- Sep 24, 2017
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Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people. But, as far as God the Father is concerned, Christmas means only one thing. As far as the angels of heaven are concerned, Christmas means only one thing. As far as the word of God is concerned, Christmas means only one thing. As far as the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, Christmas means only one thing.
And it is simply truly this – That the God who has no beginning and no end, the God who created all of the billions and billions of planets, the God who created and sustains all of the universe laid down the splendour of heaven and the glories of heaven, became an embryo in a virgin’s womb, was born of a virgin, and then he died on a cross to pay the penalty of our sins, so that whom so ever will come to him in repentance and faith will receive forgiveness and eternal life.
God knew that people will be tempted to get carried away about his birth and ignore his mission, command, life and what he came to give us. God knew that people will be tempted to celebrate Christmas without Christ. And so, God defined the meaning and the purpose of the name Jesus as revealed by the Angel who said to Joseph and Mary (Matthew 1:21 & Luke 1:31), “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he and he alone shall save his people from their sins.“ His people are simply those who receive him and believe in the meaning and purpose of his name (John 1:12).
God revealing and giving of himself through Christ Jesus is what Christmas is all about, and that is why God announced the birth of his one and only son in a variety of ways. God announced Jesus’s birth to the shepherds through an angel, and then he announced to the scientists through the stars. To you and to me, God has not left himself without a witness, God also sends us stars in the person of faithful friends. These people are used of God to call us to come and worship Jesus and worship him alone. Even better, God gave us the Bible, his word.
The bible was written in a span of 1600 years. The Holy Spirit authored the Bible but he chose tens of different writers throughout that span of 1600 years, and they all came from different backgrounds and professions, yet, they tell the same story. It is not by accident that the Bible begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation. Peter tells us that we can trust the word of God because it came from God (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Star of Wonder
And it is simply truly this – That the God who has no beginning and no end, the God who created all of the billions and billions of planets, the God who created and sustains all of the universe laid down the splendour of heaven and the glories of heaven, became an embryo in a virgin’s womb, was born of a virgin, and then he died on a cross to pay the penalty of our sins, so that whom so ever will come to him in repentance and faith will receive forgiveness and eternal life.
God knew that people will be tempted to get carried away about his birth and ignore his mission, command, life and what he came to give us. God knew that people will be tempted to celebrate Christmas without Christ. And so, God defined the meaning and the purpose of the name Jesus as revealed by the Angel who said to Joseph and Mary (Matthew 1:21 & Luke 1:31), “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he and he alone shall save his people from their sins.“ His people are simply those who receive him and believe in the meaning and purpose of his name (John 1:12).
God revealing and giving of himself through Christ Jesus is what Christmas is all about, and that is why God announced the birth of his one and only son in a variety of ways. God announced Jesus’s birth to the shepherds through an angel, and then he announced to the scientists through the stars. To you and to me, God has not left himself without a witness, God also sends us stars in the person of faithful friends. These people are used of God to call us to come and worship Jesus and worship him alone. Even better, God gave us the Bible, his word.
The bible was written in a span of 1600 years. The Holy Spirit authored the Bible but he chose tens of different writers throughout that span of 1600 years, and they all came from different backgrounds and professions, yet, they tell the same story. It is not by accident that the Bible begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation. Peter tells us that we can trust the word of God because it came from God (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Star of Wonder