Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.
- Luke 2:10-11
Two thousand years ago in the city of Bethlehem an angel exploded with joy announcing the good news. What was so joyful about those tidings? The angel was talking to the Hebrew people who had been living under the Law. They struggled all their lives to be righteous. They lived in bondage to the Law trying to please and satisfy God. But they could not. They had no peace. They were also tormented under the slavery of the Roman Empire. The only thing that sustained them in those days were the prophetic words spoken by the prophets. (Isa 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 Im-man’u-el”.(God with us) (Isa. 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.”
Everyone believed that the God of Gods would come to this earth as a Son and a Saviour and they waited for Him. That was why when He was incarnate on this earth, the angel appeared and announced to the shepherds. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord and the Son. He is a Saviour not only to you but to the world. This is the good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. “Peace on earth, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
The angel was saying to them, “The one who makes peace is in the earth! The Anointed one is here.” That was the best thing those people could ever hear.
The Word -Jesus (John 1:1, 14) that brought life to Adam had come again as a Way for us to have eternal life.. Heaven and Earth connected again, the bridge for our salvation was built – the separation that had existed since Adam chose to disobey God was over. Jesus is born. It was love toward us that motivated this awesome act of God becoming man (Phil 2:8). We have been given the Saviour. The Anointed one and His Anointing. He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). He has taken our sins and sickness upon Himself (1 Peter 2:24, Isa. 53:5) setting us free from the curse, being made a curse for us so that the blessing of Abraham might come on us and we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Gal 3:13, 14). He has given us victory over death and his peace (John 14:27) and to those who receive Him as their personal Saviour He gave them power to become sons of God (John 1:12)
Because of that today as believers we can have all our needs met. Every need in our spirit, our soul and in our body. Our spiritual social and mental needs and our physical and health needs.
The greatest gift of all is the gift of Jesus Christ to us from God the Father “.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.”(John 3:16)
The true story of St.Nicholas (Santa Claus) is a beautiful picture of the giving that Christmas is all about. St. Nicholas should be an inspiration to us all. He was a godly man full of Christian beliefs and values. He was born in AD 280. He was raised by godly parents and taught devotion to God and to be generous. He was ordained a priest. He was known for helping the poor, for praying and standing steadfast in faith and goodness. He had a reputation for giving to people in need.
He was not a jolly, fat man who climbed down chimneys and he did not have flying reindeer. Much of what St. Nicholas and what Santa Claus has become, has been distorted.
Many are carried away by the mythical Santa Claus receiving gifts and having fun on Christmas that they completely forget the true meaning of Christmas.
The birth of Jesus Christ is the true meaning of Christmas. Christ mass means “anointing celebration”. It is the celebration of “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power”. It’s the celebration of how the anointed Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil”.(Acts 10:38). Jesus is our hope, our redemption and victory. He is our advocate with the Father our blood covenant friend who will never leave us nor forsake us. He is our righteousness. In Him we have the joy of living a heavenly life on earth. The bridge between heaven and earth has been built. Christmas is the story of the birth of our triumphant Saviour, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. The Son of God, He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (Heb 1:3). He is the heavenly Father to all the people of the world. That is why the whole world celebrates His birthday as Christmas.
Let us spread the good news of Christmas and pray that many accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour thereby experiencing the true happiness of Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas is experienced in a person when he repents and asks for forgiveness which only Jesus can give, receiving Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour and being born again anew into the Kingdom of God, as a son of God.
