Faith is key to blessing of Christmas

2010-12-24T02:14:00.001-08:00

This Christmas, many nativity displays are shown throughout America, but here in a nation that professes Christianity, how many Americans even know who Jesus Christ really is? Jesus Christ is much

more than a baby in a manger born long ago.
Isaiah 9:6-7 speaks of Israel's coming Messiah: "For unto us [Israel] a child is born, unto us [Israel] a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,

Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and

to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

About 700 B.C., the prophet Micah (5:2) wrote: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Isaiah 7:14 prophesied that a virgin would bring forth a child named "Immanuel," meaning "God with us." Matthew 1:21-25 was the fulfillment of

that promise. "God sent forth His Son" (Gal. 4:4) and "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14).

Luke 1:5 is a clue to tell us that Christ's birth was late September to early October; the Holy Spirit conceived Christ's physical body in Mary's womb in late December.

At Christmas, we remember the conception, not the birth, of Christ's physical body. God the Son, the Creator of heaven and earth (Eph. 3:9 KJV), left heaven's glory to live as a man on earth to become

Israel's Messiah-King.

For three years, the Lord Jesus lived among His covenant people Israel, offering them their kingdom, performing miracles to prove that He was their Messiah promised in the Old Testament.

Yet, much of Israel remained in unbelief, and the overwhelming consensus in Israel was to crucify Jesus Christ as an imposter.

Mankind hated Jesus Christ just as much as Jesus Christ loved mankind. God foreknew Israel would reject their King.

Although Satan thought that he foiled God's plan by killing Jesus Christ, God the Father had set an ingenious plan in motion. Satan would unknowingly assist in his own defeat (1 Cor. 2:6-8)! In all His

wisdom, God the Father would use Christ's shed blood and resurrection to reconcile mankind with Himself (2 Cor. 5:14-21).

Jesus Christ is the issue at Christmas, not the Christmas tree (which is a pagan shrine mentioned in Jeremiah 10:1-4). Who is Jesus Christ? The LORD of glory, the only Saviour, and God manifest in the

flesh to die for our sins. The greatest Christmas gift was not placed under a tree, but nailed to Calvary's tree. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to give us the gift of everlasting life and salvation. Will you accept

that gift by faith?

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Faith is key to blessing of Christmas