Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

2

Name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

In this Special Christmas issue:

5. The Message of the Star

7. The Challenge of Christmas

9. The Incarnate God

10. Merry Christians

13. The Shepherd’s Search

15. The Christmas Tree

16. Wise Men Seek and Find

17. Remember the Poor

18. Will There be Christmas in Heaven?

20. The Gift of Christmas

24. The Annunciation

26. The Child of Christmas

27. Christ - Light, Life, Love

28. The Sign of Christmas

29. The Christmas Tree

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5

‘We have seen his star…and are

come to worship him’

(Matthew 2:2)

Introduction

When the star appeared over

Bethlehem it served to give divine

authentication to the heavenly

credentials of the Christ child and to

draw people to the worship of the

new-born King. Recent times have

seen renewed speculation about

the nature and star meaning of the

Star of Bethlehem, but our purpose

in this study is to examine its place

in the gospel narrative.

For the gospel writer never

intended our attention to be drawn

to the star – rather, in the gospel

the star serves to focus our

attention on the Babe of

Bethlehem.

It Served as a Guide

‘The wise men said, ‘Where is he

that is born King of the Jews? For

we have seen his star in the east,

and are come to worship him’

(Matthew 2:2). In the first place,

these Magi would not have known

about the baby King if it were not

for the star. Secondly, they would

never have found him without its

guidance.

Although they travelled vast

distances, and through dangerous

terrain, nothing could deter them

from seeking and worshipping the

baby King. In our modern day when

so may have the advantage of cars,

or public transport, the example of

the wise men puts to shame all

those lukewarm Christians who find

feeble excuses for not attending

church regularly and gladly

following Christ wherever He calls.

This Christmas, we too have a guide

to lead us to the Saviour – but

rather than a star it is Christmas Day

and the Christmas story. It causes

all people to hear the good news of

the Saviour’s birth, and guides them

to think about, and believe in Jesus

our King.

Without Christmas, many would

never think of Christ. Sundays no

longer cause them to spare a

thought for God; even Easter is not

enough to remind them of Him. But

then the star of Christmas appears,

and they are led to the manger

where the Christ was born, and

hear again the angels saying, ‘Unto

you is born this day in the city of

David a Saviour, which is Christ the

Lord’ (Luke 2:11).

Will you do what the wise men

did—follow the guiding star; that is,

the true meaning of Christmas until

it leads you to the Saviour?

However far you have to travel

from your usual experience, do not

rest until you have met Jesus Christ,

the Son of God.

It Served as A Guarantee

‘When [the wise men] had heard

the king, they departed; and, lo, the

star, which they saw in the east,

went before them’ (Matthew 2:9).

The wise men had yet to meet Jesus

– it was the star which assured

them that he was there, and if they

would seek then they would find. In

a similar way Christmas gives us

assurance concerning the promises

of God.

It Verified the Promise of the

Scriptures

Even the chief priests and scribes

had to admit that it was written in

The Message of

the Star Image © Andreus

6

the prophecy of Micah, that out of

Bethlehem should come ‘a

Governor that shall rule my people

Israel’ (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6).

Through the star God was showing

that he time had come to fulfil his

promises.

Christmas day serves in the same

way, to remind us that God’s

promises are true.

People can say that the Bible is not

true, but what happened at

Christmas led to the fulfilment of at

least 333 Old Testament prophecies

concerning the birth, life, death and

victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We

find that both Old and New

Testaments point to Christ (see

Luke 24:27; John 5:39). If you will

only test the validity of scripture for

yourself, in your own experience,

you will find God’s word to be fully

reliable.

It Signified the Presence of the

Saviour

The story tells us that the star

‘which they saw in the east, went

before them, till it came and stood

over where the young child was’

(Matthew 2:9). Whatever Herod or

the chief priests and scribes had to

say about the birth of Christ did not

alter the fact that Jesus, the

Messiah, had really come. Men and

women today try to tell us that

Jesus is not alive, but we ask, once

again, what about Christmas? The

very fact that we are celebrating

Christmas signifies that Jesus was

born to be your Saviour and mine. It

is the ministry of the Holy Spirit not

only to guide us to the Saviour, but

to glorify Him (see John 16:13-14).

Through the Holy Spirit we may be

led to the Christ of Christmas.

It Served to Bring Gladness

‘When they saw the star, they

rejoiced with exceeding great joy’

(Matthew 2:10).

The Gladness of Finding Christ

‘And when they were come into the

house, they saw the young child

with Mary his mother’ (Matthew

2:11). All doubt vanished and joy

and gladness filled their hearts as

the wise men discovered that their

search had not been in vain.

Without delay they fell down and

worshiped Christ,

‘and when they had opened their

treasures, they presented unto him

gifts; gold, and frankincense, and

myrrh’ (Matthew 2:11).

Their gifts indicate that which they

recognized in the nature of the King

whom they worshiped. The gold

identified his sovereignty; the

frankincense his deity, and the

myrrh his humanity. Having found

the Christ, his sovereignty had

claimed their allegiance, his deity

had commanded their reverence,

and his humanity had compelled

their acceptance, filling their hearts

with joy and gladness.

Christmas can gladden your life for

good; for Christmas reminds us that

Jesus is a real King, a real God, and a

real Man. Why not do what the

wise men did: open the treasures of

your heart to Him and acknowledge

His sovereignty, deity and humanity

in your life? He waits for you to

offer your allegiance, reverence and

acceptance. If only you will respond

to the Christ of Bethlehem you will

be filled with the joy of Christmas.

The Gladness of following Christ

We read that ‘being warned of God

in a dream that they should not

return to Herod, they departed into

their own country another way’

(Matthew 2:12). What the magi had

seen, heard and experienced of the

child Jesus determined their future

action. Despite the invitation of

Herod to return to Jerusalem they

‘departed into their own country

another way.’ What mattered to

them was following God’s leading.

No one can meet the Lord Jesus and

ever be the same again. When

Christ becomes our Lord and

Saviour he transforms both our

character and our conduct.

Conclusion

If we permit it, this

Christmas day will

guide us to Christ, the

guarantor of all God’s

promises, who brings

joy and gladness to

our hearts, not merely

for one day, nor for

lifetime, but for all

eternity. The star of

Christmas day will

point you to Christ,

who wants to be born

in your heart. May

your response be:

O come to my heart,

Lord Jesus! There is

room in my heart for

Thee (Emily E. S.

Elliott).

7

The Challenge of Christmas

Introduction

At Christmas time God challenges is

in a way that calls for our response.

True, he always challenges us

through his Word when it is

proclaimed with authority and

clarity. He challenges us too by the

Spirit who convinces us of sin,

righteousness and judgment (John

16:8); and we in turn must

challenge a sinful world with the

truth that Jesus Christ is Lord. But

God has for many years used the

challenge of Christmas, presenting

each year afresh the message of

salvation. Let us consider:

I. The Circumstances of

Christmas

We cannot examine the

circumstances that surround the

birth of Jesus without being

impressed with the element of the

supernatural. His birth was:

1) Accomplished by God’s

Power

The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ

was supernatural; that is to say,

whilst the process of birth was

natural, the conception was divine.

The ‘seed of the woman’ (Genesis

3:15) was united by the Spirit with

the holy life of the Father to

produce the incarnate Son. Luke

records this sublime mystery as

follows: ‘The Holy Spirit shall come

upon thee, and the power of the

Highest shall overshadow thee:

therefore also that holy thing which

shall be born of thee shall be called

the Son of God’ (Luke 1:35). What a

challenge this is to our hearts! No

one can afford to ignore a person

who was born into the world in this

unique way.

