November 19, 2018 [TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

TOPIC: TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

PRESENTER: TEACHER TOM

TEXT: LUKE 2: 1-15 (TO BE READ LOUDLY)

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT FROM THE MAIN TEXT

 What kind of good news did the angel of the lord bring?
 Why were the angels praising the lord?

PERSONAL INTERPRETATION

1. The angel of the lord knew the spiritual hopelessness/ dilemma of all
2. The people of the earth who were destined to eternal destruction.
3. The angels also knew that the new born baby was not ordinary like others but
supernatural. In fact God Himself had put on a human body. That is why the angels
worshiped and praised the Lord Isaiah 9: 6.
4. The angel also knew that the creator had manifested in a body to race against the
enemy (Satan) and destroy him who had taken over man’s authority given to him by
God the father and since God himself had got involved in the race, the game was over.
The time for restoring man’s lost authority, glory, peace, hope, blessings, intimacy with
God the father among others had come for all people. That is why the angel of the lord
said “don’t fear, I bring to you good news”. This was indeed too good to be good news.
No wonder why the angels praised God, while proclaiming the restoration of peace on
earth in verse 14
MEANING OF MESSIAH, ONE OF THE TITLES THE ANGEL USED IN THE DESCRIPTION OF
THE NEW BORN BABY.
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word “mashiach” which means anointed one or
chosen one. The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or in English Christ. The name
Jesus Christ is the same as Jesus the messiah.
In the biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or
setting apart that person for a particular role. Thus the anointed one was someone with
a special or God ordained purpose. This therefore means that Jesus our lord, was
anointed by God the father and given a special purpose to fulfill and in order for Him to
fulfill the purpose of the father, He had to humble Himself by putting aside all His divine
privileges and accept to be born as a baby by putting on a human body. Hebrews 10: 4-7

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 November 19, 2018 [TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH CHRIST WAS BORN-WITH A SCRIPTURAL BACKUP

1. To restore the glory, authority, peace, hope, joy and victory over Satan and death by
destroying the devil together with its works. Read Hebrews 2: 14, revelations 1:18, 1 st
john 3: 8b, Colossians 2: 14-15.
NB: In Christ we are more than conquerors, death and Satan no longer have power and
authority over our lives unless we give room to Satan. That’s why we celebrate the birth
of our savior Jesus.
2. To restore our intimate relationship with God the father. He reconciled us back Him (the
father). Read Ephesians 2: 14-16, Colossians 1: 21-22, 2nd Corinthians 5: 19
3. To deal with our sins, diseases and all other kinds of burdens in his own body at the
cross. Mathew 8: 17, 1st peter 2: 24, Isaiah 53: 28-30.
NB: sin had blocked our easy access to God but Jesus our savior dealt with it once and
for all. We are no longer slaves to sinful living though we sometimes sin. But it is no
longer our life style. Our new nature demands holy living (1 st john 3: 3) and the Holy
Spirit who lives in us enables us progress in sanctification. That is why we celebrate the
birth of Jesus our lord.

Therefore in summary, Christmas celebration is all about God’s incredible love for us. It
was out of God’s love that He sent His only son Jesus to be born as a human being such
that He could die on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for our sins that the father
demanded. By doing so, He defeated the enemy and restored the lost glory, authority,
peace, joy, victory over death and Satan, intimate relationship with God the father that
the devil had stolen away from man in the Garden of Eden. God the father did this not
because we qualified but because He loved us unconditionally. See john 3: 16

Lesson: let us also emulate the father’s attitude by extending His love to others. We
should do this by sharing with them good news concerning the birth of Jesus Christ
especially the non believers. Besides we should also share material things like food,
clothes and other gifts with others especially those in need because of God’s love that
was also extended to us at a free cost. God gave the best out of much love (His son). We
are also obliged to do the same out of our means this season.

A merry Christmas and a happy New Year 2019