What s so amazing about Christmas?

This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church by Colin D Cruz on 18th Dc 2011.

All over the world, millions of people are getting ready to celebrate Christmas.
Christians and non-Christians  alike are involved in the festivities.But just what is Christmas about?

• ·        For many people it is a time of exchanging gifts.
• ·        For others it is a time to indulge the sweet tooth.
• ·        For others it is delicious, rich food and late night parties.
• ·        For many specially children it is about the fat man wearing red that they look forward to.

What about you? What are you looking forward to?

This morning I’d like to help us understand the real meaning of Christmas so we can celebrate it meaningfully.

Christmas is about the birth of an amazing person – Jesus, the Son of God who was born in an amazing way, who lived an amazing life, who taught some amazing things, had an amazing death and makes us offers us an amazing gift.

It’s going to be an amazing message.

An Amazing Birth

Read Luke 2:4-6

·        His mother Mary was informed by an angel, that she was going to have a baby .

o   For the rest of us it may have been a doctor, or a lab technician or a sonography or a urine test.

o   Born a virgin (without a human father – by the power of God)

o   Luk 1:31 -33

o   A star shone over the place of his birth in Bethlehem.

o   Angels 3 times declared the news of his birth.

o   His birth was foretold, not 9 months but  hundreds of hears before he was born. The exact location, his ancestry etc, were foretold. Isa 7:14 The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel – God with us.

o   His birth divides history into BC – Before Christ and AD ...

But the most amazing thing about the Birth of Jesus us this – The God the creator of heaven and earth would decide to be born as a baby and to come to earth as a human being. The all powerful God became a helpless babe.

Why would he do that? We will find out in due course...

God communicated powerfully. He sent angels 3 times to announce the birth of his son.

An Amazing Life

·        He multiplied food.

·        He healed every sickness and disease – remarkable healings – opened blind eyes, causing the deaf and dumb to hear and to speak and enabling the paralysed to walk again.

·        He set free those tormented by evil spirits

·        And he brought back to life those who were dead!

·        He calmed the storm, he walked on water
He demonstrated power over the natural elements, power over health, power life and death.

·        He lived a sinless life.

Jn 8:46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?
Imagine if you or I stood up and asked our family and friends that question. (Today? Last 

week ? Last year? Can i email  you the file. Its pretty big. I hope you’ve got broad band)

Amazing Teaching

·        Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, forgive your enemies.
munna bhai laga raho – That’s not Ganghigiri but Jesus giri

·        The golden rule - Do unto other as you would want them to do to you.

·        The teachings of Jesus are read more, quoted more, loved more, believed more and translated more because they are the greatest words ever spoken.I am the way the truth and the life – no one comes to the father except through me!

If you have seen me you have seen the father!
Made exclusive claims to be from heaven and being one with God.

Amazing Death

·        Everything we know dies. (plants, flowers, puppies, people)

·        The tombs, graves and samadhis of kings politicians and religious men can be found in every country of the world – where their bones are buried or their ashes are stored

·        Jesus died and rose again. The grave could not hold him. He overcame man’s greatest enemy – death itself.

·        John 11:25 Jesus said “ I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”

·        Jesus died on the cross and on the third day he came alive. He offers us the same hope.

But why did Jesus die?

We all  a sense of justice. If your wallet was stolen or your house was robbed, how would you feel? And then if the thief was caught, would you not demand for justice – that the thief be punished

In the same way – we need to be punished for our sins. Somebody has to pay. God can’t just cancel that sin.

Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins.

 Amazing Gift

So why are we celebrating Jesus’ birth ? Jesus makes us an amazing offer . He offers us an amazing gift.

The message of Christmas is not presents under the tree. It is not peace on Earth (that will only come with the return of Christ). It is not brotherhood or even religion.

·        The truth of Christmas is that little baby in the manger came to save the world.

1.      Jesus makes you an amazing offer today. He gives us an amazing gifts – free!

2.      Forgiveness of sin – our guilt and punishment taken care off

3.      Being set free from the power of sin – are you fed up with you bad habits, sinful tendencies – Jesus can change your life

4.      Become part of God’s family

5.      Eternal life – We will live forever with God in heaven

6.      God will be with you forever – I will never leave you or forsake you

Would you like to receive this free gift? It’s am amazing offer. You can receive it.

John 3:16

All you have to do is admit – “I am a sinner” and nothing I do can make me right with a holy God. Quit truting in yourself and trust in Jesus – that he is truly God, who died for you sins, that there is no other way to receive forgiveness, and decide to follow him.

December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He totally missed the big news--man had flown! 

I want to plead with you today not to miss the wonder of the birth of Christ. Do not allow familiarity to rob you of the joys God has for you. He is worthy of your praise today. His birth is the greatest news in the world! Everything about His birth ends in the glory of God. Come today and catch a glimpse of that glory!

Colin D Cruz

18 Dec 2011