2) Advanced by God’s

Providence

Have you ever considered the

timing of the circumstances that

surrounded the birth of Christ? The

whole event speaks of a

supernatural overruling of

Providence. Caesar Augustus, the

leader of the Roman world

announced that a census would be

conducted, and so the whole world

was moved in order that God’s son

could be born in Bethlehem. The

history of man, too, had all been

prepared for this point, and the

Bible describes it as the fullness of

time, ‘when the fullness of the time

was come, God sent forth his Son,

made of a woman, made under the

law,’ (Gal 4:4).

3) Announced by God’s

Prophets

Out of the hundreds of prophecies

concerning the first advent of our

Lord, a number were fulfilled at his

birth. This is one of the greatest

proofs that the Bible is the Word of

God. When the Wise Men came to

the palace of Herod, asking for the

new-born king, Herod’s scribes

emphatically declared that Christ

would be born in Bethlehem of

Judea, fulfilling the prophecy of

Micah 5:2: ‘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.’

II. The Crime of Christmas

‘She brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling

clothes, and laid him in a manger;

because there was no room for

them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7). When

Joseph and Mary arrived at the

wayside inn and requested

accommodation for the night, they

were told there was no room. The

innkeeper’s refusal to take in these

Image © Glenda Powers

8

weary travellers has been the crime

of Christmas throughout the

centuries. His attitude and action

only symbolize:

1) The Sin of Woeful Ignorance

‘There was no room for them in the

inn’ (Luke 2:7). The son of God turns

up at the door but is turned away.

In the same way, although he

continues to knock at the door of

their hearts, many people are still

are turning Jesus away. No one who

has ever heard the truth about

Christmas can pretend to be

ignorant of the saviour’s birth.

Through that message of love

revealed God continues to speak to

our hearts each year, saying:

‘Behold, I stand at the door, and

knock: if any man hear my voice,

and open the door, I will come in to

him, and will sup with him, and he

with me’ (Rev 3:20).

2) The Sin of Wilful Indifference

‘There was no room for them in the

inn’ (Luke 2:7). There was no excuse

for the innkeeper for his

indifference to the needs of these

weary travellers. Surely he could

see that Mary was heavily pregnant

(Luke 2:5), and he would know that

a woman in this condition not only

calls for tenderness and

consideration, but may be in need

of emergency help. But the

innkeeper was wilfully indifferent to

all this.

How typical this is of men and

women in our day and generation!

Wilfully ignorant of the

consequences of their sinful

condition and of the remedy God

has provided or them in Jesus

Christ. The annual reminder of

Christmas each year means that

they are without excuse – they

pretend ignorance of the

significance of Christmas in order to

wilfully reject the light it gives them

(John 3:19).

3) The Sin of Worldly

Involvement

‘There was no room for them in the

inn’ (Luke 2:7). Undoubtedly, this

innkeeper refused Joseph and Mary

for business reasons. The census of

Caesar Augustus was a good thing in

its way, he told himself, for it filled

his house with guests and his

pockets with money. To have

welcomed this couple would have

meant turning out two of his other

guests—and he was not about to do

that! Probably he refused these

travellers because they wore poor

and shabby clothes.

If Joseph and Mary had been able to

hold up a purse of gold, he would

have quickly found room in the inn.

How true this is today! Men and

women are far too busy with

worldly involvement. They know

very well that if Christ comes into

their lives certain other things will

have to go out. Or what is even

more tragic, if Christ possesses

them they will have to follow Him

who was lowly, despised and

rejected, and whose symbol is

always a cross. Like the rich young

ruler who came to Jesus and went

away sad when he realised that

following Christ would mean parting

with his possessions, so people

today go from their Christmas

encounter with Jesus with bags full

of shopping but empty hearts and

spiritually bankrupt lives.

Are you guilty of this crime? Can it

be said of you: Room for pleasure,

room for business, But for Christ the

Crucified, Not a place that He can

enter, In the heart for which He

died?

III. The Claims of Christmas

‘Unto you is born…a Savior’ (Luke

2:11). This angelic announcement

spells out God’s claim upon every

life. The names and titles of our

Lord were very carefully chosen in

order that we might understand

from the very beginning that Jesus

Christ came into the world to claim

a people for His name. We see that

Christ’s coming into the world has:

1) A Saving Claim Upon Your

Life

‘Unto you is born…a Savior’ (Luke

2:11). When the angel appeared to

Joseph to announce the coming

birth of Christ, he said, ‘Thou shalt

call his name Jesus: for he shall save

his people from their sins’

(Matthew 1:21). This is man’s

greatest need. There is a sense in

which he has everything but a

Savior. Prophets, priests and

lawgivers had preceded the coming

of Jesus Christ, but there was still

no final solution for sin.

What man needs is not just a

message, a way of worship, or even

a standard of living: he needs a

Savior. If a man is drowning, he

needs more than a voice that

attracts his attention, or gives him

instructions on swimming

techniques: he needs a savior.

2) A Spiritual Claim Upon Your

Life

‘Unto you is born…a Savior, which is

Christ’ (Luke 2:11). The title Christ

means ‘the anointed one.’ It is a

term which marks Him the one

upon whom the Holy Spirit came

without measure. This points to the

fact that God’s claim upon our lives

is essentially a spiritual one. In

other words, we are more than

body and soul: we are spiritual

9

beings; and until we are quickened

to life from spiritual death, we are

totally unqualified to stand in God’s

presence ‘God is a Spirit: and they

that worship him must worship him

in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:24).

Are you spiritually alive to God?

Have you responded to the spiritual

challenge of Jesus Christ?

3) A Sovereign Claim Upon Your

Life

‘Unto you is born this day in the city

of David a Savior, which is Christ the

Lord’ (Luke 2:11). This world will

never be put right until Jesus Christ

reigns as King of Kings and Lord of

lords. What is true of the world

generally is equally true of the

individual personally. Your life will

never know peace, purpose or

power until Christ reigns with

unchallenged sovereignty. He was

born to be Lord. That is why the

text says, ‘Unto you is born this

day…the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). He died

that He might be the Lord; He rose

again that He might be Lord, for the

Bible says that ‘Christ both died,

and rose, and revived, that he might

be Lord both of the dead and living’

(Romans 14:9). In other words, the

full purpose of the Advent is that

God might reign in the hearts of

men through His beloved Son, Jesus

Christ the Lord. Have you given Him

unconditional surrender? Is He Lord

of your spirit, of your soul, and of

your body?

Conclusion

Here, then, is the supreme

challenge of Christmas—not only

the circumstances that we have

considered, and the awful crime

which is perpetrated year by year,

but these claims of Jesus Christ

upon your life. What is your

response to the challenge of

Christmas?

Divine Condescension

‘the Word became flesh and dwelt

among us’ (John 1:14). Sharing our

lowly human nature. One of us.

The Mystery of His Being

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the

Word was with God, and the Word was

God’ (John 1:1). The child was no less

than man, but no less than God.

The Mystery of His Becoming

‘the Word became flesh and dwelt

among us’ (John 1:14). How could this

happen?

Divine Operation

‘the Word became flesh’ God manifest

in human form.

A Sinless Birth

A Supernatural Birth

Divine Revelation

This must be received. ‘we beheld His

glory, the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father, full of grace and truth’

(John 1:14).

The Expression of God

This must be proclaimed. ‘the glory as

of the only begotten of the Father, full

of grace and truth’ (John 1:14).

The Intention of God

This must be enjoyed. ‘of His fullness

we have all received, and grace for

grace’ (John 1:16).

