“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Ga 4:4-5 AV)
Merry Christmas! God is so good! No matter what life may bring to our table, the best gift of all cannot be forgotten. Jesus came to earth and endured the wrath of the Father so that we might have forgiveness of sins. He came under the law and fulfilled the law. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice tested under the law and without sin. This He did for every soul ever created. No exceptions. He died for all. All the sinner must do is repent from sin and unbelief trusting solely in what Jesus Christ has already done.
There is a difference; a big difference; in the celebration of Christmas depending on one’s relationship with the Savior whom we claim to celebrate. For those who worship Him as both LORD and Savior, this holiday has a much deeper meaning. For those who have never accepted Christ as both LORD and Savior, the holiday seems more like an observation of tradition than an act of worship. Don’t get me wrong. I grew up lost. Christmas was very religious to our family. This was a heritage passed down which I deeply appreciated and still appreciate. There were several traditions I wish I had continued with my own family but never did. My parents did a perfect job of keeping this holiday a sacred one. Regardless of the gifts under the tree or the other Germanic traditions that came along with Christmas, we were never afforded the opportunity to forget that Christmas was about a babe in a manger who would grow up to be our Savior. As special as those years were, Christmas did not come truly alive for me until the Christmas of 1982. That was the first year I celebrated Christmas after receiving Jesus as my LORD and personal Savior. It was different. It was far more personal.
This is what I pray for. I pray all the lost souls of the world would realize there is a personal Savior who wants to save them from their sins, come into their hearts, and give them the gift of eternal life. The most expensive or largest gift under the tree cannot be compared with the forgiveness of sin and eternal affirmation from a God who loves without limits. So, if you don’t know Jesus Christ personally. If you have no peace in your heart concerning your relationship with God. If you cannot remember a time when you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and He radically changed your life, why not make this Christmas the most important of all? Ask Him! Receive Him! You’ll never celebrate Christmas the same way again.
Amen!
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