SOOTH ABOUT CHRISTMAS REVEALED
By Abraham Adeyemi
The beginning of every year, Christians all over the world, always look forward to the next Christmas to spend time with their friends and loved ones, and to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And to the non Christians, it is the time to buy stuffs for the New Year because many stores will be doing price reduction on their products. So it is most important time of the year to masses.
I remember early in April 2017, I went to Wal-Mart in Bath, Maine to buy some stuff in preparation for Easter, and we saw some people trying to sell cookies and candies to us. Then they told us that we should buy those cookies so that they can raise money for their own program. One of the pastors that went with us then asked one of the those people selling Easter Candies to explain what Easter means to her, but unfortunately she said, she does not have any ideas what that means. It is pathetic to see people living in “Christian nation” not knowing the meaning of what they are celebrating.
Therefore, we have many Christians today, who celebrate Christmas but they do not understand nor know what they are celebrating. To some people, it is just an holiday, and also to some other people, it is just a ritual that their family enjoys.
What is it to you?
The truth is, every blood washed child of God should know the reason why we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. There has been debate whether to celebrate Christmas or not. The question is not when, but the question is who? I celebrate the person born in a manger who came as a ransom for my sin. Let this article help you as you think about the sooth about Christmas.
Long before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Lord has used many prophets to foretell the event of his birth, so that people will know that this is the very Christ we have been expecting. And also to proof that the Word spoken by the prophets about Christ is a truth from God.
And also to strengthen the faith of Christian who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
God used one of the Major Prophets, and that is prophet Isaiah to give the prophecy about the birth of Jesus Christ. We call the Book of Isaiah one of the Major Prophets not because it is better than other prophetic books, but because of its volume just like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Ezekiel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
God spoke through this Old Testament prophet to give the prophecy about the coming of Messiah, and a lamb which takes away the sins of the whole world.
- PROPHECY ABOUT HIM
It is amazing that every book of the Bible has something to say about the coming Messiah, and it is interesting that almost all the prophets directly and indirectly say something about Christ. When you look at the arrangement of the Word of God, some of the books are historical, some are poetical, and some are prophetical.
And the Book of Isaiah is prophetical, and chapter 9:6 gives the prophecy about the coming of the Jesus Christ, Savior, Son of God, and our Messiah. Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, God spoke through Prophet Isaiah to give prophecy about Christ, and the Lamb of God which takes about the sin of the World.
Why do we need the prophecy about the coming Messiah?
The question to be asked is, is there any significance in knowing anything about what was said about the long awaited Savior before He was even born? I will surely excerpt that, it is very crucial to know what was said before He came to this world.
1.IT IS IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN KNOW AND RECOGNIZE HIM
The prophecy about Him gives us the ability to be able to recognize that this is the very person that we have been waiting for. It is sad that many Jews in the past and today have rejected the Jesus Christ.
After many infallible prophecies about Him, still they denied Him as the very person that has been promised to them. Jesus said this about Jews’ rejection of him, “John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
And it is sad that many of them will die and go to Hell without believing that He is the long awaited Messiah that they have been promised to redeem them from sin.
Bible says in the Book of John, “John 1:10-11, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
2. IT MAKES OUR WITNESS EFFECTIVE.
Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Every prophets said something about Jesus Christ, some spoke about his birth, death, and also resurrection. Knowing that we have the promised already gives us boldness as we testify about the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
You can see the boldness from the statement made by Philip to Nathanael; therefore knowing the prophecy about and the fulfillment give us boldness as we share the Gospel with others.
Another vivid example of this is found when Apostle Peter was preaching to the group of Gentiles about the Lord Jesus Christ, and you can see that many of them referred back to the Prophets.
Acts 10:41-43 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
And also we can see it from the boldness of Paul as he shared the Gospel to the Jewish people at Rome.
Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
