It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Hello, this is Pastor Steve Funderburk of Bethel Assembly of God in Wetumpka, Alabama. I would like to give you my thought on what are some of the greatest messages we have from the birth of Christ. As we read the Word of God we find that Jesus was announced as Emmanuel, or God with us. This is such good news for man that God is not only over this world, but He has chosen to be with us, to live in our hearts. Jesus introduces us to God as our Father, and the great news of the Christmas season is that God can be reached, touched with our feelings and needs. He doesn’t just sit on a throne a million miles away, but is active in our lives every day. We celebrate the Christmas time of year because God became man and our relationship with Him is so exciting because not only is Jesus the Son of God, but he is the Son of man, he walked where we walked, he went through the trials of life, and won over everything. So as we approach Him with our problems, pressures and mountains that we face, He can help us to be victorious in every area of our lives. So many religions of the World have God as uninvolved or unconcerned with people, but the message of Jesus Christ coming into this world is the message that God cares for us, and He will give us the desires of our hearts.

The next message we receive from Christmas is that Jesus was born a Saviour. This is so exciting because sin had separated man from God and there was no bridge man could ever cross to receive forgiveness of sin. But where sin abounded grace abounded more in Jesus. By the grace of God we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives. What man couldn’t do for himself, God provided the spotless lamb to take away the sin of the world. Today, we along with the angels that celebrated the first Christmas day, worship Jesus as the hope of salvation for all mankind. There is no other way, there is no other truth and there is no other life outside of Jesus Christ coming into our hearts and being born again.

The biggest gift we will ever receive won’t be found under a tree, for grace hung on a tree as God’s unspeakable gift for all mankind.

What is also so exciting is that being right with God has been made so simple through Christmas. If you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, if you invite him into your heart and confess that He is the Son of God, you will be saved. Grace is a wonderful gift, it means that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes on him will not perish, but have everlasting life. Many people try to complicate Christianity with deep theological issues, but it is a simple as this: Jesus came into the world to save sinners, to give his life for the lives of others. If you want Christmas to be the most special time of the year, invite the Savior born in a manger to come into your life today.

The final message of Christmas is that Jesus was born a king. He left the majesty of heaven to come to earth so that we would be able to rule and reign with him forever. He is now ascended back to the exalted position of king of kings and lord of lords. He rules and reigns over everything, and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and tongue confess that He is Lord of all.

What a great word for us this Christmas season, that Jesus is King. No matter what we face he is over everything. No matter what problems we encounter he is greater than all our needs. He is high and lifted up, and everything has been placed under his feet, our biggest battles are so small that he has made them his footstool. With just one Word he can defeat every enemy of man. Sin, sickness, addiction, depression and every other enemy that man faces have been defeated in Jesus Christ. We all face things that are bigger than us, but since every good and perfect gift comes from above, we can ask anything in the name of Jesus and it will be done for us.

So this year let’s celebrate Christmas for what it really is. That in Jesus we have God with us, and God in us, and God for us. It is such great news that all of heaven and earth declare the glory of the Lord. We can celebrate that he is the Savior of the world. If you are a sinner, if you are lost, if you are empty, Jesus came into this world for you. No greater love has any man than this, than that he would lay down his life for others. We finally celebrate that Jesus is king. Not just the king of the Jews, but he is king over everything, and of his kingdom there shall never be an end. If you want peace on earth, if you want a holy night, then give your heart to Jesus Christ and you will know God is in your life, that your sins have been washed away, and that you are a child of a king. May God bless you this Christmas season.