Conclusion

Like man He walked, like God He talked;

His words were oracles, His deeds were

miracles;

Of God the true expression, of man the

finest specimen;

Full-orbed humanity, crowned with

Deity;

No trace of infirmity, no taint of iniquity;

Behold the Man! Behold thy God!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail,

Incarnate Deity!

(Quoted in 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes by A.

Naismith [Pickering & Inglis, Basinistoke. 1985]. p.

40.)

The Incarnate God Image © Photowitch

TEXT: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of

the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14).

10

Laughter and Songs of Joy

The one thing the angel told

Joseph was that He (JESUS)

would save His people from their

sins. So, what a time Christmas

should be! Saved from our sins!

Forgiven, redeemed! What glad-

hearted relief! James 5:13 says,

‘Is anyone happy? Let him sing

songs of praise’ (NIV). The word

isn’t adequately translated with

“happy.” The King James Version

is nearer. ‘If any be merry let

him sing psalms.’ “Merry” is

what God-forgiven people feel.

Then sing psalms!

One appropriate psalm to sing is

Psalm 126: ‘When the Lord

brought back the captives to

Zion, we were like men that

dreamed. Our mouths were

filled for laughter, our tongues

with songs of joy.’ The Christian

experience of forgiveness is

surely more than an equal cause

of laughter and songs of joy.

Jesus said, ‘Rejoice that your

names are written in heaven,’

and even said, ‘Leap for joy!’

Jump for joy! Be physical about

it! Let nobody dare suggest our

light-hearted Christmas

festivities can

possibly be improper. They are

very proper! Are they festive

enough? ‘Worship’ in the Bible

always indicated physical

expression. ‘You have turned my

mourning into dancing.’

In the entire world, including

Israel, the idea had never been

thought, that someone born on

earth could save people from

their sins. The angel’s

declaration introduced a

breathtaking, revolutionary

dispensation.

The psalmist had said, ‘Bless the

Lord, O my soul! Who forgives

all your iniquities.’ ‘Blessed is he

whose transgressions are

forgiven, whose sins are

covered, whose sin the Lord

does not count against him’

(Psalm 103:1, 32:1). But the Old

Testament people did not fully

delight in such a possibility. Yet

in Psalm 30 the writer says, ‘I

called to the Lord for mercy. You

turned my wailing into dancing,

removed my sackcloth and

clothed me with joy that my

heart may sing to you and not be

silent.’

The Jewish people had those

Scriptures, but Paul had to stand

in the synagogue in the Pisidian

Antioch and announce, ‘My

brothers, I want you to know,

that through Jesus the

forgiveness of sins is proclaimed

to you.’

An Utterly Unique Celebration

Secular forces try to absorb the

real glory of Christmas into its

pantheon of impotent deities

and mortal opinions. “Politically

correct” fanatics object to the

distinct proclamation of

Christianity that Jesus is the only

way to God. But their objections

do not change reality. The

simple truth remains. “No man

comes to the Father except by

me.”

When Jesus spoke those

definitive words, He was

revealing the God no one knew

the way He did. God was a

Father never before imagined.

He existed in light

unapproachable and love

indescribable, but was perfectly

unveiled in His Son, Jesus Christ.

No one could know this Father

unless Jesus revealed Him. So

when we proclaim that Jesus is

the only way to God, we are

referring to Jesus’ own Father -

the unsurpassed, wonderful God

revealed exclusively by Jesus

Christ - not the finite gods or

ideas set up by humans.

Merry Christians by Reinhard Bonnke. Image © Dave Bredeson

11

That means Christmas is utterly

unique - a festival like no other.

No other religion has a day like

Christmas. The celebration of

Jesus’ birth is the celebration of

God’s coming in the flesh,

visiting our dark world, and

disclosing Himself perfectly in

His Son. That is not the

celebration of a mere doctrine,

an obligatory observance, or a

traditional ritual. It is a

spontaneous burst of hilarious

joy coming from a revelation of

the wonderful, glorious God and

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What a God is “the God and

Father of Jesus”! And what a Son

is Jesus! What a Savior! “Be glad

in the Lord and rejoice”!

An Utterly Unique Salvation

Jesus is the One Who forgives

and saves! He doesn’t just send

a remedy; He IS the remedy.

Jesus, as Savior, stands alone.

When Peter said, “There is no

other name given under heaven

whereby we might be saved,” he

was not just making a

contentious assertion. He was

making a categorical statement

of undeniable fact. Jesus came

to save the world, not to show

us the way to save ourselves.

We need Him to save us - to be

our remedy and apply that

remedy - because we did not

have the ability to save

ourselves.

Sin dominates our world.

Revenge, impurity, lying,

violence, idolatry, and strife

fester in human hearts. But His

blood washes all of that away

when we believe. That means

that Jesus not only forgives us,

but He changes our will and

disposition. He makes us totally

new creatures.

This is the real glory of

Christmas. When we believe in

Christ, the God Who came

among us becomes the God

Who dwells within us. So when

Jesus forgives and transforms

someone, it shows. Everyone

forgiven and transformed by the

blood of Jesus permanently has

the Christmas spirit.

For example, we give gifts at

Christmas. When a tax-collector

named Zaccheus encountered

Jesus, he turned into a joy-filled

giver. His shrunken little heart

expanded and he pulled out his

wallet, unzipped its purse, and

gave away his money. The spirit

of giving became a way of life for

him, not just a special day.

Christmas time also inspires

celebrations with family and

friends. But celebrations always

followed the Son of God! After

Jesus forgave a paralyzed man

on a stretcher, he jumped up

cured and went home. What a

party his family must have had!

And what a continual

celebration for the former

paralytic, daily experiencing

God’s grace as a whole person!

When Jesus forgave a woman of

the streets, she entered the

room where He reclined as tears

of gratitude ran down her face,

and she wept with love over the

very feet of Christ. As Jesus

Himself said of her, that is the

result of forgiveness. That is the

kind of celebration that always

followed Jesus.

The real glory of Christmas is the

incarnation of Jesus Christ

revealing the true God, bringing

true salvation, and infusing his

people with the true spirit of

Christmas permanently. The

angel’s declaration indeed

trumpets the real glory of

Christmas for all ages to come:

“Behold I bring you good news of

great joy which will be for all the

people. Today in the city of

David there has been born for

you a Savior, who is Christ the

Lord!”

This article reproduced with the

kind permission of Christ for all

Nations.

To find out more, or to support

the work of CfaN visit their

website:

http://us.cfan.org/?lang=en-US

12

.

3 More simple Christmas sermon

ideas for your ministry! Image © Photowitch

Christmas Sermon Ideas for your ministry!

13

The Shepherd’s Search

Have you ever wondered why

God chose shepherds to be the

first to hear the news concerning

Jesus' birth? The shepherds

were despised. Because of the

nature of their occupation they

were unable to keep the details

of the ceremonial law: they

could not observe all the

meticulous hand washings and

rules and regulations; their

flocks made too many demands

upon them. So the shepherds

were looked down upon as very

common people. However, their

dedication was recognized in

heaven. Was it because they

were shepherds that God

revealed His secret to them? An

unblemished lamb was offered

every morning and evening in

the temple as a sacrifice. To

make certain that the supply of

perfect offerings was always

available, the temple authorities

had their own flock of sheep

pastured near Bethlehem. These

shepherds may have been in

charge of the sheep from which

the temple offerings were

chosen. God may have selected

these shepherds because of

their expectation. After the

angelic announcement they said,

"Let us now go to Bethlehem

and see this thing that has come

to pass, which the Lord has

made known to us" (Luke 2:15).

