"'the' Birthday Celebration

“’THE’ Birthday Celebration”

Isaiah 9:3 (MSG); Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11(NIV)

Isaiah 9:3 (NIV)

3You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you

as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

Isaiah 9:3 (MSG)

3You repopulated the nation, You expanded its joy. Oh, they’re so glad in Your presence!

Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.

Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

11 On coming to the house, they saw ‘The Child’ with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Church, to clearly understand this message, please read Isaiah 9 and Matthew 2. Today we want to address the subject, “’THE’ Birthday Celebration.” All over the globe, from the north to the south, from the east to the west, many individuals are planning to have a celebration on December 25th. It is a traditional pattern of the saved and unsaved to celebrate on this day. While not all celebrations are correctly focused, many still will throw and attend numerous parties in the pretense of what protestants believe to be the most sacred and joyful time in the Christian Church.

Thesis – December 25th, known as Christmas Day, is believed to be Jesus Christ’s birthday. Christmas is a day of celebration for Jesus Christ. See, while the exact date of Christ’s birth isn’t revealed in the Bible, God loved us so much that He gave His One and Only Son to us. Therefore, we celebrate! This is ‘THE’ Celebration of all celebrations.

Antithesis – Unfortunately saints, we have the wrong viewpoint regarding celebration on this day. Let me explain, we bring each other gifts on Christmas Day. I was told that it’s very rude and poor etiquette to attend a party and don’t bring the host or honoree of the party a gift. Our gift giving to each other isn’t wrong but to bring a gift to one another and never to the One whom we are to be celebrating is certainly wrong. When we study the bible we see that on this day gifts were given at ‘THE’ Birthday Celebration.

Relevant Question – What gifts do we bring to ‘THE’ celebration for the one we are to be celebrating?

Listen, listen saints, this birthday celebration is special and we should feel privileged to receive an invitation to attend. Therefore, it’s extremely important that we bring the right gifts to the honoree. This honoree, as Isaiah recorded, “enlarged the nation and increased their joy.” When darkness surrounded and all hope was gone, this honoree birth light into your life and showed you that there is always hope. So, we’re not gonna give just anything to the honoree. People of God listen, we can’t go into our closets and re-gift: A candle for He is the ‘light of the world.’

We can’t re-gift: A journal for He already wrote the book

We can’t re-gift: A key chain for He holds the master key to everything

We can’t re-gift: A cruise or vacation because He’s already been to heaven and earth

Oh no, He definitely deserves something better. But what!

Now, I understand that everything belongs to the honoree anyway. So, practically there is nothing that we can give to Jesus that He doesn’t already have “for the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness therein.” However, the Bible does show where we’re to bring forth our gifts to the “THE’ Birthday Celebration.’

We’re not just attending any celebration but rather we are attending ‘THE’ Birthday Celebration. It’s not just any party.

• We’re not just succumbing to the ritualistic, traditional pattern of attending when in actuality we really don’t want to be there.

• This celebration isn’t for any man present or ever present, oh no!

• This birthday celebration isn’t for those who think they are kings, oh no.

• This birthday celebration isn’t for those who believe because of their wealth or status, they warrant a celebration, oh no!

• While thankful, this celebration isn’t because we lived another year for this celebration isn’t about us. Oh no, it’s about HIM! This is “THE Celebration!”

Now according to the Gospel of Luke, in Nazareth the shepherds were tending flock and the angels appeared to the shepherds and told them about Jesus’ birth (read Luke 2:1-20). Upon hearing such news, IMMEDIATELY the shepherds stopped all they were doing and proceeded to Nazareth. Nazareth wasn’t far from Bethlehem so by nightfall, the shepherds laid their eyes upon the miraculous wonder from God and gifted Jesus. There gifts weren’t tangible gifts but they did present gifts at “’THE’ Celebration.” They dare not presented themselves without honoring the honoree. Their gifting at this glorious birthday celebration was: