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INSPIRATION FOR LIVING>
WHY CHRIST WAS BORN (Christmas Issue)
December 17, 2009
When Jesus was born, it wasnt just another event. God had a critical mission for giving us His only begotten Son. In our culture, its easy to lose sight of that agenda, because of the all-out assault against the Christ of Christmas. Mall employees, for instance, are instructed to not say merry Christmas, but to say happy holidays when greeting customers. And many, if not most, government agencies do not allow praying in the name of Jesus.
I think its safe to say that the world would lose no sleep nor would it rise up in protest if we were to stop mentioning the name of Jesus during Christmas. So if in the church we are not reminded of the real meaning of Christmas, I am confident we will not get that reinforcement elsewhere.
In this issue of my newsletter, I want to share with you some of the reasons why Jesus came to earth and dwelt among us over two thousand years ago. Since then, the world has never been the same.
When we talk about the birth of Christ into the world, we are talking about God Almighty being introduced into the human race. This idea pushes the envelope of the human mind. The angel of the Lord had to speak with Mary to prepare her for what was about to happen to her. Joseph nearly freaked out when he discovered that his espoused wife was pregnant, and he knew he had not known her sexually. An angel had to minister to him about that.
So why did Jesus come? First and foremost, He came to save us from eternal damnation. On the night of the first Christmas, the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds, For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). God saw a world that was lost in sin and that could not help itself. He would have been just to destroy the whole world for its sins against Him. But Christ came to save us. It is important to note that He is not one Savior among many others, but He is the only Savior. No one can come to the Father but through Christ (John 14:6).
According to the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds that same night, Jesus also came to bring Glory to God in the highest (Luke 2:14a). How did He do this? By the way He lived while on earth. He did only those things that the Father wanted Him to, and He gave all recognition to God. Because Christ came on that first Christmas, we too can bring glory to the Father. Thats because when Christ lives inside of us, we can live holy lives amid this unholy world. Also, with Christ living on the inside, God can use us in supernatural ways. This is to the intent that we might glorify God.
Jesus came also to bring peace on earth (v. 14b), the heavenly host proclaimed. I think most people would agree that this world is in a mess. The types of crimes and murders currently being committed are insane. This does not surprise God. The Scriptures are clear that the time leading up to the Lords return will be troublesome on earth. But, listen, Jesus came that we might have peace in the midst of it. He is the Prince of Peace. He came to give us peace thats beyond our natural understanding.
Last, but not least, the heavenly host on that first Christmas proclaimed, good will toward men (v.14c). When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become reconciled to God. I might add that it is only through Christ that we can become children of God, and He becomes our Father. In other words, its not true that we are all the children of God. The only ones who are His children are those who accept His Son. God sent Jesus to us so we might establish that Father-child relationship with Him, so He could in turn do good toward us as a father does toward his children.
When the angel announced the birth of Christ, he referred to the event as good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people (Luke 2:10b). That means the news of that first Christmas was intended to be good news for all. But, contrary to the pretty picture the media paints of Christmas, for many people, this holiday is the saddest time of the year, the most depressing time. Like no other time of the year, Christmas spotlights the difference between those who have financial resources and those who dont.
So why has Christmas turned out so wrong for so much of our world? Because the very premise of the good news that the angel came to proclaim was that men would accept Gods gift to the world in the person of His only begotten Son. Christmas without Christ is an empty Christmas. Shopping, over eating, and fixing up the house is not what Christmas is all about. People do these things every single day. Christmas is so much bigger than that.
We have looked at some of the reasons Jesus came, based on what the angel and the heavenly host shared. Jesus Himself said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). This, in a nutshell, is what every person in his right mind wants. Yes, everyone wants to experience life in abundance. Thats why people do many of the things they do such as move across country where they believe there are better job opportunities, or go back to school to further studies for a higher paying job, or get taken by money schemes that seem too good to be true. Many people dont want Jesus, but they want what He came to give us.
As I write this article, it is a fact that most of the world does not know the Christ of Christmas. Thats actually why the world is in the shape that its in. You see, when the angel announced the birth of Christ on that first Christmas, the world was lost in her sins. What God was offering the world in the person of His Son was the cure for its fatal condition. WE ARE IN THE CURRENT SHAPE THAT WE ARE IN BECAUSE, BY AND LARGE, WE HAVE REJECTED THE GIFT GOD GAVE US ON THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS.
Thats where you and I come in. Think about it: During the Christmas season, Christ-centered music can be heard in many places. Nativity scenes sprinkle our neighborhoods. We can also find Christ-centered Christmas stories on TV, etc. This is an open door for us to share Christ with the lost. This is the time of the year it is most appropriate for us to talk about Christits His birthday! We must carry on the same good news that the angel shared with the shepherds that first Christmas: Christ the Savior has been born. He is still heavens cure for all of earths ills. If we the people of God become passionate about sharing this good news that the angel shared, we will change for the better our lost and troubled world.
Since this is the Christmas issue of my newsletter, let me close by wishing for you a Christ-filled Christmas. And may heavens riches blessings be yours.
Frank King
www.efrankking.com
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