With Whom He is Pleased

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14 ESV)

The baby who was born in this manger is none other than Jesus who is Christ the Lord. He always existed with God, for He is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. He was in the beginning with God and he is our creator God. Without him was not any thing made that was made (created). So he is all knowing, all powerful, and in the Spirit he is present everywhere, for he is God.

So he was in heaven with God, and as God, before he left his throne in heaven and came to the earth and was born as a baby to a human mother, but conceived of the Holy Spirit, and not of man. So God the Father was his birth father, and thus he was not born with a sin nature in the image of Adam like we are. And so when he walked this earth he was fully God and fully human, tempted to sin like we are, yet without sin.

[John 1:1-36; Philippians 2:5-11]

So, when people celebrate the holiday called “Christmas” and they focus their attention on Jesus as a helpless baby in a manger, while “all powerful and all-knowing and omnipresent” Santa is all over the world flying through the air delivering presents to children near and far, and he is big and bright and powerful and jolly and fun and has the hearts of children, that is a purposeful misrepresentation of who Jesus is and of who Santa is, too.

Yes, Jesus was a helpless baby at one time, but he was also God incarnate. And we were helpless babies at one time, too, but when we celebrate our birthdays, our relatives and friends do not post a picture of us as a baby up in the room while they then spend their time and affections in giving each other presents and playing games and eating food and watching movies together while we get altogether ignored. But that is how Jesus is treated.

Now, I am not saying that everyone who celebrates Christmas absolutely ignores the real Jesus Christ and that no one gives him genuine honor and glory for who he is now. But placing a manger scene in your home while you focus most of your attention on buying gifts for other people, and while you focus your attention on Christmas trees and decorations and holiday parties and food and games and movies, is not honoring to Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn’t asked to be celebrated in that way, and he doesn’t want to be celebrated in that way, for picturing him as a helpless baby now while all powerful Santa steals the show is not how Jesus wants to be celebrated. He wants to be celebrated for who is he now and for what he did for us in dying on that cross for our sins so that we can be free from our slavery to sin and now walk in obedience to him in holy living, until he returns.

And he wants us to see that the image of Santa being presented to the world is not only a fairy tale, but it is a deliberate deception and a deliberate attempt to give Santa (Satan) the attributes of Almighty God and to make him out to be like God, at least in the minds of young children, while Jesus is pictured as a helpless baby in a manger doing nothing for us at all. And that is because Satan (alias Santa) wanted to be God.

So, if you truly want to celebrate Jesus Christ and who he is, then celebrate his whole life on this earth, and celebrate his death on that cross and his resurrection and his ascension back to heaven and his sending of his Holy Spirit to indwell his followers. Celebrate who he is and what he did for us, and what that means for us who believe in him as Lord and Savior of our lives. And celebrate him every day and not on the same day with Santa.

For Jesus was born in order to die for our sins. That is why he came. And he died for the sins of everyone (Jew and Gentile), for the Good News (the gospel of Christ) is for All People. And he died so that we will now die to sin and live to righteousness and live for him and no longer for self. He shed his blood to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our slavery to sin so that we will now honor and obey the Lord in holy living and no longer live in sin.

For Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:23-26 ESV

And Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

So, if you truly want to celebrate Jesus Christ, surrender your lives to him, leave your lives of sin behind you, and follow him in obedience to his commands (New Covenant) daily, in practice, and no longer walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin. For sin should no longer be your master. For if sin is what you obey, and not obedience to the Lord, you will die in your sins. You will not have eternal life with God, regardless of what your lips profess.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

What a Savior

By Marvin P. Dalton

Once I was straying in sin's dark valley

No hope within could I see

God sent from heaven a loving Savior

To save a poor lost soul like me

He left the Father with all His riches

With calmness sweet and serene

Came down from heaven and gave His lifeblood

To make the vilest sinner clean

Death's chilly waters I'll soon be crossing

His hand will lead me safe o'er

I'll join the chorus in that great city

And sing up there forevermore

O what a Savior O hallelujah

His heart was broken on Calvary

His hands were nail-scarred

His side was riven

He gave His lifeblood for even me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRWCM-PFO8Y

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