Jesus - The true gift of Christmas

MCF Life Church - Christmas Message 2017

It is a sad reflection of how society has made celebrating Christmas, anything other that what it really is. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the greatest gift you could ever receive and it's absolutely free to every one of us.

Source: Freedomborn's Christmas Blessings

As Christmas draws ever closer it reminds me of when I was a child and how excited I would get at the thought of Santa leaving me presents to open on Christmas morning. As with most children once 4am came along my siblings and I were up and out of bed, tearing through our stockings which were hanging on the end of our beds. I always used to wonder how Santa did that without me hearing him? The other thing I could never work out was why every year he would put a piece of coal at the bottom of my stocking and what on earth he expected me to do with it! I didn't mind the shiny sixpence though! (Just under 3p for those born after decimalisation). Then at 4.01am we would try to sneak past our parents room to get to the Christmas tree and all the presents without waking them up, something that we never managed to do however quiet we were. It wasn't until we had our own children, that we realised that our parents had only just gone to bed and hadn't actually managed to go to sleep, before we emerged trying to stealthily shoot past their bedroom door. It certainly explained why they would quickly fall asleep while we were watching the re-run of either 'Mary Poppins' or 'Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang', shortly after eating our Christmas dinner. These days it is films such as 'Home Alone' 1, 2 and 3 instead.

It now gives me as much excitement and pleasure to watch our grandchildren going through exactly the same anticipation and excitement (minus the piece of coal and shiny sixpence of course), at this time of year, as I did when I was a child. I also have the immense privilege of being able to contrast all the glitter and commercialism that bombards the youth of today, by telling my grandchildren the truth about Christmas and why it's so special. Each year my wife and I take part in 'Journey to the stable' which is the nativity story brought to life at the beginning of December at 'Southfields Farm' in Coleshill where local schools bring classrooms of children to see the story acted out by real people and real animals. This is an absolute joy as I get to see the look of amazement and wonder on the faces of the children when they not only see the people and animals but a real baby in the arms of Mary. (We've been blessed over the last few years with a child being born just before Christmas and the mom agreeing to play Mary in the stable with her child). We've heard a lot of the children when they see the baby say in amazement, ‘Look it's a real baby'!

Source: Google Plus

What do you look forward to at this time of year? So many people get caught up with wondering what to buy people for Christmas and hate the thought of pushing through the crowds at the shops as it all becomes so stressful and completely unenjoyable that they can't wait for Christmas to be over. It is a sad reflection of how society has made celebrating Christmas, anything other that what it really is. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the greatest gift you could ever receive and it's absolutely free to every one of us. Jesus has already paid the price for you to receive this gift which is Eternal Life, and along with it, to know His peace in your hearts, even through the greatest trials and tribulations in your life. So why not let the stress that society would put on you go, and accept and celebrate Jesus this Christmas. The clue is in the Name...CHRISTmas.

This is the truth of Christmas: 

Isaiah 9:6 ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ 

Luke 2:21 ‘On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived’

Have a blessed Christmas and New Year.

Author: Kevin Hunt 

May God bless and enrich your life      
   
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