WHEN LOVE COMES DOWN
Christmas has become a conglomeration of many different things to many different people. Without saying what Christmas is not, or what it should be, let me simply offer what Christmas means to me.
About 2000 years ago, something happened that changed this world forever. The Son of God came to earth as a child, and grew up and lived among men. And his coming so changed this world, and the people in it, that we still celebrate it today, year by year. We celebrate because by his coming, his brutal death on a cross, and especially because of his glorious resurrection, mankind was released from the penalty of every wrong that has ever been committed!
The Bible, in Hebrews 2, says that Jesus tasted death for everyone. That is why he came. Yes, God sent his son to the earth so that “by his death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery to the fear of death.”
The people of this world fear death more than anything else, but when love came down from heaven to earth, in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, death was defeated, and mankind was set free!
Or should I say that mankind “is being” set free, at this very moment. Because the very moment you realize that God really does love you and you put your faith and hope in His Son, you will be free, and you are free – forever!
Jesus came with a very simple message. Repent and believe the gospel. If you will just turn from your sin and trust in Jesus, you are free. Yes, you are a sinner, and so am I. Don’t deny that, for anyone who denies he is a sinner, has denied that he is sick, and he cannot be healed. Yes, we are all sick, or were sick. For many, many have been healed. Many have been healed and fear death no longer. They are just waiting for the day when they will be with Jesus, and see Him face to face.
Are you free? You don’t have to be afraid. Jesus tasted death for all of us. It is a defeated foe. But he is no longer dead. He is in heaven with the Father, awaiting the day when we will be with him.
This world celebrates Christmas in so many ways, but this Christmas you can celebrate, maybe for the first time, with all your heart and soul, the coming of the Lord of glory and the Savior of all the earth.
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
“and you shall name Him Jesus , for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
