Christmas 2021
Dear Friends and Family, I am so glad that you are able to join Carol and I for this short Christmas message. We wanted to do something to share with you that we hope will help you focus on the real meaning of Christmas.
The Historical Event That Changed The World!
There are many historical events that have changed parts of the world we live in. We have had natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and plagues. Countries are in political upheaval. Wars change countries and their boundaries and cause great poverty.
The world is always in turmoil and people are always facing new challenges.
One historical event stands out as world changing. However, prophets told us of this event for centuries before it happened. The Prophets of Israel told Israel to expect it and prepare the way.
Eight hundred years before this event
The Prophet Isaiah says in Isa. 9:6-7.
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Israel knew the scripture and believed it and was looking for the coming of the Messiah, just not the way Jesus came. They wanted a King to rule over them and drive out the Romans.
They knew the prophecies about the coming Messiah. Yet, they rejected Him. He was not what they wanted!
So the event that changed the world and our hearts came about in this fashion.
It had been four hundred years since God spoke to Israel through prophets. However, the faithful were still looking for the coming of the Messiah. There were many scriptures that told about how He would come and how He would rule with love and justice.
Then God sent Gabriel!
The angel appears to Mary
Gabriel appeared to a virgin named Mary in Nazareth of Galilee. He said she should rejoice because she is highly favored, blessed among women.
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” Luke 1:26-28
Mary, of course, was excited and puzzled by what Gabriel told her, but then he says something that she knew was impossible.
Gabriel said, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
Mary knew she was faithful to God and to her betrothed, Joseph, therefore could not be with child. What was this visitor saying? Things like this just can’t happen!
Perhaps she even wondered what people would say. How could she explain becoming pregnant before marriage? Would Joseph believe her? Would her parents?
So Gabriel answered her question, “How can this be?”
35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38
The angel appears to Joseph
Joseph found Mary was with child. Would he renounce her and make a public example of her?
Being a just man, Joseph decided he would put her away secretly so as not to cause her more shame. But God did not leave her alone. He sent Gabriel to Joseph as well.
20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matt 1:20
Matthew said that all this was done to fulfill scripture. God had told Israel through the prophets that this would happen.
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23”Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” Matt 1:22
Jesus is born
Christmas celebrates the event that changed the world forever. Jesus birth started the fulfillment of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind.
God chose to send His Only Begotten Son to save you and me. He came as a baby born in the humblest place, in a manger. God did not send Him to a palace or even a lowly inn, but to a stable to start His redemptive work.
This is how it happened long ago.
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-20
The retelling of this event will circle the world in the next few days. It is a story of love, obedience and sacrifice. If Jesus had not been born, lived, died and rose from the grave, the world would be without hope.
The story of Jesus birth is not only beautiful but life changing for many of us. It touches our hearts that God would humble Himself to come into this world in such a lowly way.
This story is still changing the world every day. Not just Christmas.
The following story by Carol Fleming is one example of a Christmas miracle.
Christmas Miracle
Christmas Eve is a time of miracles..
Many miles away and many years ago was no exception.
I was a teen-aged Sunday School teacher and Donna was a severely mentally challenged eight year old in my third grade class. In the four months I had known her, she had never spoken a word. Her speech was animal like grunting to my ears. I had no experience or background to handle her needs. She had been put with the twenty-five other children of her age in my class and I tried to share Jesus.
How do you break through her darkness, I wondered over and over.
Christmas approached.
The teachers of grades one through four were planning the yearly, combined grades, Christmas pageant. Our only problem, it seemed, was what to do about Donna. How could we include her and still minimize the upsets, noises, and interruptions that seemed to surround her. We debated, finally deciding to make Donna one of the angels in the “multitude” and hope for the best.
At long last, after much practice, the moment arrived. The children were all in costume. The children’s mothers had made the angels costumes especially beautiful that year.
Most glowing of all, it seemed, was Donna. I had never seen her look so happy. She was radiant. In the line of angels, she was just another beautiful little girl. She was quiet, her eyes taking it all in…
How much does she understand of it all, Lord?” I wondered, as I had all year.
The opening scene showed prophet Isaiah, A scroll-bearing, robed little boy read solemnly, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…” (Isaiah 9:2a)…
The program progressed. Mary. Joseph. Shepherds.
Then, finally, the moment of the angels arrived. A dark curtain was pulled back and the large brilliant beam of light from the spotlight hit them.
Donna had not been prepared for this. Her face looked startled. Then a joy, unimagined, spread across it..
……and she spoke the first word I had ever heard her utter.
Loudly, clearly, so we all could hear: Donna smiled, pointed, and joyfully shouted:
“LIGHT !!!!!!!”
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Christmas Eve is a time of miracles. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” the Bible tells us.
His light of love pierces our darkness still..
Though quite different from Donna’s, we each have our own individual darkness that can be touched only by the Light of God’s Love.
Don’t just open gifts this year.. .Open Your Heart…to God’s Love.
Receive the Gift…of His Son.. .for us.
Let the Light in. ..You too will be amazed…
Christmas Eve is a time of miracles… …….Still..
Look for your Christmas Miracle