Zoeproject

Did We Miss Christmas?

2011-12-25T22:41:00.000-08:00

The tree was beautifully decorated. Neatly-wrapped presents were placed underneath. Holly was in evidence and mistletoe hung over our heads. There was plenty of food on the table and merriment abounded. But, did we miss Christmas? Did we forget the real reason for the season?:

The fact that Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of Israel, was born of a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem and came to live a perfectly righteous life and to die on a cross for the sins of all those who would put their faith in Him.

Our crass commercialization of Christmas has all but extinguished the message of the glorious Gospel.

Many of the songs we sing are largely devoid of meaning. Santa Claus, Christmas trees, yule logs, wreaths, sleighs and reindeer serve to obfuscate the message.

Even the gifts we give are a poor substitute for the greatest gift ever given to mankind--the hope of eternal life with God and the accompanying joys of heaven. In a world filled with hopelessness, pain, war and suffering, this is good news indeed.

Let's take a few moments to thank God for the wonderful gift that He gave to us: the gift of His Son:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

(John 3:16-17 ESV)

Trust in the Lord

2011-09-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Proverbs 3:5-6 have been my life verses for the last 32 years that I have been a Christian. They have provided me with strength and direction through some difficult times.

It is often difficult to trust in the Lord. We are constantly warring against our flesh, the world and the devil. These forces continually lead us away from the Lord.

However, the Bible clearly states that without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

We must not depend on our fallible understanding and intellect, but keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.

"And when you trust God in spite of all outward appearances and surrounding circumstances, it is a comfortable proof to yourself that you are on good terms with God, that you are walking in sweet fellowship with him, and it is one of the most
blessed facts in your whole history." - Spurgeon

7 Facts About Hell

2011-08-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Flashback: It is the mid 1980s. I have been invited to speak at Calvary Mennonite Church—a small congregation in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood. My topic that Sunday morning: “The Reality of Hell”. As I started my sermon, something happened that I had never seen before. People rose from their seats and headed down the aisle towards the exits. I was stunned.

It was clear that the subject of my sermon hit a nerve. Many people did not want to hear anything about Hell. Little has changed in the last 25 years. People still don't want to hear about Hell. It is subject that is essentially “verboten” in many denominations and churches. Yet, it is a topic that is too important to ignore.

Recently, a book has been published by Rob Bell entitled: “Love Wins”. It essentially challenges the Biblical view of Hell and tries to replace it with a novel form of universalism—a concept completely foreign to Holy Scripture. Bell thinks that, in the end, God gets what He wants and love wins. People are given a second chance and hell is emptied. “Love Wins” has been embraced by many people including some that identify themselves as Christians and sits near the top of bestseller lists.

More recently, popular author Francis Chan (along with Preston Sprinkle) wrote: “Erasing Hell” in an attempt to counter Bell's book and provide a more Biblical perspective. Admittedly, Chan is not comfortable writing about Hell. It is a topic that he would love to erase from the Bible. However, he realizes it has been put there by God and it is something that we must accept.

It is refreshing to see that this topic is being written about and discussed so widely. As I said, it is too important to ignore. Souls are in the balance.

But what does the Bible really say about Hell and eternal punishment? In this article, I will attempt to unpack what the Bible reveals:

1. Hell is a real place. It has a location. It is not imaginary. It is not a state of mind. You don’t make our own “Hell here on earth” because of your actions. (Luke 16:19-31, Revelation 20:13-15)

2. Hell was not designed for man. It was “prepared for the devil and his angels”. (Matthew 25:41) The only reason that anyone will end up there is because they chose human effort over divine grace. They chose to believe a lie rather than the truth. (Romans 1:25) They failed to receive the free gift of Christ’s death on the cross as payment for their sins. (Romans 5:15-17)

3. Jesus talked more about Hell than anyone else in the Bible. He spoke of a place where the worm does not die. A place of unquenchable fire. A place of eternal suffering and torment. He spoke of the outer darkness. A place where their would be wailing and gnashing of teeth. If we believe Jesus when He says He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, we must also believe what He says about Hell. (Mark 9:42-50, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 25:30, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:5)

4. It is a place of continuous and constant torment. It is eternal death--just as there will be eternal life to those who trust in Jesus. (Matthew 25:46, II Thessalonians 1:9) We should moan and wail just to think that anyone that we know may end up there. We should do everything in our power to make sure that they don’t. Pray. Witness. Testify. Give.

