Good Morning Church!
We welcome you all on a special day today, that the world calls, “Christmas!”
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Genesis 3:15
Let us begin with a verse…
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Isaiah 9:2
Isaiah also prophecies about Jesus in his book.
Today is a special day that entire world is celebrating Christmas. We enjoy shopping, buy gifts for one another, enjoy good food etc. But why exactly is Christmas special? Santa Claus, Flying reindeer, Carol, Christmas Tree etc. ?
And what does it means for us? Well, for unto us, a Child was born and no earthly gift can be compared.
Many people also argue, why do you celebrate Christmas, and we shouldn’t, as we should celebrate only resurrection. However, understand this, it was the beginning was the word.
Let me tell you three things about why Christmas is celebrated?
1: Christmas is about Jesus
Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. The Bible says Jesus is a unique person
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:23
2: Christmas is about hope
If you read the Christmas story, it talks about the hope of the word through Jesus. It was hope that caused Joseph continued his relationship with Mary. It was hope,which is why the Shepards travel to see Christ. It was hope that made kings to travel on a long journey to honor Christ.
And it is hope, because we have God. Any situation may arrise or if we are in a position, where we feel hopeless, remember, Christ is alive and in Him we have hope.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.
1 Timothy 1:1
Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13
He has sealed our past, present and future.
Natural calamities are taking place, uncertainty is everywhere, economies are collapsing, but people remember one thing, whatever is happening, God will not be taken by surprise. He knows everything!
In today’s time, people are really taken over by hopelessness, money has become the center of attention, yet there is emptiness deep down in their hearts. However remember one thing, Christ is born and he will take over emptiness. Because of Jesus, we have hope. He is our hope!
A beautiful hymn reads…
Jesus is hope when there is no hope
he’s waiting right there at the end of
my rope, I call on his name brother he’s
the same whether night or day. He’s never
gonna let me down I can feel his angels
all around. Jesus is hope when there is no hope
he’ll make a way.
The psalmist says in Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…”
Why, because there is hope and the hope is Christ!
3: God is in control!
Out creater is always in control. He created the heavens and the earth and He is in control.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7
If we read, it apoears that Caesar was in charge, however, it was God who was in control. The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law. The circumstances of his birth were very mean. Christ was born at an inn; he came into the world to sojourn here for awhile, as at an inn, and to teach us to do likewise. We are become by sin like an outcast infant, helpless and forlorn; and such a one was Christ. He well knew how unwilling we are to be meanly lodged, clothed, or fed; how we desire to have our children decorated and indulged; how apt the poor are to envy the rich, and how prone the rich to disdain the poor. But when we by faith view the Son of God being made man and lying in a manger, our vanity, ambition, and envy are checked. We cannot, with this object rightly before us, seek great things for ourselves or our children.
2000 years back, He was in control, so is He today as well. It doesn’t matter what circumstances are surrounding you, think about the birth of Jesus. God has brought you wonderfully in your mother’s womb and trust in His plan for you.
Don’t think about surrounding, birth, upbringing etc. Look at the small baby born in a manger, and even though the circumstances at that time were not normal, yet He was in control back then and He is in control now.
Christmas is about Jesus, hope in Him and that He is in control.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Christmas that we celebrate tells us that we have hope in Christ and Jesus is in control.
There is no better way to close today’s service other than the words of the followinh song by Bill Gaither…
How sweet to hold
A new born baby
And feel the pride
And the joy that he gives
But greater still that calm assurance
We can face uncertain days
(Holding)
We can face uncertain days
Because he lives
Sing it with us
And because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone
Because I know he holds the future
And life is worth the living just because he lives
And then one day
We’ll all cross that river
And fight life’s final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know he reigns
Because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone
Because I know, I know he holds the future
And life is worth the living just because he lives
He lives
He lives
We thank you for joining us! God bless you and your families abundantly and may He bring joy in your lives. Merry Christmas!