Christmas came because God loved us enough to send his only begotten son. God was incarnate in the flesh through a virgin named Mary for the purpose of saving souls and fulfilling the prophecies given as far back as Adam and Eve. A deliverer from sins would come. Jesus accomplished this through his advent, his life, his suffering and death, and his burial and resurrection. All of these are truths of Christmas complete in themselves. They help in every area of our lives. From a child to an adult, from the cross to the tomb, there is a lesson for every moment. The reality and seriousness of sin is evident and was proved by the coming of Jesus to destroy the works of the devil. We need to take it more seriously too; this lesson is for our soul. The need of our soul was met through the conception and birth of Jesus. A baby showed us the depth of God’s love. All these brought together stamp loud and clear that God loves us. The present of Christmas is signed with love by God Almighty. Amid all these are the practical lessons to be learned.
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Chapter 2: 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Groups of people not connected to each other came together at Jesus’ birth. All of them would learn a lesson as important as any lesson they, or we, could ever learn. It’s about resolve. Don’t give up; we never have to. Hang in there. Trust the Lord. God always comes through.
Each group was at the point of giving up. Resolve kept them going, and God came through. There are many pressures today. These are discouraging times. Have you been despondent? The devil would have us think that we might as well give up trusting the Lord, praying, and reading our Bible. The time in which Jesus was born was when the believing world had all but given up. It had been 400 years since there had been a word from God. The Lord used cruel Caesar Augustus to bring the plan together. He declared a census that required everyone to return to the town of their lineage to register for taxing. In those poor, tough times Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem so Jesus could be born there just as the prophets said. God didn’t come through in the nick of time; he’s always on time. Even though people give up, God doesn’t. All we have to do is keep on believing. God allows things to happen when they should.
Joseph was about to give up when the angel spoke to him. He resolved within himself to trust God and Mary. When the time came to go to Bethlehem, Mary may not have felt like going. They didn’t give up. God was working things out. All the rooms were taken. There were no hospitals. They were up against it until someone offered a stall in a barn. The Lord provided, and this was exactly where Jesus was supposed to be born.
The shepherds had one sign. The babe would be wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. There would have been a multitude of barns to check, and they may have been on the verge of giving up. They tried one more barn and found Jesus just as the angel described.
The wise men were discouraged by Herod. They had come so far only to meet someone like him. Before they could give up, they looked up and saw the star still shining. It moved and stopped right over the house where Jesus was. Did they give up? They found him and rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Simeon and Anna were at the temple waiting for the Messiah to come. They were old and almost out of time. One day they heard the cry of a baby and blessed God because they had not run out of time. They didn’t stop waiting. The Bible says they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
How could Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, and Simeon and Anna not give up? They knew God had not given up. The promises were yet to be fulfilled, and they were when they were supposed to be and exactly how God wanted them to be.
The devil tried to mess it all up. Men rejected God down through history. Look how many in the genealogy of Jesus messed up. God didn’t write David off. He didn’t write Judah or Rahab off. We’re involved in God’s plan as they were. He won’t give up on us either. The least we can do is not give up on him.
This teaches us that no matter how we’re hindered, how long we have to wait, or how fruitless the wait seems to be that we never have reason to give up. Look and listen to what the people of Christmas have to say. They tell us not to give up. Keep going. Keep waiting on the Lord.
Resolve to do it.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 