WORDS OF VICTORY
Things to Ponder this Christmas
December 6, 2014

From the Pastor's Keyboard:
Christmas is one of my favorite times of year simply because I am reminded once again of the glorious fact of the Incarnation. Now is the time we celebrate that God physically entered human history in the person of Jesus Christ. We unapologetically stand on the fact that the Jesus Christ is the Jehovah God of the Old Testament manifested in human flesh. It is here where John 3:16 first became a reality, when God “gave” His only begotten Son to the world. As Christmas day fast approaches, let us turn our eye from the tree and the presents toward Bethlehem and wonder at the miracle we see there when Mary “brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped the first Christmas gift in swaddling clothes” before placing him in the manger.
One thing we need to remember at Christmas time is the direction from which God came. We know that God came from heaven. The great fact is that God came down. This is so important since it is impossible for us to go to him as we are. God is infinitely holy; man is woefully sinful. God’s holiness knows no limit. In fact He is the definition of holy. Man by contrast has no limits to his sinfulness. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our hearts are “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” The potential for any person to become the worst possible sinner is in each one of us. Thankfully, such behavior is often restrained by God’s grace. God is so holy as not to be able to look upon sin; yet, God poured Himself out in human flesh. He did this to walk among men, share in their sorrows, shower His love, and then suffer and die as the payment for man’s sin. All this was possible because God came down.
The second thing I love to ponder at this time of year is the people to whom God first announced the birth of His Son. When Jesus was born in the humble Bethlehem manger, the good news (the Gospel!) was first told to nearby shepherds who were working that night, watching their flocks. Shepherds were disdained at this time by polite society. Their testimony could not even be used in a court of law. But it was to these humble, hardworking, common people that God first told the news of the birth of His Son. All the more to wonder, while this took place, the religious leaders of Israel were still ignorant about His birth much later.
The final thing I’d like us to remember is God’s love. Earlier, we joyfully recalled John 3:16, “For God so loved the world…” God came down, not in wrath as He did on Mount Sinai, ready to destroy Israel for their transgressions (Exodus 32:10); rather he condescended in amazing love. How wonderful this truth is, that God loves us! Charles Wesley said it so well in his great hymn:

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Make no mistake about it: The Christmas story is the manifestation of the love of God to the world. Could I make a suggestion to you? If you haven’t yet come to Christ, do so today. He is God’s gift to the world, and you are part of that world. Open up John 3:16 and receive the gift of God this Christmas.

Thankful for the Grace of God
Pastor John Nichols