Today is Christmas Eve and I was given the opportunity to be the main speaker for the service here at church. Here is what I shared:
Today I’m giving a sermon on the true meaning of Christmas. But first I would like for you to think of what Christmas is to you, and how you see it. For me Christmas back home is all about presents and what you get. Every year on Christmas Eve at exactly 7 o-clock my whole family comes together in one room and open up presents together from Santa. There are about 70 of us so it takes a long time to get though everyone. But it’s so much fun and I look forward to it every year.
It’s really nice getting presents and stuff but that is not what Christmas is about. There is so much more and that’s what I’m gonna share with you.
God sent 2 angles to mary and they said “greetings women, the lord is with you” Mary was very confused-and disturbed because of what the angles had told her. The angles told Mary “do not be afraid for you have found favor with God.” as it says this in luke 1:30. The angles went on with saying that Mary will give brith to a son, and that she will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the son of the most high. Mary asked the angles “how will this happen? I am still a Virgin.” The angles replied with “the holy spirt will come upon you, and by the power of the most high you will give birth to the baby and he will be holy, and he will be called the son of God.”
Mary was engaged at this time to a man name Joseph but before the marriage took place she became pregnant. Joseph was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to breck the engagement quietly. As he was considering this the angels of the lord appeared to him in a dream and said “Joseph, son of david, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child within her was conceived by the holy spirt” Mathew 1:20 when Joseph wake up from the dream he did as the angle of the lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
At this time the Roman emperor had a census going on so marry and Joseph returned to their own town in Bethlehem. Joseph took Mary as she was expecting Jesus. And while they were there the time came for her to give birth. She wrapped him in snugly strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available at this time.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields near by to guard their flocks and sheep. An angle appeared to them and said “don’t be afraid I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The savior, yes, the messiah, the lord- has been born today in Bethlehem and you will recognized him by this sign : you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
When the angle had left the shepherds said to each other “let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happen, which the lord has told us about.”
When they got there they saw Jesus laying in a manger and they got so excited that they told everyone what had happened and what the angle had said to them about the child. All the people who heard the story we’re amazed.
Mary and Josiah had to present Jesus to a man name Simeon who was righteous and devout waiting for the messiah to come and rescue Israel. As the holy spirt said to him, “you will not die until you have seen the lord.” And on that same day the spirt lead them to the temple. When Mary and Josiah presented Jesus to Simeon he took Jesus in his arms and praised God. Simeon was a man who knew how to be led by the Holy Spirit, both in hearing God’s promise to him and being prompted to go to the temple at the right time.
In luke 2:29-32 it says “sovereign lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation,
Which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Simeon’s prophecy was filled with love for his Savior, and he hardly knew Jesus. We, who know so much more about Him, should love Him even more. Mary and Joseph were amazed at what Simeon was saying about Jesus. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary “this child is destined to cause many Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Simeon now had the peace of seeing God’s promise fulfilled in his life. It was important for Mary to know that mothering the Messiah would not be all sweetness and light. It was both a great privilege and a great burden. As Jesus was growing up he did a lot of healing and leading people to follow him. But the day had come where people mocked him, and spit on him, and nailed him to the cross.
Jesus died for our sins so that we could live today pain free because he took it all away. When Jesus was crucified he wasn’t suffering because he did as he was supposed to. Now today we are celebrating the birth of Jesus. But everyday we celebrate the death and resurrection that Jesus is alive and with us.
