December 27th 2015
The Christ Child Has A Gift For You!
Matthew 1:21-23 (NIV)
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us."
On that first Christmas Day all of mankind was presented a gift, which Paul called indescribable. What do you call it? Have you found the Christ child? Mary gave birth to him, and there was nothing amazing about this birth of a human being, except that Mary was still a virgin. Being a virgin is an expression of mankind, which considers it to be impossible! So from human terms this birth is impossible, however, with God nothing is impossible. Can you comprehend impossible being made possible in this world? Jesus was an impossible gift to all of mankind all who could bring themselves to accept it!
When this Jesus was born there was started a period of time of "God with us." We know the rest of the story of how Jesus was treated by mankind, while He was with us, but for this commentary we will not deal with that, as there is so much to be written about the first day of having "God with us." Why waste the time? Let us celebrate this wonderful gift that God decided to give to all of mankind.
The first members of mankind that God chose to see this wonderful gift, was NOT the rich people of the day. It was reserved for those who at that time were considered the least honored. They were people who roamed the fields and lived and slept with their sheep. And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)
This most wonderful message was given to some lowlife people at least that was how they were perceived at that time. Sorry if you are reading this and you raise sheep! These shepherds responded in the way we might hope for, as they were astonished at what they had just been told. Most of the people in this world today, if they saw the miraculous birth would likely walk away and go back to their Christmas shopping! Maybe that is why God chose them instead of picking those who were considered to be of the “entitlement” group surely God would have chosen them to receive this preview of His Son! The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
Are you one of those good people who would deserve to witness such an event, because you compare yourself to other people and feel good about yourself? Surely you deserve to go to heaven when you die, because you are a good person. Do good people go to heaven? The answer is NO! Only forgiven people go to heaven. That is why this Jesus baby was born into this world, because He is the only answer to how anyone can have their immortal soul saved, and sent to heaven to live with God forever. Oops, I did it again, and went ahead of the Christmas story, but of course, we must jump ahead to “The End!” When forever comes there is a promise, which was foretold on that first Christmas Day, which says, "God with us," forever!
Paul wrote about this the greatest gift of all and the greatest promise from God, through the giving of His Son to this world. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, NLT) The free gift from God is this wonderful gift of guaranteed salvation though first, the birth of His Son called Immanuel, or "God with us," forever!
Now getting back to today and the Christmas shopping hustle and bustle, help us to buy that good gift for those we love, but do the shopping in a Christmas manner. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13) Yes, ask for the Holy Spirit to go with you on any shopping trips, and then, have no fear you will be on your best behavior.
Maybe we have the Magi to blame for this change of the Christmas season from one of giving to instead be a time expecting to receive? When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11) Although in this instance the Magi came to give expensive gifts, not expecting to receive any worldly gifts in return. It was not a gift exchange! However, these rich and powerful men did receive the greatest gift of all, as they believed!
Many of the stores have displays, and some have shopping bags with the word “Believe” posted on them. However, most of these stores instruct their employees to wish their customer a Happy Holiday, not Merry Christmas! So what is it they are promoting their customers to “Believe?” It is most likely for them to get in the holiday spirit and buy good gifts! It may even be meant to help you believe in Santa Claus, and spend more of your money buying gifts.
Mary the mother of Jesus had the Christmas Spirit, as we can detect by what she said about this most amazing of all events in human history. Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. (Luke 1:46-47) Can we try to identify with Mary during this season, and say “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”? It is a time of gift giving, but more importantly it is a time of being in the Spirit of this season!
As in any season of life here on this world, there are those who may be very ill, and even some who will depart this part of their lifetime. Remember this promise of Jesus who came in this Christmas season, and His sacrifice for you, setup this wonderful promise. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3) Jesus has a place for all who “Believe!”
Has The Christ Child Found You? Did you know you were lost?
Wishing you a Merry CHRISTmas!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 1:21-23 (NIV)
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us."
On that first Christmas Day all of mankind was presented a gift, which Paul called indescribable. What do you call it? Have you found the Christ child? Mary gave birth to him, and there was nothing amazing about this birth of a human being, except that Mary was still a virgin. Being a virgin is an expression of mankind, which considers it to be impossible! So from human terms this birth is impossible, however, with God nothing is impossible. Can you comprehend impossible being made possible in this world? Jesus was an impossible gift to all of mankind all who could bring themselves to accept it!
When this Jesus was born there was started a period of time of "God with us." We know the rest of the story of how Jesus was treated by mankind, while He was with us, but for this commentary we will not deal with that, as there is so much to be written about the first day of having "God with us." Why waste the time? Let us celebrate this wonderful gift that God decided to give to all of mankind.
The first members of mankind that God chose to see this wonderful gift, was NOT the rich people of the day. It was reserved for those who at that time were considered the least honored. They were people who roamed the fields and lived and slept with their sheep. And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)
This most wonderful message was given to some lowlife people at least that was how they were perceived at that time. Sorry if you are reading this and you raise sheep! These shepherds responded in the way we might hope for, as they were astonished at what they had just been told. Most of the people in this world today, if they saw the miraculous birth would likely walk away and go back to their Christmas shopping! Maybe that is why God chose them instead of picking those who were considered to be of the “entitlement” group surely God would have chosen them to receive this preview of His Son! The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
Are you one of those good people who would deserve to witness such an event, because you compare yourself to other people and feel good about yourself? Surely you deserve to go to heaven when you die, because you are a good person. Do good people go to heaven? The answer is NO! Only forgiven people go to heaven. That is why this Jesus baby was born into this world, because He is the only answer to how anyone can have their immortal soul saved, and sent to heaven to live with God forever. Oops, I did it again, and went ahead of the Christmas story, but of course, we must jump ahead to “The End!” When forever comes there is a promise, which was foretold on that first Christmas Day, which says, "God with us," forever!
Paul wrote about this the greatest gift of all and the greatest promise from God, through the giving of His Son to this world. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, NLT) The free gift from God is this wonderful gift of guaranteed salvation though first, the birth of His Son called Immanuel, or "God with us," forever!
Now getting back to today and the Christmas shopping hustle and bustle, help us to buy that good gift for those we love, but do the shopping in a Christmas manner. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13) Yes, ask for the Holy Spirit to go with you on any shopping trips, and then, have no fear you will be on your best behavior.
Maybe we have the Magi to blame for this change of the Christmas season from one of giving to instead be a time expecting to receive? When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11) Although in this instance the Magi came to give expensive gifts, not expecting to receive any worldly gifts in return. It was not a gift exchange! However, these rich and powerful men did receive the greatest gift of all, as they believed!
Many of the stores have displays, and some have shopping bags with the word “Believe” posted on them. However, most of these stores instruct their employees to wish their customer a Happy Holiday, not Merry Christmas! So what is it they are promoting their customers to “Believe?” It is most likely for them to get in the holiday spirit and buy good gifts! It may even be meant to help you believe in Santa Claus, and spend more of your money buying gifts.
Mary the mother of Jesus had the Christmas Spirit, as we can detect by what she said about this most amazing of all events in human history. Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. (Luke 1:46-47) Can we try to identify with Mary during this season, and say “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”? It is a time of gift giving, but more importantly it is a time of being in the Spirit of this season!
As in any season of life here on this world, there are those who may be very ill, and even some who will depart this part of their lifetime. Remember this promise of Jesus who came in this Christmas season, and His sacrifice for you, setup this wonderful promise. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3) Jesus has a place for all who “Believe!”
Has The Christ Child Found You? Did you know you were lost?
Wishing you a Merry CHRISTmas!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|