When Was CHRIST Born?

 When Was CHRIST Born?

No living human knows when CHRIST was born.

So since GOD did not save the date for us to celebrate, why do we?

I’m not saying it is bad or wrong to celebrate CHRIST’s birth.

CHRIST’s birth was the second step of GOD’s plan of salvation for humanity.

The first was that He ordained that CHRIST would be crucified as The Lamb of GOD for the sins of the world before He created the world. (StudyJohn 1:1-4, 3:15-21; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8)

The final step was CHRIST’s crucifixion and resurrection; the process completed CHRIST returned to Heaven.

We celebrate CHRIST’s birth, death and resurrection which is our salvation!

They should be celebrated together! When we celebrate one event we should give the same emphasis to the other events.

Joining in the world’s celebration of CHRIST’s birth (CHRIST’smas) and His resurrection (Easter) is not wrong as long as we emphasize CHRIST over what the world is celebrating. At least at Easter we emphasize His crucifixion as much as His Resurrection.

CHRIST’smas and Easter are not about an overweight man who never dies, travels the  whole earth in one night on a snow sleigh pulled by reindeer; or a rabbit that lays hardboiled chicken eggs and candies.

They are about GOD in the flesh (Son of GOD and Son of Man) who lived a sinless life so He could be crucified for our sins, then raised from the dead to give us eternal life, and now seated at GOD The Father’s right hand waiting for The Church - His Body in the earth to make disciples of the nations.

This is what we should be celebrating! Merry CHRIST’smas!

CHRIST'mas Eve 2023

CHRIST’mas Eve 2023

Happy Sunday - CHRIST’mas Eve!

Today we panic because we are not ready for CHRIST’mas or we relax and enjoy the day before CHRIST’mas.

But let us who call on the Name of JESUS remember that CHRIST’mas is about GOD’s Love for us.

In the final preparations let us not forget Who CHRIST’mas is about and why the whole world celebrates it, even if they do not know.

JESUS CHRIST - The Son of GOD - Savior of humanity.

Isaiah 26:7-11

 Isaiah 26:7-11

Believers See GOD (7-9)

“The way of the righteous is straight. Upright One, You make straight the path of the righteous. Yes, in the Way of Your Judgments, LORD, we have waited for You. Your Name and Your Remembrance is the desire of our soul. My soul longs for You at night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You. For when Your Judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn Righteousness.”

Unbelievers Do Not See GOD (10-11)

“Though Grace is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness. Even in a land of uprightness he will act wrongly, not perceiving the Majesty of The LORD. LORD Your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see it; they will see Your Zeal for the people and be put to shame. Yes, fire will devour Your enemies.”

Isaiah 17:7-9

 Isaiah 17:7-9

“In that Day a man will look to his Maker and his eyes will turn to The Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, nor will he look to what his fingers have made - neither the asherah poles nor the sun-images. In that day the strong cities will be like forsaken forests and treetops that were abandoned, because of The Children of Israel - they will be laid waste.”

In context this passage is part of a prophecy about Damascus, but when I see “in that day” I always think of That Day, the day JESUS returns to begin His millennial reign over the nations.

In that sense this is a true statement about That Day! On That Day many things are going to happen and all the earth will see them as they happen, there will be no darkness anywhere, everyone will see these events in real time.

JESUS' Messages

https://youtu.be/XXswx37b2Mo?si=khLlfkBYkE7KHibX 

JESUS’ Messages:

Love:

GOD - “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD, The LORD is One! You shall Love The LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these Words which I command you today shall be  in your heart” Deuteronomy 6:4-6

“JESUS answered him, ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD, The LORD is One! And you shall Love The LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the First Commandment.’” Mark 12:29-30 (Study Matthew 22:37-38; Luke 10:27)

Neighbor - “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall Love your neighbor as yourself: I Am The LORD.” Leviticus 19:18

“And the second is like it: ‘You shall Love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all The Law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:39-40 (Study  Proverbs 14:20-21; Mark 12:31)

Brethren - “A new Commandment I give to you, that you Love one another; as I have Loved you, that you also Love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have Love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (Study Ephesians 4:25-32; 1 Peter 3:8-12)

Enemies - “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall Love your neighbor and hate your enemy (Deuteronomy 23:3-8).’ But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-44 (Study Psalm 35:11-14; Matthew 5:10-12)

