We’ve made it through another year, and we are about to celebrate something wonderful. It’s up to each one of us to decide what it is we celebrate.

Stores begin putting up Christmas decorations earlier and earlier each year. They celebrate the commercial aspect of Christmas. Then, the rush to Christmas begins. Christmas gift lists get longer as our family grows. What does Grandma want? Will little Billy like a toy car? Will Susan like the doll? There are so many decisions. There are parties to attend and some to host. Everything has to be just right. Holiday baking is in full swing, with Christmas cookies, fudge, and the aroma of gingerbread in the air. Then we have to wrap the gifts. That takes time, but they are all so pretty with ribbons and bows.

What will be on the menu for Christmas dinner? Will we have a Christmas ham or a turkey? Maybe a duck or a goose. Will we just mash the potatoes or make some special side dish? How many people will be around the table?

As Christmas approaches, we become less and less cheerful as the stress begins to drain us of energy. Maybe it’s time to sit back and evaluate what exactly we are celebrating. Christmas began with the birth of our Saviour, and it seems that in all the hustle and bustle, we forget that we celebrate His birthday. Christmas begins with Christ.

Let’s take a trip back in time and think about that first Christmas so long ago. Was it on December 25? Probably not. Was it stress-free? Absolutely not. Rome ruled over the Jewish people, and their rule and taxation were very oppressive. Prophecy said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel” (Micah 5:2-3).

Young women thought about giving birth to the Messiah, and I’m sure Mary was no different. She was from the lineage of King David through his son Nathan, but she lived in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. Mary was a virgin, but did the prophecy spoken by Isaiah that a virgin would give birth really mean a virgin, or did it mean just a young woman would give birth? Everybody knows virgins can’t get pregnant, so the prophecy had to be wrong, right? Mary knew that.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Mary was a young woman, probably in her early teens, but we really can’t be sure of her exact age. Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph, also from the lineage of King David but through the royal line of Solomon. Prophecy indicated that the Messiah would come through King David.

“Now therefore so shall thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.

“Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (2 Samuel 7:8-13).

That’s quite a promise God gave to King David. Not only does it confirm the Jewish claim to the land of Israel, but it also said David’s throne is eternal. These prophecies were in the process of being fulfilled, but like today, most people weren’t paying attention.

Mary and Joseph’s marriage hadn’t taken place, and Mary was a virgin, but she didn’t live in Bethlehem. It would be logical, according to man’s understanding, that Mary wasn’t the one to give birth to the Messiah. God certainly couldn’t mean what He said about a virgin birth. Or could He? Prophecy foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of a virgin, and He would bring salvation. Mary probably didn’t have any hopes of being the one chosen to give birth to the Messiah because she didn’t live in Bethlehem and would soon be married.

Signs of God moving in the lives of the people of Israel were being seen, but people just went about their daily lives. There had been a very strange event that happened to Mary’s elderly cousin Elisabeth. Elisabeth and her husband Zacharias hadn’t had any children. While Zacharias was performing his priestly duties of burning incense, he went into the temple of the Lord, and an astonishing thing happened.

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11).

Zacharias was afraid, but the angel, named Gabriel, told him that Elisabeth was going to give birth to a son and they should name him John. Miracles were happening, so sometime later, when that same angel paid Mary a visit, she wasn’t quite as surprised as Zacharias.

Mary was just living her life as she always had. Probably preparing herself for married life, dreaming of the day when her bridegroom, Joseph, would come to claim his bride. What a day that would be! Joseph had been preparing a place for them to live and preparing himself to be a husband to Mary and a father to all the children they would have together. A visit from Gabriel would change their plans and cause them to look to God for guidance.

“And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

That’s quite a greeting! Mary was surprised by what he said but listened to what he had to say.

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

Mary was a special young lady and didn’t hesitate. Her only question was about how it would happen because she wasn’t married. There would be no human man involved in this.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God…. For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:35 & 37).

