How Can We Celebrate the Savior's Birth?

Introduction

We are here this evening to celebrate the birth of our savior. Over 2000 years ago in a stable in the town of Bethlehem a baby lay wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.

Each year we set aside this special time of year to be reminded of the glorious day when God came to earth in the form of a man to carry out God’s plan for the redemption of mankind from sin.

We celebrate in a number of ways, by placing lights and decorations on our homes, by decorating Christmas trees, by spending time with loved ones, by giving and receiving gifts. All these are perfectly acceptable traditions, but how should we celebrate the savior’s birth?

We can celebrate His birth by our:

Worship

We ought to set aside a span of time this Christmas season to thank and praise God for his willingness to send His son to earth to die for our sins!

As soon as Anna came into contact with the savior she began to thank the Lord. We should do the same!

Let us thank the Lord for leaving the glories of heaven to dwell in the midst of a sin cursed world.

Let us thank the Lord for His obedience to the father in carrying out His will on earth.

Let us thank the Lord for becoming sin for us that we might be made righteous in Him.

Let us thank the Lord for bearing the shame and reproach of our sins upon the cross of calvary dying in our place.

Let us thank the Lord for interceding on our behalf today at the right hand of the throne of God!

Let us thank the Lord for redeeming us from sin and for granting us eternal life.

If the infant Christ was worthy of worship (and He was as God robed in human flesh), then surely you and I ought to worship Jesus today with the full revelation of His life, death, and resurrection!

Are you thankful today that Jesus came to earth? If the answer is yes then let our worship reflect our thankfulness and let us praise God this evening with all of our hearts and all of our energy. Let there be no half-hearted worship in celebrating the savior’s birth!

Service

Anna had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the promised Messiah for years. She had not ceased to serve God with fastings and prayers night and day in the temple.

Here is a widow who is well over 100 years old yet faithfully serving the Lord. Up until the day that Jesus arrived in the temple she could only look to promises of scripture concerning the saviors birth but now she would see the savior for herself.

One way that you and I can celebrate the savior’s birth is to find a place of service. If this widow could find a way to serve the Lord, then what is our excuse for not serving.

She served the Lord in light of the promises she had from the scriptures concerning the savior. She would never know the details of the savior’s earthly ministry, she would not have the opportunity to witness His death on the cross or His miraculous resurrection three days later, yet she served God night and day.

You and I have a detailed account of the savior’s life, death, and resurrection. We have detailed evidence of His love for us. This ought to provoke in us a sincere desire to find some way to serve Him.

Paul tells us in that considering what Christ has done for us it is a reasonable expectation that we would submit our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice allowing Him to use us as He sees fit.

If you have been the recipient of the benefits of Christ’s coming then do you not owe it to the Lord to commit your life to His service as Anna did?

Testimony

The final means by which we can celebrate the savior’s birth is by testifying of Him to others.

Once Anna had come into contact with the savior herself, she began to tell others who were also eagerly awaiting the savior’s birth.

Anna set about testifying of what she had personally witnessed to others.

You and I have this same responsibility to go and tell others of what the savior has done so that they might also receive Him.

How many others may have met the savior because of Anna’s testimony? How many have come to the savior because of your testimony?

You and I ought to be more than willing to testify of Jesus Christ and His goodness and mercy towards you. We ought never to miss an opportunity to praise Him and give testimony to His wondrous grace!

Why is it that when the opportunity arises to testify of the savior so many sit silently by? Has He not been good to us, has He not saved us from our sins, has He not given to us eternal life, has He not blessed us so far beyond what we deserve?

Each of us ought to seize on the opportunity that is presented to us during this CHRISTmas season to testify of Christ and His love to all mankind, and of His power to save to the uttermost all that will come unto God by Him! ()