A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
THIS TIME OF YEAR, MANY ARE WITHOUT THEIR LOVED ONES, SOME FOR THE VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS.
YOU MAY WONDER WHY THE SEASON DOESN’T SEEM AS JOYFUL ANYMORE.
I ASK YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION WHEN YOU THINK OF CHRISTMAS WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO YOU?
SOME WOULD SAY TIME FOR FAMILY TO GATHER TOGETHER,
YET THIS YEAR SOME WILL BE MISSING,
YOU MAY SAY IT’S ABOUT PRESENTS, BUT ONCE THEY ARE ALL OPENED, AND DAYS PASS, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUTHFUL JOY OF THAT PRECIOUS CHRISTMAS DAY.
I REMEMBER CHRISTMAS, AS FAMILY WOULD ALWAYS GATHER, BUT MY FAMILY, GRANDPARENTS, PARENTS, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, LIKE COUSINS, UNCLES, AND AUNTS, ARE GONE.
YOU MAY SAY, I JUST CAN’T ENJOY THIS SEASON ANYMORE, THE LOSS IS JUST TOO GREAT FOR ME TO ENJOY THIS TIME OF YEAR ANYMORE.
IF THAT’S YOU, THEN PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY.
CHRISTMAS IS NOT PRESENTS, IT’S NOT JUST FAMILY, THE FOOD, AND YES I TOO LOVE THE FOOD, AND LIKE ALL I STILL LOVE PRESENTS, BUT DEAR FRIEND, I AM A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD, AND I REALIZE THE REASON FOR THIS SEASON IS JESUS CHRIST COMING TO THIS EARTH, GOD IN THE FLESH, BORN IN A MANGER IN BETHLEHEM, WITH MARY, JOSEPH, THE SHEPHERDS, AND THE ANIMALS PRESENT. (THE WISE MEN CAME ALMOST ONE OR TWO YEARS LATER). HE DID NOT COME TO THIS WORLD BECAUSE HE HAD TOO, HE CAME BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO LIVED BEFORE BIRTH, AND WAS BORN JUST TO DIE A CRUEL DEATH, BEING RESURRECTED THE THIRD DAY, SO THAT DURING A FUNERAL FOR ONE WHO HAS ACCEPTED HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR, WE CAN KNOW THAT THE ONE WHOSE BODY IS IN THE CASKET IS NOT THERE, BUT IN HEAVEN, CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS WITH THE VERY ONE WE CELEBRATE THIS CHRISTMAS DAY. IS IT STILL DIFFICULT FOR WE WHO ARE LEFT, OF COURSE, IT IS, AND ONE COULD NEVER PUT THE PAIN INTO WORDS.
HOWEVER, KNOWING ONE’S LOVED ONE IS WITH JESUS DOES NOT MEAN GOODBYE, IT ONLY MEANS WE ARE PARTED FOR A VERY SHORT SEASON, TO AGAIN BE REUNITED ONE GLORIOUS DAY. WE NEVER LOST THEM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, SINGING AROUND THE THRONE OF THE LIVING GOD EVEN NOW AS I TYPE THESE WORDS.
SO WHEN CHRISTMAS DAY COMES, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS DAY IS NOT ABOUT US, IT’S ABOUT JESUS, THE ONE WHO CAN TAKE ALL OF THAT PAIN AWAY, BUT ONLY IF YOU ACCEPT HIM, THE GREATEST GIFT GOD EVER GAVE TO MAN, THE SON OF GOD, JESUS CHRIST THE LORD, WHO WILL SOMEDAY DAY BE WELCOMING ME/US HOME.
MAY THIS CHRISTMAS BE ABOUT HIM IN LIVING IN YOUR HEART, AND IF HE DOESN’T RESIDE INSIDE, I PLEAD WITH YOU THIS MOMENT, IT’S NOT TOO LATE, TO RECEIVE THE GREATEST GIFT YOU’LL EVER KNOW, THAT GIFT JESUS GIVES OF ETERNAL LIFE.
ALWAYS REMEMBER Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
THAT’S THE PROMISE OF GOD
LUKE 2:1-20
ROMANS 3:23, 3:10-11, 5:8, 10:9-10, 13
MERRY CHRISTMAS
REV. EDDIE D. GREENE