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Special Christmas Advent Edition |
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22 December
Matt. 1:22-23
Immanuel
God had promised through His servant, Prophet Isaiah,
hundreds of years earlier that a virgin will bear a son by the name
Immanuel, which means
God with us (Is. 7:14). According to the Scripture, this prophecy
was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, more than two thousand years
ago (Matt.
1:22-23). Therefore, Jesus was born Immanuel, meaning God with
us (Matt. 1:22-23). This means that with Jesus’ birth, God took our own
form in order to save us (Jn. 1:14). With the birth of Jesus, God now
becomes our Saviour (see Matt. 1:21). He is no longer removed or far
from us but near us. Furthermore, the name Immanuel or God with us
which is given to Jesus at birth means that the world can now have
salvation through Him. Therefore, with Jesus’ birth more than
two thousand years ago, no one has any justification today not to know
God as He deserves or wishes to be known, namely, as our Saviour (cf.
Jn. 3:16, 17). God became our Saviour through Jesus’ birth.
To this end, our Christmas celebrations today would be utterly
meaningless
unless we have received or accepted the one whom God gave to us
as our Saviour (Jn. 3:16). The real meaning of Christmas lies in
taking
Jesus as God our Saviour that He really is (Matt. 1:22-23; Jn.
1:1-2, 14).
PRAYER: 1. Father, I accept Jesus as my Saviour
that He is.
2. Father, please over come every doubt and unbelief in my relationship
with Jesus.
3. Father, please let the salvation that Jesus offers be my portion
fully, wholly.
23 December
Matt. 3:11
One more powerful than John or anyone else
When John the Baptist introduced Jesus a few years
after Jesus was born, he stated that Jesus was more powerful than
him and that he was not even fit
to carry His
sandals (Matt. 3:11; Jn. 1:15, 26-27). John was quite correct. He was
not the Christ, but only His witness (Jn. 1:6-9). What John said
concerning Jesus’ power
is quite true not only with regard to John but with regard to every other creature
that God made. The power of Jesus is unfathomable and without limit (cf. Ps.
145:3; Ps. 95:3). Even death could not hold Him captive, as we often sing (Lk.
24:4-8). This means that Jesus is most capable to save us (Heb. 7:25). It also
means that in Him we do not have a weak and impotent Saviour but one who is most
powerful and most potent (Matt. 3:11). In view of Jesus’ power,
we must realize that as we celebrate His birth today He wholly deserves
our worship and
service and trust. He is not the Saviour who runs away when the wolf
comes to attack His flock (see Jn. 10:12-13). Our Saviour whose birth
we celebrate all
over the world every year is one who has the power not to lose anyone
who comes to Him (Jn. 6:39). As we celebrate His birth once again this
year, we must be
completely humble before Him and subject to Him because like John, we
are unfit to carry even His sandals (Matt. 3:11).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to worship and
serve you as you deserve.
2. Father, please make me completely humble before you.
24 December
Jn. 1:18
A birth that makes God known
One of the testimonies that John the Baptist gave
concerning Jesus is that He is the only one who has seen God and
has made Him known (Jn. 1:18).
With His
birth, Jesus brought a knowledge of God that surpasses whatever had
been available before Him (cf. Exod. 33:18-33). With Jesus’ birth,
we now know God as He is (see Col. 1:15, 19). His birth makes adequate
knowledge of God possible.
With Jesus, we know God adequately today. In Him are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge about God (see Col. 2:2-3). With
His birth more than
two thousand years ago, we have no excuse today for not knowing God
as He deserves to be known. As we celebrate His birth throughout
the world this year, we should
remember that we are celebrating the birth of the one in whom lies
all the treasures of the knowledge of God (Col. 2:2-3). He can make
God known to us today if we
are willing or ready to let Him do so for us. We lack the basis to
celebrate His birth today if we do not know the God whom Jesus was
born to make known (Jn.
1:18).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please make yourself fully known
to me.
2. Father, please take away for me whatever hinders me from knowing
you fully.
25 December
Jn. 3:16
A birth that brings God’s love
According to the Scripture, God demonstrates
His own love for mankind by the gift of His Son Jesus (Jn.
3:16; Rom. 5:8). Therefore, Jesus was born as the embodiment,
carrier, and dispenser of God’s love. His birth was
the birth of God’s love for humanity (Jn. 3:16; Rom.
5:8). With Jesus’ birth, we now know God as love (1Jn.
4:16). Jesus’ birth confirms that God is indeed loving
(1Jn. 4:16). Christmas is therefore a celebration of God’s
love for all mankind which is available through Jesus. If
there is any one phrase that summarizes Christmas it is God
is love (1Jn. 4:16; Jn. 3:16). The whole world is entitled
to this love that the birth of Jesus brought (Jn. 3:16).
