Christmas Time Is Here #504

Surfing with Jesus #50412152007
Pastor Gene A. Dasher, Sr.
gene@SurfingwithJesus.com

Christmas Time Is Here

Christmas time is here again, what a lovely time of year. It is so good to see people smiling and carrying on joyful conversations. I wish we would act like it is Christmas every month of the year. My writings have been different for Christmas but the last two stories just spoke to me when I shared them. You know in the one the little boy just wanted time with his dad’s and in the other one people were doing good things for people to help them and I saw Jesus.

Now, I know Christmas is a man made date and holiday and some of you don’t celebrate it but I find it a cheerful time to remember our Lord did come to this earth on a given month and a given day to begin his journey to bring Salvation to a dying word. It isn’t important what the date was but the event is important and I choose to celebrate His birth and just what it means to mankind.

Join me in Matthew 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Tyndale’s comments in The Life Application Bible share that swaddling clothes were strips of cloth used to keep a baby warm and give it a sense of security. They were believed to protect its internal organs. The custom of swaddling infants is still practiced by many Easter countries.

This mention of the manger is the basis for the traditional belief that Jesus was born in a stable. Stables were often caves with feeding troughs (mangers) carved into the rock walls. Despite popular Christmas card pictures, the surroundings were dark and dirty. This was not the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah King. They thought their promised Messiah would be born in royal surroundings. We should not limit God by our expectations. He is at work wherever he is needed in our sin darkened and dirty world.

Although our first picture of Jesus is as a baby in a manger, it must not be our last. The Christ child in the manger makes a beautiful Christmas scene, but we cannot leave him there. This tiny, helpless baby lived an amazing life, died for us, ascended to heaven, and will come back to this earth as King of kings. He will rule the world and judge all people according to their decisions about him.

Do you still picture Jesus as a baby in a manger or is he your Lord? Make sure you don’t underestimate Jesus. Let him grow up in your life. The best Christmas gift anyone could receive is Christ Jesus as Lord and Master. If you know Jesus, share him with others and celebrate Jesus with them as they repent of their sins, asking him for forgiveness and their receiving him in their life today.

A Merry Christmas is to know Jesus. Let him live in your heart and help you each step of the way in your journey in this life. Heaven will surely be worth it all when we Jesus face to face. What a day that will be!

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Pastor Gene A. Dasher, Sr., 2355 Parkway Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323
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