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Why I Love Christmas So Much

By Bruce Cannon

Mitchell CountyBruce Cannon Bear Creek Baptist Church Mitchell County NC

 

I love Christmas!  I love the general goodwill among people during this time of the year.  I love that families get together to share a meal, share gifts and show love to each other.  I love the sacred Christmas music that fills the sanctuaries around the world this time of the year.  I love the decorated trees, the manager displays and so much more.  Imagine: we do all of this because of a Baby born 2000 years ago.  We do it to celebrate His birth.  But, we also do it and remember that, as He came once, He will come again!

The word “Parousia” is a Greek word that means “ . . . present presence, a being present, a coming to a place; presence, coming or arrival.”  That perfectly describes what happened in a stable in Bethlehem.  Jesus came to man.  He became physically present.  He came to a place that was hopelessly lost so He could redeem mankind from their sins.

Look into the manager.  What do you see?  Love!  Sacrifice! The King of all Kings!

Remember!  This is the greatest Personage by far with no comparison!  What God required as a payment for sin, Jesus provided through His becoming flesh.

Imagine the sacrifice.  What a sacrifice!  He who was Omnipotent became completely helpless.  He who was Omnipresent was found in the womb of the virgin Mary and was born in a stable.  There was no room for Him in the homes and in almost all of the hearts of men at that time.  He who was the recipient of the praise of angels would receive the condemnation and criticisms of men while here.   Yet, He had to come here.  He will always be true to His character; He never changes.  That is what the Immutability of God means!  God would not be God had He not offered salvation for man.  He is perfect love and perfectly loves.  John wrote in 1 John 4:10: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  Paul said of God’s love in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Why do I love Christmas?  For all of these reasons, yes!  But for one more reason:  Jesus is coming back!  Christmas reminds me that He is coming again.  There is going to be another “Parousia”.  As He was ascending to the Father after His resurrection, the angels said to the ones who were present, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

And this next Coming of the Lord will be SO much different than His first coming.  He came as a Lamb in Bethlehem; He will come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the next time.  He came to show us how to live for the first time and to die for sin.  The next time He comes He will establish His kingdom on earth and will rule and reign for 1000 years.  Satan and every demon will be bound at that time and be cast into a bottomless pit.  The lion will lie down beside the lamb; swords will be beaten into plowshares and what was announced at His birth will finally be realized: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)  He is the only Prince of Peace and the only One who can bring and hold peace.

Why do I love Christmas?  For all of these reasons, yes!  But there is yet one more reason.  I love Christmas because His birth made it possible for you and me to go to Heaven one day.  Whether that be by our personal homegoing, which is referred to as death, or by the Rapture of the saints doesn’t matter!  We are going to Heaven one day!  The birth of Jesus made that possible.  Hallelujah!  You and I, once lost sinners, because we accepted the amazing gift of salvation, and inherit the joys, beauty, and glory of Heaven.  His death and resurrection took the sting away from death and made it a tool that allows us to lay our earthly body down and go to our eternal home.  Praise the Lord.

Now you know why I love Christmas!  For all of these reasons and so many more!

Merry Christmas from my home to yours!

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Reverend Bruce Cannon recently retired as the Senior Pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church in Bakersville. Formerly he served as Director of Missions for the Bladen Baptist Association and he has served on the General Board of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

You can read more Good Christian News from Pastor Cannon HERE.

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