Good News at Christmas

All of us are anxious to hear news, but our appreciation for the news we hear is even greater if the news is good news.  This Christmas season are you prepared to hear some good news?  Here is some good news that comes directly from the biblical Christmas Story.  The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks on the Bethlehem hillside and said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).  Notice that the news that was brought to them was (1) Quality News because it was “good news”, (2) It was Hopeful News because it would provide “great joy”, and (3) It was Extensive News because it was news that was important for “all the people.”

The news the angel was talking about was the gospel, which actually means good news.  When the word gospel is used in the New Testament, most of the time it refers to the total of the saving truth about Jesus as it is communicated to people who are lost in sin.  The bad news of the Bible is called sin, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  But when God entered the picture, He changed the bad news to good news. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sill sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

I trust that during this Christmas season the news of Jesus Christ will be especially Good News for you because by faith you can experience Christ in your heart.  My prayer is that as you experience the Good News of Christ you will have great joy because of the personal peace that God gives.  I further trust that you will take time to communicate this wonderful news of Christ to others.  Listen to the promise Jesus gave in His own words, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).  May you have a joyous Christmas rejoicing in the Good News of salvation in Christ.

Finding Christmas Joy

As a child, one of the things at Christmas that was most fun for me was finding a gift under the tree with my name on it.  When I looked at the name tags on the presents and discovered my name listed, I began to wonder.  Was it a toy?  A game?  Something fun?  Would it make me happy?  Or was it a dreaded article of clothing?  It is interesting that “finding” is mentioned in the Biblical Christmas story.  It was an angel who told the shepherds on the Judean hillside so many years ago, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).  As I began to think of Christmas in terms of finding I discovered several other wonderful things from the Bible that are worth finding.

1)      Christmas is finding God’s Love.  Too often, people feel like they are not loved.  When downhearted and discouraged it is good to peel back the curtain of despair and recognize that God’s love is available in abundant measure to bring light, peace, and joy. To hear the words, “I love you”, brightens the day and turns discouragement into hope.  God sent His Son, Jesus, to express His love to us. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (I John 4:9).

2)      Christmas is finding Forgiveness.  The Scripture is clear that everyone sins and is born with a sin nature.  In addition, sin must be punished.  However, God’s plan was to send Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin.  “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).

3)      Christmas is finding Hope.  Without Christ there is despair and despondency.  The Apostle Paul says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).  Without hope there is not much to look forward to.  Finding God is to find hope.

4)      Christmas is finding Joy.  Joy goes far beyond happiness because it does not depend on circumstances.  Joy comes from a close relationship and fellowship with Christ and results in strength to the individual irrespective of circumstances.  “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart” (Psalm 19:8).  “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

5)      Christmas is finding Peace.  One of the names given to Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6 names Him with these very words – “Prince of Peace.”  With Jesus you and I can experience peace even in tough, unsettling times.  “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). 

6)      Christmas is finding Everlasting Life.  Jesus came for the purpose of giving something that would last forever – eternal life.  He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). From the Apostle Paul we learn about this special gift.  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 3:23).

All these gifts are a special find and they come through Jesus Christ.  Do not let another Christmas season pass without going on a hunt to find the wonderful things that God has for you.