H onor!
A nd glory! To God Who
L oved mankind so much that
L ong ago, His only Son
E ntered the world as God become man, to show this
L ove of God to and for
U s.
J esus Christ, Who
A lone can guarantee entrance into
H eaven.
C hristmas then should
H umble us as we
R ealize that this celebration
I s not just a sweet and simple
S tory about a little baby, who by some magic came
T o earth many years ago.
I nstead, it was the first step to the greatest
S acrifice ever made. And all who accept this fact
B ow their hearts and minds to the lovely
O ne Who thus became our Savior, Lord and King.
R ejoice! And again I say, rejoice! For
N ew life - eternal life - is now available for all who will accept it!
May this Christmas be the greatest ever for you! If you have not received the greatest gift, the gift of eternal life, then do so today! If you have, then spend time right now, thanking and praise God for that gift!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
REAL CHRISTMAS
When you take the time to read the Christmas story this year, instead of turning to Luke 2, I encourage you to read John 1 instead.
Remind yourself that the real story of Christmas is so much more than just the baby in the manger. Remember that what happened when the Word became flesh is HUGE! The Christmas story is not just a nice bedtime story we tell once a year - it is an epic account of the Word who was in the beginning - without beginning stepping down into our world. It is the momentous occasion of the Light entering into the darkness.
What is the point of Christmas? It is glory. When the angels appeared over the fields that night to the shepherds they didn't sing "Jingle Bells", "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas", or even "Jesus Christ is Coming to Town." The first words they sang were "Glory to God". Don't miss the point that Christmas is all about God's glory, and don't forget that "God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him" (John Piper). If you took away all the presents, the activities, and even the family (and I love my family), would you still be 100% satisfied in Jesus? That is glory, and that is the real point of Christmas.
There is so much to celebrate in the Christmas story - so many miraculous elements to it. But what is the real miracle of Christmas? Is it the appearance of angels? Is it the star that guided the wise men? Is it the virgin birth? Is it God becoming a human being? These are all miracles to be sure, but don't see only the circumstances and miss the real miracle of Christmas - love. John 3 says that "God so loved the world that He sent His only Son..." The miracle is that Jesus did not have to come. God did not have to make a way for us. We did not deserve Heaven's perfect One, but nevertheless God's love prevailed. That is the real miracle of Christmas.
Please take a moment to push the pause button on your busy lives this Christmas season and spend some time with Jesus, remembering what's real this Christmas.
Remind yourself that the real story of Christmas is so much more than just the baby in the manger. Remember that what happened when the Word became flesh is HUGE! The Christmas story is not just a nice bedtime story we tell once a year - it is an epic account of the Word who was in the beginning - without beginning stepping down into our world. It is the momentous occasion of the Light entering into the darkness.
What is the point of Christmas? It is glory. When the angels appeared over the fields that night to the shepherds they didn't sing "Jingle Bells", "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas", or even "Jesus Christ is Coming to Town." The first words they sang were "Glory to God". Don't miss the point that Christmas is all about God's glory, and don't forget that "God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him" (John Piper). If you took away all the presents, the activities, and even the family (and I love my family), would you still be 100% satisfied in Jesus? That is glory, and that is the real point of Christmas.
There is so much to celebrate in the Christmas story - so many miraculous elements to it. But what is the real miracle of Christmas? Is it the appearance of angels? Is it the star that guided the wise men? Is it the virgin birth? Is it God becoming a human being? These are all miracles to be sure, but don't see only the circumstances and miss the real miracle of Christmas - love. John 3 says that "God so loved the world that He sent His only Son..." The miracle is that Jesus did not have to come. God did not have to make a way for us. We did not deserve Heaven's perfect One, but nevertheless God's love prevailed. That is the real miracle of Christmas.
Please take a moment to push the pause button on your busy lives this Christmas season and spend some time with Jesus, remembering what's real this Christmas.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Reason for Christmas
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" - Luke 19:10.
Probably not the verse from the Gospel of Luke that you were expecting to read when it comes to Christmas. You were probably expecting Matthew 1 & 2 or Luke 1 & 2. Those chapters share with us the Christmas story. What I want to focus on is the why of the Christmas story.
If you were to ask a child "Why do we celebrate Christmas?" you would probably get a number of answers: to celebrate Jesus' birth, to give gifts, etc. And yet I don't believe that is even the most important question. I believe the most important question is "What is the purpose of Christ coming to earth in the first place?" The answer is THE REASON FOR CHRISTMAS!
The verse given above is the reason for Christmas. Ultimately, Jesus was born of a virgin, was laid in a manger, grew up in a carpenter's home and lived for 33 years here on earth "to seek and to save what was lost." The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the coming of our Savior for OUR sins!
We have heard it said over and over that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." As I have shared with my church family, I disagree. WE are the reason for the season. WE are why Christ came to earth. WE are why He was born of a virgin. WE are why He lived here on earth. WE are the reason for Jesus being betrayed, scourged, beaten, whipped, spit on, and mocked. WE are the reason for His death on the cross. WE are why He was buried in a borrowed tomb. WE are why He arose.
He did all of that for you and I. He did it all "to seek and to save what was lost." We were lost in our trespasses and sins. Our punishment for sin was death (Romans 6:23a) and Christ came to earth, took your sin and my sin on His body: "God made him (Jesus) who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of Christ, you can be saved. Because of Christmas, you can have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).
As you begin to reflect on Christmas this year, may your thoughts pass by the gifts, food, lights, and party's. May your thoughts rest on Jesus Christ who loved you and gave Himself for you! Take time this Christmas season to share this wonderful, glorious, magnificent news with someone who needs the greatest gift of all: eternal life! Now, that is a present worth giving and receiving!!
Probably not the verse from the Gospel of Luke that you were expecting to read when it comes to Christmas. You were probably expecting Matthew 1 & 2 or Luke 1 & 2. Those chapters share with us the Christmas story. What I want to focus on is the why of the Christmas story.
If you were to ask a child "Why do we celebrate Christmas?" you would probably get a number of answers: to celebrate Jesus' birth, to give gifts, etc. And yet I don't believe that is even the most important question. I believe the most important question is "What is the purpose of Christ coming to earth in the first place?" The answer is THE REASON FOR CHRISTMAS!
The verse given above is the reason for Christmas. Ultimately, Jesus was born of a virgin, was laid in a manger, grew up in a carpenter's home and lived for 33 years here on earth "to seek and to save what was lost." The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the coming of our Savior for OUR sins!
We have heard it said over and over that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." As I have shared with my church family, I disagree. WE are the reason for the season. WE are why Christ came to earth. WE are why He was born of a virgin. WE are why He lived here on earth. WE are the reason for Jesus being betrayed, scourged, beaten, whipped, spit on, and mocked. WE are the reason for His death on the cross. WE are why He was buried in a borrowed tomb. WE are why He arose.
He did all of that for you and I. He did it all "to seek and to save what was lost." We were lost in our trespasses and sins. Our punishment for sin was death (Romans 6:23a) and Christ came to earth, took your sin and my sin on His body: "God made him (Jesus) who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of Christ, you can be saved. Because of Christmas, you can have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).
As you begin to reflect on Christmas this year, may your thoughts pass by the gifts, food, lights, and party's. May your thoughts rest on Jesus Christ who loved you and gave Himself for you! Take time this Christmas season to share this wonderful, glorious, magnificent news with someone who needs the greatest gift of all: eternal life! Now, that is a present worth giving and receiving!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)