The True Meaning of Christmas

"By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:  He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).

Hey Gang, I realize Christmas is over and all the packages that were wrapped neatly and under the tree have been ravaged by eager hands but, as I was researching, I came across this neat saying submitted by one Delmar Eby of London, Kentucky. It rang my bell so decided to extend Christmas thoughts and send it along to you:

The Bethlehem Babe of the Manger became -

The Calvary Savior of the Cross, who is -

The Resurrected Lord from the Grave and is now -

The Ascended King in Heaven, soon to be -

The Returning Judge in Glory -

He became all of this so we can be -

The Reigning Saints in Glory forever!

Alleluia!  What a Savior!

Eby followed this with the question, "Does the commemoration of Christ's birth mean all this to you?  Or are you satisfied with a manger scene of the Babe?  For if we are locked into the manger scene and satisfied to leave Jesus in the manger, then there is no way we can look beyond the manger to the scenario listed above.   In other words, we are locked into the Bethlehem Babe of the Manger - period.”

Delmar made a powerful point when he wrote, "All the attributes and titles given to Jesus in the Scriptures are necessary for our eternal well-being.  We must receive Jesus for who He is; 0nly then can we find the true meaning of His birth, and Jesus will become to us all that is most comforting and blessed".  

In other words, as you look at the past year and prepare for the New Year, are you satisfied to allow it to be just a continuation of the past year, or are you filled with zeal and excitement in the many opportunities that are yours to serve the King of kings? 

I am sure that each of you who read these epistles have your favorite Scriptures.  I certainly have mine but, also confess, as I have reached the older that dirt age my emphasis has changed.  My ears perk up when I hear Jesus saying, "Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34).

Wow, is that not awesome?  But, note what the King said are the prerequisites to inheriting the kingdom.  Yes, salvation is the foundation but note what Jesus said: "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." (vs. 40). 

Did what?   "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; naked and you clothed Me.  I was sick, and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me" (vs. 35-36).

Soooo,  my young friends in Christ, I close this epistle with a  promise from Yeshua Hamashiah: "Give, and it will be given to you.  They will pour into your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, and running over".  Now note the next words of the Lord: "For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38).  By whose standard of measure?  Your standard of measure!  What say ye?  Does that sound like we determine whether we will be blessed in the same measure that we give?  Wow! Awesome!   

Blessings,

Gramps