These shepherds were seeking

someone and they were not

disappointed.

1. The Shepherds

Determined the Facts

Concerning Christ

"Let us now go to Bethlehem

and see this thing that has come

to pass, which the Lord has

made known to us" Luke 2:15

An event of tremendous

significance had taken place. The

stillness of the night had been

broken by an angelic

announcement, accompanied by

a blaze of glory. Transfixed with

fear and yet of wonder, the

shepherds heard the words: "…

Luke 2:10-12 I bring good news

of great joy which will be to all

people. For there is born to you

in the city of David a Savior, who

is Christ the Lord. And this will

© Joo Young Cho

14

be the sign to you: You will find

a Babe wrapped in swaddling

cloths lying in a manger"

This heavenly news was so

astonishing and held such far-

reaching consequences that

these wise shepherds could do

no less than determine the facts.

a) They Seriously Determined

the Facts Concerning Christ

"Let us go to Bethlehem and see

this thing that has come to pass,

which the Lord has made known

to us" Luke 2:15

Nothing else really mattered;

even the care of their sheep was

secondary. They must go at once

and see this thing which the Lord

had made known to them.

b) They Speedily Determined

the Facts Concerning Christ

Luke 2:16 To "… they came

with haste…"

The matter was urgent. At once

they had to investigate the facts

that were announced by the

angelic messengers.

2. The Shepherds Accepted

the Findings Concerning

Christ

Luke 2:16 "… they… found Mary

and Joseph, and the Babe lying

in a manger"

a) They Found the Miracle of

the Savior's Birth

"they… found Mary…" Luke 2:16

The witness of Mary centered in

the miracle of the Savior's birth.

Mary was the mother of Jesus.

She had never known a man.

The Holy Spirit had come on her

and the power of the Highest

overshadowed her: therefore

the holy one that had been born

in her was called the Son of God.

The miracle of the supernatural

conception meant that He was

without sin.

Therefore, His was a

supernatural and sinless birth.

And so as the shepherds looked

into Mary's face and heard the

story, they worshiped because

of the miracle of the birth of

Christ.

S. Olford "Without the virgin

birth we would have no Savior. If

He had carried a single trait of

sin then He would have needed

a Savior, like any other son of

Adam's race".

b) They Found the Message

of the Savior's Birth

Luke 2:16 "they found… Joseph"

The angel who had appeared to

Joseph said to him, Matthew

1:20-21 "… do not be afraid to

take to you Mary your wife, for

that which is conceived in her is

of the Holy Spirit. And she will

bring forth a Son, and you shall

call His name Jesus, for He will

save His people from their sins"

The message of Christmas

should centre on the fact that

Jesus was born to be the Saviour

of the world. He did not come

into the world primarily to

teach, reform, heal, or even

raise the dead but to save.

1Tim. 1:15 "Christ Jesus came

into the world to save sinners"

c) They Found the Majesty of

the Savior's Birth

Luke 2:16 "they… found… the

Babe lying in a manger"

In the Baby we see the majesty

of His identity; God manifest in

the flesh In the lowly manger

the majesty of His humility. The

shepherds knelt by that manger

and accepted their findings; they

believed.

3. The Shepherds Announced

their Faith Concerning Christ

The shepherds accepted the

heavenly announcement as a

special word to their own hearts.

Having determined the fact, they

had accepted the findings. Now

they proceeded to announce the

faith which they had received as

they knelt before the manger.

a) They Publicly Announced

Their Faith

Luke 2:17, 20 "Now when they

had seen Him, they made widely

known the saying which was told

them concerning this Child

b) They Praisefully

Announced Their Faith

"the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God for

all the things that they had

heard and seen, as it was told

them" (Luke 2:20).

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The Christmas Tree By Ken Legg (Western Australia, AOG)

Ken Legg is pastor of New Beginnings Christian Church on the Gold Coast of Australia. You can sign up for Ken's free ezine, Grace Roots, on his website at http://www.small-groups-ministry.com Original Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5535180

Australian TV reported recently that a private school had adopted the practice of replacing the Christmas tree with the holiday tree (lest we offend!)

It's not just unbelievers who have a problem with the Christmas tree. Some Christians feel that erecting a Christmas tree is the Christianization of a pagan practice. Some say it originates from the pagan idea of evergreen trees representing a celebration of the renewal of life. Others, have traced its beginnings to the horrendous tradition of Yule among early Germanic tribes who sacrificed male animals and slaves, suspending them from branches of trees; in the same way that we hang presents on Christmas trees! Then there are those who have linked it with an obscure passage from the book of Jeremiah 10:2-4: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles… for one cuts a tree from the forest... They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple."

Martin Luther. There is no proof that our custom of the Christmas tree descended from any of these pagan traditions. There is more evidence that the tradition of Christmas trees began with Martin Luther.

One cold Christmas Eve, around 1500 AD, Luther was walking through snow-covered woods, captivated by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. As the moon shone down upon them, their branches, dusted with snow, glistened and gleamed. Luther hurried home and set up a little fir tree indoors and endeavored to re-create the scene with his children. He adorned it with candles which he lit in celebration of Christ's birth.

The Tree Of Life The Bible mentions two trees in the Garden of Eden. The first was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from this tree. We might ask, "Why is the knowledge of good and evil a bad thing?"

It's more a question of how do we define what is good and what is evil? Only God is good; therefore that which is consistent with His character and nature is good. Only God is qualified to determine what is good and evil. We were meant to learn what is good and what is evil from God. When man ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he saw himself as god and began to relate everything to himself. He placed himself at the centre of the universe and has stayed there ever since.

Man sees himself as able to decide what is right and what is wrong. Probably the best definition of sin is 'self.'

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isa.53:6).

That's sin.

There was another tree in the Garden called the tree of life. Why didn't Adam and Eve eat from this tree instead? Because they already had life. God put the tree of life in the Garden of Eden in anticipation of the salvation they would need when they sinned. The tree of life represents Jesus: the way, the truth and the life.

God said that when man ate of the forbidden tree he would die. Sin demands the forfeiture of a life. The wages of sin is death. But God accepts a substitute, and Jesus laid down His life for us on a tree! When Peter was preaching to the Jews he said, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree" (Acts 5:30). Later, in his first epistle he taught the significance of that death. He said that He "... bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Pet.2:21). As Adam and Eve died eating from a tree we live by eating from God's tree of life, Jesus.

When I erect a Christmas tree in my home, and hang gifts from it, it reminds me of the greatest gift of all that hung from a tree - the Son of God who died for you and me. The gospel puts God back in the centre - that's life!

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"Where is He who has been

born King of the Jews? For we

have seen His star in the East

and have come to worship

Him." Matt. 2:2

1. They Saw.

a) The Star.

we have seen His star Matt.

2:2

the star which they had seen

in the East went before them

Matt. 2:9

When they saw the star, they

rejoiced with exceedingly

great joy. Matt 2:10

Num 24:17 "I see Him, but

not now; I behold Him, but

not near; A Star shall come

out of Jacob; A Scepter shall

rise out of Israel.......

Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent

My angel to testify to you

these things in the churches. I

am the Root and the

Offspring of David, the Bright

and Morning Star."

b) The Child

Matt 2:11 And when they

had come into the house,

they saw the young Child with

Mary His mother.....

c) The Saviour of the World.

Mat 1:21 She shall bring forth

a son. You shall call his name

Jesus, for it is he who shall

save his people from their

sins."

