“JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME!” 
It’s the Hap-Happiest Season Of All.
It is the most wonderful of all times for those who love Christmas. We celebrate Christmas every day, yet Christmas time is the best time.
Christmas is the season in which we celebrate the infinite love of God. It is a time to soak in His love gifts to us.
It is when we acknowledge that God loved us so much as individuals, just as we are, that He left His glorious throne in heaven to become a human and sacrifice Himself for us while we were full of sin. It is when we are acutely focused on the fact that God came to earth to bring us the “GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE!” (Luke 2:10)
That news is the Gospel of Jesus. If the gospel you are being taught is not “Good News Of Great Joy Which Shall Be To All People,” It is not the Gospel of Jesus.
Christmas reminds us that at the instant of His “birth,” the instant of God’s donning of His earth suit, He declared peace on earth and ALL people. Gabriel reported to the shepherds that God was well pleased with All People.
“Then suddenly there appeared with the angel (Gabriel) an army of the troops of heaven a heavenly knighthood praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest (heaven) AND ON EARTH PEACE among men with whom He is well pleased.”
(Luke 2:13-14)
Shouldn’t we constantly give God glory as the heavenly angels do in the highest (Heaven) for declaring peace on us?
At this time, we are reminded that God came to earth to suffer the indignity and shame of being a human to forgive us of all of our sins, past, present, and future, once and for all.
(Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 53:4-5, Psalm 103:1-3 and 12, John 1:29, 1 Peter 2:24, Hebrews 8:10-12, Hebrews 10:10-18, John 6:28-29)
He did this to guarantee for Himself our eternal life with Him in His glorious world, and all He requires of us is that we believe and believe in Him. Because He cherishes us all as individuals that much just the way we are.
We are reminded at Christmas that giving gifts is in our Spiritual gene pool. When God came to earth, He lavished His grace and favor upon us. He declared us to be His glorious inheritance. (Ephesians 1)
For that reason, He was willing to die the most horrid death any human ever has or will to purchase us (as individuals) for Himself so that we can live with Him forever, and the only requirement for us is to believe and believe in the One whom He has sent.
(John 3:16-18, John 6:28-29, Ephesians 2:8-12)
God guaranteed our inheritance with His blood on the cross. At the instant that Jesus exhaled His last breath, we (those of us who choose to believe and believe in Jesus) received His great and precious promises, including ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness, including His faith which is a gift, not something that can be acquired through our performance.
(2 Peter 1:1-4)
Here is a list of a few of the Christmas gifts that God gave us:
Eternal Salvation (from the Hebrew word Yshuwah meaning something saved, i,e. deliverance, health, aid, victory, prosperity, health, welfare.)
(John 3:16-18)
The indwelling Holy Spirit, Who guides us into all truth and shows us the things to come:
(John 15-16)
Freedom from any judgment or condemnation:
(John 3:17-18, John 5:24, Romans 8:1)
ALL THINGS:
“He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:32)
“For His divine power HAS bestowed upon us ALL THINGS that are requisite and suited to life and godliness, Through the knowledge of Him who called us by and to His glory, excellence, and virtue.”
NOT ANYTHING WE DO OR DO NOT DO!
(2Peter 1:1-3)
The ability to speak to and to hear Jesus:
(John 10)
His power (John 14:12-14)
Healing of all diseases by dying from them on the cross: (Psalm 103:1-3, Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:16-17, 1Peter2:24)
The power to speak things into and out of existence:
(Mark 11:22-24)
Dominion and power over the evil one, all of his powers, and all of his servants:
(Luke 10:18)
The ability to gain financial abundance:
(Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:6-14)
Here is a fun Christmas project: Search the gospels to find more of the great and precious gifts and promises that Jesus freely gave you.
Christmas did not begin in the second chapter of Luke. It started the instant that Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and sin entered the world. At that very moment, The Triune God made the plan to redeem us all from our sins. The plan is Christmas.
Christmas gave us the get-out-of-jail card. It freed us from the captivity of eternal separation from God because of our sins. It rendered the stench in God’s nostrils powerless over us IF WE ONLY BELIEVE IN JESUS. That is the greatest gift ever given.
(John 6:28-29)
It is never too early or late to celebrate, appreciate, receive and give thanks to God for the glory of Christmas.
What gifts will you give Jesus this Christmas?
Here are a few suggestions: Your time, treasure, and talents, Belief in every Word He declared, not some of them. Love for Him, Yourself, and others, Forgiveness of everyone in remembrance of the fact that He forgave all of our sins, burn the scorecard you keep on others—generosity in your giving and to all who ask, without regard for the economic environment. Gratitude is a gift that God highly honors; give Him thanks, praise, eulogy, and laudation, as Paul suggests. Mercy to others to whom you do as you would have them do to you.
In our next teaching, we will explain why we always wish folks a “Mary Christmas,” and we will begin teaching the real Christmas Story. Until then, be happy, light the lights (lights are the reflection of Jesus, the “Light Of The World”), preferably colored lights, and celebrate with all of your heart.
