(A Christmas conversation about God’s kept promises)
Opening – Smell, taste, and memory
On the way here I passed through Loma Linda—our Adventist mecca—where health-food stores outnumber fast-food chains and where Postum is practically a sacrament.
And if there isn’t an actual ‘LomaBucks’ on every corner, there ought to be.
Around here everyone has a favorite little café where the Postum drinks and seasonal specials keep flowing.
The seasonal star this year? A mint double hot-chocolate Postum latte.
The name alone tastes like Christmas—rich chocolate, cool mint, warm spice.
The aroma of burnt corn flakes and Grape-Nuts fills the air, that unmistakable roasted-grain scent that reaches all the way back to Adventist Battle Creek country where those very flavors were born.
The fragrance is so good it almost makes you long for those cold nights of going door-to-door carolling for Harvest Ingathering—your breath turning to mist as you sang and the sound of coins clinking into the little can as neighbors smiled and gave.
But here’s the thing.
Once you sip past the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, you discover the real flavor isn’t on top—it’s deep inside.
All the sweetness is meant to lead you to the core of the drink.
And that’s exactly what we need to do with Christmas.
The lights, the gifts, the music—they’re like the whipped cream and tinsel.
Beautiful, fun, but not the substance.
The real flavor of Christmas is what God promised and delivered in Jesus.”
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Reveal – God set the standard
Long before shepherds heard angels sing, God gave His people a test for truth.
Deuteronomy 13 says even if someone gives a sign or wonder and it comes true,
don’t believe them if they lead you away from the Lord.
So miracles alone are never the core proof.
The true Messiah would have to fit the revelation God had already given.
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Remember – The prophetic map
And those earlier Scriptures are stunningly specific:
Micah 5:2 — born in Bethlehem.
Isaiah 7:14 — virgin conceives, Son called Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7 — a child who is Mighty God, Prince of Peace.
Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 — pierced hands and feet, suffering servant dying for sin.
Hosea 6:2 and Psalm 16:10 — rising on the third day.
That’s not vague poetry.
That’s history written ahead of time.
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Realize – The plan on schedule
Fast-forward to the first Christmas.
A Roman census moves Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem at the exact moment foretold.
A virgin conceives by the Holy Spirit.
A baby is born who is Christ the Lord.
Paul later called it “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4).
This is no accident; it’s the plan unfolding right on time.
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Redeem – Jesus knew and said what would happen
As Jesus grew and taught, He kept telling His disciples:
> “We are going up to Jerusalem.
Everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.
He will be mocked, killed, and on the third day rise.” (Luke 18:31-33)
After the resurrection, they finally understood and preached with boldness:
> “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried,
and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor 15:3-4)
Prophecy wasn’t a side note; it was the backbone of the gospel.
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Reassure – Miracles that matched prophecy
Yes, Jesus healed the blind, opened deaf ears, made the lame walk, and raised the dead.
But He never said, “Believe only because of these wonders.”
When John the Baptist had doubts in prison, Jesus didn’t simply say, “Trust me.”
He said,
> “Go tell John what you see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news preached.” (Luke 7:22)
That’s Isaiah 35 almost word for word.
His miracles were prophecy happening in real time—God Himself at work.
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Resound – The empty tomb seals it
Psalm 16 promised God’s Holy One would not see decay.
Hosea 6 said, “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.”
Jesus staked everything on that timetable.
When the tomb was empty, the resurrection wasn’t just a miracle;
it was the Father’s signature across the entire plan.
Peter could stand on Pentecost and say,
> “God has fulfilled what He promised to the fathers by raising Jesus.” (Acts 13:32-33)
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Respond – What it means for us
So where does this leave us on a December morning?
It means you can trust God’s promises.
He writes history in advance and keeps every line.
It means you can rest in Jesus’ finished work.
Your forgiveness isn’t fragile.
It means you can live in hope.
The promises still ahead are as certain as the ones already fulfilled.
Maybe you came for tradition or music.
Maybe you aren’t even sure why you came.
But God brought you here to meet the One who keeps His word.
> “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
The manger leads to the cross.
The cross leads to the empty tomb.
And the empty tomb opens eternal life for all who believe.
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Closing thought
That’s what lies beyond the tinsel.
Not just a baby in a manger, but the God who promised, the Savior who fulfilled every word, and the risen Lord who calls you home.
