Let's Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is often the best time of the year. Families come together, gifts are exchanged, holidays are had and memories are made. Christmas should be a celebration and today's study is looking at the need for Christmas and the reason to celebrate. The story of the conception of Jesus Christ is found in LUKE Ch 1 v 26 - 38.

• Mary was chosen for a specific task. God has plans for our life too (JEREMIAH Ch 29 v 11).
• Prophecy was fulfilled. Mary was from the line of David; "In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land" (JEREMIAH 33 v 15). She was also a virgin. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son" (ISAIAH 7 v 14).
• Mary was surprised and confused. The way God works in our lives is seldom logical or predictable (ISAIAH 55 v 8).
• Mary had good reason to question the angel about her miraculous pregnancy. She was told God can do anything (v 37). She accepted this in faith (MATTHEW 19 v 26).

Christmas was the essential first step in God's plan of redemption for humanity. Some doubt the story of the Virgin birth, but it is an essential piece of Christian doctrine. We are all born into sin so for a child to come to save the world from sin, it could not have a sinful nature. Jesus was not conceived of man, but of God. That Jesus came for the world is the most important thing to celebrate at Christmas.