2. They Came.

And when they had come into

the house Matt 2:11

a) They Joined Together.

1. They formed a fellowship.

2. Inseparable.

3. Not Distracted.

b) To Worship.

Matt 2:11 And when they

had come into the house,

they saw the young Child with

Mary His mother, and fell

down and worshiped Him.

And when they had opened

their treasures, they

presented gifts to Him: gold,

frankincense, and myrrh.

1. Fell Down - submitted to

His Lordship.

2. Presented - they gave of

their substance.

Wise Men Seek and Find

By Derek Williams………..

A Daily Moment of Thought

By Sonja Burketh………..

Image © Openas Openas

17

Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity

on the poor lends to the Lord

and that which he has given he

will repay him.

You only have to watch the news

to see the extent of the financial

chaos the world is currently in.

Day after day the rich are getting

richer whilst the poor are getting

poorer. Tough austerity

measures have been imposed in

many countries, and more often

than not it is the poor who

experience the greatest hardship

caused by these measures.

It was our Lord Jesus Christ

himself who stated "The poor

you will always have with you."

The poor are often neglected,

despised and oppressed by

others, especially by the rich

(Job 24:4; Psa. 109:16; Prov.

30:14; Isa. 32:7; Amos 2:6)

When our Lord Jesus came to

earth that first Christmas, he

was not born in a palace among

the rich. He was born in a stable

among the poor. We know that

his family must have been poor

because when they offered the

sacrifice after Jesus’ birth it was

two turtle doves, the offering

which was made by the poor.

Christians are warned not to

despise the poor (James 2:6), for

Jesus himself was poor. Instead

we are to see that justice is done

for the poor (Eccl. 5:8; Psa.

35:10; Psa. 82:3; Prov. 29:14;

Jer. 22:6).

Moreover, God's Word tells us

always to show kindness to the

poor (Deut. 15:7; Psa. 41:1;

Matt. 19:21; Gal. 2:10)

Our opening text says that he

who has pity on the poor lends

to the Lord. The word 'pity'

means to be kind, gracious, to

have mercy upon or to bestow a

practical gift. We as Christians

are to be benevolent, giving

practical help to the genuinely

poor (Isa. 58:7-10; Luke 12:33;

Prov. 11:25).

Our text then goes on to say that

which we have given to the Lord

(by giving to the poor) will be

repaid in full. God will see to it

that a full recompense is given

to those who remember the

poor (Prov. 13:21; Luke 14:14;

Psa. 41:1).

So, whenever we have an opportunity; and perhaps especially at Christmas time, let us help the poor in any way we can. Even if they cannot meet or thank us here, our actions will be noticed and recorded in heaven. Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given to a disciple in his name will never be forgotten by God (Matt. 25:32-40).

Remember the Poor by Wesley Chick Image © Lucian Coman

18

Will there be Christmas in Heaven?

The Bible doesn’t tell us. In fact, it

doesn't tell us very much about

heaven at all. But the Bible does

reveal that there shall be many

things in heaven which remind us of

Christmas.

Heaven is such a beautiful place,

that is doesn't need to be decorated

with baubles, tinsel or lights, such as

those we put on our homes and

Christmas trees. Someone who had

been there said of heaven that its

foundation was of precious stones,

its gates made of pearl and its

streets of pure gold. In fact, it was

beautiful beyond description.

The foundations of the city's wall

are decorated with every kind of

precious stone. The first foundation

is jasper, the second sapphire, the

third agate, the fourth emerald, the

fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the

seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl,

the ninth topaz, the tenth

chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth,

and the twelfth amethyst. And the

twelve gates are twelve pearls --

each one of the gates is made from

just one pearl! The main street of

the city is pure gold, like transparent

glass. Rev 21:19-21

On my tree I put an angel, which reminds me of the angel who brought good news to Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds that a Saviour had been born for all men. The Bible tells us that in heaven there will be an even large number of angels

Will there be Christmas in Heaven? By Mathew Bartlett This article was originally given as a video & may be viewed at: http://youtu.be/Whzhgvy_ORE

praising God for all that he has done

for mankind by sending his only son

to be the saviour of the world.

Then I looked and heard the voice of

many angels in a circle around the

throne, as well as the living creatures

and the elders. Their number was ten

thousand times ten thousand --

thousands times thousands --all of

whom were singing in a loud voice:

"Worthy is the lamb who was killed

to receive power and wealth and

wisdom and might and honor and

glory and praise!" Rev 5:11-12

At Christmas we put up an evergreen

tree, but in heaven there is an even

better tree - the tree of life.

Then the angel showed me the river

of the water of life -- water as clear

as crystal -- pouring out from the

throne of God and of the Lamb,

flowing down the middle of the

city's main street. On each side of

the river is the tree of life producing

twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its

fruit every month of the year. Its

leaves are for the healing of the

nations. Rev 22:1-2

On top of my Christmas tree I place

a star, to remind me of the star

which led the wise men from the

east to Jesus.

In heaven Jesus is the centre of

attraction, brighter than any star:

HEAVEN CAN’T BE LESS JOYFUL THAN EARTH!

19

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify

to you about these things for the

churches. I am the root and the

descendant of David, the bright

morning star!" Rev 22:16

The wise men, of course, brought

gifts to Jesus, as we send each other

presents at Christmas. They laid at his

feet gifts of gold, frankincense and

myrrh. God's people who surround

his throne in heaven will also place

their gifts at his feet. The Bible

pictures them casting their crowns

before him, meaning that they gladly

give back to him everything that they

have.

The twenty-four elders throw

themselves to the ground before the

one who sits on the throne and

worship the one who lives forever and

ever, and they offer their crowns

before his throne, saying: "You are

worthy, our Lord and God, to receive

glory and honor and power, since you

created all things, and because of

your will they existed and were

created!" Rev 4:10-11

On top of my tree I have a star, like the star which led the wise men to Jesus, but in haven, Jesus himself is the centre of attraction, brighter than any star:

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify

to you about these things for the

churches. I am the root and the

descendant of David, the bright

morning star!" Rev 22:16

The wise men, of course, brought

gifts to Jesus, as we send each other

presents at Christmas. They laid at his

feet gifts of gold, frankincense and

myrrh. God's people who surround

his throne in heaven will also place

their gifts at his feet.

The Bible pictures them casting their

crowns before him, meaning that

they gladly give back to him

everything that they have.

The twenty-four elders throw

themselves to the ground before the

one who sits on the throne and

worship the one who lives forever

and ever, and they offer their crowns

before his throne, saying: "You are

worthy, our Lord and God, to receive

glory and honor and power, since you

created all things, and because of

your will they existed and were

created!" Rev 4:10-11

There will be plenty of gifts for those

who have served God.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the

first and the last, the beginning and

the end!) Rev 22:13

Christmas is meant to be a time of

peace and happiness, and there will

be eternal peace and everlasting joy

in heaven.

He will wipe away every tear from

their eyes, and death will not exist

any more -- or mourning, or crying,

or pain, for the former things have

ceased to exist." Rev 21:4

We sing carols and praise God at

Christmas time, and we shall not

stop singing joyful carols when we

get to heaven!

They were singing a new song: "You

are worthy to take the scroll and to

open its seals because you were

killed, and at the cost of your own

blood you have purchased for God

persons from every tribe, language,

people, and nation. Rev 5:9

Some people consider the best part of Christmas to be when travel home to meet up with family and friends. To the Christian, heaven is our home, and we will go there to be with Go and meet again all those who have loved Go d and who have died before us.

Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father's house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. John 14:1-3

Christmas time is a celebration of

the Saviour's birth, but in heaven

the saviour himself will be there,

and so will all those who put their

faith in him.

Jesus died and rose again so that

all who believe in him may not

perish but live eternally.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ this

Christmas, we look forward to an even greater

celebration–

IN HEAVEN.

20

(c) 1David Asche

No wonder the Scripture says, "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." In a day when the unscientific myth of evolution is a widely held belief we must remember the words of Paul to Timothy: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6:20).

Instead, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do

appear” (Heb. 11.3).Creation declares God's being.

The Glory of God's Wisdom

The firmament displays his handiwork.

By firmament the Psalmist means the atmosphere which envelops the earth, the place for clouds and flying birds. The skillful work of God's hands displayed in the construction of the sky reveals to us God's wisdom. I remember reading a book about how Roman engineers came up with the ingenious method of producing arches which would support great weight. From this discovery came the huge Roman aqueducts which were constructed throughout the empire. It took the great mind and skill of Sir Christopher wren to design and build the great dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. How much greater is the mind which designed the sky above us?

Where are the pillars that keep the immense dome of the sky in place? Behind the architecture of the sky is a great mind, the Divine mind of the

eternal God. Creation declares God’s wisdom.

The Glory of God's Order

Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.

Have you ever noticed how day always follows night and night always follows day? There is order in the universe. No one ever woke up to find that the sun had forgotten to rise. Such is the order of creation that the timing of particular cosmic events, such as solar eclipses, can be accurately predicted. Our times, dates and years are all calculated from the order of the sun and moon. The movements of the Solar System are far more orderly and reliable than any modern clock or watch. The order of God's creation shows the meticulous planning of the Divine mastermind. Evolution, especially the big bang theory, suggests that the universe was formed out of Chaos. The opposite may be observed to be true. Just read your daily paper and you will notice printed in many of them the time that the sun will set and the time that it will rise. Days, months and years just seem to keep coming right on time! The orderly universe speaks to us of the One who

sets the clock of time. Creation declares God's Order.

God Reveals Himself through Creation The first way in which God reveals Himself to man is through Creation.

"The heavens declare the glory of God"

As we gaze with wonder at the beautiful world around us, Creation reveals:

The Glory of God's Being

There is surely no excuse for any man not to believe in God, for the very existence of creation is evidence enough to convince us of the reality and existence of God.

"What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:19-20).

Not only the existence of God but his attributes are clearly revealed in Creation. In other words, Creation not only tells us that there is a God; it tells us something about him - what he is like.

In David’s mind and ours, there is no other explanation for the natural universe than the fact that God is. Creation's evidence is compelling and convincing and there is no one who has not heard the evidence. For the silent witness of the heavens covers the whole earth and declares the truth of God to men from every nation and language.

The Gift of Christmas Read Psalm 19

Space Images © NASA & Sunrise © Hladkymartin

21

The Glory of God's Goodness There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

God is not willing for men to remain in ignorance and so he has provided evidence of his goodness through Creation in order that men may seek after him. When preaching at Athens, Paul appealed to this evidence of God's goodness: “He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (read Acts 17:24-27).

When we hear birds singing, we imagine them singing his praises, and perhaps they do, for Jesus said "Not one of them falls to the ground without your Father." If God is good to birds and animals, how much more is he good to men? Jesus said, "He makes his sun shine on the just and the unjust."

The Moslem war cry is "God is great". But let the Christian acknowledge that "God is good."

The Glory of God's Power In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

In contemplating God's power, David could have chosen no more obvious an illustration than the sun. Without doubt David, being a shepherd, would often have seen the bright morning sunrise. What an immense display of God's power the sun gives! Without it, no life on earth could survive. We hear of nuclear power stations providing enough electricity for whole cities. Yet the sun gives light and warmth every day without fail to billions of people all over the world.

In poetic language, David compares the sun's circuit of the heavens with a bridegroom going on his way to marriage, as if the sun was overjoyed obey God's will and to shine on the earth. The sun is compared to a strong man confidently running a race, and no doubt he has reason to be confident, since no one has ever been able to stop the sun completing its circuit of the sky,

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work". 2 Tim 3:16-17

Peter reminds his readers "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. 1:20-21

God's Word carries tremendous authority because it is not man's thoughts about God, but God's revelation of himself to man. The Bible should command the respect and attention of us all.

The Inerrancy of Scripture

Once again David uses six words to describe how the Scripture is inerrant, which means not liable to error. He describes God's word as perfect - without fault or defect. Complete with nothing further to be added to it.

It is sure - reliable & dependable. You can put your trust in God's word and you will never be let down.

It is right - because it shows man with the right way to God and heaven. It is pure because the One who gave it is pure and sinless. The pure word of God uncovers sin, revealing it for what it is. God's word is clean because it is not corrupt. God has no hidden agenda or false motive in telling man how he should live. It is true because no part of it is false - it is inerrant and faithful.

We believe that the Scriptures, known as the Bible, are the inspired Word of God, the infallible and all-sufficient rule for faith and practice.

The Validity of Scripture

Once more David lists six effects that the word of God has on the believer to show that it is powerful and effective. God's word is living and it has a powerful and living effect in our lives. It restores the soul- it refreshes the soul as food and drink refreshes the body; it makes wise the simple - for it gives the inexperienced guidance and direction;

shedding light and warmth on the whole

world. Creation, especially the sun, declares God's power.

The story is told of a missionary who was challenged by a heathen chief to "Show me your God." "Look up there and see the sun," said the missionary. "I cannot “replied the old man, "it blinds my eyes." "That,” replied the missionary, "is one of the least of my God's servants, so how can you ask me then to show you my God?"

God Reveals Himself through Scripture (v7-11) The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

David's thoughts now turn from the glories of the universe to the glories of the word of God. The transition is not as abrupt as it may seem. The God who has revealed Himself to man in nature is the same God who reveals himself to man in scripture.

The Authority of Scripture

The Psalmist considers the word of God to be a complete and all sufficient revelation of God's person and will. He uses six words to describe God's word and confirm its authority.

He describes Scripture as the Law of the Lord: As the law it gives Divine instruction in relation to our behavior and character.

The Testimony of the Lord: God's word gives witness to who God is and what he has done. The Statutes of the Lord: These are His directions for life and living, legal rules intended to inspire obedience and stop disobedience. The Commandments of the Lord: These are the Divine decrees, given as by His Almighty Majesty, whose word is final. The Fear of the Lord is the constant attitude of a soul which has been instructed by the Law. The Judgments of the Lord are the decisions and sentences made by the Judge of the whole earth.

Believers recognize that:

22

His strength and presence is a staff for us in time of need. When our strength fails, his strength is enough for us.

Often the Lord will allow us to reach an extremity of experience before this strength and power is realized in us. It is only when we come to the end of ourselves that we rely on the Lord as we ought, and in this way he teaches us ever increasing faith.

Paul said on one occasion: “we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:8-9). The help and strength of God came, from the human viewpoint, just in the nick of time. It is often when we are dreadfully discouraged and weak that the Lord will break through. He knows our limit and will not test us above what we are able to bear.

The weary traveler will often be in need of refreshment. That is why there are many inns along frequently used pathways. The weary soul of the Christian pilgrim also needs refreshment, and this need is satisfied by Christ "He restores my soul". He quickens and revives our fainting spirits and brings good cheer. Often it is the ministry of his saints one to another which he uses to bring about this refreshing of spirit (e.g. 2 Cor. 7:13 and 2 Tim 1:16).

