Christ the Savior is born! Friends, it is with great joy that I am able to share the story of our Savior who was born to give His life for your salvation.
Bethlehem wasn’t much of a place in Jesus’ day. It was just a small village five miles from the mighty gates of Jerusalem, but that is where Mary and Joseph had to fill out the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. This was how in this small town on a night when Mary was on or about her due date that the Savior of the world was born. And that is the momentous history changing event that we celebrate at this time of year.
On that night the angels and Heavenly realms celebrated because God was doing something He had never done before and He would never do again. He was becoming one of us to save us.
This event was so important that the angels of Heaven decided that they needed to do something to make sure that it didn’t go unnoticed, and so they formed an angelic delegation to go to a group of shepherds that were watching their flocks close by the town. Why shepherds? Why not run a full-page ad in the Bethlehem Herald?
Well, the truth is God never forces us to love Him. He doesn't want us to love Him because of how mighty He is. He wants us to love Him for what He came to do for us. And what did He come to do? Well, that cute baby Jesus grew up to be a man... a sinless man, a spotless lamb.
For 33 years He preached the truth about our sin and about His salvation; and when He had done all that He had to do, He allowed Himself to be whipped, beaten and murdered on a Roman cross for our sins and then raised three days later for our eternal salvation.
You see, the cradle, the cross and the empty tomb all together tell the story of our salvation. And so yes, something very special happened that night when our Savior was born, and I would ask you today if that something special has happened in your heart? Has Jesus been born there too?
This is why He came…for you, that you might be saved for all eternity. He is God’s Christmas present to you, and if you would receive Him as your Savior then I know it would be the most monumental event in your life too. May you all have a joyous Christmas as we celebrate our Savior's birth... amen.