The only requirement for appropriating this love is faith,
nothing more, nothing less (see Jn. 1:12-13). If anyone misses
out of God’s love through Jesus, it is because he has
chosen to reject it (see Jn. 1:10-11). As many as receive
or accept Jesus today readily partake of this love (Jn. 1:12-13).
As we celebrate His birth everywhere this year, it is important
to know that God’s love is readily available to everyone
who believes and that Jesus never ever drives away anyone
who comes to God through Him (Jn. 6:37). Rather, He welcomes
everyone who opens his heart to Him (Rev. 3:20).
PRAYER: 1. Father, I accept Jesus as your
gift for me.
2. Father, please let your love that is available through Jesus be my portion
fully
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26 December
Jn. 1:14
One born like us
Although Jesus was God (Jn. 1:1-2), He took our own
human form when He was born (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:5-8; 1Tim. 3:16) in
order to save us (Matt.
1:21; Jn. 1:29;
Jn. 3:16). Thus, He was born like us (Jn. 1:14). He was not only
born of a woman like us (see Gal. 4:4-5), He shared in our humanity (Heb. 2:14-15)
and
was hungry
(Matt. 4:2) and tempted as we are, although without sin (Heb. 4:15).
Since
He was born like us, He knows our infirmities and is able to help
us
(see Heb. 2:18).
Besides, as one like us, He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses
(Heb. 4:15). Jesus is indeed the only Saviour who can identify with us
and we
with Him. Since
we do have a Saviour who is like us because He was born like us,
let us approach Him today with full confidence that we shall receive His mercy
and
grace
unto everlasting life (see Heb. 4:14-16). He is ever ready to welcome
us with open
arms the moment we turn to Him and receive Him (Rev. 3:20). As we
celebrate
His birth throughout the world this year, we should take note that
we are celebrating the birth of the one who not only is like us but is ever
ready
to show us mercy
since He Himself shared in our humanity and knows our weaknesses.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please help all my weaknesses.
2. Father, please let me find mercy and grace before you.
27 December
Lk. 2:20
Shepherds respond to His birth
We are told that after the Shepherds had seen the
child Jesus, they responded by glorifying and praising God for what
they had seen (Lk. 2:20).
Their decision to go and see the child for themselves (Lk. 2:15-19) ended
in an outpouring of glory and praise to God for what they saw (Lk. 2:20).
By glorifying
and
praising
God the Shepherds responded most appropriately to Jesus’ birth (Lk. 2:20).
Even the heavenly host responded in the same manner to news of His birth (Lk.
2:13-14). God deserves glory and praise for giving the world a Saviour (Jn. 3:16).
Our Christmas celebrations today would not be complete unless we glorify and
praise God as the shepherds did. One clear way of showing that we appreciate
Jesus’ birth is to glorify and praise God for it today as the Shepherds
did more than two thousand years ago. To celebrate Christmas and fail to give
God glory and praise for Jesus’ birth amounts to ingratitude
of the worst form. As far as celebrating the birth of Jesus is
concerned, the Shepherds left
us a most appropriate and worthy example.
PRAYER: 1. Father, thank you for the gift of Jesus
my Saviour.
2. Father, please give me a heart of gratitude for all that you
have done for me through Jesus.
28 December
Jn. 1:10
A birth the world does not recognise
When Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago,
the world did not recognize Him (Jn. 1:10). Although He made the world,
the world did not
recognize Him (Jn. 1:10). And although He took human form and dwelt in the
world
(Jn. 1:14),
the
world did not recognize Him (Jn. 1:10). The world did not recognize
Him because it refused to do so. The world has not changed much in
her attitude to Jesus
today. Jesus suffers more or less the same treatment in the
hands of the world today. What is stated in John 1:10 is as true today
as when
it was
first written.
Jesus made the world (Jn. 1:3) and gave His life for her (Mk.
10:45; 1Tim.
2:5-6), yet the world does not recognize Him. This is a most
serious matter. In fact,
for the world not to recognize her God-given Saviour is the
most unfortunate
thing that can ever happen to her. To refuse to recognize Jesus
is to refuse the salvation that is available through Him (Matt. 1:21; Jn.
3:16). To
recognize Him is to accept the Salvation that is freely available
to all mankind through
Him (Jn. 3:16). The world is therefore the loser for not recognizing
Him (see Jn. 3:18, 36). What really does the world gain from celebrating
Christmas
when
she would not recognize the Saviour whose birth is the basis
for the celebration?
Therefore, the best way to celebrate Christmas is to recognize
the
Saviour whose birth is the basis for the celebration.
PRAYER: 1. Father, I recognize Jesus as my Saviour.
2. Father, please strengthen my faith in Jesus my Saviour.
3. Father, please over come for me whatever hinders me from having
an intimate, one on one relationship with Jesus.