5. The Bible teaches us that there are degrees of punishment in Hell. The hottest parts are reserved for the most wicked. However, even the “most comfortable” places in Hell are infinitely worse than Heaven as all of its residents are still eternally separated from God. (Matthew 10:15, Matthew 11:21-24, Matthew 16:27, Luke 12:47-48, Hebrews 10:29)

6. God does not want you to go to Hell. He is not willing that anyone should perish but that all will come to repentance. (John 3:16-17, II Peter 3:9)

7. God has made provision for you to escape Hell through the sinless life, vicarious death and victorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:23-26, Romans 5:8-10, Colossians 1:13-14)

Receive God’s free gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ and escape the terrors of Hell.

The Incarnation

2010-12-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

"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.” The Gospel of John 1:14 ESV

At this time of the year, our thoughts turn to the baby in the manger in Bethlehem. What we do not usually stop and think about is the fact that the King of the Universe became a man--the second Adam.

He lived a sinless life, perfectly kept the Law of Moses, and died on the cross at Calvary as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of all of those who place their faith in Him. He was raised from the dead for our justification. He now sits on the right hand of the Father in heaven as our high priest and intercessor. And He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead.

The gift that we should treasure is that God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son to come to this world in a tabernacle of human flesh to live among us and to die and shed His precious blood for our sins.

As the church leaders wrote at the Council of Chalcedon:

“We confess, therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, perfect God, and perfect Man of a reasonable soul and flesh consisting; begotten before the ages of the Father according to his Divinity, and in the last days, for us and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin according to his humanity, of the same substance with his Father according to his Divinity, and of the same substance with us according to his humanity; for there became a union of two natures. Wherefore we confess one Christ, one Son, one Lord.”

Let us not forget that we are celebrating the advent of the Alpha and the Omega and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

-- Tony Thomas

“If Christ be glorious, it is all the heaven I ask for. If he shall be King of kings, and Lord of lords, let me be nothing, if he shall but reign, and every tongue shall call him blessed, it shall be bliss to me to know it; and if I may be but as one of the withered roses which lie in the path of his triumph, it shall be my paradise.”

-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

In Search of the True Church

2010-07-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you drive by a church? Do you admire the architecture? Do you look at the religious symbols? Do you identify that building with God?

The reality is that, when we think of the church, we think of a building. However, the church is not a building. The church consists of those who have been born again by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not a building made by hands--it is, quite literally, the Body of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for church is "ekklesia" which means assembly. In ancient Greek culture, it referred to the principal assembly of the democracy of ancient Athens. As it is used today, it is the local assembly of the members of the Body of Christ.

However, in our vernacular, we speak of "going to church" as if the place we are headed is actually the church. It is not the church. It is merely a building where we worship the Lord, receive the teaching of the Word of God, celebrate the Lord's table and baptize new converts. Interestingly, in the first century, Christians did not worship in buildings. They worshiped in the home.

In Acts, chapter 2, beginning at verse 42, it says: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." (ESV)

And all throughout the New Testament, we see references about the church that met regularly in people's homes.

This is not to say that there is no place for church buildings. They are vital for large assemblies and the corporate worship of the saints. However, we should see them as what they are: buildings.

The truth is, many of our local assemblies spend far too much money on buildings that are only used for a few hours each week. I would rather see, in their place, large multi-use structures that can be used by several ministries and churches for the building up of the saints for the purpose of ministry.

I would also like to see more home churches where people can get together and interact and support one another as the Body of Christ. The home is a place where people can worship intimately, study the Bible together, share a hymn or a revelation from the Word of God.

Worship should not be a spectator sport or a form of entertainment where we come to soak up everything that we see and hear. It should be interactive and participatory. As Paul says in first Corinthians 14 and verse 26: "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."

