Enough of this "x-mas" junk! Christmas means NOTHING without CHRIST! If you don't accept Jesus as THE CHRIST...stop celebrating OUR holiday! "Happy Holidays" is only meaningful within the context of Christmas...a purely Christian holiday! I can accept "happy holidays" because, to me, it's automatically filtered through a Christian mindset, and means Happy Christmas!
Matt. 1:
18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Many argue that Jesus is not God, but merely the Son of God, a second (inferior) person of the godhead.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But in order to understand John 3:16, you must also read 1 John 3:16...
16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
When was the beginning of Sonship? Did it start on that 1st Christmas day...whatever day and month it came? Or did it really start...in the beginning?
Jesus tells us a secret in Rev. 3:14. He slides it in unobtrusively, without great fanfare, but an absolute TRUTH about his true identity, that many deny to there own hurt.
...these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
John tried to make it clear.
John 1:
1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2. The same was in the beginning with God.
3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9. That was the true Light, ( ed.-read the account of the 1st day of creation...it was the beginning of Sonship) which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (ed.- the sun was created on the 4th day)
10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Light created on day 1 was the pre-incarnate Jesus, only He was revealed as Jehovah to Israel. Reading about His second coming in Zachariah, we find He is consistantly referred to as the LORD, all caps, which identifies Him as Jehovah by the KJV translators.
When we sing Christmas carols, we are singing about the Almighty (Rev.1: 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty) God, creator of heaven and earth (re-read John 1:3 above).
Also read Col. 1:
16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Which answers the question: Is Jesus in the Godhead, or is the Godhead in Jesus?
Colossians 2:
8. Beware lest any man spoil ( think: rotted meat) you through philosophy ( humanistic reasoning) and vain (empty) deceit (lies), after the tradition of men (traditions added to scripture, not taught by Jesus or the apostles... like the doctrine of the trinity), after the rudiments ( simplest things ) of the world, and not after Christ.
9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
This Christmas rejoice with resounding joy, that the creator God of all creation, who loves you enough to personally redeem you Himself, came born of a virgin (who then had other children with Joseph) for the sole purpose of offering Himself as a sacrifice to pay for your sin!
Isaiah 9:6-7 says it best...
6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Thank God, and Merry Christmas!
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