Christmas Program Devotion

I love the Christmas Story.

I am so thankful for everyone who has participated in the program, You all did an amazing job telling the story, and I am grateful for all of you who came out to see them perform.

Luke 2:1–14 NASB95

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

I love the Christmas story!!

The challenge for us as Christians is we can become so familiar with the Christmas story that it no longer has the impact it once had on our life. The problem we face is, we know the story so well, we miss out on the intimate details and what God wants to teach us in the birth of His Son.

There are three things about the Christmas story that stand out to me that I don’t want you to miss this Christmas season.

First of all, This story teaches us that God takes the most difficult circumstances we face in life and He uses them for our good.

For example, consider all the problems Joseph and Mary faced at the birth of Christ. Mary was a young teenage girl who was pregnant and not married. Any woman living at that time in those circumstances could be stoned to death.

Also, the time had come for Mary to deliver her baby and she and Joseph were forced to travel to Bethlehem to register for a census. That means they had to travel almost 80 miles through mountainous terrain to get there., and once they arrived there was no where to stay and she gave birth in a manger.

Yet despite all those obstacles, God used them and those circumstances to bring to the world the greatest gift ever known, His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

And God can do the same thing in your life. He can take the most difficult circumstances and use them for your good. Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

I want you to know you have been called according to the purpose of God. God has a purpose and a plan for your life and he will take your most difficult circumstances and use them for your good.

The second thing we learn from the Christmas story is; there are no unimportant people to God.

Notice the people God choose to use in this story. He choose an unknown girl from an unknown town, Mary, to be the Theotokis, the bearer of God!! He could have choose anyone in the world but He choose Mary.

Also notice who God announced the birth of His Son to; shepherds out in the fields. He didn’t send His angels to the priests and the kings of Jerusalem. He didn’t send them to the wealthy and the wise, but He choose to announce the birth of the Savior of the world to shepherds.

That teaches us God cares just as much about the humble and the meek as He does the mighty and the strong. It teaches us we are all important to God and it doesn’t matter if you have a tittle before your name or how much money you have in the bank. There are no unimportant people to God.

The third thing we learn from the Christmas story is how much God loves the world. We know that because He sent His only begotten Son into the world to be rejected by man, so that through Him we might be forgiven and saved and spend eternity with God in Heaven.

In other words, God loved you and I so much He was willing to come and die because He did not want to live without us!! That is what we celebrate about the Christmas story!! It is about the birth of a Savior. It is about the gift of a Son, and it is still and always will be the greatest Christmas gift ever given!!

Lets Pray together,

Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for this time together, but most of all Lord we thank you for your Son. Because it is the gift of your Son that fills us with hope, love, peace, and joy.

Lord I pray the story of your Son would impact our lives this Christmas in a way that we cannot deny. And that through your Holy Spirit every celebration would center around Jesus!! It’s in His holy name we pray! Amen!!