Isaiah 9 is a prophecy of the birthday of the Messiah:
Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, Prince of Peace.
Christmas is the fulfillment of this prophecy of Isaiah.
How do you celebrate Christmas? The way to get outside of the secular culture of Christmas is to focus not on receiving, but rather on giving. Children live for the gifts of Christmas presents. However, we must live for the gift of Christmas presence, the presence of God in Christ in us. God our father has already presented us with the greatest Christmas present of all… for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For many of us, Christmas is a season spent in the private prison of depression. Our prisons are those we build around ourselves. No one else is responsible for putting us into the prisons of fear, anxiety, strife, contention, and depression. We are. These are prisons built by our own hands. Only God through his son Jesus Christ can release us from our private prisons. His mission was to set the prisoner free. He came to lead captivity captive. The ultimate freedom is the ultimate captivity to our Lord Jesus Christ.
How do I do it, and how shall I model my life?
What to do, how to do it, and then doing it, are the keys to walking in fellowship with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. If we look to the secular culture, it is easy to buy into the victim mentality…. to blame others instead of taking responsibility for our own actions and consequences. It is easy to become a victim to the Americanization of Christianity… when we squeeze Jesus into the mold of the American dream. This is the dream of material prosperity as the result of hard work and self-fulfillment centered around a comfortable lifestyle. This dream is rooted in hedonism and materialism. However, Romans 12 says, be not squeezed into the world’s mold. The bible becomes irrelevant when we are squeezed into the value system of the world, reflecting worldly values rather than Godly values according to the standard of the Word. When the focus is on the worldly church of the secular culture, we loose focus on Christ’s church of the body of believers born again from above.
The church of Orange County bends to accommodate the lives and life styles of Southern California. The Jesus of OC is a secular, inclusive, and un-crucified Christ. However, the Jesus of the bible was crucified as the sin offering for our sins to free us from the bondage of the sin nature.
People-centered messages glorify the American dream. However the Word says seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Our joy and rejoicing is not in the blessings, but rather in the Blessor.
The best Christmas does not celebrate the gifts of Christmas presents. Rather, the best Christmas celebrates the Christmas presence of God in Christ in us. For our fellowship is with our Father, his son Christ Jesus, and one with another in the household of saints.
God through Jesus Christ has called us to give up the comforts of carnality. Instead of comfort in the flesh, he has sent the true comforter, the Holy Spirit, so that we could live in intimate communion with him.
The world view of “Vanity Faire” is diametrically opposed to the Word’s view of “fairest Lord Jesus.” Jesus of Southern California is the exact opposite of Jesus of Nazareth. It’s not about me, it’s about him. I must decrease that he might increase.
The true gospel is life changing from the inside out. Sanctification means to divide and separate… to set apart for the purpose intended by the Designer. We are the result of his Devine Design. In him we live and move and have our being… For we are his workmanship, his masterpiece, his poem, his magnum opus created in Christ Jesus unto good works according to the path which he has prepared in advance for us to walk in fellowship with him!
The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the advent season is that the advent of Christ would arise in our hearts… that we would be conformed, not to this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Only one life to live will soon be passed, only that which is done in Christ will last. For this light affliction which is but for a moment worketh in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
As we celebrate this Christmas season, may we remember the reason for the season: that unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called wonderful counselor… prince of peace.
May the day star arise in your hearts and may God richly bless you during this Advent season as we celebrate the birthday of our Lord.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael