Merry Christmas!

I hope your day is full of joy, and as Bing Crosby sings, “May your days be merry and bright!”  

Today is the day we celebrate the gift of love God so generously sent to us! Jesus — the Son of God — clothed Himself in human form and was born to loving parents, Joseph and Mary! In this way, He earned a new title, Son of Man. The significance of being both the Son of God and the Son of Man would be revealed upon a cruel cross some 33 years later. In His deity, He was uniquely qualified to ransom us from the ruler of this world, and in His humanity, He could receive the punishment meant for all mankind! By His death, Jesus would earn a new title — Savior! Through this meritorious sacrifice, He frees those who believe in Him from the law of sin and death!

 With the same distinction, this Son of God and Man was resurrected from the dead! Death could not hold Him because He was full of the divinity of God (Spirit), and as a man, He was completely obedient to God’s commands — He lived a sinless life! Therefore, the Spirit of God raised Him from the dead and gave Him a glorified body that could never die again!  

The significance of Jesus’ resurrection for us is amazing! The Apostle Paul tells us that if we believe, we are not only purchased by God through Jesus’ blood and made clean, but we are a new creation, made alive by the divinity of the Holy Spirit who now dwells within us, imparting to us the righteousness of Christ! Additionally, we are adopted by God as His heirs. Now, like Jesus, we as Sons of Man, born of a woman, and Sons of God; born of the Spirit; though we die, will also be resurrected on that glorious day, when Jesus gathers His Church to Himself! We will also receive a new body that can never die, which allows us to live forever with God! As the Scripture says, “We will be like him!” (1 John 3:2)

 Until that day, we long for our salvation to be complete! We long for the time when we will forever be with our God. Our hearts cry in unison, Come quickly, Lord Jesus!  Our spirit, with His Spirit, says, Come!

 Just writing about the significance of who Jesus is and His birth, death, resurrection, and return brings me such great joy! My heart sings aloud as I give it a voice with the song, 

Joy to the World! The Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare him room and let heaven and nature sing! He rules the world with truth and grace, and every nation proves the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love!¹

So, may God fill you with the knowledge of His Son so that you may be full of Joy!  

Merry Christmas!

 Pastor Jim

1. Lyrics.com, STANDS4 LLC, 2020. “Joy to the World Lyrics.” Written by Isaac Watts. Accessed December 20, 2020. https://www.lyrics.com/sublyric/2555/Joy+to+the+World.