CHRISTMAS
- Christmas Proves the Love of Jesus
Matt. 1:20-21
"I
know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ
is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance
between Christ and the founders of empires
and the gods of other religions. That resemblance
does not exist. There is between Christianity
and whatever other religions the distance
of infinity..." -
Napoleon Bonaparte
Nearly two
millennia's ago a young Jewish virgin by
the name of Mary (Miriam) gave birth to
a baby they called Jesus (Yeshua).
Strange events
began to occur after Joseph, a Nazareth
carpenter discovered his fiancee was pregnant.
Not having had sex with her, he became upset
and prepared to end their marriage plans
quietly. Espousal was a legal contract and
infidelity, a serious matter. Mary could
have been disgraced and even stoned under
Jewish law, if found guilty.
While considering
the dilemma, the Angel of the Lord appeared
to him with assurance of her innocence and
God's plan for their lives. "Fear not
to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son and
thou shalt call Him Jesus, for He shall
save His people from their sins."
(Matt. 1:20-21)
The Bible
states that Joseph obeyed and abstained
from sexual intercourse with Mary, until
she had brought forth her first born son.
The Hebrew
word Yeshua means 'salvation or Saviour',
which is translated Jesus, while Miriam
is called Mary.
There were
other unusual events like: Wise men coming
from the East to worship Him, being led
by His star, and shepherds visited by an
angelic host and told of His birth in a
stable in Bethlehem.
Hebrew prophets
had foretold His coming for thousands of
years before He arrived. Isaiah prophesied
His virgin birth 700 years before it happened.
Daniel pin-pointed the very year of the
Messiah's death.
Micah named
Bethlehem as the place of His birth, Zechariah
foretold His wounding and both Daniel and
David prophesied His scourging and death
by crucifixion hundreds of years before
that method of execution was introduced
to Palestine by the Romans.
GOD'S PROMISE
God's first
promise of "the Redeemer" was
given in the garden of Eden after Adam and
Eve's transgression. Speaking to Satan,
God said, "And I will put enmity between
her seed and thy seed, it shall bruise thy
head, and thou shalt bruise His heel".
(Gen. 3:15)
The "seed
of the woman" was Jesus Christ, the
King Messiah! And when He died on Calvary's
cross, Satan's dominion over mankind was
destroyed.
The Bible
says, "He that committeth sin is of
the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested, that He might destroy the
works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
God's prophetic
Word is documented hundreds of times concerning
the birth, life, death and resurrection
of Messiah, and these hundreds of prophecies
have come true in the person of Jesus.
God's promise
to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob foretold Messiah's
involvement in the salvation of all peoples.
"... in thy seed shall all the families
of the earth be blessed." (Gen.
12:3)
Daniel speaks
of "Messiah the Prince". Haggai
calls Him, "The Desire of all nations"
and Zechariah declares Him to be "the
Shepherd against which men will lift their
sword”.
THE WRITERS
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ADD THEIR WITNESS THAT
JESUS CHRIST IS MESSIAH, ACCORDING TO THE
OLD TESTAMENT.
St. John stated
that he and the other disciples heard Him
speak, saw His miracles and touched Him,
before and after His death and resurrection.
And like Napoleon, John was convinced that
Jesus was more than a man. He is the Logos,
the Living Word of God!
St. John wrote,
"We have not followed cunningly devised
fables, when we made known to you the power
and coming to our Lord Jesus Christ, but
were ye witnesses of His Majesty".
Infidels and
skeptics have said that Jesus staged many
events, including His death, in order to
be hailed "Messiah"!
How could
anyone stage the following? 1) PLACE
OF BIRTH 2) TIME OF BIRTH 3) VIRGIN
BIRTH 4) BETRAYAL 5) METHOD OF EXECUTION
6) CRUEL MOCKING 7) PIERCING 8) BURIAL 9)
RESURRECTION!
Prophet Isaiah
stated, "Unto us a child is born, unto
us a Son is given". And St. John's
gospel records "For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son
that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish but have eternal life". (John
3:16)
WHY CHRISTMAS
IS SO IMPORTANT!
The Christian
Church has set aside December 25 each year
to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth,
the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God!
Millions of
people world wide honor His birth! He is
what makes Christmas special! Its message
is electrifying, its supernatural dimension
awesome and its dynamic affect upon society
historic!
The fulfillment
of the ancient prophecies, the message of
Gabriel - the archangel - to Mary and Joseph,
the wise men's "guiding star",
the angelic visit to Judean shepherds and
God's revelation of Jesus' identity to Simeon
in the Temple, underscore the significance
of this great event.
I thank God
for Christmas and the impact of its message
on our lives; spiritually, morally and socially!
CHRISTMAS
WILL ALWAYS BE SPECIAL AND EXCITING. A TIME
FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. A TIME FOR LOVING,
SHARING AND RELAXING. AND A TIME FOR GIVING
AND RECEIVING!
Every Christmas
is basically the same. Scriptures outlining
the Saviour's birth are read in our churches,
sermons are preached and carols are sung.
Bible texts are featured in newspapers,
sacred music played over radios and Christmas
cards exchanged by the millions.
Highlighted
through it all, are the hopeful words of
the angels to the lowly shepherds, that
first Christmas morning.
"Fear
not: for behold I bring you good tidings
of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, goodwill toward men."
(Luke 2:10-12)
Christmas
is a time to dispel fear, by sharing the
Gospel in word and deed - helping lift someone's
heavy load - and pointing them to the Saviour
Who will grant forgiveness, peace and joy!
The story
of Christmas says that someday there will
be peace on earth and goodwill among men
because of God's great gift and Christ's
sacrifice for us. When He returns in power
to rule and reign, Satan will be banished
and peace will reign universally. In the
meantime, He reigns in the hearts and minds
of those who trust in Him as Lord &
Saviour!
In my opinion,
Jim Wolf's poem 'The True Story of Christmas'
says it all!
"It
happened on a silent night
Two thousand years ago;
God sent to us His only Son
Because He loved us so.
While
angels watched from up above,
The blessed babe was born,
And laid into a manger
On that first real Christmas morn.
The shepherds came to worship Him
The eastern wise men, too,
To celebrate His holy birth
As now all Christians do.
The greatest
story ever told
Is not of shopping malls;
It's how God's Son was born on earth
To love and save us all."
HAVE A
SAFE, PEACEFUL AND CONTAGIOUSLY JOYOUS CHRISTMAS
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