Jesus was born in Bethlehem
TRUE
But was He born in You
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - The 1st of December my wife and I went to the Christmas tree lighting in our town, it was a very nice event. The high school band played Christmas songs, they gave out free hot chocolate, Santa Clause came through downtown on a Fire truck and we all were waiting for the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train to pass, which until 11:00 p.m. never came by. In the park where the tree lighting was, they have a life size Nativity scene set up. While I was near the nativity scene there was this little boy there about 3 or 4 years old. He looked at the nativity scene and said with such excitement look mommy a baby. His mother said that’s baby Jesus and the little boy said Who?
Worldwide billions of people celebrate Christmas without ever giving thought of the birth of Jesus Christ. People celebrate Christmas by decorating for the holiday, buying presents, exchanging gifts, eating superb Christmas meals, and spreading messages of goodwill, joy, and love. This holiday has become an integral part of our lives. Although we celebrate Jesus being born in Bethlehem, sadly many people are like the little boy at the nativity scene and still are saying WHO?
Yes, we celebrate Jesus being born in Bethlehem, but has He been born in you!
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURE: - Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you”. Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
What is meant by Christ formed in you? This is what being Born Again is all about. Just as a child develops in the womb as it takes the form of mankind, so are we being formed into the image of Christ by the Holy Ghost working in us. As we grow in grace that likeness becomes more and more defined, till at last we reach the stature of the fulness of Christ and reflect His image in our lives. It is Spiritual birth, Spiritual formation, Discipleship, Growth, and most importantly becoming Christlike. It means Jesus Christ is in our hearts and His Spirit lives and dwells in you.
When Christ is born in you He dwells within you, He lives out His own perfect life, His perfect will through your life Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. When Christ lives in us, we don’t desire or fulfill the lust of the flesh, but we walk in the spirit. Our will is to do His will. Jesus said in John 5:19 says, “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise”.
When Christ is born in you your thoughts become His thoughts because we develop the mind of Christ Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. You think like Christ your mind is not persuaded by what the world says and does, wrong is wrong and right is right regardless of what the world may say or what laws they may try to pass.
When Christ is born in you the love of Christ controls you 2 Corinthians 5:14 says, “For the love of Christ constraineth us”. It is the love of Christ, not our love for Christ that has the constraining power over our life. His love for us keeps us in the straight and narrow way. It is His love that keeps us from going astray. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way”. When Christ is born in us He directs our walk. David said He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name sake Psalm 23:3. That is the meaning of John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come”.
SUMMARY:- When Christ is born in you, He dwells in you He takes up residence in you, His perfect will is manifested through you, your thought are His thoughts, your ways are His ways, He constrains you from going astray keeping you in the straight and narrow by ordering your steps until as Ephesians 4:13 says, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”. Until we are Spiritually mature and are like Him.
WATCH THIS: - It is impossible to become like Christ without Christ being born in you. That is a form of godliness only, there is no quickening power, no sustaining power, no resurrecting power. When we repent of our sins and accept Jesus into our lives as our Lord and Savior, He delivers us from the curse of sin, cleanses us and comes and dwells in our hearts.
Then we begin to live Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
What is the Hope of Glory - The hope of glory is the fulfillment of God’s promise to restore us and all creation to its original glory Romans 8:19-21 says, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”.
This hope of glory that we have when Christ is born in us is not some wishful thought, it is not just a nice calming concept, but it is the confident, expectant, joyful knowledge, that blessed assurance that we are being changed by God and will one day see Christ face to face, having been conformed to His image Romans 8:29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren”.
The hope of glory includes our resurrection to eternal life. Romans 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you”.
This hope of glory includes our spiritual inheritance 1 Peter 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”.
Closing: - When Christ is born in you, we receive the hope of glory. Our once dead, darkened spirits are made alive. Ephesians 2:1-3 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”.
Our thoughts are changed, our attitudes are changed, our desires our changed. We are not what we used to be. Old things are passed away and behold (look at me) all things have become new. I have been set free all my sins are washed away. Since Jesus came into my life.
As we celebrate Christmas and understand that Jesus was born in Bethlehem – TRUE – the question is has Jesus been born in You.
Or are you as the little boy that when his mommy said Jesus he said who?
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
