MESSAGES
As my wife, Sonja, and I continue to grow older we realize that the words – "It's more blessed to give than to receive" ring very true. To watch our children and grandchildren open their presents, and to see the smiles on their faces as they do, brings joy to our hearts. Christmas is such a wonderful day.
However, all good things must come to an end, and Christmas day is no different. For many, it was fun while it lasted. As someone once said, "December's generosity becomes January's payments. Our presents soon become possessions." Very soon life will go back to normal. The holidays are over, and the workdays are upon us once again.
Although Christmas has become a very commercialized time of year, I still believe that many people, all around the world, have thought more about Jesus this month than they have the past 11 months. The carolers have sung about Him, many churches have had their Christmas plays, and many people will have taken their annual pilgrimage to church in hopes to get right with God. For a short time they take their eyes off themselves, and will put them on Jesus. They remember about baby Jesus being born. They remember about the greatest gift ever given to mankind.
Allow me to share with you this gift from God. Christmas is more than the birth and arrival of Jesus Christ. It is a departure. The Bible says, "For unto us a child is born (that's the arrival), unto us a Son is given (that's the departure)" (Isaiah 9:6). With our finite mind, we cannot comprehend how Jesus had to first leave His heavenly kingdom in order to be born on earth.
Luke writes of Jesus' birth, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room in the Inn" (Luke 2:7). Think about this: Mary laid her Son in a manger that wasn't His, and 33 years later she would watch Him be crucified on a cross that wasn't His, and then laid in a tomb that wasn't His.
When He arrived in Bethlehem, He did not appear as a king and royalty. Instead, He was laid in a filthy stall among the animals. The town of Bethlehem was very busy on this night. All the Hotels were filled, and the neon lights of the Motels 6's were flashing their "No Vacancy" signs. The only place left for Joseph and his pregnant wife was an Inn, and even there there was no room. This young couple had to sleep outside in the dark and damp breeze. While they did, Mary gave birth to a son.
This baby was laid in a feeding troth where the smell and stench of the animal urine and dung filled the night air. Perhaps Mary and Joseph had to scrape a few cow paddies off their sandals by the time they reached the manger. There was hardly any room for the animals, much less for three people. There was no food to eat, no host to greet them, and no dinner theatre to entertain them. The only water available was the same water that the animals drank. Yet, this was the place where God Himself entered the world as a baby. He came as an infant and was laid in a stinking smelly feeding troth—as a gift to us.
Jesus was laid in a manger in order to show forth His humility. Max Lucado said, "Through the birth of Jesus we see God becoming a fetus; Holiness sleeping in a womb; the Creator of life being created." This is the ultimate exemplification of humility. The Bible says, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Jesus didn't come to hang out with the religious and political elite, better known as hypocrites. He came to serve sinners.
Jesus was laid in a manger in order to show Himself to be a King to the poor. The Bible says, "He has no form of comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isaiah 53:2). It doesn't sound as if He was much to look at on the outside, but He was the most beautiful Person on the inside. The religious leaders were looking for a king to serve, but He came as a serving king.
Jesus was laid in a manger in order to show Himself approachable to all. The only ones who wanted nothing to do with Jesus were the religious leaders. He spent time with the sinners. Many people are fearful and intimidated to approach the throne of a famous person, but not to approach a manger. For some reason they feel safe and less intimidated.
Jesus wants us all to come to Him, "Come to Me, all you who are burden and heavy laden, and I will give you rest...." (Matthew 11:28). With Jesus there are no boundaries of race, color, creed, sex or religion. Nowhere in the Bible will we find that God is not able to save anyone who will come to Him. He wants the rich and poor; the young and old; the moral and immoral to come to Him. There is no one too good to come to Him, and there is no one too bad. He wants us all to come to Him, and He wants us to come just as we are.
Jesus was born outside everything. He wasn't the Son of a rich man, nor was He born on a throne with a silver spoon in His mouth. There were no Hallelujahs being shouted, there were no musical instruments being played. At His birth He passed by the mansion, palaces, thrones, and the riches of this world. Instead, He came to this earth poor, being born on a floor of a stable and laid in a feeding troth in order to be recognized with humanity.
In fact, everything Jesus had was borrowed. His manger; the donkey He road in on in Jerusalem; the cross He was crucified on, and the grave He was buried in. Shortly after He was born, His reception by King Herod was with a drawn sword. King Herod, hearing from the wise men that there was born in Bethlehem the, "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2), had all male children in Bethlehem, 2 years and under, killed in hopes of killing Jesus. Though the enemy failed to kill Him at his birth, he finally succeeded at Calvary. From day one, man's sword was drawn ready to attack and kill Him.
Mankind didn't want Jesus then, and he doesn't want Jesus now. There was no room for Jesus then, and there is no room for Him now. Bethlehem didn't want Him then, and it doesn't want Him now. Our very own country, the most Christianized nation on the face of the earth, wants nothing to do with Him today. Our government doesn't want Him. Our schools don't want Him. Our workplaces don't want Him. Many of our churches don't want Him. There just doesn't seem to be any room for Him in society today. One can't help but wonder if any of these institutions will make room for Him?
The fact of the matter is Jesus didn't come to this earth to fill our government or our schools or our workplace or even our churches with Himself. Jesus came to this earth to fill our lives with Himself. Have you made room for Him?
The next time you're feeling lonely, remember Jesus. Nobody wanted Jesus. The Bible says, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). The Messiah that was to come; He who was spoke of by the prophets; He who came and fulfilled the Scriptures was rejected, unwanted, and unloved. This same Jesus who was seen turning water into wine; who was seen healing the sick, lame and blind; who was seen feeding over 5000 people; and who was seen raising the dead, was turned away by His creation. Yet He knew this would all take place before He ever came to this earth.
Why did this little baby Jesus come to this earth? He came to set us free from the bondage of sin, "Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
He came to set us free from the power of death. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though He may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).
He came to take our sins upon Himself, and pay the penalty for them. John the Baptist said of Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
He came to give us peace with God. The Bible says, "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer (courage), I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
He came to give us the hope of heaven. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Paul writes, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
He came to give us an abundant life. Jesus said, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life and that you may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
When Jesus Christ came the first time there was no room for Him in the Inn. But then again, He didn't come to fill a building, but rather to fill a heart. He came to dwell in the lives of those that would put their faith and trust in Him. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelations 3:20). Everyone on planet earth has room for Jesus, but not everyone will make room for Him.
In our lives, we seem to always make room for everyone else and everything else. Have we made room for the Son of God? If we will make room for Jesus in our heart, He will make room for us in His Father's house. When He made this world, He made plenty of room for us. The only room that the world ever found for Jesus was on a cross. There may not have been any room for Him in the Inn, but lets not crowd Him out of Christmas. Let's celebrate His birthday with Him by inviting the guest of honor to it.
You can make room for Him in your heart as you repent of you sin; receive His forgiveness; and invite Him into your life as your personal Lord and Savior. Then you will have received the greatest gift in all the world—the gift of salvation.
God bless you, and have a Very Merry Christmas,
Pastor Steve |
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call (951) 687-6902
Attention Juanita
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