Hebrews 13:8
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INTRODUCTION: What a difference a day makes. Last Christmas we were on vacation in NC w/ my in-laws, and had a wonderful time…the next day…Bam! Literally…a massive earthquake hit Bam, Iran, killing 40,000 and turning off the Christmas lights in a hurry! A sober spirit ensued.
Then last week, same vacation spot, another great time, then the biggest earthquake in 40 years, a 9.0! Islands were removed like in Revelation, and Christmas was over in a hurry once again!
Christmas has come and gone, but Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever. And everyday can be Christmas for the Christian!
There always seems to be a let down following Christmas. For several weeks we have all of the lights, the decorations, all of the reminders of Christmas and then in a matter of just a few hours it is over. None of the decorations mean anything now. Christmas is gone. Hardly anyone listens to Christmas music following Christmas. All of the sales at the malls will be entitled, "After Christmas Sales." In just a day or two all of the lights and decorations will be removed until next year. To have a Christmas party now would be anti-climatic. The tree will be removed and returned to the attic. The lights have been placed back in the boxes along with the balls, and other decorations. The array of Christmas cards have been placed in a box somewhere. The house no longer has the appearance of Christmas. Christmas is over.
The sad thing is that there is no more realization as to whom Christ is after Christmas as there was before Christmas. The image of a babe lying in a manger has disappeared from the minds and hearts of the public. The purpose of His birth is no more real than it was in October. The reality that man is a sinner is no more of a concern today than it was before Christmas.
Christmas is gone and what did the celebration do for the world’s population? Mostly nothing in general.
I want to share six thoughts with you today concerning the "Day After Christmas."
I. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND JESUS IS STILL IGNORED BY MOST OF THE WORLD
I think much of the ignoring is to give a disapproval of Jesus, but it matters not how much He is ignored. He is still the reason for Christmas, and ignoring Him will not remove Him.
He is the same always and forever. What He was yesterday, He is today. What He is today, He will be tomorrow. What He is tomorrow, He will be forever.
Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
As He lay in the manger yonder in Bethlehem’s manger, He was God. He was God as He grew. He was God as He grew through His teen years. He was God as He approached adult hood. He was God when He began His earthly ministry. He was God as He was arrested and falsely tried. He was God as He was falsely convicted of no crime. He was God as they executed Him on the cross. He was God while He lay in the tomb. He was God in that he raised Himself from the dead.
All of Deity was confined to that little baby in the manger. Oh what a different world we would live in if every nation would recognize Jesus Christ.
II. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND THE UNITED STATES IS NO CLOSER TO CHRIST THAN BEFORE
Jere. 8:20. "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
America needs the Christ of Bethlehem. America has rejected the authority of Christ. No one seems to want to subject themselves to the confines of the Bible. If He was the Saviour in the 40’s and 50’s, He is Saviour today.
The Jewish nation rejected Him. Why? Because they wanted a physical king to meet their physical needs. America is looking for the same person or institution, welfare. The average American seeks for a way to live and survive without having to work. They want some magical method of having the everyday necessities without the responsibility that accompanies such.
We have just witnessed millions of Christmas trees.
Millions of Christmas cards.
Millions of Christmas carols.
Millions of Christmas gifts.
Millions of times of mentioning His name.
Yet all of this did nothing to turn America back to God. Just the realization of Christmas should bring us to Him. When we let Him take charge of our spiritual matters, He meets the physical needs also. The absence of the meeting of our physical needs in most cases is because we have ignored Jesus. John 15:7; John 14:13&14.
III. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND MANY CHURCH MEMBERS DO NOT KNOW HIM
Matt. 1:21, "...and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
Luke 2:11, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
We need not look any farther. He is here. He was born in a manger 2000 years ago. He has been dwelling among us ever since. He has paid the sin debt. He has redeemed the sinner. He has paid the ransom price. Salvation can be had. It is free for all who will accept and believe. No one need be excluded. No one need go to hell.
Yet while I speak, church members sit in churches all over this country lost and without Christ. They walked an aisle one day. They gave their hand to a preacher and the announcement was made that the individual had received Christ as Saviour, when, in fact, no such thing was verified. Did they repent? Believe? Receive? They were ushered through the baptismal waters. Their name was placed on the membership roll of that church. They were given church membership privileges, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE LORD. THEIR SALVATION EXPERIENCE WAS FALSE.
You say, "how do you know their salvation experience was not true?” Because there has been no evidence of salvation. There has been no growth. There has been no manifestation of the Spirit of God in their life. There has been no change take place. They are the same person as before. II Cor. 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Salvation will present a new person. Salvation will bring a change in the life of the individual. Salvation will produce the fruits of the Spirit, "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, temperance, etc.
Salvation must be as real to you as was your wedding. Many men have forgotten the wedding date, but none forget the wedding.
Is your salvation real?
Can you put your finger on a time when Christ came into your life and forgave you of your sins? If not then you have let Christmas come and go and still do not know the Lord.
IV. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND JESUS IS STILL NOT LORD OF MANY LIVES
"Rev. 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
This is talking about more than just an occasional Sunday Morning visit to church.
It is talking about more than just an occasional time of prayer.
It is talking about more than just an occasional reading of the Bible.
This is talking more than just a once a year witness to someone.
This means that every breath you take, every thought you think, every blinking of the eye, every beat of the heart is done because you want to please Jesus Christ the Lord.
This means that the reason you go to work on Monday morning is that you might have an opportunity to witness for Him.
This means the reason that you earn money is that you might be able to give more to His cause and purpose.
Any other approach to Christ is to displease Him. He will not accept half-heartedness. He will not accept a once in a while relationship. He must be Lord of all or He won’t be Lord at all.
V. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND MANY ARE STILL NOT READY FOR THE LORD TO COME Titus 2:13.
We may be approaching the last year on planet earth for the Christians. Jesus may very well come in the next 12 months. I will be very surprised and disappointed if He doesn’t come.
Yet many of our people are not ready to meet Him. Christmas time should have caused each of us to prepare ourselves to meet Him in the air. However, for most…Christmas has no effect on them at all.
Are you ready to meet the Lord? If you had a preview of His schedule and you knew that He would come before April 1, 2005, what would you do differently that you would normally do? [besides not filing taxes!] Whatever your answer to that is, you should be doing all the time whether He comes this year or 10 years from now.
VI. CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE AND STILL MANY OF OUR LOVED ONES ARE LOST
The very thought of some of our loved ones missing heaven should break our heart. Maybe it’s your son or your daughter, maybe your spouse, maybe your mom or your dad. Every person that is not saved is condemned to judgment. John 3:18.
Let me challenge you to make a prayer list for loved ones to be saved. Our prayer bulletin is a good place to begin. Pray for them every day. Fast once or twice a week for them. Write them a letter and tell them you are praying for them to get saved.
Next year may we NOT have to say again that "Christmas Has Come And Gone And We Have Experienced No Change In Our Life."