29 December
Jn. 1:11
A birth rejected by His own people
When Jesus was born more than two thousand years
ago, He was rejected even by people of His own race or nationality – the Jews (Jn.
1:11). In fact, none of the main Jewish religious parties accepted
Him throughout His life and ministry. It is on record that people
of His own nationality led the campaign for His crucifixion (Lk.
23:1-25). This attitude has not changed today. Neither the Jewish
State nor the Jewish religion accepts Jesus as the Messiah today.
Jesus born a Jew, and sent first to them (see Rom. 1:16), but He
is the Saviour of the entire world (Lk. 2:10-12; Jn. 1:29; Jn. 3:16;
Rom. 3:29-30). He is indeed a universal, not a national or tribal
Saviour (Jn. 1:29; Jn. 3:16). The salvation that Jesus gives is available
to everyone who believes regardless of his nationality or race or
tribe (see Rom. 10:12-13). As far as Jesus is concerned, what matters
is our faith in Him, not our nationality or race or tribe (see Gal.
5:6). In Jesus, there is no discrimination in terms of nationality
or race or tribe, for all are one in Him (Gal. 3:28-29; Col. 3:11).
It is wrong to regard Jesus as a Jewish Messiah only. As we celebrate
His birth once again this year, we must never forget that He is indeed
the Saviour of us all. Everyone who believes in him will be saved,
his nationality, race, tribe not withstanding (see Rom. 10:12-13;
cf. Rom. 3:29-30).
PRAYER: 1. Father, I accept Jesus as my Saviour.
2. Father, please let the salvation that you give through Jesus be
my portion fully.
3. Father, please take away every unbelief from my life.
30 December
Jn. 1:12
A birth received by many
While the world refused to recognize Jesus when
He was born more than two thousand years ago (Jn. 1:10), including
people of His own nationality (Jn. 1:11), many
received Him and became true children of God – children born of God (Jn.
1:12-13). This has remained so ever since. While others oppose, ridicule, mock,
and reject Jesus, many still believe in Him today and find salvation for their
souls (cf. Acts 17:32-34; Acts 2:41; Jn. 3:16). The Scripture is true today as
it was when Jesus first spoke it, that as many as receive Him, He gives them
the right or authority to become children of God (Jn. 1:12-13). As we celebrate
His birth all over the world this year, we need to know that the opportunity
or privilege to become God’s true child is still available (Jn. 1:12-13).
This opportunity or privilege is available only to those who accept Him as their
Saviour (see Jn. 1:12-13; Jn. 3:16). The Scripture is trite that everyone who
believes in him has salvation or eternal life (Jn. 3:16, 18, 36; Jn. 6:40, 47;
Acts 10:43; Rom. 1:16; 1Jn. 5:1). The opportunity or privilege to become God’s
true child is not available to one who rejects Jesus as his own Saviour (see
Jn. 3:18, 36). And this opportunity or privilege to become God’s
true child is available through Jesus only (Acts 4:12).
PRAYER: 1. Father, I believe in Jesus.
2. Father, please strengthen my faith in Jesus.
3. Father, please grant that my faith in Jesus never ever fail.
31 December
Lk. 9:18-20
But what about you?
Once after asking His disciples who the crowds were
saying He is (Lk. 9:18-19), Jesus also asked His disciples who
they said He was (Lk. 9:20). The question
was quite pertinent. It was most necessary for Him to make sure that His
disciples had the right understanding of Him. The question is also
quite pertinent today.
Who do we say Jesus is? He was born more than two thousand years ago (Lk.
2:4-7). He gave His life as a ransom for mankind (Jn. 3:16; Rom.
5:8). Today He is
at God’s right hand in Heaven interceding for humanity (Rom. 8:34). Therefore,
salvation is still available through Him (Jn. 3:16, 18, 36). Who is Jesus to
you? It does not matter what the crowds are saying (Lk. 9:19). What really matters
is what He is to you personally (Lk. 9:20). Salvation is personal, as is eternal
judgment (2Cor. 5:10). Peter’s answer to the question is the right
one (Lk. 9:20). Jesus alone is our Saviour (Acts 4:12). God accredited Him
to us
as such (Acts 2:22). Salvation cannot be found through anyone else than through
Him (Acts 4:12). Unless we accept Him as our Messiah or Saviour that He is
(Lk. 9:20), He is nothing to us, and our celebration of His birth is in vain.
Remember
that if one does not have Jesus as his Messiah or Saviour, he has nothing,
even if he has the whole world (Mk. 8:36-37).
PRAYER: 1. Father, I accept Jesus as my Saviour.
2. Father, please enable me to trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
3. Father, please enable me to live all of my life for you alone.
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