Serve:

GOD - “For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My Own Will, but The Will of Him Who sent Me.” John 6:38 (Study Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46)

“If anyone Serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I Am, there My Servant will be also. If anyone Serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:26

Each other - “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as The Son of Man did not come to be Served, but to Serve, and to give His Life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:27-28 (Study Matthew 20:20-28; Luke 12:35-48, 22:24-30; John 13:1-17)

Watch:

Be ready - “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which The Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:13 (Study Matthew 24:36-44, 25:1-13)

“Behold, I Am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who Watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15

SEEK

https://youtu.be/PATm0YYIwpo?si=4RBiTOZBPijYyr7n

SEEK!

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray and SEEK My face, and will turn from their wicked way, THEN I Will Hear from Heaven, and Will Forgive their sin and Heal their land”

Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are those who Keep His Testimonies, who SEEK Him with the whole heart!”

Isaiah 55:6 “SEEK The LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”

Matthew 6:33 “But you SEEK first The Kingdom of GOD and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.”

Colossians 3:1 “If you then were raised with CHRIST, SEEK those things which are above, where CHRIST is sitting at the right hand of GOD.”

What do these Scriptures have in common besides the command to seek GOD?

They are all written to believers, Jews and Christians, not to the lost.

In the beginning everyone knew Who GOD was, after the flood everyone knew Who GOD was. GOD called the Children of Jacob to become a nation dedicated to Him so that those who did not know Him could see and know Him (but they failed for the most part). Now it is the Christians who are called to reveal GOD and His Salvation through JESUS The CHRIST to those who do not know Him.

If Christians are not SEEKING GOD then the lost will rarely find GOD, only those who truly seek the truth (which GOD is) and those who are desperate and in their despair call out to GOD.

That is why JESUS said we are a city on a hill, to light (Matthew 5:13-16, John 8:12) the way (Matthew 7:13-14, John 1:6) to Salvation (John 3:16-17).

If you are not SEEKING GOD and are not doing His Will, you may not be saved (Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 9:60-62)!

Nehemiah 8:8-12

https://youtu.be/maxLHLidgi8?si=rxqB3Sfc2axUyYUg 

Nehemiah 8:8-12

“So they read distinctly from The Book, The Law of GOD; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the Priest and Scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to The LORD your GOD; do not mourn nor weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the Words of The Law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the Joy of The LORD is your strength.’ So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, ‘Be still for the day is holy, do not be grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the Words that were declared to them.”

Two things come to mind from this passage: 

First, it is the leader’s responsibility to teach the people what GOD’s Word says and means. It says in verse 8 that they read distinctly from The Book.

They did not pick and choose portions of The Scriptures, they read the context of The Scriptures. Plus they explained what The Scriptures meant to the people for their daily lives. They did not leave the people having to figure out what the Law was saying and how they should live their life.

It says in verse 3 that Ezra read from first light to mid-day, about 6 hours and the people stood and listened and verses 4-7 says that the leaders taught the meaning of The Scriptures to the people.

In verse 6 the worship was short and humble!

Second the Word of GOD causes us to repent of our sin and to love our brothers and brings us joy no matter our situation.

Verse 9 says the people wept when they heard The Words of The Law; they were convicted of their sin when they heard The Law and the priests taught them repentance so that they could live in joy not despair because of The Law.

Verse 12 says they continued the day in joyful fellowship with one another.

Oswald Chambers said of this passage; “Whether or not you are exhausted will depend upon where you get your supplies. Be exhausted for GOD, but remember that your supply comes from Him.”

Study the whole chapter: verses 1-3 is what happened; verses 4-7 is how it happened and verses 8-12 is the result.

Remember today we have Salvation through JESUS CHRIST, we have The SPIRIT of GOD living in us and we have the complete Word of GOD. Why can we not spend one day a week in worship of GOD, the study of His Word and fellowship with one another? Or at least one day a month? We rush through everything in 2 hours or less, why? We have multiple services so they are short, why not have a day long service where worship, teaching, ministry and fellowship just keep happening? Why do we have multiple services happening via video at several locations, did the pastor not disciple and raise up pastors for the other locations? It is not church planting if you control everything from your base and do not release those you have discipled to do what GOD has called them to do!