Jesus is Alive today!

 

 

Today Pastor Allan began by reminding us that many are out there are trying to fill a void with their parties and when the buzz is gone, and the toys are broken, the void is still there.  I write here a digested post on his message.

 

Pastor Allan invited the children to come up front and sit on the floor, as he gave each one a small candy cane.  He wanted them to learn how the candy cane could be a witness tool.

 

Look at the Candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me
White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure!
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!
Turn it around
And a staff you will see

                     Jesus my shepherd
                      Was born for Me!

 

Pastor said Christmas is not all about getting presents, although I like presents and certainly am not against them.  Perhaps we should show our love by giving presents all during the year when we see something we think someone would like. 

 

We get so caught up in the tinsel we must remind our-selves the real reason for the season.  We celebrate the birthday of the King. 

 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

 

No man has ever seen God, but God chose a young maiden to become the mother of the Baby Jesus.  And God became flesh to dwell among us, to experience life, temptation, hunger, betrayal and pain yet He never sinned.

 

The Angel Gabriel came to Mary and she was terrified.  Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest."

 

This puzzled Mary for she was not married and was only engaged.  She said, “How can this be?”

 

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

 

Mary knew that saying yes could bring a lot of problems, but she replied to the angel.

“Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

 

Religion sometimes says that some things just don’t make sense when reading the Bible.

 

If God is giving us a command we should obey and not question God.

 

It didn’t make sense to Joseph her intended husband and he was about to put her away, but instead an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him to protect her as this was all part of God’s plan to provide a Savior for the World.

 

So it came to pass they had to go to Bethlehem to be taxed but there was no room at the inn.  Finally the inn keeper took pity on them and offered the stable where the sheep were kept, and that night the child was born.  Mary wrapped the babe in a blanket and laid him in a manger.

Some shepherds on the hill side were watching their sheep when behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Friends this is the real story of Christmas, and Jesus grew in stature and in favor with both God and man.  Although much later, cruel men crucified him, but he rose from the dead victorious showing himself to many who were witness of his resurrection.  He is alive today and prays for us.