Special Christmas Advent Edition

8 December
Lk. 2:6-7
A humble birth

When the world’s real and true Lord and King was born, it was not in the Roman palace. He was born in a manger (Lk. 2:7). There was not even a room in the inn for Him to be born (Lk. 2:7). There was nothing about His birth to attract us to Him (see Is. 53:2). Humility was not only His birth mark (see Lk. 2:12) but His attribute and hallmark (see Matt. 11:29). This was how God the Father deliberately designed His birth. He deliberately designed that the Saviour of the world was not born in pomp and affluence but in humility and poverty. His humble birth did not take away His Kingship or scepter but enhanced it. According to the Scripture, our Saviour earned His exaltation through His humility (see Phil. 2:5-11). His humility has really endeared Him to us. By His humble birth He comes to us as our own Saviour. Jesus’ followers are urged to be humble like Him (1Pet. 5:5-6; Eph. 4:2). Like Him, His true followers are known by their humility. Moreover, like Him, our humility does not take away our divine upliftment. On the contrary, it enhances it, as was the case for our Saviour. Indeed, as it happened to Jesus, our humility is the divine path to our exaltation (Prov. 15:33; Prov. 18:12; 1Pet. 5:6; Jam. 4:10; cf. Ps. 149:4). As God the Father exalted Jesus our Saviour on account of His humility, so has He promised to exalt all His followers who humble themselves like Him (1Pet. 5:6; Jam. 4:10; cf. Prov. 3:34; Ps. 149:4). Like Jesus, we end well if we begin humbly with God.

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus, he made it quite clear that He is born for all the people (Lk. 2:10-11). The one who is born is indeed the Saviour of all mankind (Lk. 2:10-11; Jn. 1:29; Jn. 3:16). He is not the Saviour of the Jews only but of the whole world (cf. Rom. 3:29; Rom. 9:24). The whole world has a share in His birth. He really belongs to us all. Therefore, whoever celebrates Christmas today must realize that he is actually celebrating his own Saviour’s birth more than two thousand years ago. Christmas is therefore a celebration of the birth of the Saviour of the world. Only Jesus Christ is born the Saviour of the whole world. There is no one else who is born in this manner (Acts 4:12). And there shall never be anyone else who is born the Saviour of the world (Acts 4:12). Anyone else who claims to have been born the Saviour of the world is an impostor (see Jn. 10:1-14). It is useless to celebrate Christmas without receiving the Saviour of the world whose birth it represents. With Jesus, we must not seek our salvation from anyone else (Acts 4:12). There is no Saviour outside of Him (Acts 4:12).

After the angel told them of the birth of Jesus (Lk. 2:8-12), the Shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem and see the child for themselves (Lk. 2:15). They went and saw Him just as they had been told (Lk. 2:16-20). Thus, they did not only hear of Jesus’ birth but actually saw it (Lk. 2:16-20). They found out that what the angel told them was true and real. It actually happened. This is one undisputed indication that the birth of Jesus Christ more than two thousand years ago which we celebrate as Christmas today is not a myth or folktale but an authentic, credible event. As the Scripture puts it, the account concerning Jesus is not based on cleverly invented stories but on what people actually saw and witnessed (cf. 2Pet. 1:16-18; 1Jn. 1:1-3). Those who claim that the account of Jesus’ birth more than two thousand years ago is a hoax or myth are doing so without evidence or proof or justification. Therefore when we celebrate Christmas today we are celebrating an event that started not as a hoax or myth but as an authentic, credible, genuine event. Christmas is an event worth celebrating today because it is a celebration of an event that actually happened (Lk. 2:8-12; cf. 2Pet. 1:16-18; 1Jn. 1:1-3). We can therefore put our trust in the Saviour whose birth is celebrated during Christmas every year without being disappointed (Rom. 10:11).

