What’s Merry About Christmas?

Matthew 1:21: 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.”

We are sinful. It’s a fact in the record of history called the Bible.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Matthew 1:22-23
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

God came in flesh and blood. He did not want us to be separated from Him, so He made a way through His son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 1:34-35, 38
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

I think of what peace must have come over Mary…for she received such wonderful news to be fulfilled through her. She opened her heart and entire being to receive Jesus! She even sings of such glad tidings in Luke 1:46-55.

Jesus has come so we can be brought into a relationship with God. When we believe in Jesus and invite him to come into our life and give him all our sin(s) (What is sin?: anything that separates us from God). You see God is holy…he cannot look at sin because holy is HOLY..the total opposite of sin. The two do not go together. However, when we receive Jesus into our heart and entire being, God sees us! God sees Jesus and He can see us. Jesus presence in us brings us into a holy state of reunion with God.

Luke 2:7
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

When I think about “no guest room available for them,” I can’t help but think how much this reflects our lives. Would we say we have room? Is there room in my heart, your heart?

Luke 2:8-14
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

I love that the angel appeared to ordinary sheep herders. Faithfully, tending to their herd of sheep to keep them safe from harm in the night. I love they were like you and me and must have been frightened when the angel came into their presence (why else say, “do not be afraid”). I know I would have been scared with an angel appearing to me in the nighttime. How wonderful to hear the great news of Jesus’s birth and that peace will be with those who believe in him!

Luke 1:15
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Without haste they set off to find Jesus. What do we do with such news? Are you eager to find Jesus..to see Him for yourself? The shepherds did! Even the Wise Men (Magi) set off to find Jesus!

Matthew 2:1-2
The Wise Men Visit the Messiah
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

King Herod did not like this because it was recorded in history of a King being born to save his people. Herod wanted to put a stop to Jesus. He wanted the wise men to find Jesus and report back to him.

Matthew 2:9-12
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

That is Christmas! The birth of Jesus and it is “merry” because of Him! Although, the wise men gave him such treasures: gold, frankincense and mrryh. Jesus has given us an even greater treasure–he gave us the gift of Himself! He has given us life, life more abundant.

Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

As we celebrate Jesus’s birthday this Christmas, may you receive His gift of eternal life.

Merry Christmas!

Verses provided by www.biblegateway.com New International Version (NIV). Take a look in your Bible and learn more about forgiveness, freedom, hope, peace, grace, and faith in Jesus.