BruceDecember 12, 2019

There is a hub, like on a bicycle wheel, that points inward to the focus of what has taken place. Christian Apologetics identifies many of those spokes, pointing to the reality that in the history of the world, one event took place, that supersedes all others. “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach, or “Messiah.”

Luke 2:11-12 NIV  “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

I could name off many of those spokes, present the arguments, persuade with reasoning laced with factual evidence but in my estimation, individually they all fall short and collectively, even though they are mind boggling in themselves, they still fall short of the majesty and wonder of the birth of Jesus and the reality that He is and that we can know Him, today, here, right now.

He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Lord, He is alive and awaits our eyes to see Him and respond to His voice with our hearts.

You will hear of Him in the Christmas carols, you will be reminded of Him in the gifts that are exchanged and the lights that celebrate His birth plus the feast that normally follows, but these are reminders, just like the spokes of a bicycle wheel, they point to Him but they are not Him.

He is the Messiah. He is the Son of God, sent to a world that needs Him far beyond what we can even imagine.

John 3:16 NIV  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

In order to give us His Son, our heavenly Father had to actually send Him to us, in the person of a baby, who grew into a child, who grew into a man.

Christmas is our celebration of His birth, but it doesn’t stop there. If we don’t look beyond the cultural customs of the “holiday season”, if we only focus on the wrappings and overlook the gift that has and is being given, we’re missing it all.

The greatest gift that one can ever come to realize is that God is real, He sent us His Son, the promised Messiah, who did for us what we in ourselves could never do and through faith in Him and what He has done, we can actually call upon our Heavenly Father and experience the love and forgiveness that emulates from Him, because of Jesus.

Romans 8:29 NIV “ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.“

Jesus is God’s first born, where death is defeated. His life is our life. This is why we celebrate His birth because in reality, it heralds our own birth, both now and in the life to come. This is our heavenly Father’s promise to us. Because He lives, we also shall live (John 14:19 NIV).

Interesting enough, in the Old Testament, God calls Israel His firstborn in Exodus 4:22 NIV, which would be under the coming Law. In the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we have Jesus being the first born under the coming grace. The holiness of the Law being met through the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10 KJV)

Jesus is the personification of God’s mercy, where our sins are forgiven, where our life begins anew. To reject Jesus is to reject God’s mercy. We throw away the wrappings, don’t throw away God’s gift.

A blessed and joyous Christmas to all my friends!

You all have blessed me so many many times this past year and I thank you so much.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!

https://bcooper.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/in-case-you-missed-it-christmas-is-about-jesus-the-birth-of-the-christ/?fbclid=IwAR2CwWTHq-PaKpGv-J1zFS0UR4mrXni7swdHJqJUjcocRHyumVG0EQI6YHU