The Experience of Christmas

Introduction

Praise the Lord! Thank you very much the choir for that heart-warming song. I’m resolved! Yes indeed, we have decided to follow Jesus in whatever circumstances that we face.

The worship team and the skit team have also prepared us to hear the message this evening. And I’m personally blessed to be part of this Christmas program. It is my first time for sure, as the English Service Pastor here in this Jurong Seventh-day Adventist Church. My family and I have been excited to join you and experience this awesome event of the year. Once again, we would love to welcome each and every one of you to our church. For those of you who are firstcomers, please make sure that you will not be left behind. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this session. Even feel free to be part of this community because we have extended our invitations through the area around this church, through the personal interactions, and even through different social media platforms. And for that reason, we are indeed so grateful for your coming!

Content

Now, after singing our carols, seeing the skit, and being touched with the choir rendition. My question to you, how is the experience of your christmas? How is it so far? What does Christmas mean for you this year? Does this month of December sum up your entire year of 2023? Of course it is not easy to narrow down the meaning of Christmas into just five to seven words only. I know that family, holiday, and party are some of the top reasons why we celebrate this moment. But let us ponder on God’s word as try to find the relevance of Jesus’ birth and Jesus’ life on this earth.

As you know, Christmas is a historical event. But not only that, also this season is multi-dimensional into some extent because every year or even every time we celebrate its crème de la crème (the best and the essence of Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus Christ). Though the date of Dec 25 is somehow improbable, we can see that throughout the world, many people know that Jesus Christ was ever born and alive on this earth. Yes! The invisible has become visible, the divine has become flesh. In other words, God has become human. Christmas is very unique to us. Christ is the Light of this world. He came to bring the reality to our darkness. Because if you see, some people believe to say that God is so immanent (very close, here with us) in all things that incarnation of God is a normal thing. In contrast, other people view that God is transcendent (very far, up there) over all things that incarnation is an impossible thing.

Therefore, the Christmas moment of joy and gratitude is very peculiar to us because we believe that the birth of Christ doesn’t emphasize that incarnation is normal, but it doesn’t say it’s impossible. It says God is so immanent that it is possible, but He is so transcendent that the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ is such a life-transforming plan of the Godhead in heavens.

The invisible has become visible, the divine has become flesh. In other words, God has become human. The Gospel is not that Jesus Christ comes to earth, tells us how to live, we live a good life and then God owes us blessing.

The Gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, so when we believe in Him we live a life of grateful joy for Him.

If these things didn’t happen, if they’re just parables, no hope is found in life.

Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh, you’re going to know much more about God. You’re seeing Him weep. You’re seeing Him upset. You’re seeing Him cast down. You’re seeing Him exalted.

We can see thru the skit

Before I continue my message, let us take a look on this video about Danxiang, how he has struggled with his life here in Singapore...

There are many of us facing particular challenges at Christmas, but he comes to give us the example, the experience of being in HIS PRESENCE.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.”--Dietrich Bonhoeffer

1 Peter 2:21–24 (NASB 2020)

For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.

THE VIDEO of JHOYAX

The experience of Christmas does not only give us the festive opportunity to remember the birth of Jesus Christ but also grants us unshakable faith amidst multi-dimensional crises in this world.

The Child in Bethlehem was born for the reason of salvation. Though the birth of Jesus Christ may not guarantee us to avoid our daily problems, it always gives such an excellent assurance for all the human race that this Child, the Savior of all people, is coming very soon.

“In Christ, the form of human beings before God was created anew. It was not a matter of place, of time, of race, or of religion, but rather a question of the life of humanity itself that it recognized in Christ its image and its hope.”

We know that the first coming of Jesus Christ occured thousand years ago, and now we are living in this 21st century knowing that there will be also His second coming. Have you heard about that? Yes! Jesus is coming very soon!

Now, I would like to invite you to get the connection cards from the goody bags that you all have received when you enter this room. If you have not had one, please raise your hand and the ushers can assist to give one connection card for you. If you see on that card, please fill in the details in the front page. And please tick one among the options... You are welcome to this community. Please join us in whatever means possible. After this program done, you can MAY THE LORD BLESS US ALL.