THE CURSE: THE REASON FOR CHRISTMAS

The Boston Red Sox won the 1st World Series in 1903. In fact, of the first fifteen World Series, the American League team from Bean Town won five (1903, 1912, 1915, 1916 and 1918). Despite this great beginning, over the next 85 years, the team would be in only four Fall Classics (1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986) and would lose all of them, often under heartbreaking circumstances. This disparity between the teams first fifteen years and subsequent eighty-five years was often blamed on something that occurred in 1920. The 1915, 1916 & 1918 teams had the greatest baseball player of all-time, George Herman Babe Ruth. He may have become the greatest pitcher of all-time (i.e., he had a lifetime winning percentage of 0.671 and ERA of 2.27), but his bat was too potent for him not to be in the lineup everyday and so he was converted to an outfielder. Despite the fact that he was 9-5 as a pitcher with an ERA of 2.97 and led the league in runs (103), home runs (29), runs batted in (101), and slugging average (0.657) in 1919, the Red Sox sold Babe or The Bambino to the New York Yankees in 1920.

by many to what was called The Curse of the Bambino. Even though there really was no curse, there is no need to speak of it any more since the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, after beating the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. In doing so they did what no other major league baseball team had done - win a 7 game series after falling behind 3 games to 0. You ask, What does this have to do with Christmas? The true story behind Christmas is also about a curse, a real one. The Apostle Paul writes to the assembly in Galatia: For as many as are of works of law are under a curse, for it hath been written, Cursed [is] every one who is not remaining in all things that have been written in the Book of the Law to do them, and that in law no one is declared righteous with God, is evident Messiah did redeem us from the curse of the law, having become for us a curse, for it hath been written, Cursed is every one who is hanging on a tree. (Galatians 3:10, 11, 13) If you are hoping that you are right with God because you are a pretty good person, the Apostle Paul wants to awake you from your fantasy. He describes anyone depending on their own good works as those who are of the works of the law. Why is it foolish to trust in your own ability to keep the law (e.g., the Ten Commandments)? Paul indicates that you are under a curse by quoting Deuteronomy 27:26: Cursed is he who does not establish the words of this law, to do them. What does cursed mean? If you want to get a taste of what it means to be cursed by God, please read Deuteronomy 28:15-68. It essentially means to come under Gods wrath, resulting ultimately in death. But you say, Ive never broken any of the Ten Commandments. REALLY??? In Galatians

Before the sale, the Yankees had not been in a World Series. After the sale, the Yankees would be in 39 World Series through 2003, winning 26 of them. This change in the fortunes of these two franchises was attributed

3:11, Paul says that it is evident that in the law no one is declared righteous with God. Why? Simply stated: to be righteous with God by keeping the law requires perfect obedience. James writes: For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is guilty of all. For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of law. (James 2:10-11) If we disobey once, then we come under the curse of the law. If we keep in mind that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we will realize that we are sinning constantly. Do you love God? Have you ever loved Him with ALL your heart, mind, soul and strength? I cannot answer the first question for you, but I can guarantee that the answer to the second question is NO! The Red Sox could do things to get themselves out from under the so-called Curse of the Bambino. For example, they could (and did) acquire players like Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, and Pedro Martinez, who could finally play together as a team and live up to their potential. The bad news for us is there is absolutely nothing we can do to get out from under the Curse of the Law. The prophet Jeremiah asks: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23) The obvious answer to his rhetorical question is NO!! Therefore, neither can we change our own hearts. In ourselves, we are powerless and hopeless. But thank God He did not leave us alone:

For when we were still without strength, in due time Messiah died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. (Romans 5:6-8) Without the cross, Christmas is meaningless. Gods answer to our problem was redemption (Messiah did redeem us from the curse of the law [Galatians 3:13]). The Greek word translated redeemed is exagorazo and it has the idea of purchasing the freedom of a slave. The word is used one other time in this sense in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul in the next chapter of his letter to the assembly in Galatia: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4, 5) The good news of Christmas is that you no longer have to be a slave to sin under the curse of the law, but that you can be adopted son or daughter of God. This change is not based on anything that you can do. Rather it has everything to do with the willingness of Jesus the Messiah (the Son of God) to become a man (i.e., born of a woman), live a perfect life under the law, and become a curse on the cross. In Galatians 3:13, the Apostle quotes from Deuteronomy 21:22, 23: If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, for he who is hanged is accursed of God. Jesus committed no sin, but He died in our place. He was accursed of God, so that we could be set free from the curse of the law. Its the tree of the cross rather than the Christmas tree that truly symbolizes this time of year. Id like to end this Christmas message with the following words from Paul:

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus the Messiah, 19that is, that God was in Messiah reconciling the world to Himself; not imputing their trespasses to them, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christs behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) I talk way too much about things that are not important (i.e., the Yankees). It seems like the only time I talk about my faith is in these Christmas messages. So I will use this opportunity to implore you as Messiahs ambassador, Be reconciled to God. Receive the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the One who died for your sins that you could be purchased from the slave market of sin and become a child of God. Its what Christmas is all about. If you are a Red Sox fan, I congratulate you. But I can tell you that having your team win the World Series is nothing compared the love of God, which is in Messiah Jesus our Lord. Baseball teams will come and go, but Gods love never fails. Heres hoping you experience that love this Christmas. God Bless. Merry Christmas In Jesus Love, Donald