Word of God

God’s Reason for Christmas

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 ESV

Long before I became a Christian I was once stopped on the streets of Boston by a preacher who had a very simple message for me. He said, “I want to tell you about Jesus: That’s J-E-S-U-S Jesus!” he shouted, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t understand how God could love me and even less why this man was almost shouting as he told me. But now, almost 50 years later, the lines that penetrated my heart that night remain lodged wonderfully in my memory. Sometimes around Christmas I hear, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”  But is Jesus, really God’s reason for your Christmas?

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In the Gospel of John we do not hear a traditional telling of the birth of Jesus. His story begins far earlier than Bethlehem. John looks back to before the dawn of time. He tells us of when Jesus, the Word of God, was already with the Father. Then he says that the first Bethlehem night was special because in the manger, God’s Word became flesh.

If Jesus had never come He would have only been the word not spoken. If no child was laid in the manger that night we could never see God’s glory. If no news from angels had been given to shepherds how would we have ever known the grace and the truth He came to bring? But God did speak. Jesus did come! He came to be with us and die for our sins so that we could have eternal life!

God’s Greatest Gift

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God could give us silver or gold. He could make us famous, talented or politically powerful. God could allow us to live in a palace a mansion or even a paradise island. But instead of any of the gifts that we might see on our favorite game show He gave us His word. God considers nothing if higher or enduring value than His own word. Consider that all we know of God is because He chose to send us His amazing, astonishing and undeserved gift.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Receiving God’s greatest gift means we are saved and forgiven. Living out His gift is eternal and abundant life. Guarding His gift means that one day we will find our treasure waiting where no thief can break in and steal or moth and rust destroy. What will we do with this great gift of Jesus Christ today?

God’s GPS

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 For we walk by faith, not by sight 2 Corinthians 5:7

When God calls us to follow, Christ many of us eagerly jump up and try running to catch up with Jesus. But sometimes it seems that the harder we try the farther behind we get. One reason may be because we are trying to live for Jesus but we still keep the same familiar goals of our past life. Until we see the new goals that Jesus has for us we will just keep going the wrong way.

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So God gives us a new GPS system for our spirits. God’s system is the WBF-walking by faith system.  Our old GPS won’t work anymore because our new path is invisible to our natural eyes. Jesus says odd things like, “Come to me out on the waters” when we are in a nice safe boat. Jesus tells us to feed five thousand when we only have five loaves and two fish.

As we walk the faith journey God’s satellite system (the Bible) points out exactly where we are. God’s GPS acquires our location and begins to call out when to turn, and when to keep going straight. If we keep walking in faith, the new system works perfectly. We see the old goals for the empty promises they are. But getting used to God’s way will take time. We make some mistakes along the way, turn up a wrong path or two or even fall to old temptations. But God’s GPS also carries with it a wonderful roadside assistance program called mercy. If we get off track, head off into a field or get stuck in the mud there is still hope. We just need to stop, ask for God’s mercy, and listen. God’s GPS will re-acquire our position then lead us by faith one step at a time to His destination!