Friday 14 December 2012

The Christmas Story....Jesus is Born!


MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

 We pray that this week you are experiencing the joy of our salvation through Jesus Christ in your life, families, and workplaces. This week's blog presents a special opportunity to win several of Dr. Gary Chapman's books for children including A Perfect Pet for Peyton and The 5 Love Languages for Children. Entry can be found further in the blog, but first "take the next step" with us as we recapture the inspiring journey through The Christmas Story heard this week on New Day Cafe!

 Next Step Devotion

 Tree leaves begin their transformation from bright green to the soothing autumn shades of yellow, red, and orange. The cool afternoon breeze begins billowing through your front door step, and soon the fireplace sparks its first evening fire. As the season changes from summer to fall and fall to winter, it's hard to escape those first moments of anticipation for the coming Christmas season! But what first crossed your mind this year when you thought about Christmas? Was it the family gatherings, gift buying, tree decorating, or maybe even the annual church Christmas program? Were your thoughts filled with elves, Santa Clause, and twinkle lights? Or were your first thoughts centered upon the true reason for the season, Jesus Christ? 

 While it has not always been the case, the true Christmas story of Jesus Christ has been traded in for one that feeds the commercialized industry of our modern culture. However, with economic uncertainty and, for many Americans, the pain of a tumultuous year still lingering, I believe there has been a resurgence in the focus on Jesus Christ, at least within the Christian community. Our nation is poised for the message of hope that the Christmas story offers. So this week on New Day Cafe we focused exclusively upon the Christmas story of Jesus Christ, taking an in depth look at the shepherds, the Bethlehem star, and the values of our Lord that were revealed that starry night of Jesus' birth. 

 Storyteller Jack Day spent two days recounting the story of Jesus birth from the gospel of Luke, capturing both the magnificence and humility surrounding the coming of the Messiah. Imagine the moment when the angel come to Mary - a poor, uneducated, teenage virgin - and proclaimed that she was highly favored among women and would carry the hope of the world within her very tummy! You can almost hear the silence as the angels gazed towards this pivotal moment in history with eager anticipation. The Great I Am chose the most unlikely of humans to deliver His Son to the world. Remember that this is at a time in history with no running water, no electricity, no modern medicine, and Roman oppression! But what glory the meekness of Mary's circumstances brought to God as she faithfully declared, "may it be until me as you have said." (Luke 1:38) 

 As you progress in reading the Christmas story, you learn that three wise men took note of an intriguing and extraordinarily bright star shining in the night sky. In our interview with Rick Larson, developer of the revolutionary DVD Documentary The Star of Bethlehem, we learned that there is scientific evidence to prove that this special star was set into motion at the creation point of the universe. This star moved on a divine clock-work to appear in the sky at this specific point in history - the coming of Jesus. God planned from the beginning of time to use this star to announce the birth of The Messiah! What a omnipotent representation of God's sovereignty, His attention to detail, and His use of creation to speak directly to His people. 

 The Christmas story of Jesus Christ reveals to us the very core of God's character and desire for mankind - LOVE. We spoke about this in our interview with Darryl Nyznyk, author of the inspiring Christmas novel Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas. Before the beginning of the world God chose us to display his love and salvation. He chose us to spend eternity with Him! He set all things sovereignly into motion to come to earth through His Son at the perfect point in history, and He divinely inspired the gospel writers to capture the Christmas story so that we can forever look forward to the hope of his second coming. 

 Through the humble circumstances surrounding Jesus birth, we are reminded that the things of this world pale in comparison to the glory that is Jesus Christ our Lord. We are reminded that that Jesus came to earth not to rule over us as man, but to offer to us freely the gift of salvation, living with Him in His eternal kingdom. As the star shined in the sky, we now carry God's light inside of us with the purpose to shine into the darkness and bring hope to a lost and weary world. 

 The Christmas season presents a tremendous opportunity for us to share the gospel with those around us. So next time your thoughts turn to Santa's bag of presents, take a moment to re-position your heart and mind on the greatest present in all of history, the gift of Jesus Christ. 

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Interview Recaps
Key Scriptures

Luke 1:38 - "I am the Lord's Servant," Mary answered, "Let is be unto me as you have said." 

Luke 2:6-7 - While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Matthew 2:1-2 - After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 

Luke 2:13-15 - Suddenly a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel , praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 

John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
CONTEST ENTRY

OK, here it is! Click the link below to enter to win two of Dr. Gary Chapman's books made specifically for children: A Pet for Peyton and The 5 Love Languages for Children. You can enter now through December 21st. This would make a great way to spend quality time with your children. Happy entering!

Enter by clicking: http://bit.ly/SYUtah

Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Melissa Rogers
Moody Radio South

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