- Scripture: Luke 2:10
- Broadcast Date: 12/21/2015
THE VOICES OF CHRISTMAS
Luke 2:10
This week we will observe Christmas Eve. To many, including myself, is the most precious, beautiful, meaningful part of the year. And if we take time to listen, we will hear many voices from the very first Christmas. Take for instance, the ancient prophet Isaiah, who 740 years before Jesus was born, prophesied , “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.” (Isaiah 9:6). And sure enough, just as the prophet declared, it came to pass. We learn from Isaiah, God always keeps His word. Then appears the archangel Gabriel who speaks to Mary, “behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31). Mary is dumb founded and asks Gabriel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” Gabriel explains, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over shadow thee.” Gabriel goes on, “For with God nothing is impossible.”
(Luke 1:35,37). Now, give Mary credit, she did not question, she did not doubt, but in beautiful trust and faith, Mary speaks, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1”37).
Mary’s voice, coming from that first Christmas is, when God tells us something, never doubt, never waver, give yourself to God and trust Him. Friend, there will be times in life when you do not understand, cannot figure a way out, just trust God. When God tells us He will never leave us or forsake us, take heart and relax.
(Hebrews 13:5). But there is another voice coming from that first Christmas, it is Joseph. He had his trials too, believe me. Mary tells Joseph she is pregnant by the power of God. Joseph didn’t believe her, nor would I. There were a lot of things Joseph didn’t know, but there were two things he did know. He knew she was pregnant and he knew he was not the father.
So, what to do? Have her stoned?
Never. He still loved her, so he would give her a bill of divorcement. God bless him. While he thought about the matter, the angel of the Lord told him to do something that had never entered his head, “fear not to take unto Mary thy wife”.
(Matthew 1:20).
And what did Joseph do?
“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife,” (Luke 1:24). Joseph, from that first Christmas 2000 years ago, is telling us, “Obey God, never question, never quail, only trust and obey”.
But there were other voices.
One of them was the audible voice of an angel, one measly angel, listen to him; “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,….And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people……unto you is born this day….a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11).
And then it happened. “And the suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God”. A multitude, perhaps millions of the heavenly host praising God”. So the voice of that solitary angel rings today, “A Savior”.
Is He YOUR Savior? The voices of Christmas all call us to Jesus, the Savior. God bless you and a Merry Christmas in Christ!