The First Christmas
By Ann Doupont
It’s that time of year again. You can feel it in the air. We know that as Christians, we’re not to get all wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.
We know that it’s not about overspending our hard-earned money to buy gifts for all of our relatives and friends. We know that it’s not really to be about Christmas trees and ornaments, but it’s about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. (I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with having a tree and buying gifts, but that is not the reason for the season.)
Many Bible scholars say that Jesus wasn’t really born on December 25th, but at another time of year. That doesn’t matter to me – about when He was born – just that He was born.
I love the Christmas story. In Luke 1, we see the humility of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in accepting this divine assignment from on-high as the angel Gabriel appeared to her. How startled she must have been at this appearance. We then see the expression of her jubilation as she rejoices in God having chosen her for this seemingly-impossible task. (See verses 46-56.)
As chapter 2 begins, we see Mary and Joseph going to the city of Bethlehem in fulfillment of prophecy regarding where the Messiah would be born. God had this plan set up many centuries in advance.
As we go into this season we call Christmas, let it become more real to us regarding what happened that very first Christmas when Christ was born. I remember the first Christmas after I accepted Christ Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. How different it then became to me! How much more meaning was given to the day I call Christmas after I had Christ in my heart!
If you have not yet invited Jesus Christ to come into your heart, you can do so today and this can then be the best Christmas ever for you, too.
Pray out loud:
Jesus, Thank you for coming to the earth. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart and live with me forever. I give my life to you. Amen.
If you meant what you just prayed, God has heard you. We find in Romans 10:9 that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and we believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.
If you’d never before invited Jesus into your heart, this is a new beginning for your life. You are now what is called born again. (See John 3:3-16.) You’re a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things are new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
There’s so much to learn and also to unlearn. As you read the Bible, it will begin to make much more sense to you.
Welcome to the family of God!
If you have questions about your new life in Christ, please write to me. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Ann Doupont
www.anndoupont.org
Boise4Jesus@yahoo.com
By Ann Doupont
It’s that time of year again. You can feel it in the air. We know that as Christians, we’re not to get all wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.
We know that it’s not about overspending our hard-earned money to buy gifts for all of our relatives and friends. We know that it’s not really to be about Christmas trees and ornaments, but it’s about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. (I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with having a tree and buying gifts, but that is not the reason for the season.)
Many Bible scholars say that Jesus wasn’t really born on December 25th, but at another time of year. That doesn’t matter to me – about when He was born – just that He was born.
I love the Christmas story. In Luke 1, we see the humility of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in accepting this divine assignment from on-high as the angel Gabriel appeared to her. How startled she must have been at this appearance. We then see the expression of her jubilation as she rejoices in God having chosen her for this seemingly-impossible task. (See verses 46-56.)
As chapter 2 begins, we see Mary and Joseph going to the city of Bethlehem in fulfillment of prophecy regarding where the Messiah would be born. God had this plan set up many centuries in advance.
As we go into this season we call Christmas, let it become more real to us regarding what happened that very first Christmas when Christ was born. I remember the first Christmas after I accepted Christ Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. How different it then became to me! How much more meaning was given to the day I call Christmas after I had Christ in my heart!
If you have not yet invited Jesus Christ to come into your heart, you can do so today and this can then be the best Christmas ever for you, too.
Pray out loud:
Jesus, Thank you for coming to the earth. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart and live with me forever. I give my life to you. Amen.
If you meant what you just prayed, God has heard you. We find in Romans 10:9 that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and we believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.
If you’d never before invited Jesus into your heart, this is a new beginning for your life. You are now what is called born again. (See John 3:3-16.) You’re a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things are new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
There’s so much to learn and also to unlearn. As you read the Bible, it will begin to make much more sense to you.
Welcome to the family of God!
If you have questions about your new life in Christ, please write to me. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Ann Doupont
www.anndoupont.org
Boise4Jesus@yahoo.com
copyright © 2007 Ann Doupont. All rights reserved.