2019 Christmas Eve Devotional

The B I B L E… Yes that’s the book for me...

The Bible is Good News about God and what He has done for us

And God reveals this Good News to us in a host of ways

: Genealogy of Jesus from Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob; to Rahab, Boaz, Ruth, Jesse, & King David; through a host of many more generations to get to Joseph the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus. 14 generations from Abraham to David; 14 generations from David to the Babylonian exile; 14 from the exile to the coming of Jesus.

God spoke through Dreams. 5 times in the first two chapters of Matthew God revealed himself in this way.

God spoke through angels on 3 separate occasions again in the first two chapters of Matthew.

God spoke through the prophets / through the scriptures. says, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us).

Which leads us to a 5th way in which God spoke - Directly through Himself - Immanuel (God with us) - Jesus is a direct representation of God.

15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

16for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

17He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

18Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

19For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,

20and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.

In the beginning God… From the very beginning of everything is God.

Because of the events found in , God again takes the initiative and intervenes on behalf of humanity.

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.

23“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

Don’t believe anyone ever called Jesus by this name. It wasn’t a proper name for Jesus, but more importantly helped to define His role - bringing God’s presence to man.

Matthew wraps up his book, sharing the words of Jesus, with this last verse...

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

These 4 words are so very significant for us - GOD IS WITH US!

So as we begin to prepare our hearts for communion this evening, that would be my encouragement to everyone. Let us not forget this Christmas that God has been, and continues to, be with us. Yes, He is for us. But I believe even more significant is the idea that He is with us.

Communion instructions...

(NLT)

1Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

8he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,

10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”