THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS
AS I WAS PREPARING FOR MY MESSAGE TODAY I CAME ACROSS THIS STATEMENT.
“AS A WHOLE, PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS WITH MORE ANTICIPATION THAN ANY OTHER SEASON OF THE YEAR.”
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE THE COMING CHRISTMAS SEASON. THEY GEAR THEIR ADVERTISING TOWARDS MAKING THEIR PRODUCT THE “PERFECT” CHRISTMAS GIFT. PREPARATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS NOW BEGIN IN OCTOBER. I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH ONE STORE AND SEEING HALLOWEEN COSTUMES ON ONE SIDE OF THE AISLE AND CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
CHRISTMAS MOVIES HAVE BEEN PLAYING ON TELEVISION SINCE NOV. 01, AND FROM DEC.01 ON WE CAN SEE ALL KINDS OF CHRISTMAS SHOWS AND TELETHONS, ALL LEADING UP TO THAT BIG DAY.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I AM INCREASINGLY AWARE OF AS THE BIG DAY APPROACHES.
FIRST, ALTHOUGH CHRISTMAS IS ANTICIPATED, IT CAN BE ANTICIPATED FOR POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE REASONS. CHRISTMAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME. MY PARENTS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE GIFTS UNDER THE TREE, THAT A GREAT MEAL WAS PREPARED, AND THAT WE ENJOYED CHRISTMAS.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR EVERYONE WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE TODAY. THERE ARE SOME WHO DO NOT LOOK FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS AT ALL FOR IT ONLY BRINGS DISAPPOINTMENT AND HEARTACHE. THERE ARE NO GIFTS. THERE IS NO FOOD. THERE IS ONLY THE POSSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ABUSE, AND FIGHTING CAUSED BY THE ALCOHOL THAT WAS BOUGHT INSTEAD OF GIFTS AND FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILY. CHRISTMAS FOR THESE FAMILIES IS NOT JUST ANOTHER DAY, IT IS FAR WORSE THAN THAT.
THE SECOND IS THAT THE DEPTH OF THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS BEING LOST, AS THE SPIRITUAL AWARENESS OF THE WORLD LESSENS. CHRISTMAS IS NO LONGER BEING CELEBRATED AS THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. THE RESULT OF THIS IS THAT THE HOPE THAT CHRIST’S BIRTH CAN BRING, THE ENCOURAGEMENT, AND PEACE, IS SOUGHT FOR IN OTHER THINGS.
SOME SEEK IT IN THE DECORATIONS OF CHRISTMAS. I WAS WATCHING AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A PROGRAM ON LIGHTS AND ONE MAN SAID, “IF IT CAN’T BE SEEN FROM SPACE, IT AIN’T WORTH DOING.” OTHER PLACES ORGANIZE TOURS AND COMPETITIONS FOR THE BEST DECORATED HOUSES. WE HAVE PLACED OUR FAITH IN THE GIFT, THE TREE, THE MUSIC, EVEN THE FOOD, TO PROVIDE US WITH THE PEACE THAT ONLY FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CAN BRING.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, AND CHRISTMAS IS A THING OF THE PAST FOR THIS YEAR, THE EMPTINESS STILL REMAINS. PEACE ON EARTH LASTS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME AS CHRISTMAS LACKS ANY REAL DEPTH APART FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
IT IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THAT PUTS MEANING IN CHRISTMAS, BUT WHO IS HE, AND WHY IS HE SO IMPORTANT. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THE QUESTION “WHO IS THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS?” THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION CAN HELP US TRANSFORM HOW WE ANTICIPATE CHRISTMAS TO ALWAYS BEING SPECIAL AND POSITIIVE WHEN WE LEARN HOW MUCH HE LOVES US.
POINT ONE: WHAT MAKES THE BIRTH OF CHRIST SO SPECIAL?
THIS IS THE QUESTION OF THE AGES. WHAT MAKES THE BIRTH OF JESUS WHO IS CALLED THE “CHRIST” SO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER BABY BORN THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THIS IS INDEED THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIANITY.
THE SUPERNATURAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO THE BIRTH OF THE “CHRISTCHILD” IN BETHLEHEM LEAVE NO MISTAKE THAT THIS IS GOD COMING TO EARTH. I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU FIVE WAYS BY WHICH THIS IS SHOWN TO US:
FIRST: IN CHRIST’S BIRTH ONE CAN SEE THE POWER OF GOD TO RISE ABOVE THE NATURAL AND MANIFEST HIMSELF IN A MIRACULOUS WAY:
IF I WERE TO ASK YOU TO THINK OF SOME OF THE GREATEST MIRACLES OF ALL TIME, WOULD ONE OF THEM BE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST? I TELL YOU NOW, THAT IF IT ISN’T IT SHOULD BE.
