Joy To The World Series

Christmas is literally “the mass for Christ”, the day on which the world celebrates the birth of the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Our Calendar is built on the birth of the Lord Jesus (BC and AD) This birth was so monumental that it became the high point of history, the peak, the apex. All history before this birth is B.C., Before Christ. All history since is A.D., Anno Domini, Latin for "the year of our Lord." The birth of God in human form then is the most important moment in all of history. The truth that He was born is much more meaningful than where and exactly when Jesus was born.

The Christmas story begins in the little town of Bethlehem in Israel over 2,022 years ago, a baby was born whose life was destined to affect countless millions. The world knew not of His birth. Work went on as usual. Cathedral bells failed to toll; bands were silent; no royal choruses burst forth in song. Only the music of Heaven was heard. In fact, God had to arrange a welcome for Himself, and legions of angels circled the skies and heralded His birth. “Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep by night. The angel announced that the Saviour had been born in the town of David. When Jesus was born it wasn’t just some baby born in a manger, it was the revelation of all the glory of God Himself wrapped in flesh named Immanuel-God with us (Matt. 1:23)

No wonder the angels proclaimed, the shepherds went to see, the Wise Men sought, Mary pondered, Simeon praised and Anna gave thanks for this child of the glory-this remarkable gift of the glory of God. When Jesus was born it wasn’t just some baby born in a manger, it was the revelation of all the glory of God Himself wrapped in flesh named Immanuel-God with us (Matt. 1:23) The birth of the Saviour brings glory to God. He is held in the highest opinion and esteem and therefore praise, honour and glory. He alone receives the most exalted place in the universe. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. The shepherds weren't excited about meeting angels but experiencing the glory of God's holy presence. While the birth of Christ is a special and miraculous event, it isn't the primary focus. The biblical evidence is overwhelming that this child in the manger was the incarnation of God.

Usually, we are so preoccupied with the celebration that we forget the celebrant. But the Celebrant is more important than the celebration because the Celebrant is the cause of the celebration. Jesus is the centre of Christmas and He is the reason for the season. In all the joy and wonderful events this time brings, we must make sure We don't miss Christ this Christmas. What a difference the baby born in Bethlehem’s manger 2,022 years ago makes to our world today. Incredible and unbelievable as it may appear to a modern man, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was a visitor from outer space. He was God Incarnate. That virgin-born baby was God in human form.

Jesus arrived on earth to exist with us and to be one of us. The angel Gabriel told Mary that she would have a son and that His name was to be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The apostle John wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That's the miracle of what happened at Bethlehem. Regardless of our background, religion, problems, or circumstances, Christmas really is the best news you could ever get. Beneath all the visible sights and sounds of Christmas is a simple yet profound truth that can transform our life for the better here on earth and forever in eternity.

If there is a single word that describes what Christmas is all about, it’s the little word “Joy.” Several of our Christmas carols mention it: We sing them in our churches; we play them in our homes; we listen to them on mobile and social media; we hear them in shopping malls. The Hymn, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” is a favourite and one of the best-known of all Christmas songs. Maybe we need to take a few minutes to open up our Bibles and pull together some verses that remind us again of the truth in those lyrics. “Joy to the world the Lord has come, let earth receives her king, let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing…….,.”