The Spirit of Christmas Revealed
I used to be ignorant of God’s love for me. I celebrated Christmas with songs, lights, a tree, and a nativity. Gifts were given and received as a token of the season and December 26th was just another day. One year I found that this babe in a manger gave his life, taking the judgment I deserved upon himself, so that I might be set free from the penalty of my sins. This tender child grew to be a man who lived a sinless life and taught those who followed him to love deeply and sacrificially. Before his death he told his disciples, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” My life changed when I read this. I realized that the very Bible I was reading was an expression of love for me. God desires to make himself known to us so that we might turn to him in faith and live.
The Spirit of Christmas Received
My focus completely changed when I became aware of God’s desire to make himself known. I wanted to know this mysterious God who had given so much for my sake. I questioned whether or not this was real. Is this some fantastic concept fabricated to herd us into conformity to some moral code? I found that the purpose of the moral code is to show us how short we fall from being able to meet the perfect standard we were meant to meet. The Bible teaches that we were originally meant to bear the image of a holy, pure, and loving God. The Law of God showed me how often I failed at being like him. The love of God made me want to be like him. I found the love of God was expressed through the salvation he offered freely, by grace we are saved through faith, not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Nothing I could produce as an exercise of skill or sacrifice could earn favor with God. God gave mankind Jesus Christ as a gift so we could trust and depend on him for our healing and salvation.
The Spirit of Christmas Lived
The truth of who Jesus Christ is became even more real to me after I received the free gift of eternal life. I saw him as the one who defeated sin. My desires and ambitions changed and I found I was more compelled to love Christ and his people than to indulge myself. I saw him as my eternal High Priest. Jesus was taking my offerings of love and devotion toward God and making them acceptable before a holy God. I saw him as the eternal prophet. Jesus spoke what the Father showed him from eternity past because the commandments of God are life. I saw him as my eternal king. Jesus Christ is the only one who sustains all things in the power of his word. He is the only one worthy to be honored through our obedience, praise, and love. Most importantly, I saw Jesus Christ as the eternal God. He is the beginning and end of all things. He is the same yesterday and today and forever. He is the God who made me to be his and wants me with him forever. How could I deny this great love that condescended divinity to infancy? I live the Spirit of Christmas every day I surrender myself to love God and others more than self. God has made this treasure available to all but effective only for those who believe. Those who believe will obey the call to turn from their sin and follow the Word who became flesh.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow him. Those who call upon the name of the Lord will not be ashamed. God will make all things right by establishing his throne and ruling in righteousness. He is making peace with those who unconditionally surrender to him. The result of choosing not to surrender to him is eternal exile from his presence and torment as a natural consequence of being separated from the one who is the life and light of men. God, in his love, wants to spare you from this.
Please believe in Him!
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