Yet if no human help is near, we can be sure of the help of God. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me... But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me (2 Tim. 4:16-17)

The sinning pilgrim can be sure to find grace and mercy if he will penitently seek it, as David found "he restores my soul" (see also Psa. 51:8-12).

If a man would travel alone in Bible times, he would do well to travel armed. The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates this. Yet if he has a guide, it will do as well for the guide to be armed, that the traveler might be protected from those who mean to harm him.

The Christian pilgrim has many enemies on his pathway to heaven, but our guide is well armed with victory, having already defeated all his foes at the cross of Calvary. By his mighty resurrection he has defeated our greatest foe - death, once and for all. His complete victory provides us with full armor, a full protection. The whole armor of God as referred to by Paul in Ephesians 6 is no more or less than an appropriation by faith of all that Christ is and what he has done for us by his death on the cross.

The protection offered by our guide is symbolized by the "rod". This was not carried for support, but for protection against wolves and thieves etc. The Lord is well able to protect his own. Jesus is both our defense and victory.

I will never forget reading the last chapter of "Pilgrim's Progress", in which Christian has to cross the river to enter the celestial city. The river represented death.

Death is not a pleasant experience even for the believer. It brings its own darkness and fear of the unknown. Will we be able to bear up in this final and greatest testing?

As Christian began to cross the river, he feared and felt that there was no ground beneath his feet.. But after a few words of encouragement from his friend Hopeful, he put down his foot and realized that there was solid rock under him which bore him safely to the other side. Even in the valley of shadow of death - when death arrives to claim my mortal frame - I will not fear, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME. He has already trod this path before us, and will ensure our safe arrival on the beautiful shore.

The Host and the Guest. This host is one of a kind. Not only does he bless us when we reach his home, but he blesses us all the way there.

23

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory

forever and ever. Amen! 2 Tim 4:18

In the presence of our enemies - that is surely while we are on earth, for we shall have no enemies in heaven. David rehearses the measure of God's blessing on his people. He is no miser, the head is anointed with oil. The cup overflows, blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

The pilgrim receives these blessings because of the goodness and mercy of his host. These two attributes of God have sometimes been personified as two angels - one called goodness and the other mercy. But angels can only be in one place at one time, so if goodness and mercy are following you, they can't follow me! The truth is that God directs all his infinite power and providence so that we may all know his goodness and receive his mercy every day. The result of such attendance by the heavenly guide is that every faithful pilgrim arrives safely at the desired haven. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This was the testimony of Paul, that God would bring him safely to his heavenly kingdom, and it is ours also. Jesus is our host, and he has gone to prepare to heaven a place for us.

We are only going dwell on earth for a time - but we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This is our true home. But our citizenship is in heaven, from whence we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why Paul says, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).

The Christian longs to go home to heaven. When an old Scotsman was asked - "What will it be like in heaven?", he replied, "when they tell me that Mr. B {a famous caterer} is preparing the banquet, I have no concerns as to the outcome. I know that feast will be exceptional." So believers know that since Christ himself is preparing a wedding feast as our heavenly host, the result will be marvelous.

The scripture describes it for us: So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Rev 7:14-17).

Conclusion

So Jesus will be our shepherd even then, and he who has been our shepherd and guide will be our host forever. And throughout eternity, we shall serve him and he shall be our all in all.

All I Need.

24

The Child of Christmas

Photo © Aprescindere

Five more pages of Christmas Sermon Outlines!

25

We can get ready for

Christmas by following Mary's

example.

Mary believed.

She confessed that she was a

sinner and accepted the

Saviour. As a result, she

rejoiced.

If we are to prepare for

Christmas, we must first

recognise our need, for it was

that need that brought Jesus

down to earth. We have all

sinned, and he came to be

our Saviour. You shall call his

name Jesus for he shall save

his people from their sins.

Everyone is a sinner, and so

everyone needs a Saviour. For

all have sinned. But God so

loved the world that he gave

his only son. Thank God that

Jesus is a Saviour for

everyone; he is a Saviour for

you.

On the cross he died to take

away the sin of the world, so

that whoever believes in him

should be saved (Isa. 53:6). All

who come to him believing

shall be forgiven. Jesus said

that repentance and

forgiveness of sins should be

preached in his name to all

nations.

Mary didn't know this at the

time she simply believed the

word of the angel, confessing

her nee d of a Saviour. The

quickest prayer you'll ever get

an answer to is ‘God be

merciful to me a sinner’. The

result of believing in Christ is

forgiveness, and the result is

rejoicing.

We can all experience this

rejoicing. I rejoice greatly in

the Lord. It is for those who

have believed and received

Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

Mary Obeyed

She confessed that she was a

servant and accepted God's

will. As a result, she was

blessed.

Mary not only believed in

Christ as Saviour, she obeyed

him as Lord. The Lordship of

Christ is a central theme of

the NT. One cannot separate

his saving from his Lordship.

Jesus saves all who will

acknowledge him as Lord.

The will of God the father is

that every knee should bow

to him and every tongue

confess that he is lord. Christ

demands our absolute

obedience. For this reason he

died and rose again that he

might be lord of both the

dead and the living.

Is he Lord of your life? When

Mary heard the word of God,

she declared I am the Lord's

servant and she obeyed. This

is how to get ready for

Christmas, obey the word of

God, and yield your life to

Christ as Lord. Mary gives us

this simple lesson. Whatever

he says to you - do it. For he is

Lord of all.

Sadly, the Scripture reports

that although Christ has died

and risen again to provide us

with a gospel, with the good

news of God's salvation, not

all have obeyed the gospel.

God commands all men

everywhere to repent and put

their faith in his son. Have you

obeyed?

A day is coming when those

who disobey the gospel of

Christ will be lost. I ask you

again, have you obeyed. Will

you obey now?

The Annunciation Read Luke 1:26 - 38.

26

Mary Conceived.

She received the news of a

miracle and accepted the

living Christ into her body.

Later, she accepted the living

Christ in a new way following

his death and resurrection

(see 2 Cor. 5:16-17).

We all need to receive Jesus

in this way, living within our

hearts by his spirit. Jesus

called it being born again or

born from above. Mary was

present at the cross. Mary

was a witness of the

resurrection, and Mary having

accepted Christ was born

from above. She was present

on the day of Pentecost,

received the gift of the Holy

Spirit and took her part in

spreading the gospel to the

uttermost part of the earth.

No wonder the angel said

"Blessed are you among

women."

We too must receive Christ

born again in our hearts by

faith. He is born in us. Christ is

formed in the spirit of

everyone who believes on

him as Saviour and obeys Him

as Lord. As a result of her

receiving a miracle she was

saved eternally. The Bible

says he is able to save to the

uttermost ALL that come to

God by him. Will you come?

You too can receive a miracle

and be saved eternally as

Christ is born gain in you.

(c) Zatletic

27

By prophetic utterance Isaiah

describes the child who was

to be born in a stable in

Bethlehem, our Lord Jesus

Christ.

The Divinity of the Christ

Child

The virgin shall

conceive....and call his name

Immanuel - God with us. The

Child’s Divinity is revealed by:

The Conception of Christ

In normal conception, the life

derived is entirely human. In

Christ’s case the seed of man

was absent and its place

taken by the Holy Spirit.

Through his power this child

was conceived, being both

human (the seed of woman)

and divine (the seed of God,

by the power of the Holy

Spirit), so that as the moment

the embryo begins to divide,

that life form is both God and

man. So God enters

mankind's experience at its

earliest point, that he might

become one with us. In his

visit to Mary, Gabriel stresses

that the conception will be

caused by the Holy Spirit.

