“Experiencing A Real Christmas”
Date: 12/21/2011
Speaker: Pastor Johnny Moore
Christmas, for most, is a time of remembering; a time of reflection; a time to look back to special times and think about special people. But for some, Christmas is a very depressing and discouraging time of year. Statistics tell us that more people commit suicide during the Christmas season than at any other time of year. Why is this?
Personally, I believe it is because some have not experienced the “person” of Christmas. You see, without Jesus Christ, there is no Christmas. Toys, Christmas trees, candy canes, and all the other “stuff” that we enjoy don’t make Christmas real. Only Jesus Christ, and a personal, everyday relationship with Him causes Christmas to become “real.” In order to experience a “real” Christmas there are three things we must understand:
#1—Christmas was a Manifestation of the Heart of God: Christmas was God’s plan, not man’s. In Luke 1:26, the scripture tells us that, “The angel Gabriel was sent from God . . . to a virgin named Mary.” In verse 30, the angel said, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” Because of Adam’s sin in Eden, man was separated from God. But Christmas brought God and man back together again. God exposed his heart when Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
#2—Christmas was a Demonstration of the Spirit of God: After Mary had listened to the angel, she asked (verse 34), “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” The angel then said, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee . . . For with God nothing shall be impossible.” In Matthew’s account (1:20), the angel said to Joseph, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost .” The Holy Spirit has been doing things for years and years, that people could not explain. But God’s message, concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, remains the same . . . “Fear not!”
#3—Christmas is a Continuation of the Purpose of God: Christmas was intended to be an everyday celebration, not just a “once a year” holiday. The angel said to Mary (Luke 1:31-33), “. . . Thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David . . . And of His Kingdom there shall be no end.” Matthew 1:23 says, “. . . And they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Christmas tells us that “there is still hope; there is still time; there is still a God that saves, a prayer that is heard, a King that redeems, a Spirit that fills, and a Savior that lives.” If you want to experience a “real” Christmas . . . experience Jesus!
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