We should find a way to go back to the days where believers can participate more fully in worship. I think that this can be done more pragmatically when the church meets in a home setting.

Finally, we need to understand that being a member of the church does not just mean that we go to a building for few hours a week. Being a member of the church means that we live for Him 24/7/365 and acknowledge Him in everything that we do. We should praise and worship Him daily no matter where we are. For God is with us all the time and not merely when we are in a church building.

Careless Christianity

2010-05-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

As we enter the second decade of this new century, it is becoming clear to me that Evangelical Christianity is losing its moorings. Instead of being fully committed to the "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3), the church is drifting into uncharted and dangerous waters. If this trend continues unchecked, much of Evangelical Christianity as we know it will be mired in heresy and even apostasy.

If you go to your local Walmart, you will see all kinds of books selling Christianity as a "get rich scheme" and a panacea for every temporal woe. Their writers imply that: If you believe in Jesus you can have "your best life now". You can have money, health and happiness.

Paul said that these types of teachers would eventually come: "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV) He also said that people would become "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:5 ESV)

Look no further than the USA in 2010 to see a stark fulfillment of his prophecy. Our materialism is out of control while we are, in many cases, spiritually and morally bankrupt. The cross is being replaced with the dollar sign. The church is quickly becoming a den of thieves rather than the house of worship.

As Christians, we need to be on guard. We should reject all forms of doctrinal error that attempt to transform the church into a cult of idolatry and self-worship. We must "destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ does not guarantee health, wealth and success. Quite the contrary: It guarantees a life filled with suffering and persecution for the Gospel's sake with eternal life as our reward. But, as Paul says in Romans 8:18 ESV: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Thoughts on the Resurrection

2010-04-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the pivotal event in human history.

Because of the fall of Adam, man was separated from God. No system of works or religious piety would be enough to fill that chasm. While the first Adam failed miserably, the second Adam, Jesus Christ, triumphed over sin, Satan and the last enemy, death.

For those who believe in Him and are his disciples, He purchased our salvation by His immeasurable sacrifice and He rose again for our justification. He has given us the gift of everlasting life!

I Corinthians 15

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

"Jesus Christ, completely justified, rises to prove that all his people are, in him, completely justified, and the work of salvation is for ever perfect. The stone is rolled from the door of the sepulchre, as if to show that Jesus has so effectually done the work that nothing can shut us up in the grave again. The grave has changed its character; it has been altogether annihilated, and put away as a prison-house, so that death to the saints is no longer a punishment for sin, but an entrance into rest. Come, brethren, let us rejoice in this." -- C. H. Spurgeon

The Truth of the Five Solas

2009-11-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

In their wisdom, the Reformers left us with a rich legacy. The truth that, as Christians, the basis of our relationship with the King of the Universe can be summarized in five solas. From the Latin, the word sola means "only". Let's take a brief look at them:

Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone. We cannot add to it or take away from it. We cannot heap the traditions of men onto it. We cannot mix it with our denominational distinctives. We cannot supplant it with new revelations or prophecies. Scripture alone is all the revelation we need! Psalm 119:105:"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

Sola Fide: Faith alone. The Bible says, without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is believing without seeing. The writer of Hebrews says it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It is the the foundation of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Savior. Romans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Sola Gratia: Grace alone. Unmerited favor. Our salvation is not based upon human effort. It is 100% based upon the grace of God. Jesus Christ died on the cross as a propitation (or satisfaction) for our sins. He rose from the dead for our justification. The penalty for our sin has been paid in full. Eph 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Solus Christus: Jesus alone. Jesus Christ is our Savior. It is impossible for us to save ourselves. There is no one else who can save us. No man or woman. No religion or philosophy. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is our Master and our Lord. Only by believing in Him can we be saved. Acts 4:10-12: "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God alone. To quote Fanny Crosby: "To God be the glory, great things He hathdone; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin, And opened the lifegate, that all may go in." Psa 150:6 "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD."

Amen

The Simplicity of the Gospel

2009-05-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

I Corinthians 2:

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

It amazes me how many who have identified themselves as Christians have taken the simplicity of the Gospel and have attempted to make it complicated.