That’s something to remember when we study prophecy. What’s impossible for humans isn’t impossible for God. When God says something will happen, it will happen just like He says.

Scripture doesn’t tell us everything that happened in Mary’s life, but we can imagine how her parents might have reacted. Unwed mothers weren’t accepted. Was she shunned by the people of Nazareth? Mary did leave to go visit Elisabeth and Zacharias, who were well aware of God’s miraculous works. Mary had the assurance that God was with her, but her life was drastically changed. Her story about the angel and that she hadn’t been with any man was hard to believe. Then there was Joseph’s reaction. She was going to have a baby that wasn’t his. He decided to quietly break their engagement. It wasn’t an easy decision.

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-22).

The events leading up to that first Christmas were quite upsetting. Things would get even more upsetting. Mary didn’t have a huge dinner planned, and there were no parties to attend, but she was carrying the most precious gift ever given: Jesus Christ, our Lord.

What about the prophecy of the Messiah being born in Bethlehem? All of these events took place in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. God can use non-believers to fulfill His prophecies. Israel was under the rule of Rome, and Caesar Augustus proclaimed that all the world should be taxed.

“And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child” (Luke 2:3-5).

What an ordeal that trip must have been. I’m sure Joseph felt very protective of Mary and the child she was carrying. People had come from far and wide to pay their taxes, so lodging was difficult to find. In fact, Joseph and Mary couldn’t find a room at the local inn.

“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7).

That’s when the visitors began to arrive. An angel made the most astounding announcement to some shepherds watching their flocks that night.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:8-14).

The shepherds did go and find the babe in the manger. And so, Christmas began. Christ was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, just as God had foretold! Because of Christ, the entire world has been blessed. He was called Emmanuel, which means God with us. His official name was Jesus, meaning “Jehovah is salvation.” He is the Christ, the “anointed,” the Messiah.

In modern times, we’ve turned Christmas into a very worldly celebration. This year, remember, Christmas begins with Christ.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

 

Christians are very blessed. We have so much to be thankful for. We may not have a lot of monetary wealth, or our health may be failing, but we have the promise of eternal life with Jesus. At this time of year, we should be more aware of that promise.

In the United States, we just took a day to give thanks. Did we give thanks, or did we just chow down on the feast? If we did give thanks, who did we thank? Did you thank God for providing the means for the feast, or was He never in your thoughts? Too often, we forget that without God, we would have nothing.

Even atheists benefit from God’s blessings. Jesus told us to be kind to all people “that ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). God loves everyone and blesses even those who deny Him.

One way to thank God is to reach out to other people. Christians are admonished to share what we have with fellow believers, but I’ve noticed that most Christians think that our giving is only to be given to the unsaved. That’s a very nice thing to do, but we’re told to share the Gospel with the unsaved, and we are to help fellow Christians in need. All too often, a Christian who is in great need is ignored. That’s a very sad situation.

The unsaved should be able to look at how the Christian community loves and cares for each other and see Christ living in us. Then, an unbeliever might start asking questions about why we care so much for brothers and sisters. Our love for Christ should urge us to be like Him. Too often, we get so busy in our own shopping, cooking, and celebrating that we forget that there are fellow Christians who are going through great sorrow, or are physically hampered and need brotherly love to help them.

Depression is a common problem at this time of year. If we live long enough, we will all face celebrating Christmas without someone we love. Depression is actually a very selfish thing. It’s all about “I.” I lost my spouse. I lost my child. I am lonely. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the feelings, but no amount of self-pity will bring that loved one back. It will only make you miserable and more depressed. Some people are too proud to admit they have a need, but if you hide your feelings, how can anybody know you need help?

Fellow Christians should be the first to help a brother or sister through the holidays and all throughout the year, but we are all just people and get tunnel vision when the holiday hustle and bustle comes along. If you’re one who is in need this time of year, or any time of year, look around you. There are plenty of people in your own congregation who just might be as lonely as you. Invite them to share time with you.

