306. WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

(The Abundant Life Series – Batch 3)

Today is 22nd December, 2021, just three days short of Christmas!

As I prepared some hampers for a needy family and two elderly gentlemen, I planned to include an Article on the Gospel for them to read upon receipt. For, the Gospel is why we as Christians do what we do. If I just gave them hampers and did not find a way to exalt the name of Jesus and to advance the gospel message, this would have been nice, yes but then, I would have wasted my time. For, physical food nourishes temporarily but there is spiritual food available for the soul, which brings lasting sustenance.

This is why Jesus said, ” …I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

He also said, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

I am mindful therefore, that the hampers or whatever good I may do are therefore an opportunity to send out the gospel message, which is, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is alive, having risen from the dead, has the power to forgive sins and saves souls.

I asked the Lord to help me in putting the documentation together and that it would bring conviction to the recipients. I then started typing something, intending to write maybe a paragraph or so about Jesus and Christmas and attach it to a pre-written Article on the Gospel but apparently, God had other plans.

The paragraph quickly and quite effortlessly turned into an entire Article with the topic: ‘WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS’. I therefore decided to obey (as I realised that this was what God wanted) and send this freshly written Article out instead with the hampers.

If you’re not sure why we celebrate Christmas or you need a reminder, I recommend that you read this Article as well.

I wrote:

When it comes to Christmas, we think of GIVING and GIFTS and celebration but why do we celebrate Christmas? Why are we so happy and joyous at this time of the year?

Well, we celebrate CHRISTmas because Jesus CHRIST, the Son of God, the one who created the whole earth and everything and everyone in it, including you and me, humbled himself and came down to earth in the form of a human being (baby), to live a perfect life many years ago, demonstrate to man how to live and then to allow himself to be captured and killed by sinful human beings like you and me, so that his perfect blood could be shed as an atonement or pardon for your sins, for mine and the sins of the whole world.

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God GAVE his Son Jesus sacrificially, as the penalty for our sin was death. He (Jesus) suffered a painful death in your place on the cross, so that your soul (which is precious to him), could be saved. The Bible states “For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Although we are all deserving of death and for our souls to be punished eternally in hell because we have disobeyed God, lived life how we want to live it and have not submitted to Him and his Word, God in his love for us and not willing that any should perish, GAVE his Son so that he could die for us, as a substitute in our place. God was willing to accept Jesus’ death on our behalf and the shedding of his blood, for the remission or removal of our sins.

In Matthew 26:28, Jesus stated, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

1 John 2:2 states of Jesus, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We celebrate Christmas because Jesus Christ left heaven to come down to earth and be born through the passage of a woman many years ago, in the form of a baby (based on heaven’s plan). We celebrate Christmas because he came to do the will of God the Father to redeem or reconcile mankind to himself, so that the souls of all human beings who believe on him, could be saved from eternal damnation and hell.

God GAVE us his Son selflessly and so at Christmas, we give to others, as a token of our appreciation and gratitude for HIS love.

What about you? Do you believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in the form of a baby many years ago, to die for your sins and pay your penalty, which was death?

He died but because he is the Son of God and God the Son, he did not stay dead. Just as he said he would do, on the third day after he had been crucified (killed), he rose up victoriously from the grave, never to die again! For, God is more powerful than death and Jesus is Lord over all!

Do you believe this?

God does not lie and he has told us that this story of his son Jesus is true. Whosever therefore BELIEVES that he (Jesus) rose from the dead and is therefore alive forevermore and CONFESSES with his mouth the truth that he Jesus is Lord, that person’s soul will be saved from hell in the day of God’s Judgment.

When this world is over and God judges this world of sin and sends people to hell, if you believed on Jesus while you were alive, you will be covered with his perfect righteousness and God will pass over you. In other words, he will excuse you and allow you access to his perfect heaven. Although you don’t deserve to go to heaven (none of us do) because Jesus paid the penalty for your sin, God will allow you to be clothed in Jesus’ righteous, perfect covering and because of Jesus and the fact that he died for your sins, will grant you access to heaven.

Do you believe this? I hope you do because IT IS TRUE.

