Luke 2:1-7

During Christmas we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not say that He was born on 25 December, but that is the date that we celebrate His birth.

At Christmas we celebrate the Gift of gifts which God gave to us, where He demonstrates His great love for us. So the coming and birth of the Son of God is the beginning of all things.

If it wasn't for His birth we wouldn't have Easter, Good Friday, His resurrection, ascension or even Pentecost.
We would not even write our date the way we do if Jesus hadn't been born, for this year 2009 is measured since His birth.

The fact that God became flesh should mean more to you than anything else in your life.

In Hebrews 2:11 we read that He is not ashamed to be called the brother of those who are sanctified by Him. It is amazing and one cannot fathom it that God whose face shines brighter than the sun in its brightness is not ashamed to be called our brother. What type of people ought we then to be!

Such a high and exalted position is indescribable yet some of those who are called by that Name can steal, slander, lust, be bitter and keep grudges!

Read about the life of Jesus how He went about healing the sick, raising the dead, saving people from their sins. Yet there are those who trample such love and grace underfoot. Certainly there must be a hell for such people who treat such grace and love with indifference and mock it by the way they live.

It should be the easiest thing for us to surrender our lives and give Him everything for what He has done for us!
Do you remind yourself everyday that Jesus calls you His brother.
But will He still call you His brother if you count His grace a small thing and lust after sin and love worldliness. No, then He will spit you out of His mouth. If you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you at the Great Day.

John the apostle writes, "behold what great love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God."

There is nothing as heart-breaking as one who turns his back upon the Gospel, like Lot's wife and Demas who loved this present world.

God's love is unfathomable and indescribable. Each one should be aflame in their hearts as though they got converted yesterday.

God who loves us so much gave us this great gift that does not perish or grow old, even Eternal Life.

Let us briefly look at the circumstances into which Jesus was born. He was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus. He was the first and some say the greatest of the Roman Emperors. He was a heathen knowing nothing about the faith or the Bible. He was ruling from Rome, which was the capital city of the world.

This heathen emperor made the decree that everyone must go to their hometown for the census.
Mary was great with child but there was no way out, they had to travel to Bethlehem, a journey of approximately 25h either on foot or riding on a donkey.

When they got there, there was no room for them in the inn and they had to stay in the stable, where also the Child was born.

All this seemed so difficult and unreasonable, but God had everything under control. In fact He turned Ceasar's heart to do what he did and without Him Ceasar could not have done anything. God had His hand over everything that happened. Unless Ceasar Augustus gave that decree Jesus would've been born in Nazaret. But many centuries earlier the prophet Micah had prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

Joseph was short-sighted and could not see that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, so God moved the ruler of the whole world to force them to go to Bethlehem. God could've sent an angel to warn Joseph to go to Bethlehem but God chose the greatest heathen in the world to bring about His decree.

God gave the thought into Ceasar Augustus that there must be a world-wide census just at the right time. God brought Ceasar Augustus into power to bring about the fulfillment of His Word.

This is an amazing great matter. God is great and awesome. From the smallest to the greatest thing is in His hand. Not even a hair of your head will fall to the ground without His permission. Without Him we can do nothing. You cannot even lift your foot from the ground without His permission. Truly God is sovereign!

Some people think they are great, or some girls think they are beautiful and one just pities them for their utter foolishness.

In Germany there was a girl who was very puffed up thinking she was very beautiful. She went to a man of God and said to him, "is it a sin that I am so beautiful?" He answered, "young girl it's no sin but a mistake, you are deceiving yourself".

Heaven and earth will pass away before one iota of God's Word is not fulfilled.

You might think your life is full of bad luck and misery but as soon as you see that God has the smallest detail of your life in His hand it will be the end of your complaining and asking "why?". Then you will start to live for Him and do His will for your life.