SCRIPTURE
“Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
SPOTLIGHT
The story is told of an old pioneer who journeyed across America to the West Coast. Arriving at the Grand Canyon, he gawked at the magnificent sight. Before his eyes was a vast chasm... 1 mile deep, 18 miles across and stretching out of sight. He gasped, “Something must have happened here!”
The Christmas season is filled with hustle, bustle, lights, noise, decorations, festivities, gift giving, manger scenes, religious services and kindnesses. One study revealed that 46% of Americans choose Christmas to be their favorite holiday. Nineteen percent of Americans chose Thanksgiving. There is something very exciting, and different about Christmas which is difficult to explain. Many people who do not know the reason for the season cannot help but get caught up in the Christmas atmosphere and exclaim, “Something must have happened here!”
It is clear that the Christmas season has become commercialized. Retail stores claim there would be no business profit if it were not for the holiday sales. But how did this particular period of the year, which is in the winter, become such a festive, generous calendar event of expressing love through gifts? Something did happen! Something started this season. Luke 2:11 clearly tells us that the “something that happened,” was a birth of a baby boy. This baby was the greatest gift to ever be given to the human race. He was the Savior Who is Christ the Lord. Those names are very significant. God visited our planet. He became one of us. Someone said, “God came to live with us that we might live forever with Him.” God was born of flesh that we might be born again.
That is the good news! In fact, that is the best news ever! The explanation of the giving spirit at Christmas time is still found in the five letters of one word. If it were not for Christ, we would not have Christmas. “CHRIST” MAS begins with Christ. Understanding the reason for the season comes from personally knowing Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord.
SOMETHING TO DO
There are four things that you can do in order to personally know Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord of your life. These four things will give you a personal experience that will be so life changing and rewarding that you will tell others, “SOMETHING HAPPENED HERE, in my heart, at this place [wherever you are,] on this date, which I cannot totally explain but know to be totally true.” Here are the A,B,C,D’s of causing something to happen;
1) ADMIT that you are a sinner who needs a personal Savior.
Read Romans 3:23 and 6:23.
2) BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the one true living God, Who died on
the cross to save you from your sin. Read John 3:16.
3) CONFESS to Jesus Christ your desire for Him to become your Savior. Read Romans 10:9-11.
4) DECIDE to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Read Luke 9:23-26.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I come into Your presence, ADMITTING that I am a sinner who needs a personal Savior to save me from my sin. I BELIEVE that Your Son Jesus Christ is the one true living God who died on the cross for my sins. Today, I CONFESS my need, Jesus Christ, for You to become my Savior, and I DECIDE to follow You as my Lord, for the rest of my life. AMEN.