25 December 2014

The True Meaning of Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I say that deliberately, and purposefully. I am a follower of Jesus the Anointed One (the Christ, in the original Greek) of Nazareth. It is Christ's Mass, and so it shall remain. To our Jewish brothers and sisters, I hope your Hanukkah celebration this year has been the best ever. If you choose, for whatever reason, to celebrate a different holiday, then please do so and be happy.

There are plenty of dire predictions of difficult times ahead; this will not be one of them. This is a reminder of the reason why there's a mid-winter holiday celebration.

About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

   Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
   Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

So then ...
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted...
And that's good news indeed!
 
From our home to yours, we pray you have a very merry, safe, and happy Christmas. God bless you, my friends.

9 comments:

Ed Bonderenka said...

Well done, sir. Well done!
A Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I trust at least YOU have snow.

Stephen said...

Merry Christmas, my good friend. Great post, and a most wonderful header picture.

Rev. Paul said...

Ed - we've had a bit of snow for awhile, although the total so far is nearly 2 ft shy of what we should have. But it just started snowing now, and we'll get a few more inches today. And thank you very much for the kind words; Merry Christmas!

Stephen - thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and your sweet wife! It's good to hear from you.

On a Wing and a Whim said...

Merry Christmas from us to you and your family!

drjim said...

Merry Christmas from us to you, Rev!

Cathy said...

Merry Christmas Rev. Paul !

Home on the Range said...

May you have the most blessed of days.

PioneerPreppy said...

Merry Christmas RP. I hope you and your family had a good one!!!

Old NFO said...

Well done, Merry Christmas to you and yours Rev!