Love One Another

What is Christmas? Is it the Trees? Santa clause? Decoration? Star? Cake? Dress.. etc?

What is Christmas? Asked in Developed Western Countries?

    ·         61% Said Being around the family and Friends

·         12% Said Break from Work and Worries

·         10% Said Celebrations and Decorations

·         5%  Said Exchanging Gifts

·         12% Said the Birth of Jesus

The Birth of Christ Jesus and the message that Christmas brought into the world is not related to just a baby or a birthday celebration. Even though there are lot of debates about the December 25^th celebrated as Christmas but it is certain that Christ was born and saved the Humanity from divine wrath.

The names mentioned in the New Testament for Christ has divine significance because it reveals the true message of Christmas to the world. The Biblical names in itself has significance related to their personalities – most of the times there was reason and attributes related to the given names.

We could see four names given for Christ in the New Testament and the message we get out of those names,

1.      Christmas Proclaims the Message of Salvation: (JESUS)

The name “Jesus” was revealed both to Joseph and Mary prior to the birth of Christ Jesus (Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 1:30-33)

Mat 1:21, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (To Joseph)

Luke 1:31, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (To Mary)

Jesus (NT) - Iesus (Gk) – Yeshua (Heb) – Joshua (OT) all has the same meaning “Savior” someone who saves people who are in the bondages. The purpose of Jesus’ birth mentioned in both the above passages can be summarized as follows,

·         Jesus Came to Save the World

·         Jesus Came to Establish the Kingdom of God (God’s Kingdom)

·         Jesus Came to rule and reign forever

1 John 2:2, “He (Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world”

Greatest message about Christmas in the Gospel is “God So Loved the World” (John 3:16). The name Jesus means “Savior” and He saves people even today from the bondage of sin and darkness. The real Christmas tree can be found without leaves in the mount of Calvary (The Cross). The birth of Jesus boldly proclaims the message of Salvation even today.

Jesus can save you even today! If you are a believer share the message of salvation to the lost world.

2.      Christmas Proclaims the Message of Hope: (IMMANUEL) “God With Us”

The name “Immanuel” was prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 7:14) and fulfilled at the birth of Christmas. Matthew 1:22-23: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Christian faith is unique – It teaches “God with people” NOT “People becoming god” NOR “People looking for god.” The God of the Bible is communicable, imminent and relational personality. Genesis 1 we read about God speaks, reveals and lets people know who He is. He is not hidden or lives far away from people.

“God with Us” (Immanuel) is a message of Hope which often reminds people that they no longer need to be in despair, isolation, rejection, separation or in loneliness. Immanuel is with us, no matter we go away from Him, He is with us to still the storm.

A very loving phrase of God “I will never leave you nor forsake you” is found multiple times in the Bible (Deut 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5,6; 1 Chr. 28:20; Isaiah 41:10; Mat 28:20). Relations, parents, friends and family might forsake you but God gives hope out of hopelessness with His divine presence.

The name “Immanuel” signifies that God is with us - no need to feel rejection, loneliness, isolation – God will give you hope out of hopelessness.

Irish story – Christina a young girl wanted to live free and without any control on her single mother. One day left home, thinking that she got freedom but lost in the world. Years passed by she felt rejection, despair and anguish wanted to go back home but felt of guilty. He mother with her old picture searched everywhere and wherever she went nailed a picture of her. Christina found one of such pictures and looked backside. It was written, “Whatever you have done, Whatever you have become doesn’t matter – please come home.” The words brought her tears and went back to her mother’s house. She found hope back in her.” Jesus calls people with bondage and heavy burdens to come to him and find hope in him (Matthew 11:28)

3.      Christmas Proclaims the Message of Redemption: (CHRIST) “Messiah”

The message about the birth of Christ was proclaimed to the poor shepherds in Luke 2:11, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Christ means Messiah, Redeemer, Lord, Anointed one of God.

Messiah in Jewish understanding is someone who is born of David’s lineage, sits in David’s throne, and redeems the people from all oppression. The term “Redeemer” means someone who pays a price and redeems them out of bondage or darkness. In the book of Ruth we read about the “Kinsman Redeemer” who redeemed someone’s property and relationship.

The redemption of sin in the Old Testament was through the sacrifice or blood of animals or birds. If a person meets with an accident – blood transmission from another person is the only hope of survival – no other blood could save him. A sinner can be redeemed by the sinless person that is through “Christ, the Messiah”

Christ redeems people from their sins, darkness and eternal death even today. Have your sins are forgiven? If so are you spreading the message of redemption through “Christ”

4.      Christmas Proclaims the Message of Restoration: (NAZARENE)

Mat 2: 23, “... and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 2 ends with another name “Nazarene” of course mentioned as said through the prophets but we don’t see the proper name in the prophetical books where as we can see others who took on the “Nazarite” vow in the Old Testament.

Nazer (Heb) means Branch. Christ restores what was lost or cut off or broken. Isaiah 10:13-11:1 we read about the judgement on “Israel” for their disobedience and God gives the analogy of “Cut down trees” spiritually. The left out stem later got branches and produce fruits (11:1)

Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Christ restores whatever is cut down, lost or broken and makes them fruitful. If you lost something today, God can produce/restore them out of nothing. The restoration often seems the upside down of all negativities we are going through...

·         From sin to Holiness

·         From nothing to everything

·         From empty to plenty

·         From darkness to light

·         From brokenness to mending

·         From evil to good

Joel 2:25-26, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.”

The message that Christmas proclaims us – Christ restores everything you lost and cut off, because He is a Nazarene.

CONCLUSION:

Christmas proclaims the messages of...

·         Salvation (He will be called Jesus)

·         Hope (Immanuel – God with us)

·         Redemption – (Christ, the Messiah)

·         Restoration (The Nazarene)

Go forward and spread the true message of Christmas to the Lost world!

May God bless you!

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* Outline taken from a Doctor’s Preaching in Dec 2019