God Prepared For Our Eternity - I Am Chosen I Am Prepared For Eternity

Intro:

Merry Christmas to all! Good morning and I’m glad to see all of you after almost 2 years of pandemic, we still see each other again. Few days from now and Christmas is here. Though there were less festivities and less fellowships, let us all hope and pray that the true essence of the season will not be forgotten at all.

Before doing this simple exhortation for this Christmas Sunday Service, I was asking God for a timely message and with our theme this month in consideration I Am Chosen, I Am Prepared for Eternity, God brought me to the very reason why there is Christmas. With many were just expecting if the old normal way of celebrating Christmas will soon be back, however we are now on a 2nd year of celebrating Yuletide Season on a “new normal” way.

So, what was the very reason of this Christmas season? The reason is that…

God Prepared our Eternity Inihanda ng Diyos ang ating Kawalang Hanggan

That’s right, God already prepared for our eternity and He planned this long time ago. But in order to do this, He chose many things like event and persons in order to fulfill this grand plan of God. And we will find this in our text this morning in…

Galatians 4:4-5

“4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”

ASND

“Ngunit nang dumating na ang takdang panahon, isinugo ng Dios ang kanyang Anak sa mundo. Ipinanganak siya ng isang babae at namuhay sa ilalim ng Kautusan para palayain ang mga nasa ilalim ng Kautusan, nang sa ganoon ay maging anak tayo ng Dios.

What did God choose to prepare for our eternity?

1. He chose Christmas. Pinili Nya ang Kapaskuhan

In verse 4, Apostle Paul said “But when the set time had fully come…”

Yes, God planned this long ago when the prophets prophesied in Old Testament that there is an appointed time when a Messiah will be born to save His people. There were a lot of misconceptions of the coming of the Messiah during those days. And even the Romans not just the Jews were anticipating the coming of the Deliverer. It is not by accident but it was already foretold.

Jeremiah 23:5 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

ASND “Sinabi pa ng Panginoon, “Darating ang araw na paghahariin ko ang isang hari na matuwid na mula sa angkan ni David. Maghahari siyang may karunungan, at paiiralin niya ang katuwiran at katarungan sa lupaing ito.

Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

ASND “Ang maharlikang angkan ni David ay parang punong pinutol. Pero kung papaanong ang tuod ay nagkakaroon ng usbong, darating din ang isang bagong hari mula sa angkan ni David.”

He planned this event that out from the lineage of Jesse the father of King David, a righteous King will reign. He has chosen an event like Christmas to prepare our eternity. Isn’t amazing to know that God prepared for the eternity of human kind on this event? While people are busy preparing for our own festivities our God planned this long time ago so He can have a open fellowship with His people.

How many of us were saved in Christmas season? With all the distractions during this season, like parties, pay slips, and “pasyalan”, it’s very unlikely that man will be focused to the very event God has prepared for us this season and that is to be saved.

I remember that my 1st time to attend a JIL gathering was a Christmas party. Though it is a party with many foods and fellowship, I never stopped attending JIL gatherings since then until now.

I hope and I pray that we never focus our celebration according to worldly standard. This is the time when we need to look back the last 12 months of our lives and start thanking God for all the blessings we had. We may have lost loved ones due to pandemic, but we will never lose our eternal hope because of Christmas God planned our eternity. I pray that we focus our attention and celebration to the true meaning of Christmas which is the 2nd choice of God.

2. He chose Christ. Pinili Nya si Kristo

Again, in verse 4 Paul said “…God sent His Son”

Who will God choose to fulfill that great plan? It is only through His Son Jesus. Again, it was prophesied that it will be from the shoot of Jesse, a family in Bethlehem.