John the Baptist was a witness of Jesus sent by God Himself (Jn. 1:8). He was not the Saviour but His witness (Jn. 1:8, 31). His divine mission was to bear witness concerning the Saviour (Jn. 1:7, 31). He fulfilled His mission most satisfactorily and testified of Jesus most adequately (see Jn. 1:15-18, 19-27, 29-36). He testified of the grace that is available through Jesus (Jn. 1:15-16), of His deity (Jn. 1:18), His greatness (Jn. 1:26-27, 30-31), and of His mission to save humanity (Jn. 1:29-36). As we celebrate Christmas today, we must take account of John’s testimony concerning the one whose birth Christmas represents. Therefore, Christmas celebration today is the celebration of the birth of the one who bears the world’s sin (Jn. 1:29). It is the celebration of the birth of the one whom John the Baptist testified was born to take away the world’s sin (Jn. 1:29-36). A celebration of Christmas today which does not take account of John’s testimony concerning the one whose birth more than two thousand years ago Christmas represents is incomplete. A complete Christmas celebration today is one which takes account of all that John said about Jesus when He was born more than two thousand years ago (see Jn. 1:15-16, 18, 26-27, 29-36).

When Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago, His mission was well stated (Matt. 1:21). He was born to save His people from sin (Matt. 1:21; Lk. 2:11; Jn. 3:17; cf. Acts 5:31). This is what His name signifies (Matt. 1:21). Therefore, when we call Him Saviour, we are calling Him by His name. His people does not refer to Jews alone but to everyone who believes in Him (Jn. 1:12-13; Jn. 3:16). Any celebration of Jesus’ birth today that does not take account of His birth-mission is no celebration at all. When we celebrate Christmas today we must realize that we are celebrating the birth of our own Saviour. By the birth of Jesus more than two thousand years ago, the whole world does indeed has a Saviour. Jesus of Nazareth is the only one who is born to save mankind (Matt. 1:21; Acts 4:12). This mission belongs to Him exclusively (Matt. 1:21; Acts 4:12). There is no other Saviour that the world has than, in addition to, or besides Him (Matt. 1:21; Acts 4:12). It is not enough just to celebrate Christmas each year. As we celebrate it every year we must ensure that Jesus’ mission of salvation is accomplished in our own lives. We can have a share in His salvation by believing in Him (see Jn. 1:12-13; Jn. 3:16). Every human being has a share in His mission of salvation (see Lk. 2:10-12; Jn. 3:16). We must never lose sight of His mission of salvation as we celebrate His birth every year.



13 December
Jn. 1:29
Born to die

When Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago, He was born to die. He was born to give His life as a ransom for mankind (see Matt. 20:28; 2Tim 2:5-6). This is why He is called the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29-31, 35-36). He was born as God’s sacrificial lamb to be offered for the sin of humanity (cf. Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8). His birth signified the atonement and redemption He was later to offer for mankind by His death. Christmas is therefore a celebration of God’s redemption which began with the birth of Jesus more than two thousand years ago. It is not an ordinary celebration. We cannot celebrate Christmas properly today without taking into consideration God’s work of redemption which began with Jesus’ birth more than two thousand years ago. Christmas celebration is useless or meaningless when either the celebrant or the celebration itself has nothing to do with God’s work of redemption accomplished through Christ more than two thousand years ago. God’s work of redemption must motivate or drive any Christmas celebration today before it can be considered a true celebration of the birth of Jesus. Besides, the right qualification for celebrating Christmas is to have a personal share in the redemption that Jesus accomplished for mankind more than two thousand years ago. This redemption is available to everyone who believes in Him today (Jn. 1:12-13; Jn. 3:16).

PRAYER: 1. Father, I accept the work that Jesus did for me by His death.
• Father, please let the death of Jesus suffice for me.


14 December
Jn. 1:9
The birth of light

When Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago, He was born as the light of the world (Jn. 1:6-9; Jn. 8:12; Jn. 9:5). Hitherto the world had been in darkness. His birth brought light into the world (Jn. 1:6-9; Jn. 8:12; Jn. 9:5). With Jesus birth, darkness no longer has a right over humanity, except of course if they reject the light. Christmas celebration is therefore a celebration of light over darkness. When we celebrate Christmas today, we must realize that we are celebrating the birth of the one who was born the light of the world. With Jesus’ birth more than two thousand years ago, the world need not walk in darkness any longer (see Jn. 8:12). We must put our trust in the one who was born the light of the world more than two thousand years ago. We are to blame if we celebrate Christmas today and still remain in the darkness.

PRAYER: 1. Father, please take darkness away from me and everything that concerns me.
• Father, let your light shine in my life and in everything that has to do with me.

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