Some have added a system of works, some have added clever marketing schemes and "hooks" so they can "fish" for souls, some have discounted the sufficiency of the death of Christ and the veracity of the resurrection and others have added a mystical glaze. The Gospel of Christ needs no embellishment. The Gospel message is simple.

I Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There are only two belief systems in existence: 1. The belief that human effort in any form can earn salvation. 2. The belief than man is sinful and needs a Savior. That our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). That Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the ultimate price for our salvation that none of us truly deserve. That Jesus rose for the dead for our justification and is alive forevermore. That only through faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved from God's judgement and have eternal life. Two choices. Which one will you choose?

In the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

"God be thanked for the simplicity of the gospel. The longer I live, the more I bless God that we have not received a classical gospel, nor a mathematical gospel, nor a metaphysical gospel; it is not a gospel confined to scholars and men of genius, but a poor man's gospel, a ploughman's gospel; for that is the kind of gospel which we can live upon and die upon. It is to us not the luxury of refinement, but the staple food of life. We want no fine words when the heart is heavy, neither do we need deep problems when we are lying upon the verge of eternity, weak in body and tempted in mind. At such times we magnify the blessed simplicity of the gospel. Jesus in the flesh made manifest becomes our soul's bread. Jesus bleeding on the cross, a substitute for sinners, is our soul's drink. This is the gospel for babes, and strong men want no more."

He is Risen!

2009-04-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

This Resurrection Day, we celebrate Jesus Christ's triumph over death:

John 20 (ESV)

20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.

4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,

7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' [1] head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;

9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

As we contemplate the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we should remember that His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection makes possible our salvation. As Paul writes:

I Corinthians 15 (ESV)

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If in Christ we have hope [2] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27 For “God [3] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD, you will also be resurrected to eternal life:

I Corinthians 15 (ESV)

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Amen and Hallelujah!

Is Jesus the only way to heaven?

2009-03-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

This question has been asked countless times and in countless ways over the past 2,000 years. To provide a credible answer, we need to look at what the Scriptures say.

The Testimony of Jesus Christ:

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14 is one of my favorite sections of the New Testament. It has provided, and still continues to provide, comfort and assurance to many Christians.

The words of our Lord are clear: He alone is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. No one can come to the Father except through Him. Earlier in the same Gospel, Jesus said: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

The Testimony of the Apostles

Acts 4

1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
5 ¶And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

According to Peter and his fellow apostles, Jesus was and is the only Savior of mankind. According to the authors of the New Testament, He is the Creator, Sustainer, Messiah, True Vine, Door, Good Shepherd, Prophet, Teacher, High Priest, Master, Son of Man, Son of God and the King of Kings and LORD of Lords.

The Final Verdict

In the centuries since the New Testament was written, thousands and perhaps millions of people have given their lives because they believe that Jesus alone is Savior and Lord. They were crucified, tortured, burned at the stake, fed to wild animals and killed by swords and bullets. Would you die for a lie?

To say Jesus was a great man and teacher is not enough. To say he was a great prophet is not enough. In the words of the late C. S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity:

"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us."

And in the the words of the “prince of preachers”, Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

“If Christ is not all to you He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Saviour of men. If He be something He must be everything, and if He be not everything He is nothing to you.”

The REAL Reason for the Season

2008-12-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas. What does it mean to you?

Santa Claus? Christmas trees? Mistletoe? Yule logs? Egg nog? Shopping? Presents?

All of these things obsure the REAL reason for the season--The birth of the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world:

Isaiah 7

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Although many of the contemporary images of Christmas have their origins in the winter solstice festivals of Rome, Scandanavia and Germanic nations and Jesus was most probably not born in December, this is the time when many of the churches of the world choose to celebrate His incarnation.

Luke 1

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 2

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Although many of the contemporary images of Christmas have their origins in the winter solstice festivals of Rome, Scandanavia and Germanic nations and Jesus was most probably not born in December, this is the time when many of the churches of the world choose to celebrate His incarnation.

Despite all of that, we should not let all of our traditions overshadow the miracle that was the birth of Jesus Christ which can be summarized in a single scripture:

John 3

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.