Why We'll Always Celebrate Christmas!
The Spirit of Christmas
Thursday, December 25, 2003
My Prayer Today
Dear Jesus, Thank you for coming into my world and loving me. I could not really love, if you did not love me first. It would have been special to get a chance to hold you on that Christmas night, but I thank you that you are holding me every day. I cannot see your arms of love, but I know they are there. I just want to tell you that I love you and I am so glad that you saved me from my mess and my sin. I don't deserve your love, but you gave it anyway. I want to live my life in a way that pleases you. Forgive my sins and my failures. I want to worship you through my actions as well as your words. You are the greatest gift I have ever received. Today, may your Spirit overshadow me and those I am with. May your peace be with me this day. In Your Name I pray, Amen.
Bible Verses
Luke 2:8-20
8 "That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God: 14 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.' 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, 'Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to thema bout this child. 18 All who heart the shepherd's story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said."
Questions for Reflection
When the shepherds ran to the village, who did they find there (verse 16)? Was it exactly as the angel told them?
Where was this manger (feeding trough)? Why was Jesus placed in the manger (see verse 7)?
What do you think the shepherds thought of this baby when they first saw Him, after they heard the angels sing about Him?
Questions for Exploration
Although the shepherds knew that a Savior, the Messiah, was born in Bethlehem and to be found in the manger, do you think they knew exactly what was to be required of this Savior?
As a descendant of David, do you think that the shepherds thought that this child would be a political king and have a mighty kingdom established in Israel? Do you think they pondered how He was to be the Messiah? (Note: even the disciples were a bit confused).
It is likely that the shepherds did not have too far to go, to run to Bethlehem -- for they were outside the village (verse 8) and ran to the village (verse 16). Can you find a map of Israel and locate Bethlehem on it? (Your Bible may have a few maps in the back?)
Questions for Understanding
If you were a shepherd who witnessed the angel's message and then you came to the stable that Jesus was born in, what would you do or say when you got there?
Would you run, like the shepherds, to find the stable? How long would you stay?
What would it be like to hear the Son of God cry as a little infant? How would looking at this baby be different than looking at any other baby (like you would in the nursery for newborn's at the hospital)? How would you feel?
What would you tell Mary and Joseph? What did the shepherds tell them (verses 17-18)?
Questions for Application
As you celebrate Jesus' birthday today, what can you do to tell others about "this baby, lying in the manger?" Is there someone in your life today, that does not know Jesus as his/her personal Savior? What can you do this day to introduce them to Jesus, in a way that they can be receptive to?
The Spirit of Christmas is love, because the One in the manger is the embodiment of God's love for us. Because Jesus was born because of God's love, what is one way you can show love to someone today that is giving you a difficult time?
If you could have held baby Jesus in your arms on that Christmas night, what would you have said? What would happen if you said those things to Jesus right now?
Thoughts and Reflections
For many children, Christmas morning is the time when they "cannot wait for." They have waited so long (it seems) for a particular gift, and on this morning they come to see whether or not they have received that gift. In all of history, I am sure that the birth of His Son Jesus was probably something God really looked forward to. God the Father's only Son would step out of eternity and come into time, into a small town called Bethlehem, through the womb of the virgin Mary. God had that date marked on His calender long before it ever happend! Before Mary ever conceived, God knew this would be the miracle that would change all of history. Jesus, God's own Son, chose to come in the flesh as a baby and live on earth to identify with humanity and to save them from their sins. If Jesus would not have done this, in no way could humanity be reconciled to a right relationship with God. All of history and humanity therefore is dependant on Christmas -- the coming of Christ to this world. Jesus came to go to the cross and to be the sacrifice for us, but this would not have happened without His coming in the flesh at Christmas. Jesus, who existed from the beginning, humbled himself to become a man and take on all of the pain and suffering that any human being would have to endure. Yet He lived a life without any sin, and He was victorious in every way. And because He was victorious, we can now also have the victory through Him! I could only imagine what it would be like to be a shepherd on that glorious evening. To see the angels, to run to Bethlehem, and to see the baby in a barn. But this wasn't just any baby, it was the God of the Universe in human form. I would wonder what it would feel like to be there and to actually get a chance to take baby Jesus in my arms and hold Him. Ironically, He is the one who is actually holding me. But to cuddle him, rock him, and to tell him that I love him. What a special moment that would be. But sometimes I get the sense that we get to do that everyday. No we physically don't hold Jesus in our arms as they once did, but we still get the chance to tell him that we love him and that we can thank him for coming to where we are, so that we could go to be where he is now -- in heaven. What would happen if we took fifteen today and just celebrated the birth of Jesus by worshipping him by ourselves, or with those that are around us, and tell him the things that we would tell him if we were there to hold him at the stable on that Christmas night? And what would happend if we took some time today to equally listen to Him and hear what He is saying about us as He holds us in His mighty arms? The Spirit of Christmas is love, not because we loved Him first, but because He loved us from the beginning. We simply respond to Him. What a wonderful Savior that would love a sinner such as me!
To view other studies from the Why We Celebrate Christmas series, click here.