December 25, 2016
Morning Service

What is Christmas really about?  We seem to think of first of all the Christmas lights, presents, Santa, and Rudolf.  Hollywood has also added to our confusion as Raulphy thought it was the time to get the perfect present, a Red Rider BB gun.  Clark Griswold wanted to celebrate the perfect “family Christmas.”   Neither one of them found the true meaning of Christmas.

Defining the true meaning of Christmas has not only been a recent problem for our society, but Charles Schulz along with his pal Charlie Brown struggled with it in 1965.  It was Linus that finally defines the true meaning behind Christmas.  Let’s watch..

Linus video  

Linus quotes scripture from the Gospel of Luke in his explanation of Christmas.  The lesson in this scenario is that anytime we are confused and are not sure what is true, we need to turn to God’s word and trust that we can find the truth there.  The Bible clearly spells out for us that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  The word Christmas came from the term “Christ’s mass.”  Sometime in the 4^th century December 25^th was chosen to be the date celebrated as the birthday of the Christ.

Pray

A scripture we do not always quote during the Christmas season is John 3:16, but however it really is very relative.  Please say it along with me:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We can personalize that verse by saying, “God so love Greg…”  Christmas is the time to celebrate the beginning of the greatest love story ever told.  Jesus came to that manger in Bethlehem because of God’s love for each of us.  Still the question arises as to why did He come?  We often here of Mary’s visit from an angel, but Joseph also had one in his dream.

Read Matthew 1:18-25

Notice verse 21.  Jesus was sent here to save us from our sins.  Without the removal of our sins, we will perish not inheriting that gift of eternal life.  It is Jesus’ death and victory over sin upon the cross and our trusting in Him to be our personal Savior that allows us to receive that gift of everlasting life.  His death upon the cross could not happen without His first becoming a man.  God so desired a relationship with you that He created this plan of salvation to make it happen.

The gospel of John does not specifically speak on the birth of Jesus, but it certainly speaks to the spiritual side of why He came.

Read John 1:1-5 and verse 14

God, our Creator, became one of His own creations and dwelt among us.  The Message paraphrases verse 14 like this:

“The Word became flesh and blood and moved into our neighborhood.”

In many of the Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, they claim that in each lifetime they must work at becoming more holy as to ascend the mountain of holiness where their god abides.  It is by their works that they become closer to their god.

Christmas is the time that we as Christians can celebrate the fact that we do not have to work and earn our way into a closer relationship with God.  He knows we could never be holy enough to deserve eternal life and ascend that mountain to fellowship with Him.  So He came down to us and was born in that manger in Bethlehem.   He lived a perfect, sinless life and then died upon the cross to pay for our sins.  His sinless life given to pay for all of mankind’s sin, including yours and mine.

So today and through this Christmas season, don’t forget what we are really celebrating.  We celebrate God’s love for us in the sending of His own Son to die for our sins.  Remember Linus’ words as he quoted Luke:

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.”