WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 25, 2019.
SUBJECT : THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS!
Memory verse: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
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(Luke 2 vs 11.)
READ: Isaiah 9 vs 6 - 7:
9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
9:7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Christmas is an annual festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe is the Son of God, and holds on 25th December—Christmas Day. The name Christmas comes from the Mass of Christ. A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. It’s also the season at which the celebration occurs. Christmas is a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us (John 3 vs 16). God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born, and to die for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus means “the Lord saves.” Jesus came to earth to save us because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us. Only Jesus can do that. Jesus didn’t come to help people save themselves; He came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, for He would be Immanuel (“God with us,” see Isaiah 7 vs 14). Jesus was God in the flesh; thus, God was literally among us, “with us.” Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is present today in the life of every believer.
In Jesus, the infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so He could live and die for the salvation of all who would believe in Him. His story is one of truth, love, and hope—it brought salvation to all of us. The fall of man in the book of Genesis is the foundation of Christmas. The fall of man into sin at the Garden of Eden necessitated the need for a Savior to be born to deliver the world from sin. The bad news of Adam’s sin was punishable by death (Genesis 2 vs 17).
Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for all of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. The Scripture says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (First John 1 vs 9.)
Jesus came to the world to restore the dignity of man that was lost to Satan through Adam’s treason at the Garden of Eden. God sent His only Son to die for us so that we could be spared from the eternal death we deserve and instead receive eternal life (John 3 vs 16.) Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that He fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4 vs 15 - 16). Because He is God, He has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2 vs 13 - 15).
Jesus came to give us peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14 vs 27.) With the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—at work in our lives, we have deep and lasting peace. Unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence of conflict, this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance; with Jesus’ peace we have no need to fear the present or future. Sin, fear, uncertainty, doubt, and numerous other forces are at war within us. The peace of God moves into our hearts and lives to restrain these hostile forces and offer comfort in place of conflict.
Jesus came to give us life. He said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10 vs 10.) in contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life He gives right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance.
You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look into God’s Face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift. You should ask yourself: “He came to be my Lord and Savior, to save me from sins and reign as King in my heart; have I fulfilled the significance of His birth by responding to the significance of His death and resurrection? (See Acts 2 vs 36 - 38). If you forget about Jesus in this Christmas season, you’ve missed the entire, glorious point of the celebration. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.
Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of a Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior, forgive me my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, that I may live for You henceforth, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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