Reasons for the Season, Part 1 "The Purpose of Christmas"
Dec 13, 2024
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Explore a fresh perspective on Christmas, highlighting how humanity's imperfections make the season meaningful. Discover the unlikely backstory of Christmas through Abraham's faith amid challenges. Learn how hope emerged in Israel's darkest times through prophetic assurances. Reflect on the divine timing of Jesus' birth as a blessing for the world, emphasizing His humble mission. Lastly, consider the responsibility of believers to embody the spirit of Christmas and prioritize community support during the season.
Christmas emphasizes God's love for humanity, highlighting that our existence and struggles are integral to the season's purpose.
Believers are called to reflect Jesus' transformative message by actively blessing their communities and being agents of change.
Deep dives
The Real Reason for the Season
The notion that 'Jesus is the reason for the season' is challenged by the idea that humanity itself is the reason for Christmas. This perspective highlights God's love for a 'rebel race,' suggesting that Christmas is fundamentally about God's response to human struggles and shortcomings. The birth of Jesus, viewed through this lens, emphasizes how it is a gift meant for the benefit of people, reaffirming that God acted in love because of human need. Therefore, rather than solely focusing on the nativity, attention is drawn to the relational aspect between God and humanity that initiated the Christmas celebration.
The Backstory of Christmas
The compelling story behind Christmas begins with the narrative of Abraham, a man chosen by God despite his unremarkable beginnings. God's promise to Abraham was that he would become a great nation, which seemed impossible given his and Sarah's inability to have children. This sets the stage for an unfolding story of faith and obedience, where God's plans often transcend human understanding and expectation, promising a blessing to all peoples through Abraham. The narrative captivates listeners by showing how an ordinary individual's journey fulfilled divine promises over a millennium.
Blessing the World Through Followers of Jesus
The arrival of Jesus was intended as a blessing for the world, and followers of Jesus are encouraged to embody that purpose by actively blessing their communities. This calls into question whether Jesus followers truly mirror that light and love in their current context. There is an emphasis on the responsibility of Christians to ensure their actions reflect the transformative essence of Jesus' message, making their environments better. In doing so, they not only embrace being beneficiaries of this blessing but also become agents of change, fulfilling the very promise God made through Abraham.
You may have heard that Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season, and that's true but so are you! On the very first Christmas God blessed the world with a different kind of king who came to save us by entering into our mess.