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Greetings in the name of Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
As many in the world around us prepare to celebrate Christmas, let’s be mindful that for the majority of people December 25th comes and goes without much thought of who or what is being commemorated. For some, the Christmas season is a time of reminiscence perhaps invoking pleasant memories of a time gone by. For others, it may prompt sorrow, disappointment, or even fear. Regardless of what we personally may think of at this time of year - or even if we believe Jesus was actually born in December or not - I suggest that we who believe in Him turn our focus toward the opportunities presented us at this time each year.
When we examine the facts, each day should represent a time to rejoice and celebrate the great truth that God sent His one and only Son into the world not to condemn those here on earth but instead to save them who would believe (John 3:17). In fact, each new day is cause to reflect on and commemorate both His first coming and also the events commonly remembered as Easter. Jesus didn’t come to us just to be a sage of great philosophy or wisdom. He came to accomplish a mission that included His death in payment for our sins followed by His bodily resurrection conquering death, Hell and the grave (Rev. 1:18, John 11:25-26, Rom. 6:1-11)! So His coming to earth and His sacrifice on our behalf certainly gives us powerful reasons to praise God daily. But that’s not all.
Christians have great reason to anticipate and celebrate a coming future event as well. Before Jesus physically comes back to earth and then oversees the events recorded near the end of the book of Revelation, Scripture promises He first returns to collect His Church (1 Thess. 4:13-18)!
Here in verses 16 and 17 Paul states, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
That’s both a great hope based in faith and also a series of events we can count on proclaimed through the perfect, prophecy-proven reliability of God’s Word. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in verse 18 to “comfort one another with these words” and that we can do with confidence! Now that's truly something to celebrate!
Believers have much to be thankful for and it’s far more satisfying and important than anything offered by any earth-bound traditions. So, I suggest that wherever we are and with whomever we gather this Christmas season that when opportunity arises we remind those around us of the real reasons to celebrate. Jesus birth led to His sacrifice and resurrection and now the promise of His return for us!
As we simply take the opportunity to recount the facts about His coming to earth, about His death and resurrection, and about His future return for us, we’ll be sharing spiritually potent truths and following the essence of the resurrected Christs’ last instructions to us: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:19-20).
I'm hoping you have many "opportunities" in the coming days!
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