Source: (http://family.webshots.com/)
The Real Meaning Of Christmas
By Martha Noebel
CBN.com - - It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas?
For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmastime when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.
Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.
Luke 2: 4-19 says:
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins.
Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.
"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." I John 1:9
We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day.
Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met.
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice!
Source: (Thank you and credits to http://www.cbn.com/)
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The real meaning of Christmas
Written by Mark Smith, Mukilteo Presbyterian
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 16:41
One Christmas season two ladies stopped in front of a shop window on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The window dresser had fixed up a nice little nativity scene in the midst of the merchandise and one of the women said to another, “What do you know about that? Even the church is trying to horn in on Christmas!”
Though folks may tend to forget, Christmas is very much a Christian holy day. It is more than a general celebration of the spirit of giving and a season of good cheer. It is more than the laughter of little children and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
For Christians, Christmas goes much deeper than that. For believers, the real meaning of Christmas is stated by the gospel writer John: #“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” #[John 1:14].
This is what Christians call the “incarnation” – God come in the flesh. It is a startling claim: we believe that God became a human being. The Eternal, Timeless One entered into space and time, bringing light and life to all.
The real meaning of Christmas is that in Jesus, God came near to us.
12- year-old boy was sent by his foreign missionary parents to school in the United States. His parents, who were ministering in Africa, wanted to provide their son with every opportunity to have a good education and were willing to endure family separation in order to do what they thought was best for him.
So when Christmas came, the parents were in Africa and their son was in school in the United States. Most of the boy's classmates at the boarding school went home for the holidays, but there was no way that he could go home. It was too far and too costly.
As he sat in his room, lonely, his housemother happened to walk by. She noticed his loneliness and tried to show him some kindness. She sat down with him on his bed and spoke to him about general things.
Then she asked him what he wanted for Christmas. She expected to hear the usual list of things like toys and clothes and money. But the boy surprised her. He stepped over to his dresser, took a picture of his parents into his hands and softly said, "I wish my mom and Dad could step out of this picture and be here with me right now; that's what I want for Christmas."
The two cried together.
Here is the story that Christians tell about Christmas: for centuries people wished God would step out from the heavens and would come down and be with them. They longed for God to be close to them.
Of course, God was always near, but it was hard for people to grasp that fact, speaking as God did from burning bushes and lofty mountain peaks. God seemed so far off and removed. People longed for God to come to them in a way they could see and touch and feel.
Christians believe that God did just that: in Jesus, God came near. God became touchable in the baby born in Bethlehem. That first Christmas, God communicated his love in such a way that we could see it and grasp it. And we believe he is with us still, showering us with love and grace.
That’s why Christians pull out all the stops to celebrate Jesus’ birth. The real meaning of Christmas is that we are not orphans in this universe. Jesus is “Emmanuel” – which means, God with us.
Source: (Thank you and credits to http://www.mukilteobeacon.com)
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What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Question: "What is the true meaning of Christmas?"
Answer: The true meaning of Christmas is love.John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.
The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8). Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.
The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Source: (Thank you and credits to http://www.gotquestions.org)
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Question: "Should we give gifts at Christmas?"
Answer: Many people take the idea of gift giving at Christmas back to the scripture in Matthew 2:10-11 which talks about the Magi (wise men) giving gifts to Jesus at his home: "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."
The Bible gives a wonderful story about the gift God gave us—Jesus Christ—and we can use it as an opportunity to present the gospel and to show love. Giving and receiving gifts can be part of fulfilling what Paul says about giving in 2 Corinthians 8:7-8, "But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others." Paul was talking to the churches who were giving him gifts (financial) so that he could keep on in the ministry. We can apply this same lesson to our own lives by giving to others, not just at Christmas, but year round!
So, can gift giving become the focus of Christmas instead of thanking the Lord for the gift of His Son (John 3:16)? Absolutely! Does giving gifts have to take away from the true meaning of Christmas? No, it does not. If we focus on the wonderful gift of salvation the Lord has given us (Isaiah 9:6), giving to others is a natural expression of that gratitude. The key is our focus. Is your focus on the gift, or on the ultimate gift-giver, our gracious Heavenly Father? "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." (James 1:17).
Source: (Thank you and credits to http://www.gotquestions.org/)
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