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John 3:16-17
A couple of years ago on America's Funniest Home Videos, a young boy was shown on Christmas morning. He came down to see a large present beside the tree and ran over to tear it open to see what was inside. The paper went flying and suddenly he broke into a dance and jumped around the room saying, "Wow. Just what I wanted I really love it. Wow." After a while, he went over to look at it again and said with a puzzled look on his face, "What is it?"
On that first Christmas, the angels announced the birth of a new child. The heavens were opened and all the company of Heaven broke into praise. Shepherds went racing to Bethlehem to see what it was all about. And for two thousand years we have been jumping up and down saying, "Just what I wanted! Exactly what I needed!" But in the next breath, we look again inside the stable and ask, "What is it?" We are puzzled by God's gift.
Jesus mirrored God's emotions over his lost children as he wept over Jerusalem. Luke tells us Jesus longed and wept for His people, crying out, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (Luke 13:34)
It was not easy for God to give us Christmas. It was not easy for Christ. It was not easy to keep loving and coming after a creation that continually rejected Him and His love. It was not easy when God realized what His Son would have to go through, especially the cross.
The Christmas story is not as cute as it is profound. A child born to die. A child destined for suffering, abuse and misunderstanding. A child whose life was in danger shortly after his birth. It is a story of a God who gave until it hurt -- until He had nothing left to give.
What was it like for God's Son to come into the world that we live in? We must remember, God did not make it easy on himself. It wasn't easy to be the Savior of a world that did not want to be saved, and for the most part still does not. The world showed its distaste for a Savior from the very beginning. Give the world someone to talk to when they have problems. Give the world a wonderful story. Give it beautiful holidays, but don't give it a Savior -- a Savior that will actually save them from their real problem called sin. God's perspective is one that gives us much hope, gives us much joy, and leads us to great wonder. You see for God, the Christmas Story is not about one event singled out in eternity - but it is part of His greater plan that began right after the fall of man and carries through to his creation of a new heaven and earth and the destruction of the old.
I could not even begin to know the mind of God as Jesus lay as a babe in the manger. But the scriptures do tell us the heart of God. The heart of God is that man would be reconciled to Himself. The Heart of God is that you and I would know Him.
The heart of God is that you and I would worship Him. The heart of God is that you and I would draw near to Him. The heart of God is that you and I would have an intimate relationship with Him. The heart of God is expressed in his coming to Earth - as one of us - in a form we would know.
The step that God took in doing this is much greater than if we were to become an ant. It doesn't even compare. And yet God did this - because of His love. And his love extends to all who would receive it. He announced His birth to the shepherds to show that His grace, his love isn't limited to the privileged, to the prosperous, or to the righteous. He announced His birth to the wise men to show that His grace, His love isn't limited to the Jews, or to those who have a spiritual heritage.
He announced His birth to Simeon and Anna to show that His grace, His love is for all who would wait on Him and desire it. And this evening, I announce His grace, His love to you. In the midst of your family time and your activities these next few days take some time to reflect on God's love for you and the leap He took to bridge the gap between His love for us and our being able to love Him.
God had a plan in mind. It was not a last minute plan which God hurriedly put in place because it looked as though things were going badly. From the very beginning, God knew what He was doing.
God's gift of a Savior makes us face the truth about ourselves. It disturbs our egos to have someone accuse us of doing something wrong, and telling us that we need to be saved from our sins. Save our economy, save our nation, save our children, but don't talk about saving us from our sin.
It's amazing to realize that God knew what would happen and was still willing to place His Son at the mercy of our inhumanity. God realized there would be multitudes in every generation who would not believe or even care, and yet He was still willing to send His Son. And if you were the only one in all the world who would receive His gift, He would still have come just for you. It was an act of mercy which our hearts, minds and spirits have difficulty understanding.
Christ gave up his position and place in glory, so we could have Christmas. It began in a dirty manger and ended on a dirty wooden cross. He was born in a borrowed stable and was buried in a borrowed tomb. God became a refugee in the midst of his own creation.
And because Jesus was born in a virgin birth of a virgin woman by the power of the Holy Ghost, when he was born, he was born with a sinless nature. You see, when we were born, we were all born with a sinful nature because our birth was wrought by man, and because our birth was wrought by man, all of us were born in sin, because man is a sinner.
But because Jesus Christ's birth was wrought by the Holy Ghost, and not by man, he was born with a sinless nature. And because Jesus was born with a sinless nature, He was able to be the Savior of the world because in order for Jesus to save us from our sins, He had to be without sin. And rightfully so, Jesus was without sin. And because Jesus was born without sin, He is rightfully called Immanuel, which means God with us. He is rightfully called Wonderful. He is rightfully called the Wonderful Counselor. He is rightfully called the Mighty God. He is rightfully called the Everlasting Father. Because Jesus was born without sin, He is rightfully called the Son of God. He is rightfully called the Son of the Most High God. He rightfully called the Bread of Life. He is rightfully called the Good Shepherd. He is rightfully called the Light of the World. He is rightfully called the Living Word of God. He is rightfully called the Resurrection and the Life.
He is rightfully called the Water of Life. He is rightfully called the Savior of the world. He is rightfully called the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.
JOHN 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to heal the sick...Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to lift up when you are down. Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to give sight to the blind....Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to make the deaf hear again.....Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to make the cripple walk.......Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to calm a sea storm...Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to walk on water....Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to raise the dead back to life again...Because Jesus was born without sin, He is able to feed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. .....
Because Jesus was born without sin, He was able to save us to the utmost, and give us salvation. And if you want to have a meaningful Christmas this year, you ought to make room for Jesus Christ......When you make room for Jesus, you will have peace...When you make room for Jesus, you will have joy....When you make room for Jesus, you will have everlasting love
When you make room for Jesus, you will have mercy....When you make room for Jesus, you will have victory....When you make room for Jesus, you will have eternal life....When you make room for Jesus, you will have salvation.....But when you make room for Jesus, don't just make room for Him just for Dec. 25, but every day, every month (January thru December), and every year and everywhere( in your home, marriage, on your job), you ought to make room for Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday- Make room for Jesus....On Wednesday- Make room for Jesus....On Thursday- Make room for Jesus.....On Friday- Make room for Jesus......On Saturday- Make room for Jesus
Then on Sunday, when you come into this place of worship, make room for Jesus by making a joyful noise of praise unto His name because He is the reason for the season, and He is worthy to be praised!
To make room for Jesus Christ in your life, all you need to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. Yes, Jesus Christ was born in a virgin birth of a virgin woman by the power of the Holy Ghost. But he also grew up to be a man.
And at the age of 33, Jesus Christ died upon the cross for our sins and rose from the dead for this one purpose; to give us salvation and eternal life. And salvation and eternal life is yours if you just believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died upon the cross and rose again. If you just receive Jesus Christ into your life, you will have a meaningful Christmas because Jesus is the reason for the season. If you have not come to God, now is the time to call on God as your Lord and Savior, Forgiver and Redeemer, Shepherd and Leader.
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Rev. Deborah Avery-Widget is from Bethel AME Church. Bethel AME serves Lewistown and surrounding areas by bringing the message of healing and hope through the uncompromising word of God.