We love Nativity Scenes, don't we? "Isn't the baby doll cute?" "Aren't Mary and Joseph sweet?" "I like the part about the angels. Wow, supernatural!" "Can I arrange the animals and the figures in the stable, please, Mama?" Those are just a few of the comments we hear.
But, really, why do millions of people celebrate the birth of this particular baby called Jesus? It's not just because it's a cute scene with a sweet baby. It's WHY he was born that is the reason for the celebrating! Isaiah tells us the answer. The Bible says even as a child Jesus said he had a special purpose ("I must be about my Father's business." ) Luke 2: 49 In fact, His work started long before that--because He was "in the beginning" John 1:1 In the book of John "the Word" means Jesus and God because only God could tell and show us about Himself). Jesus/God is the Creator. God actually has 3 parts: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit (our Counselor, teacher, prompter). The point is that when Jesus came to earth, he was not just a special man but God.
So Jesus as a part of our three-in-one God, was all set up in Heaven; but He came to earth to be born in a dirty stable and later to be crucified on a cross. Why would He do that? The book of Matthew says that Jesus Christ came to be your Savior. Matthew 1:21 That was His plan. The Bible says He came to seek and save those who are lost. He created all of us so why would He want us to be lost? I remember once I lost my little girl in a grocery store, I was frantic and did everything I could to find her so surely our Creator would do the same for us.
"Hold on!" somebody might say, "I'm not lost!" Let's see. How do you answer this question? Have you asked Christ Jesus to come live in your heart? The Bible says that if you haven't, you are lost. Luke 19:10
So what? Those without Christ are really lost. They are confused like wanderers in the dark! They are lost because without Jesus to forgive and clean them from their sins, they are separated from God.There is no light to guide them.Jesus said He is the Light of the world. John 8:12 To live with God, we have to be clean and we can't do it ourselves. We are cleaned through the Grace of God, Jesus's work of dying for our sins, taking our punishment and conquering death and sin on our behalf. He calls us while we are sinners. We can't try to be really good and then feel like we're good enough to be saved. Jesus says He calls the sinners, not the righteous (Matthew 9:13) We can't even forgive ourselves to get close God. Jesus, because he is perfect as man and God, had to take the punishment for us to pay for our sins. So we have to ask Him to forgive us. That's why He was born!
We don't have to be in the darkness separated from God. It's lonely and awful there. He wants you to be with Him. That is His desire. John 3:16-17 He loved you before you knew about him. He loves you even when you're sinning and didn't even want forgiveness. Romans 5:8 If you don't ask Him to forgive you and come into your heart, you'll miss the whole point of Christmas. When you do ask Him in, you will have great joy even in tough times. What a Christmas present! That's one reason why we sing "Joy to the World".
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