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And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
--Luke 2:10
Now that the busyness of the season is in full swing, it’s difficult to believe, but we know that in two weeks-time we will be back to reality. The feelings of “peace on Earth, goodwill to men,” will be long forgotten as we navigate rush hour traffic. The Christmas Spirit will fade, replaced by a strong dose of reality – bills, health concerns, a steady stream of bad news in our neighborhoods and nation and around the world.
But one of the miracles of Christmas is that it’s a gift that continues long after the holiday season ends. The guests are gone, the decorations put away, and the Christmas tree taken down, but the ministry of Jesus Christ continues in your life.
You see, the Messiah came to save us from our sins and satisfy the longings of our lives. And He came to free us from fear and worry.
But I want to tell you the same thing the angels told the shepherds following Christ’s birth all those years ago: “Fear not … I bring you good news!”
Jesus is your answer. You can experience peace no matter what the circumstances of the world through the Prince of Peace. Jesus came to comfort you, strengthen you, and offer you hope and peace beyond the Christmas season!
If you are struggling in life, you don’t need to be afraid. Immanuel means that God is with you in Jesus Christ. You are never alone. He is your “everyday” Savior!
The First Christmas Celebration
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”
John 8:54–56
The first celebration of the birth of Christ did not involve angels or shepherds or wise men or any of the other characters that we associate with the Christmas story. In fact it happened hundreds of years earlier. God had revealed to Abraham what His plan for the redemption of the world was, and Jesus tells us that Abraham rejoiced over His coming long before it occurred. This passage tells us Abraham celebrated the knowledge of the coming of Christ.
The reason Abraham was so thrilled with the news that Jesus was coming is that, like us, he needed a Saviour for his sins. When he understood what God was going to do, he understood what it meant for his eternity. There is so much to celebrate about Christmas, but the greatest source of joy is the salvation that the birth of Christ made possible for all who believe.
There is a reason that we speak of the gospel as “good news.” It is the best news. Yet as wonderful as it is, not everyone is willing to receive it. In fact when Jesus told the religious leaders of His day the truth that Abraham celebrated His coming before it happened, they tried to kill Him. “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:59). We must not let the rejection of Christ by others rob our joy in His birth.
Today's Growth Principle:
Christmas is a wonderful reminder to us to rejoice over God’s gift of salvation.
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