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The Christmas Message

For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His government and its peace will never end.

He will rule with fairness and justice

from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.

The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies

will make this happen!

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

Christmas

is one of the busiest times of the year. And as time goes by, it’s

easy to come to think of it less as a joyful celebration of life and

more as a time of physical and financial stress. All those parties,

all those gifts, all that baking and decorating—what is it all for?

It’s crazy! As crazy as going all out to celebrate the birthday of

someone you don’t know all that well or at all.

Christmas is most enjoyed by those who have a keen

awareness of the person of Jesus Christ. They not only know the

story of His birth and life and death and resurrection, but they

know fully what it means to their lives specifically and to all

of mankind in general. They understand why one starlit night

was different from all the other starlit nights throughout history.

They understand why a small town located inauspiciously on

Israel’s Judean highland was, at least for a moment in time, the

most blessed place on earth. They understand why the birth

of a child whose parents were simple commoners changed the

future of the human race forever. They understand why heavenly

angels sang to earthly shepherds and wise men made an arduous

journey to a faraway land. And understanding is everything

when it comes to Christmas.

Maybe you’ve never stopped to consider the why of the

Christmas season or maybe you know and you’ve just lost touch

with the reason behind the season. Either way, the why is what

brings Christmas to life.

Every thing Christmas begins with Christ !

The Christmas story, recorded in the Bible, in the Gospels

of Matthew and Luke, is the foundation for the Christmas

celebration. Christian Churches all over the world would like to share it with you. If you decide to attend the Christmas service, reading the story ahead

of time could greatly enhance your experience. In the first part

of the story, you will meet the characters involved and the situations

in which they found themselves. You will meet Elizabeth, who

was to become a mother in her old age, and Mary, her much younger

relative. You will meet the mighty angel Gabriel, and Mary’s fiancé Joseph. You will read about the angelic chorus, the shepherds, and the Magi from the East. You will read about the priest Simeon and the prophetess Anna. You will learn about the paranoid King Herod.

Read:

MARY’S SONG

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God

my Savior,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations

will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done

great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those

who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds

with his arm;

he has scattered those who are

proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers

from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with

good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his

descendants forever,

even as he said to our fathers.”

So, how would you have responded to the events of that first Christmas night?

Read about JESUS being PRESENTED IN THE TEMPLE.

Luke 2:21–40 NIV

Consider the words of the priest Simeon when he took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have

promised,

you now dismiss your

servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your

salvation,

which you have prepared in

the sight of all people,

a light for revelation to the

Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.”

Can you imagine what it must have been like for those who were personally involved in this great God-directed production? They must have felt mystified, awed, honored, and thankful all at once.

What one word best describes your relationship with God right now?

However, it’s just as possible that you haven’t until now fully understood what the events that transpired there in that lowly stable mean for your life in the here and now. If that’s the case, ask yourself—are you ready for a new birth? A new beginning?

The greatest gift any of us could hope to receive is not a Christmas present, however grand it might be. It is the gift of new life that God has made possible through His Son, Jesus Christ. This new life is truly a gift. It isn’t something you deserve or something you could earn. It’s completely free.

The Christmas Message

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