The Meaning Of Christmas
Christmas is a celebration of the historic moment when God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ for the purpose of redeeming sinful man. The Christmas story begins not in a manger, but in the garden of Eden. There, God initiated a genealogical line through Adam and Eve that would remain unbroken, throughout centuries of slavery, famine, and turbulence, ultimately leading to the Messiah.
Meanwhile, God begin preparing the world for Christ's arrival. Roman conquests placed men like Caesar Augustus in charge; his call for a census served God's purposes by leading Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, where the birth of the Messiah had been prophesied. (Micah 5:2) Rome's influence also led to a network of roads, which would eventually allow Paul and others to travel the then known world preaching the Gospel.
God arranged all of this so that at just the right time, Jesus Christ could arrive on earth as a baby who would grow up to be our Savior, dying for mankind's sins. Child of God, we cannot allow ourselves to drift into a materialistic view of Christmas along with the rest of the world. In a month of colored lights and glowing candles, we should be burning brighter than ever as His lights to the world. You think about that.
Christmas is a celebration of the historic moment when God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ for the purpose of redeeming sinful man. The Christmas story begins not in a manger, but in the garden of Eden. There, God initiated a genealogical line through Adam and Eve that would remain unbroken, throughout centuries of slavery, famine, and turbulence, ultimately leading to the Messiah.
Meanwhile, God begin preparing the world for Christ's arrival. Roman conquests placed men like Caesar Augustus in charge; his call for a census served God's purposes by leading Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, where the birth of the Messiah had been prophesied. (Micah 5:2) Rome's influence also led to a network of roads, which would eventually allow Paul and others to travel the then known world preaching the Gospel.
God arranged all of this so that at just the right time, Jesus Christ could arrive on earth as a baby who would grow up to be our Savior, dying for mankind's sins. Child of God, we cannot allow ourselves to drift into a materialistic view of Christmas along with the rest of the world. In a month of colored lights and glowing candles, we should be burning brighter than ever as His lights to the world. You think about that.