Celebrate the Good News of Christmas
Thursday December 25, 2008
Pastor Rick Warren recently published The Purpose of Christmas, a book about the true meaning of Christmas. His message is simple: "Christmas is a time for celebration, it's a time for salvation, and it's a time for reconciliation. It's good news. It's going to bring you great joy and it's for everybody! It's a party. Christmas is a party!"
Image: SW Productions / Getty ImagesSome Christians don't celebrate Christmas. Many are concerned about the pagan roots associated with the holiday and the fact that Christ never commanded us to commemorate his birth. However, in Warren's Christmas gift book he suggests one very good reason to celebrate Christmas. It comes from Luke 2:10-11 when the angel announced, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
Image: SW Productions / Getty ImagesThe good news of Christmas is the Gospel. The message is about the greatest gift of all time—God gave the gift of Jesus Christ, his Son, who brings great joy to everyone who receives him. The purpose of Christmas is to share this gift. And what a perfect opportunity! It's a holiday that focuses on the Savior of the world. That is why I celebrate Christmas.
If you don't know Jesus Christ as Savior and you'd like to experience great joy, may I invite you right now to receive his gift of salvation and join me in celebrating Christmas! It's very simple. Here's how:
- Admit you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23; 10:9-10)
- Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from sin and death and give you eternal life. (Romans 5:8; John 3:16)
- Recognize your sin before God and let him help you turn from your old life to a new life in Christ. (Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Receive, by faith in Jesus Christ, his free gift of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8)
Learn More About the Gift of Salvation:
Christ wasn’t born on Dec.25th as Luke stated, “the shepherds were out in the fields”; they are not out in the wintertime. Of all God’s servants in the new and old testament, none practiced “birthdays”. In Luke Ch.19, Jesus tells us how he wants to be remembered;it was not his birth. It is a pagan custom adopted by the churches. Not practiced by true Christians today. Or even when Jesus walked the earth!
It’s really ashame that so many christians serve a God that does not allow them to have the joy of celebrating the birth of their precious Saviour. It’s not about the calendar day of the year but about His first coming to us and became one of us. Too bad they are so bound by their legalistic chains that no joy is permitted in their lives. Christ came to make us free from the chains!
Romans 8:1-2 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Happy Birthday JESUS!!!