Talizulu Ozüküm
For many, the chilly winter is the most beautiful season in most parts of the world where Christians celebrate Christmas every year according to the Bible in its true teaching. Christmas celebration is so attractive with the most beautiful and expensive decorations in all places, singing joyful Christmas songs, portraying Christmas drama, exchanging Christmas gifts and greetings, having Christmas feasts with friends and dear and loved ones, etc. It is so meaningful and an important time in Christian life. Thank God, give glory and honour to Him in everything that we do in the name of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Also, Christmas (The birth of Jesus Christ) is not just for making the biggest celebration ever set forth in the human history but it is indeed God’s divine plan revealed in the fullness of time about more than 2000 years ago. Yet it fulfilled exactly the prophetic words and came into existence in the form of man and that holy night there was the joyous celebration in heaven and on earth.
The history of the Birth of Jesus Christ is written in the Gospel of Mathew 1 : 18, Mathew 2 : 1 to 12 and Luke 2 : 1 to 38.
1. The Birth of Jesus Christ
At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken through the Roman Empire. When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town. Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised a marriage to him. She was pregnant, and they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. She gave birth to the first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger – for there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
2. The Shepherds and the Angels with Good News
There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending their night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will be a great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Saviour is born - Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
3. The Angels Sang The First Song
After the angel declared the birth of Christ to the shepherds, suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel singing praises to God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom it is pleased!”
4. The Shepherds Worshipped Baby Christ First
As soon as they received the message, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem to worship the newborn child- Christ Jesus, the Saviour of all. They hurried off, found Mary and Joseph and they also saw the baby lying in the manger. When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child and all who heard it were amazed. Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about that. The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for what they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.
5. The Three Visitors Presented Gifts. (Three Wise Men)
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the time when Herod was King. Soon afterwards, the men who studied the stars came from the east to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the baby born to be the king of Jews? We saw the star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.”
And so they left, and on their way they saw the same star they had seen in the east. When they saw it, how happy they were, what joy was theirs! It went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They went into the house, and when they saw the child with the mother Mary, they knelt and they worshipped him. They brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and presented them to him.
6. Simon Had Seen The Lord’s Promised Messiah
At that time there was a man named Simon in Jerusalem. A good, God - fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him and had assured him that he would not die before the Lord’s promise Messiah. Led by the spirit, Simon went to the temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the temple to do the law required, Simon took the child in his arms: “Now, Lord, you’ve kept your promised, and you may let your servant go in peace. With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples; A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to the people Israel.”
7. Prophetess Anna Pleased God for the Child
There was a very old prophetess, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old. She never left the temple; day and night she worshipped God, fasting and praying. That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
Those People Were Blessed In The Birth Of Christ.
a) A simple carpenter Joseph had a privilege from God to look after the Son of God, Jesus Christ as his first born son.
b) A young damsel Mary was favored by God among all the Jewish women. So she was a blessed woman ever lived through out the ages who gave birth the Son of God, the Savior of the whole world.
c) The lowly shepherds were pure at heart, so they received the good news first from the angels and the birth place of Christ where they came and worshipped and saw the Son of God first.
d) The three wise men came searching for the King of Kings, Lord of Lords wholeheartedly to present the gifts to the new born baby, the King of Israel.
e) Simon, a good, God-fearing man was exceedingly glad and praised Him when he saw the glory of God on the newly born child, Jesus Christ.
f) Anna, an old prophetess rejoiced when she saw the child for the child has come to set Jerusalem free.
Therefore, as a devout Christian, in what motive are you celebrating Christmas this year? If you really love God, let’s do something different for God, giving little food to the poor signifying the true meaning of Christmas. Forgiving someone else is bringing reconciliation for the spiritual realm and showing the greatest love of God unconditionally. Letting someone into Christ is saving a life from eternal damnation and which will serve the purpose of Christmas. After all, believing the Son of God and accepting Jesus Christ as our personal saviour and worshipping and praising him in spirit and in truth is the greatest joy in the true Christian life and that is the joyous Christmas ever celebrated in ones life now and forever.