HUNDREDS OF PROPHECIES PROCLAIMED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WERE FULFILLED IN THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. SOME WERE VERY VAGUE AND GENERAL, AND OTHERS MORE ABOUT THE MISSION THAN THE MAN.
LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PROPHECY’S, ALL POINTING TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH AND HIS MISSION, WERE FULFILLED IN CHRIST. PROPHECIES DEALING WITH THE LOCATION OF THE BIRTH, RIGHT DOWN TO THEM LEAVING FOR EGYPT, THEY WERE ALL FULFILLED IN THE PERSON OF THE CHRISTCHILD.
DR. LUKE WAS SO CONVINCED OF THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH, THAT NOWHERE IN HIS DISCRIPTION OF THE BIRTH OF “CHRIST”, IN LUKE CHAPTER TWO, DOES HE EVER USE THE NAME JESUS. HE REFERS TO “THE BABE” A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND THE NAME THAT HE USES “CHRIST” DENOTES HIS TITLE MORE THAN HIS NAME.
RIGHT AWAY LUKE WANTS US TO REALIZE THAT THIS BIRTH WAS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER. SO THAT THE CHRIST COULD BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, HIS ENTRANCE INTO THIS WORLD HAD TO BE SUPERNATURAL FROM CONCEPTION AND EXTEND RIGHT THROUGH TO ASCENSION.
THE BABE IN BETHLEHEM WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN WITHOUT AN EARTHLY FATHER. THE SIN LINE THAT IS PASSED ON TO US WAS NOT PASSED ONTO HIM. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY HE COULD REMAIN A PERFECT SINLESS PERSON AND LATER TO BECOME THE PASSOVER LAMB.
SECOND IN CHRIST’S LIFE WE CAN SEE THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD AT WORK:
NO GREATER REVELATION OF THE LOVE OF GOD CAN BE FOUND THAN IN JESUS CHRIST. JESUS LOVED EVERYONE, AND HE CONSIDERED EVERYONE WORTH LOVING. IT’S A GREAT LESSON FOR THE CHURCH TODAY. WE CAN TEND TO BE PICKY ABOUT WHO WE WANT TO SEE COME THROUGH OUR DOORS, WHEN IN FACT CHRIST’S LOVE SHOULD BE SHARED WITH EVERYONE.
THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF CHRIST AS A GOD OF COMPASSION, AND JESUS’ VERY MOVEMENTS WHILE ON EARTH MANIFESTED GOD AS A GOD OF COMPASSION. THINK ABOUT HIS HEALINGS AND INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE. HE ALWAYS BEGAN WHERE THEY WERE, NOT WHERE HE WANTED THEM TO BE.
THERE WAS ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE TO BELIEVE. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICE ABOUT GOD.
IN CHRIST’S DEATH WE CAN SEE THE SACRIFICE OF OF GOD TO REDEEM LOST PEOPLE:
NOWHERE IS THE LOVE OF GOD SHOWN IN CHRIST GREATER THAN IN RELATION TO THE CROSS. IN CHRIST GOD DIED PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TO PAY THE PRICE FOR SIN. HE WAS THE SACRIFICE AND AT THE SAME TIME THE ONE TO WHOM THE SACRIFICE WAS PRESENTED TO.
LET ME EXPLAIN. THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THAT WE ARE ALL SINNERS AND THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. THIS MEANS THAT BECAUSE OF OUR SINFUL NATURE, SOMEONE HAS TO DIE. UNDER THE OLD TESTAMENT SYSTEM IT WAS IN THE SACRIFICE, BUT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT JESUS CHRIST, BECAUSE HE WAS SINLESS BECAME THE PERFECT SACRIFICE. HE TOOK OUR SINFUL NATURES WITH HIM ON THE CROSS, SATISFYING GOD’S ANGER OVER SIN.
JESUS EXPERIENCED ALL OF GOD’S FURY, THE ISOLATION OF BEING FORSAKEN BY HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE SO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE FORSAKEN FOR ETERNITY. THE PAIN THAT HE FELT ON THAT CROSS WAS MUCH MORE THAN THE PAIN ANY INDIVIDUAL WOULD FEEL, AS IN THOSE HOURS HE BORE THE COLLECTIVE SIN OF THE ENTIRE WORLD, PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE.
IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, AND INTERCESSION, WE CAN SEE GOD AS MIGHTY, RULING AND VICTORIOUS:
THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION PROVED BEYOND A DOUBT THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN ALL THINGS. JESUS REVEALS GOD AS HE BROKE THE POWER OF THE ENEMY’S FINAL STRONGHOLD – DEATH AND THE GRAVE.
DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN NOW TAKES ON A NEW MEANING. NO LONGER DO WE NEED TO FEAR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. WE HAVE A SURE AND SERTAIN HOPE PAUL SAYS THAT TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD. CHRIST IS THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THIS, AND WE WILL FOLLOW THAT PATTERN.
HIS ASCENSION REVEAL’S GOD’S POWER OVER TIME AND PHYSICAL LAWS. THIS IS IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE LAST DAYS. WHEN CHRIST RETURNS FOR HIS CHURCH HE WILL SUSPEND TIME AND PHYSICAL LAWS FOR HIS PEOPLE. THEY WILL BE LIFTED UP TO MEET HIM AND SPEND ETERNITY IN THE NEW JERUSALEM. TIME WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST IN THE ETERNAL REALM. CHRIST’S ASCENSION LETS US KNOW THAT THIS WILL COME TRUE FOR US ONE DAY, PERHAPS VERY SOON.
CHRIST IS NOW MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US IN HEAVEN. IT SHOWS HIS CARE AND COMPASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. HE SHOWED HIS LOVE BY GOING TO THE CROSS, AND HE IS SHOWING HIS LOVE NOW BY INTERCEDING FOR US BEFORE THE THRONE. ONLY THE LOVE OF GOD CAN PRODUCE THIS TYPE OF COMPASSION.
POINT TWO: THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS IS WORTHY OF A LOFTY PLACE IN THE LIVES OF ALL PEOPLE:
CHRIST IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP:
MANY PEOPLE RECOGNIZE CHRISTMAS AS THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST, BUT THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE HIM AS THE SON OF GOD. CHRISTMAS BECOMES REAL IN OUR LIVES ONLY WHEN WE SURRENDER OUR LIVES TO HIM FOR SALVATION. CHRIST’S PURPOSE IN COMING TO THIS WORLD WAS TO BECOME OUR PERSONAL SAVIOR. OUR RESPONSE TO HIS SAVING ACT MUST INCLUDE MAKING HIM LORD OF OUR LIVES.
CHRIST CAN BE WORSHIPED PRIVATELY THE YEAR AROUND. HE IS TO BE WORSHIPPED PUBLICLY IN THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OUR COMING TO CHURCH IS PART OF OUR TESTIMONY TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. IT TELLS THE PRIORITY WE GIVE TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.
CHRIST IS TO BE WORSHIPPED IN ADORATION AND PRAISE. WHEN WE CONSIDER CHRIST WE SHOULD BE STRUCK NUMB BY THE AWESOME POWER HE HAS. HE IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, OF HUMANITY. HE IS THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF OUR LIVES. HE KNOWS OUR START AND FINISH.
ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRAISE HIS NAME, HIS WORKS, HIS LOVE, AND HIS REDEEMING GRACE. CHRIST IS TO BE EXAULTED IN LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US.
CONCLUSION:
CHRIST IS WORTHY OF RECOGNITION AND CONSULTATION BY THE ENTIRE WORLD. IT SHOULD BE NATURAL TO WANT TO SHARE CHRIST WITH OTHERS. SOMETIMES THE RECOGNITON IS NOT A WITNESSING OPPORTUNITY, BUT JUST STATING CHRIST’S VALUE IN OUR LIVES, AND IT MAY LEAD TO AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF OUR PERSONAL FAITH. IT IS THAT FAITH THAT COULD LEAD OTHERS TO CHRIST.
CERTAINLY IT IS OUR FAITH IN HIM AS LORD OF OUR LIVES THAT WILL LEAD US TO CONSULT HIM IN ALL OF THE FACETS OF OUR LIVES. THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING WALK, AND DOESN’T STOP WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE THIS MORNING. PEOPLE SEE CHRIST IN YOU AND ME THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. I WONDER, WHAT DO THEY SEE?
THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON SO DON’T FORGET TO MAKE CHRIST THE MAIN PART OF YOUR CELEBRATION. IF YOU ARE SEEKING HAPPINESS TODAY TAKE HIM INTO YOUR LIVES AND HE WILL GIVE SUPREME HAPPINESS.
