[sword-devel] Merry Christmas

[Don A. Elbourne Jr.]

I'd like to wish everyone on the Sword Dev Team a very Merry Christmas.



I love Christmas Eve. My mother, her six siblings, and all their families
meet together for a family reunion of sorts. The house is packed and full of
excitement as we enjoy a big pot of Gumbo, exchanging gifts, and a wonderful
time of family fellowship.  This year my mom asked me to bring a short
devotional to help focus us on the real meaning of Christmas.


In all our busyness sometimes we might be tempted to think that the
Christmas season is all about shopping, cooking, eating, decorating, and
finding that coveted parking spot at the mall. Of course we know that the
real meaning of Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. I hate to sound
like a Scrooge, but Jesus probably was not born on December 25. The Bible
doesn't tell us the date, but the gospel of Luke tells us that shepherds
were out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. Usually,
this is done in the spring and summer. During the winter months they would
have had the flock sheltered and the shepherds would have been indoors.
While the temperatures are rather mild in Israel, I checked weather.com this
morning (December, 24, 2003) and it will get down to 42 tonight - a little
chili to be sleeping out under the stars.

Whatever night He was born, the exact date isn't important. We celebrate the
fact that He was born. Traditionally we do that on December 25, and there is
nothing wrong with that. However, let's go a little deeper and ask the
question "Why?" The name "Emmanuel" means "God with us." The miracle of
Christmas is that God became flesh and dwelt among us. We celebrate the fact
Jesus was born, but why was he born? Was it simply that the creator wanted
to check out his creation first hand? Was it, like many believe, that Jesus
was sent just to give us an example of how to live? Or was there something
more to the babe in the manger? Who better to answer that question, but
Jesus Himself? I'd like us to briefly look at four bible passages, one from
each of the four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to see why Jesus
says He came to Earth.

Matthew 18:11
11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
(see also Luke 19:10)

Jesus said that he came to save that which was lost. What does He mean? What
has been lost? To answer that question we have to go all the way back to the
Garden of Eden, when the first human beings decided to break fellowship with
God by disobeying His direct command. We too have followed our ancestor's
lead with our own sin. The prophet Isaiah tells us that "All we like sheep
have gone astray, everyone has turned to his own way." ( Isaiah 53:6) The
apostle Paul reminds us that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God." (Romans 3:23) We have broken fellowship with God. We are alienated
from our creator. Our pride, selfishness, self-sufficiency, and sin
separates us from God. Because of our alienation, we are considered lost.
The good news of Christmas is that Jesus came to save that which was lost.


Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many."

Jesus came to serve. In other words, He came to provide a service. He came
to accomplish something on our behalf. He came with a purpose. What is that
purpose? He says "He came to give His life a ransom for many." When we chose
to turn our backs on God, in essence we sold ourselves into slavery to sin.
Jesus came to offer himself as ransom to redeem us back to Himself. He
accomplished this through His death on the cross. We can not fully
appreciate the son of Mary in a manger until we come to grips with the Son
of God on the cross.  Jesus came to offer Himself a ransom for many - to
save that which was lost.

Luke 5:31-32
31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners, to repentance."

My brother is a doctor. Its hard to treat someone who doesn't admit that
they are sick and need help. When we realize our lostness and that we have
contracted the sickness of sin, Jesus calls us to repentance. The word
repent means to turn around. Jesus came to save that which was lost, to
offer His life as a ransom, and to call us to repentance. Christ calls us
this Christmas to turn away from our selfishness, our self-sufficiency, our
pride, and our sin, toward faith in Jesus. He can be more than just a babe
in a manger. Turn to Christ as Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and King.


John 12:46
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should
not abide in darkness.

Jesus came to bring light into a darkened world. As we decorate our houses
and trees with lights, let us focus on the true Light who is Christ. As we
celebrate Christmas and the birth of Christ, lets not miss the reason why He
came. He came to give Himself a ransomed for many. He came to call sinners
to repentance. He came as light to drive away the darkness. He came to save
that which was lost. That is the real meaning of Christmas.

So even though we sing songs like:

You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

We know that the real meaning of Christmas is not wrapped up in the empty
expectation that Santa Clause is coming to town, but in the firm reality
that Jesus Christ came to town. A little town called Bethlehem roughly 2000
years ago. No matter what the temperature is outside this Christmas Eve may
the miracle of Bethlehem be manifest in our lives this night.


O Little Town of Bethlehem
Words by Phillips Brooks, 1867

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!



Pastor Don A. Elbourne Jr.
Lakeshore Baptist Church
http://lakeshorebaptist.net