"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 Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). "Which shall be to ALL people" is My Favorite Part of This Passage!
We are all made in His image—all of us, the misfit trying to find a way to fit in, the drunkard living only for that next drink, the homeless wondering, "How did I get here?" the prostitute looking for a way out, the refugee struggling to find freedom, the child in a detention center sleeping on a concrete floor, the dreamers, the vulnerable, the forgotten, the bullied, the marginalized, the drug-addicted, the mentally ill, the downtrodden, the frightened, those individuals who have been left behind, left out and trampled. All of us were created in the image of God, and the good tidings of great joy that the angel spoke of that night are to ALL people! Never forget that! Never count someone out because they are too far gone. Remember Luke 2 says, "to ALL people."
3 Reasons Why God's Gift of a Savior is So Important:
Jesus Christ did not die for His own sins (He was sinless) or because He was a victim of circumstances (He was not at the wrong place at the wrong time). He came, as God's supreme Gift to humanity, to you and to me. He was the sinless God-man at the right place at the right time. The Bible pointedly asks:
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3). Have You Overlooked the Most Important Gift of Christmas?
Is God prompting you to look deeper? God's Gift for you is waiting. Don't miss it, friend! Right now, wherever you are, you can receive the costliest Gift ever given—Jesus Christ the Savior. What to know more? Explore Christianity.
"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" (John 3:16). God Himself Has Come To ALL of Us"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). God the Son Has Become Man"Christ Jesus, 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" (Philippians 2:5-8). God's Most Wonderful Gift To Us"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" (John 3:16).
The Gift, that Child, born in a Bethlehem stable and laid in a manger, that One Whose birth was announced by wise men guided from the East by a special star, He is the Gift of God providing eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This Christmas You Can Experience the True Meaning of Christmas and Receive:
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). John 3:16 Expresses the True Meaning of Christmas
The true meaning of Christmas, the reason Jesus came into this world, is found in this verse. Consider these simple, yet oh, so very powerful words:
"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" (John 3:16).
The Greatest Gift is a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ
When you enter into that personal relationship with Him, He will forgiveness your sins, give you a joy that cannot be explained and eternal life with Him in Heaven. To receive the greatest Gift, simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
The Gift of Friendship
Many years ago a great monarch, Shah Abbas, reigned in Persia. The Shah deeply loved his people. But in order to understand them more clearly, he would mingle with them in various disguises.
One day, he went as a poor man to the public baths, and there he sat beside the man who tended his furnace. At meal time he shared the lonely man's food, talking with him as a friend. Again and again the Shah visited him until the man grew to love him. Some time later the Shah revealed who he really was. The Shah waited, expecting the man to ask for some great gift or favor. But the poor man simply gazed in wonder. Overcome with amazement, the man spoke at last: "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this humble place, to eat my coarse food, to care whether my heart was glad or heavy. On others you may bestow great riches; but to me you have given a much greater gift—yourself. I ask only that you never withdraw the gift of your friendship." The King of All Creation Wants to Be Your Friend
On Christmas Day, we will celebrate the King of all Creation coming down from heaven's glories, gift wrapped as a babe born in a Bethlehem stable and laid in a manger. This Gift is for you, and for me, and for all humanity. This humble birth fulfilled a promise given centuries earlier. "Behold," the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, "a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Imagine! Jesus Christ, God with us, born as a babe in Bethlehem, sharing our joys and sufferings, knowing what it is to be fully human, wanting to have a relationship with us.
But Why Did God Become Man and Why Should He Care About Us?
God sent His only Son to reveal His unlimited love for each one of us, and to show us that He loves us more than we could ever imagine or ever deserve.
Jesus is not only the babe in the manger, He is not simply a great teacher or prophet, He is not just the One who raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame to walk again and delivered demons from the possessed. Jesus came to be our Savior! He came to die on the cross of Calvary for you, and for me, and for all humanity. He came to break the curse of sin and death so that we, through the power of His resurrection, might have life both now and forever!
This Christmas, you can personally know the love and fellowship of God through Jesus Christ: for "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). You can know the peace and joy of God's promise: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
Emmanuel, God With Us! Have You Received the Gift?
There is a special blessing in the Christmas message which is frequently missed by many. The birth of Jesus is not simply an interesting fact of history wholly unrelated to your present life, but rather it has a direct bearing on it.
When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the personal importance of His coming was emphasized. The angel said, "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).
Have you ever thought that it was for YOU the Saviour was born? Do you realize that when God sent His Son into the world, He sent Him to become YOUR Saviour? Listen to the words of the angel, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born... a Saviour." Yes, it was for YOU that Jesus came! It was for me! It was for ALL people!
He did not come to be the inspiration of sacred art, or to be the theme of some Christmas carols, much less to be merely a good man, great teacher or prophet. Jesus Christ came to be the Saviour of the world—to be YOUR Savior. Bound inseparably together are the Saviour's birth and His death. He came to save, and to save He must die. He died in the sinner's place, in OUR place bearing the full penalty of our sin. This too was personal—it was for ALL people, for you and for me. Such a very personal message of God's love and grace demands a personal response.
The Saviour who was born was God's Gift to you. And He wants you to freely receive that Gift today! "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" (John 3:16).
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Why is God's Gift of a Savior so important? Because of the greatness of the need, the greatness of the Gift, and the greatness of the cost. Because He arose victorious over death, He offers you abundant, everlasting life. To receive the Gift of God today, by faith confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Won't you receive the Gift and make this your best Christmas yet?
16 Comments
12/24/2019 09:07:57 am
Love these points, Patsy: Our need is great, the Gift is great, and the cost is great. Thanks for hosting so faithfully. May you have a blessed Christmas celebrating the Savior with friends and family!
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12/24/2019 09:55:18 am
Thank you so much, Lisa! MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours!!!
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12/24/2019 09:34:42 am
I'm so thankful to be included in that gift!
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12/24/2019 09:56:11 am
Thank you, Barbara! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
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12/24/2019 11:53:36 am
Merry Christmas! May the Grace of God fill your heart, mind and soul with peace, love and joy this holiday season.
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12/24/2019 01:42:53 pm
Jesus is the gift that continues to give every moment of every day. Merry Christmas to you, Patsy.
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12/26/2019 07:48:12 am
He certainly is, Debbie. So thankful for this Gift!
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Stacy
12/26/2019 09:19:53 am
Thank you so much for your encouragements and reminders that build our faith at this most wonderful time of the year. When things get hectic, this highlight on the gift of our Saviour gives much needed pause to think. I pray you had a very Merry Christmas!! 😊
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12/26/2019 10:20:14 am
You're so very welcome, Stacy! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well.
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