JOY TO THE WORLD

December 25, 2024

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:8-11

1. WHO DO YOU SAY HE IS? I love this scripture for its simplicity, diversity, and accessibility. The angel drilled down to the essentials: “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” We remember the virgin birth, the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the manger in a stable with the livestock because there was no room in the inn. The night-shift shepherds got a visit from angels, while wise men from the East received a prophetic heads-up. They all came running to see the King. Wise men still seek Him. Night-shift workers still need Him. Angels are still declaring Him. The question remains: Who do you say He is? (Matthew 16:13). Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man – the only One capable of entering the human condition, never sinning, and becoming a sin substitute for us. He is the Savior who saves, The Healer who heals, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. He fulfilled every Hebrew prophecy concerning the Messiah. There is no one like Jesus.
 
2. JESUS OUR DELIVERER. One of my favorite Christmas songs, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” proclaims, “God and sinners reconciled.” Jesus dealt with the sin that separated us from the Father. He didn’t come to judge the world but to save it. True Christianity is a message of liberation, rescue, and freedom. The Bible says that in the fullness of time, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). From Genesis 3, where God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head, to Jesus’ birth thousands of years later, God’s timing was perfect. People now wonder: When will He return? The answer is simple – right on time. Until then, we must stay alert and focused on Him. Jesus came to reconcile the world to God, not counting our sins against us. He absorbed the toxicity of sin—past, present, and future—so that we could become the righteousness of God in Christ. And He has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Even after five decades as a Christian, I never tire of these simple truths.
 
3. RESET THIS CHRISTMAS. Jesus is fully God, and He’s fully man, the unique person of the universe who came to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10). Let today be a time of dedication and the start of a deeper desire for God. Every day, I rededicate because I know I need it. I know I have a flesh, and my mind needs to be renewed. I get up every day, and I hit the reset button. I acknowledge God, repent for any sin, forgive anyone I need to, and commit my heart to being led by God that day. 
 

PRAY THIS PRAYER:
God, I acknowledge you. I thank you. Forgive me for getting callous in any area of my life and for ignoring you. Help me to keep it real. Forgive me for any bitterness toward any situation or people. I do not want to be governed by hurts. I want to be led by Your Spirit. So, I forgive everyone. Thank you for coming to earth on a rescue mission and for saving me. I love You!

Merry Christmas, and God bless you,
Pastor Jeff Perry 

^{Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.}