(Mat 1:18) (Luke 1:35)

From the point of conception

his humanity and Godhead

were perfectly joined - union

without confusion.

There was nothing different

about his humanity -

Therefore, in all things He had

to be made like His brethren,

(Heb. 2:17) But he was not

God living in a human body,

he was in every atom of his

DNA, in every drop of blood,

the word made flesh.

The Claims of Christ

Consider the claims Christ

made about himself during

his earthly ministry (John

6:38.) No one could come

down from heaven that was

not eternally pre-existent.

(John 3:13)

Christ gave the people many

“I am “sayings, which they

knew were claims of equality

with God, most concisely I

and My Father are one." (John

10:30)

The Conquest of Christ

Christ’s death and

resurrection proves his

divinity. (John 10:17-18, Rom

1:4). Paul regarded the

resurrection as evidence for

the sonship of Christ (Act

13:33-34), and having

conquered death he has been

exalted to the highest place:

Jesus Christ, the God made

flesh is absolute Lord of all.

The Purity of the Christ Child

The virgin with child

demonstrates Christ’s purity.

Born without Sin

Gabriel’s annunciation was

“that Holy One who is to be

born will be called the Son of

God.” (Luke 1:35)

Sacred from his very

conception. The whole of

mankind is in a fallen state.

Through all the centuries, the

seed of man and woman have

not been sufficient to

produce one sinless child. The

scripture says that in Adam all

die and through one man sin

entered the world, and death

through sin, and thus death

spread to all men, because all

sinned-- (Rom 5:12) In

Bethlehem a child was born

with a new life principle - he

shared the human nature of

man but was without that

The Child of Christmas Read Isaiah 7:14

Image © Photowitch

28

fallen nature of humanity, for

only a sinless Saviour could

redeem Adam’s helpless race.

Lived Without Sin

Throughout his life (1Pe

2:22, 2Co 5:21, 1Jn 3:5, Heb.

4:15)

The Lord Jesus Christ lived a

perfect life that he might

make a perfect atonement for

our sin on the cross.

Died for our sin

Only the divine, sinless Son of

God could act as the atoning

sacrifice for our sins. He

nailed them to his cross

taking them away. He became

sin that we might become the

righteousness of God in him.

He now lives & will come

again apart from sin for our

salvation (Heb. 9:28)

The Solidarity of the Christ

Child

Immanuel - God with us.

Jesus Christ was made like us

in all things to be for us in all

things and with us in all

things. Only Christ can enter

fully into our experience. As

our high priest he knows our

natures sharing same nature

with us, and being born again

we share one nature with

him. Words could never fully

explain it -but it can be

understood by experience,

the words Isaiah prophesied -

God with us.

Read John Chapter1v1-16.

Christ the Word.

a) Christ the Eternal Word. v1, 2. (Gen. 1.1,

Col. 1.15-17). He is before all things.

"First-born of every creature" "begotten before all

Creation". John 8.58

b) Christ the Creating Word. (Col. 1.16; 1 Cor. 8.6; Eph. 3.9) God spoke

His Word. All things made by His word.

c) Christ the Revealed Word. Made flesh, born in Bethlehem, image of

God. God unseen, spirit, but now was revealed, seen by angels (1 Tim.

3.16)

Christ the Light.

a) The Light Reveals: God. 1 John 1.5 Sin John 3.19,20. Darkness 1Pet.

2.9. The way of salvation. Through God's word. Ps 119.105. John 8.12

b) The Light is Revealed. Visible light transmitted by light waves. Divine

Light transmitted by those who bear witness to it. i) John the Baptist

was sent ahead of Christ to bear witness of Him to the people of Israel

v6-8. Isa 40.3 ii) Christ Himself bore witness to the light. In fact, He is the

light of the world (John 9.5) iii) Today the Church is a witness to the

world of this saving Light. Phil. 2.15,16. We are to bear witness to the

word of God which is life changing and life giving.

c) The Light Revives (gives Life). Although many rejected this Light (John

3.19-21), there were those who received and accepted this Light into

their lives. They found that this light was a life giving Light (2 Cor. 4.6).

Christ the Life.

a) He Gave Life to Man in the Beginning. Breathed life into man's nostrils

and the man became a living soul (Gen.2.7). Since then it is He who gives

life to every man that comes into the world (v9). Man has received

knowledge of God because of this very fact. Because we have life, we

can be sure that there is a life giving creator. Sadly, men do not wish to

maintain God in their knowledge (Rom. 1.28).

b) He Gives New Life (Eternal Life) to those Dead in Sin.

Because of our sin the Bible tells us that we are dead, separated from

God, but when we receive Christ as our Saviour He brings us to life (Eph.

2.1); he does this for all that receive him. v12, 13.

29

For the Lowly - The Virgin

Mary was humble and lowly.

Behold the Lord himself will give

you a sign. The virgin…

The child’s name would be

called Immanuel, God with us.

Reveals God's Presence

For He has regarded the lowly

state of His maidservant (Luke

1:48 NKJV) (Read also Luke 1:51-

52 NKJV)

The Lord does not choose many

great or mighty. (1 Corinthians

1:26-29 NKJV) God chooses to

dwell among the humble. The

sign of the virgin is the sign of

his presence among us.

It was not to a palace or temple

that Christ came. He came to the

womb of an unknown virgin

mother, born in poverty, lived in

obscurity and died in ignominy.

God’s purpose was to dwell

among men, as Wesley's carol

says, he was "pleased as man

with men to dwell, Jesus our

Immanuel." In eternity he will

dwell forever among those who

he has redeemed by his blood.

(Revelation 21:3 NKJV)

For the Lofty - The Star

Far away in the east that first

Christmas, wise men, professors

of our modern day, were

studying the stars. Having

observed a new star in the sky,

some supernatural sign of

Christ's birth they at once took

counsel to travel the long

journey and follow the direction

mapped out by the star towards

Bethlehem. To see a new star is

to observe the act ion of the

creator. The star of Bethlehem

led the wise men to seek for a

creator and a child who was

both king and architect of the

universe.

Reveals God's Power

Their quest to find "him that has

been born King of the Jews"

began with Daniel’s writings,

known in eastern regions since

the days of Babylon. Of this King

of the Jews Daniel wrote that he

would be the king of all kings.

(Daniel 7:14 NKJV)

Of this child in a manger, the

New Testament assures us,

He was in the world, and the

world was made through Him,

and the world did not know Him.

(John 1:10 NKJV)

All things were made through

Him, and without Him nothing

was made that was made. (John

1:3 NKJV)

And as they reached the place

where they found the child Jesus

they worshiped him and

presented him with gifts. The

sign of the star not only created

interest in the minds of these

intellectuals, but also a longing

and desire in their hearts to

know the One who was born our

King and to worship him. The

lesson for today is obvious, as

we too seek the king of kings,

and present to him the offering

of our lives again this Christmas.

For the Living - The Baby

This sign that brings God near to

each of us.

Reveals God's proximity

Paul observed in Athens "He is

not far from every one of us".

He was weary and thirsty;

rejected by his own family,

synagogue and town. He was

homeless and penniless. He was

hungry. He knew the pain of

separation and the grief of loss.

He endured false accusation,

injustice and the tyranny of

corrupt government. Yet he

overcame and says to us ‘in the

world you too will have trouble,

but be of good cheer for I have

overcome the world.’

The sign of the child in the

manger speaks of Christ's

proximity; we rejoice at

Christmas to have him as a

present reality, sharing our joys

and grief with us.

The Sign of Christmas

30

:

.

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