when everyone's received the elements, then we will all protect together. Come forward as directed.