Christmas, A reminder!

Introduction:

- Xmas season officially starts the day after Thanksgiving. For the following 4 weeks, people gets so involved in decorating and shopping that they forget the true meaning of Xmas.

- Xmas and resurrection, the most meaningful seasons for believers, have been robbed of the spiritual aspect and have become a commercial and traditionalist celebration. Xmas is time to ponder on one of the greatest miracles Humanity has witnessed: the incarnation of Christ.

Background:

- The angel Gabriel had announced the birth of John the Baptist, and of Jesus.

- Zacharias and Elizabeth felt that God had forgotten them. They were both advanced in years and had no child. Through the angel, Zacharias is reminded of the meaning of his name = “God remembers” (God does not forget)

- As soon as John was born and Zacharias utter the child’s name, God gave him the prophecy we just read. It shows us that Xmas is time to remember.

Xmas time is a Reminder

Reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Bringing redemption to His people.

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- Due to disobedience, Israel had suffered several captivities: Egypt, Assyria/Babylon, Greeks, and Romans. They were tired of slavery.

- Redemption consisted of buying the freedom of a slave. They were waiting for years for a redeemer; but they did understand the redemption God had promised: freedom from sin and hell

- Jesus had come to perform it forever:

- Hannah, the widow, acknowledged it when she saw the born King:

“At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

- Xmas should remind us why Jesus came to earth.

Fulfilling His promise to David.

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- God had made a promise to king David:

I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 " He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever… Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever. ,

- A sprouting horn is symbolic of revival or renewal of a family or nation (deers/antlers). In , God says about David:

"I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant,

I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne to all generations." Selah. My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted.” ,

- A thousand years had passed since the promise. The people were waiting for the fulfillment. Did God forget about it? is saying, “the promise has been fulfilled”

- That Xmas, David rejoiced in God’s presence seeing God’s faithfulness!

Fulfilling His promise to Abraham.

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- Even more time had passed since God made a promise to Abraham (c.2086 BC). When Abraham entered Canaan, God promised him:

“... And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

- Later, the promise was reaffirmed:

- Xmas shows that God kept His promise.

Remembering His covenant with Israel.

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- Israel as a nation has abandoned God, but God has not abandoned His chosen people. The very existence of Israel is proof of that.

- Micah, the prophet who announced Xmas in Bethlehem, wrote:

“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me…20 You will give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which You swore to our forefathers From the days of old.” ,

- Christ, the truth, came to His people, but the people rejected Him again.

Reminder of our responsibility.

To speak on God’s behalf.

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To announce God’s salvation.

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- To announce salvation, we must preach the Gospel. What better time than Xmas. Xmas is “evangel”; it’s time for the evangel. God’s forgiveness and mercy must be proclaimed.

- We must also instruct God’s people on God’s salvation…

To be light to this world.

79a

- Some may argue that verses 79-80 refer to Christ. Others that refer to John and in a sense to us.

- If they are about Christ, the Bible tells us that:

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, " I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

- If they are about John and us:

“He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.”

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

To guide people to peace with God.

79b

- Peace was the message of the angel to the shepherds ()

- We are messengers of peace.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 NASB95

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.