Lark Murry

Christmas
Bible Text: Luke 2:8ff (ESV)
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their
flock by night. 9 And an
angel of the Lord
appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they
were filled with great
fear. 10 And the angel
said to them, “Fear not,
for behold, I bring you
good news of great joy
that will be for all the
people. 11 For unto you
is born this day in the
city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be a sign
for you: you will find a
baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 z “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made
known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying
in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them
concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19
But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told
them.

Let me began with questions hoping that these would really help us to
understand better.

a. What Christmas mean to you?

b. Why do you celebrate Christmas?
c. What would you give him?
d. How much you can give to Him?
e. What comes to your mind when Christmas comes?
f. What matters the most?
g. What is your expectation in this Christmas?

Short Story

Long time ago there was a little village on top of the hill. People out there were
living without electricity; because they were living far from developed area.
They lived their lives in such an awful situation. Since there was no proper
communication, they lived without light for such a long periods. The societies
and people didn’t notice that there’s a village on the hill. Still then, they too had
a hoped that electricity would be brought in their village and were waited and
waited for that happy era. However, after living such a long period the right
time came for them. When the right time arrived, the Govt. brought electricity
to that village and they were all excited and yelled with their lot voices, because
they have seen light that had never before. Only after the light had been brought
to that village, people from far could see and realized that there was a village on
the hill. The light gave light and shines at night, and the village looked beautiful
even at night.
The coming of the Messiah had been prophesied from the very beginning that
would be a time of freedom for the sinners. When we read Isaiah 7:14 it
reminds us what the prophet Isaiah said “Therefore the Lord himself will give
you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel (God with us)”.

As the world was zealously waiting to see the fulfilment of God’s word, and
when God came down to our level at the perfect time, it was the angel of the
Lord who appeared to the shepherds while they were keeping watch over their
flock by night. They were felt with fear by seeing the glory of God. Fear not an
angel said! for behold I brought good news of great joy that will be for all the
people (Luke 2:10). The shepherds were so afraid for sudden bright light that
shone around them, because they were not expected that thing to be happened.

You can imagine how would be your reaction if something happen like that
suddenly. They were frighten but they were also felt with joy when they heard
that “a Saviour is born who is called Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). This is what
the angel told them that “the news of great joy” as the angel said to them they
were happy. Their hearts were felt with joy and peace when they believed of
what they heard from the angel. They received from their hearts and that why
they saw the babe who was lying in a manger “And this will be a sign for you: you
will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16-7).

The shepherds were poor people; people don’t notice them before they found
the joy and peace which Christ brought for us. But ever since they received the
Messiah with everything they had the peace of God was upon them and
glorified God “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
they had heard and seen, as it had been told them” (2:20).
So here the question is what Christmas mean to you? Christmas mean
Celebration! Wearing new cloths! Giving wonderful party! Receiving good gift
from loved once! No! Christmas has nothing to do with those things. Christmas
is not about fancy celebration. It is not about eating delicious food. It is not
about buying expensive cloths. Jesus didn’t come to give you worldly treasure
or stuffs to let you enjoy with the delicious foods. The coming of Jesus was not
to give you physical rest. His coming has nothing to do with the worldly stuffs,
enjoyment, merry and having fun with friends, fancy celebration, enjoying with
delicious foods that you can. God came down to give you His peace and life that
you may live.

He didn’t bring joy, hope, freedom, and peace for the physical, but He brought
life than celebration with the world. He came to give you inner peace, joy,
freedom from sins, new hope, eternal life, and to live in us “Emmanuel” (God
with us).

So what matters here? If you don’t know the different between and finding
difficult to notice what matters the most then, your celebration is in vain.

There is no joy or peace in his coming, if you are celebrating just with the
worldly stuffs, without giving your heart, without accepting Him from heart.
There’s no joy or peace for you. In a meanwhile, there’s joy and peace for you
too for his coming if you accept Him from your heart and let Him rule your
heart. The word of God says in gospel according to Matthew 5:8 “blessed are
the pure in heart they shall see God” heart is matter. Purity in heart and the
willing heart to receive Him matters the most. Not the celebrations of the event
or getting new stuffs.

If you let Jesus rule your heart then you will find what He brought for you,
because His name itself “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He brought peace, joy, freedom, so there’s
celebration. And once you found what He brought, there will be a meaning of
your celebration. You celebrate with what Jesus brought, and then the world
would see in you the real meaning of celebrating Christmas. Remember the
shepherds were poor people not recognized by the society, but they got what
Jesus brought because they believed and accepted with everything they had of
what they heard.

The shepherds had willing hearts to received Jesus and had crystal heart in the
eyes of God. So they found what Jesus brought and still in our scenario He
gives what He brought, peace and joy for those who received Him wholly. This
is the beauty of God. Only because of the light the small village was noticed
from afar, for the light shone even in the darkness. Jesus is the light of your life
“___I Am the light of the world” (John 9:5, 14:6) if you allow Jesus to rule your
heart then your celebration will have meaning. The villagers waited and waited
for the light to be come in their village and when they saw as they had been
longing for they were all excited because they got what they long for. Every
year we waited Christmas from the genesis of the year and Christmas comes.
Why do you wait Christmas? With what expectation you long Christmas? The
villagers got as they were expected “light”, as you celebrates do you get the
light (John 9:5)? Only the Light can shine in your life.

Don’t expect peace or joy for your journey or stay peacefully because Jesus
didn’t bring worldly joy or peace. However, He brought inner peace and life. So
if you receive Him with all your heart like the shepherds “you shall love your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt.
22:37) then you will get what He has brought. And if you receive what He
brought then celebration won’t be a problem for you, whether you have or not
(delicious feast, new clothes) because you will be still celebrating with Jesus.
But if you are still thinking that Christmas is just for celebration or happy
holiday then you will end up with nothing even if you celebrate with your best
things. The love of God will surprise you if you receive Him. He is going to do
great things for you and in you. So if you want to see what God brought for you
then make a room for the King and receive Him in your heart like the
shepherds.

God came from a far in search of your pure and willing heart that you may get
life “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his
glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John
1:14). Make a room in your heart for God. Let Jesus shine in you, that you may
see why God came down from heaven for you. He came into the world and we
have seen His light “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah
9:2).

Christmas is all about receiving Him wholly and allowing Him to rule our
hearts. It doesn’t matter whether we celebrate with fancy party or wearing new
clothes etc.. we still celebrate in Him if we receive Him and that’s matter a lot
than anything else. We still celebrate with and in Him, because He lives in us
and that’s what He came for. Only after you find the joy He brought and the
peace He gives, you will be able to celebrate cheerfully, meaningfully. Jesus
can give joy and peace for both inner and outside if you believe it. He is able.