The early Christians had similar troubles, but these early believers took care of each other. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32).

Nobody went hungry because they shared what they had. As more and more people embraced Christ, the congregation in Jerusalem grew, and some believers were being neglected. “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration” (Acts 6:1). Seven men were chosen to oversee the way everyone was treated and be sure all were cared for.

Today, the church has willingly given the care of Christians to the government. This allows us to ignore the needs of our brothers and sisters. You might be surprised to find out that there’s a college student in the congregation who is far from home this Christmas. He or she misses Grandma’s special pumpkin pie or their mother’s special turkey dressing. Maybe they miss just talking with their grandparents, and the separation is weighing heavily upon them. Reach out to them. Maybe there’s a man who is facing the holidays without his wife for the first time in 50 years. Reach out to him and help ease his sorrow. If you reach out to others, you show Christian compassion.

If nobody reaches out to you, then you reach out to others. You be the one to offer a willing ear to listen to the college student or the widower. Don’t wait for someone to reach out to you. Doing for others is one way we show Christian love and also help ourselves. You can be sure that there are rest homes filled with lonely people who could use some cookies and a smile. Maybe someone who is bedridden would like you to read to them. Ask the pastor of your church if there is anyone in the congregation who may need some extra holiday love. Then invite them to go shopping or to join you in some other activity. It’s possible that you have a neighbor who might want a ride to church.

There are many ways of reaching out. You’ll find that reaching out to others is a cure for your own loneliness. It’s easy to come up with excuse after excuse as to why you can’t reach out. Too often, Christians leave it all up to others to help. They drop a little extra in the offering plate, hoping that the church will use that offering to help someone. Maybe you fill a shoebox with things to be sent to children in foreign lands, forgetting that there are children in your own congregation who might be in need.

I heard a story once about a congregation that decided to help a local family in need. One family scrimped and saved in order to be able to put as much in the special collection as possible. All the while, they thought of the needy family and how happy they would be with the gifts of food and gloves. Eventually, the day came when it was revealed who in the community would receive the offerings. As it turned out, the family who had sacrificed so much was the one chosen to receive. They didn’t even know they were needy but gave as much as possible.

Isn’t that a lesson to us all? If we don’t look to our own lack of resources but reach out to others, we are richly blessed. I know a lady who is such a blessing to others. She has two friends who are blind. She makes sure to check in on them and to help with whatever need they might have. That’s showing Christian love, and I admire her for all she does. She doesn’t brag about it, but I’m sure her giving ways have helped her through the loneliness after her husband died.

Too often, we tend to think we need to send money and buy things for unbelievers, but the example in scripture is to care for our brethren.

When Barnabas looked for Saul (later known as Paul) and found him in Tarsus, they traveled together to Antioch. While there, some prophets came from Jerusalem “and there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar” (Acts 11:28). Even though all people would be affected by this “dearth,” what did the disciples do? “Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea. Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:29-30).

Christians were taking care of Christians. Over the years, we seem to have forgotten we are to take care of each other. Agabus and his friends reached out for help, and help was given. Paul learned from this. There came a time of need in Jerusalem. Was it a famine? Maybe it was the fact that the church in Jerusalem had so many Christians they were caring for that they needed assistance in helping them. Whatever the problem, Paul knew that Christians needed help. He reached out to various congregations and asked for help. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

He didn’t take shoeboxes to children but took help to fellow Christians. Too often, Christians in our own congregations are overlooked when there’s a need. It’s easier to drop money into a red bucket while someone rings a bell or fill a shoebox than to invite a widower to dinner. Look around you and reach out to your fellow Christians.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do anything for non-believers. If sharing a meal in order to share the Gospel is what is required, then by all means, do it. But don’t forget to share the Gospel! Reach out to others in order to help them in times of need, but also, don’t be shy about reaching out to others and asking them to help you in your time of need.

No matter what, always reach out to Jesus and invite Him to be a part of your holiday celebration.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).