Hello blessed ones, I hope you’re all fine by God’s grace.
Today’s the before last but one post of our Christmas series, and before we conclude (on Christmas Day), I think it would be useful to make a quick recap of all what we’ve learned about Jesus all through this series.
1. Christmas is all about Jesus
Luke 2:10-12, 14 NIV
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
At Christmas, we remember this good news that God sent the angels to announce to the young shepherds, the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Christmas isn’t about us (our own glory), our whims, our gifts, Santa Claus, money etc etc, Christmas is about Jesus. It’s because it’s about Jesus that we should give glory to Him. That’s why we sing Christmas carols in this season, because we should give glory to Him. He should be at the center of our Christmas celebration.
We discussed this in our post “On what basis?” which you can read here.
2. Christ Jesus won’t force us to accept Him
Revelation 3:20 NIV
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Though He is Sovereign, and Lord, He gives us free will. He came to save us, He wants to save us, but He won’t force us to believe in Him. If we accept Him He’ll come into our lives, and the miracle of Christmas will become real to us, Jesus’ birth in our hearts. However, if we don’t accept Him, He won’t force us.
That’s what we discussed in “It’s not by force”, which you can read here.
3. Christ is more than willing to heal us
Matthew 8:1-3 NLT
Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
We’ve all been sick, hurt or broken at a moment in our lives. In fact these words describe what some of us are going through right now. In our most difficult times we may doubt if God even cares and we may feel hesitant to ask Him because we think He may not be willing to help us out.
All through His life on earth He clearly showed us this: He loves us and He is more than willing to help us. That’s what He came for and that’s what we should remember in this Christmas season, He wants us well. Let’s not doubt, and let’s go before Him to ask for His Help whenever we need it.
To understand more on this topic, you can look at our previous post “Of Course He wants” which you can read here.
4. Christ selects what man rejects
John 5:5-9 NIV
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
There have been moments in our lives where we felt rejected, Unchosen and abandoned by men (human beings in general) but Jesus clearly made it known to us that He came for the
- Outcast/Rejected ones
- Brokenhearted
- Loners
- Abandoned
- Rejected ones
- Broken ones
- Lost ones
- Leftovers
- Unchosen ones
People may have rejected us, mocked us, isolated us, but God has selected us and loved us.
This we discussed in “Who did Jesus come for?”, you can take a look at it here.
5. Christ’s acceptance brings about deep and lasting changes in us
Luke 19:8-10 NIV
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
The fact that He loves us unconditionally and accepts us just as we are stirs repentance in us. Just like Zaccheaus, when we see all this grace reaching out to us, we want to become the best version of ourselves in The Lord, and we take real decisions to effect change, because you can’t encounter Jesus and remain the same.
A story which you can read in “Jesus stirs repentance in us” here to find out or recall what true repentance looks like.
6. Christ will always be available for you and me
Mark 10:46-47, 49, 51-52 NIV
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
We can never disturb Jesus with or issues. He won’t pass us by, He’ll always help us when we call onto His Name. He’ll always stop and take time for us, so long as we ask, believe and receive.
We discussed this in “Never too busy” which you can re-read here or read for the first time if you hadn’t read it yet.
7. Christ is our model of humility, obedience and submission to God
Philippians 2:5-11 NIV
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ showed us clearly even when it was painful, difficult, hurting, it was more important to choose to please God than to please oneself. That’s why, not only in this Christmas season, but for the rest of our lives, we ought to take Him a model and submit to God’s Will, not our will, not trying to boast but living humbly in His purpose for our lives.
You can find out “More about Jesus ” and His humility by reading here.
These being said, I hope the Christmas season has really served to help you know more about Jesus Christ and to strengthen your relationship with Him.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, I thank You so much for all you’ve taught me about Christ and Christmas in a nutshell. Please Lord Help me never forget that Christmas is about Jesus Christ, that You want to save me, heal me , help me, to be a central part of my life and I only have to believe for this to be possible. Thank You for choosing me when others rejected me, and for accepting me just as I am , help me to be transformed in Your image, teach me to submit to You and to be humble and obedient in all circumstances as Christ is, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
Thanks a lot for reading.
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Follow Mission for Jesus so as not to miss our next post, the final post of our Christmas series which will be published tomorrow God-willing.
Please Don’t miss out, I’ll have a gift for you 😉
Merry Christmas
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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