12/26/2014
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11, ESV
When I was a child, Christmas was about gifts, not God. It was about getting, not giving. Delicious food was enjoyed, but no feasting on faith. The sound of football on the television smothered out any seasonal background music. There were a few laughs and heated discussions punctuated by opinionated relatives pontificating about politics. Unfortunately, there was not a birthday party for Jesus. Now, thank God, our family celebrates the birth of our Lord. Our grandchildren act out the Christmas story and the adults applaud. By grace, we make much of our Savior’s birth!
Prophetically, Jesus Christ, the son of God, was born in the City of David. The birthplace of an earthly king—David, was overshadowed by the birthplace of the King of kings—Jesus. A tiny village Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem, was the location of our Lord and Savior’s entrance onto earth. Christ’s humble birth would lead to the new birth for all who humbled themselves and believed. Our Savior came not to rule the heartland, but to rule human hearts. God’s love was with us in the flesh, so we could be set free. Jesus came to save His people from their sins.
“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” (Matthew 1:21).
It's easy for commercialism to consume our Christmas spirit. Sales, online shopping and credit cards all compete for our attention. We can stress over giving the right presents, instead of stressing the need to give our Lord the right attitude and adoration His deserves. The fear of disappointing a friend or family member with an unappreciated gift can replace our fear of God. The expectation of how much time we have with our children can make or break our holiday cheer. Thus, we seek to be selfless like our Savior. We thank God for any time with loved ones.
Most importantly, has the Christ of Christmas become the Savior of your soul? Is your relationship with God personal or a cultural faith? We can’t get into the Lord’s kingdom on the coattails of our family’s faith. When we own our beliefs we know the Lord owns us. Jesus was born so we might be born again. Thus, like a trusting child we embrace Christ as the Savior of our sins. We bow to Him as Lord over our life, and we proudly proclaim “Merry Christmas” to all souls in need of a Savior. Yes, Christmas is just the beginning— Easter validates our victory in Jesus!
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