The Word of God states:

  • “That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)

Whosoever means it doesn’t matter what race you are, if you are rich or poor, if you are tall or short, well-educated or have no education, very good-looking or not so good-looking. It doesn’t matter if you are popular, a celebrity, a government official or unpopular, not well-liked, considered to be not important by others or even a homeless person. It doesn’t matter if you did a lot of bad things in your past, committed crimes or tried to do a lot of good things and are considered by other people as a good person.

In God’s eyes, NONE OF US are good enough for his perfect heaven and ALL OF US have come short of his glory. WE HAVE ALL FAILED and ARE ALL DESERVING OF HELL.

In Isaiah 64:6 it states, “But we are ALL as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we ALL do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

To get to heaven therefore, NONE of us can earn our way. NONE of us can do anything to please God. NONE of us are good enough for him to be impressed. As a thrice holy God, he is disgusted with the lives we have lived so far because we have sinned against him. In his love for us though, he is offering a FREE GIFT OF SALVATION, available through Jesus Christ his Son.

If you believe in your heart that Jesus died for the sins of the world but did not stay dead but rose from the grave and is alive and if you confess with your mouth that truly, Jesus is Lord, Jesus will save your soul from hell. He will wash you spiritually in his precious, perfect blood and cleanse you from all of your sins, whatever they may be. He will make you a new creation, adopt you into God’s royal family and God will then consider you to be one of his children, to whom he will grant access to heaven.

Whoever you are, whatever you may have done and although God calls you and all human beings a sinner, FORGIVENESS is available for you because God loved you enough to make provision for you. He sees you. He knows your name, he cares about you and he wants to save your soul from hell, if you would only believe on his Son Jesus Christ and surrender your heart to his Lordship.

Jesus wants to give you more than groceries. He wants to give you eternal life. When you die, he wants you to go to heaven and not hell. He therefore stated, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

1 John 4:15 states, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”

Acts 2:21 states, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

In John 11:25-26, Jesus stated, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Philippians 2:6-11 says of Jesus and what he gave up in leaving heaven, to come down to earth to die for your sins and mine:

  • Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The Christ of Christmas, the one whose earthly birthday we celebrate, GAVE his life for you, when he died on earth all those years ago. He now wants you to give your heart to him, by turning away from all of your sins, no longer trusting in yourself, your strength, your way or anybody else but HIM. He wants you to be sorry for your sinful life so far and to come to him humbly for forgiveness for all of your sins. If you believe God’s testimony, that Jesus died, rose up from the dead and is alive and if you confess with your mouth that he (Jesus) is Lord, you will be saved.

Jesus Christ is the SAVIOUR of the world and he has the power to forgive sins, to cleanse a sinner and to grant people access to heaven.

When he came to earth and was born, an angel stated, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOUR, which is CHRIST the LORD.” (Luke 2:10-11)

(Written on 22nd December, 2021)

ADDENDUM

After writing the above Article, I heard a Preacher (Pastor Wayne Kirk on the programme: ‘Nugget of Truth’ on Harbour Light Radio) speaking about the beauty of the Gospel, which is the good news of the free gift of salvation, offered to mankind and granted when one believes on the resurrected Jesus Christ.

He said that the Gospel meets every need. He said it brings:

MERCY for those that are unworthy; BLESSING for those that are cursed; PARDON for those that are guilty; DELIVERANCE for those that are captive; ENRICHMENT for the poor; JOY for the miserable; and HEAVEN for those that deserve hell.

As he spoke, I became a bit emotional. He was speaking of my life experience! For, what he said is so true. I personally, have been unworthy, cursed, guilty, captive, poor, miserable and very deserving of hell.

I am still deserving of hell. That will never change. For, I am a vile sinner. However because I BELIEVED on Jesus Christ in my heart, that he is alive, having risen from the dead and have CONFESSED with my mouth the truth, that Jesus is Lord, he came into my heart and washed me of my sins and saved me, for all eternity.

I still mess up from time to time but he has saved me for all eternity. He will never let me go and for this, I am grateful. For this, I want to serve him and please him and obey him for all of my life. For he (Jesus Christ) is my Lord.

(Addendum written on 22nd December, 2021)

Dear Reader, if you found the above Article to be interesting, informative, edifying or beneficial and want to receive an update in relation to the story with the hampers and the recipients, please also read the following Article which I subsequently wrote on 20th January, 2022, under the ‘BIBLE-BELIEVING Daughters’ Page:

  • Note 210 – ‘The Urgency Of The Commission’

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