The True Meaning of Merry Christmas (Luke 2:8-14) 12/25/2022
The 24 Answer of the 1st 2nd 3rd RUTC:
The True Meaning of Merry Christmas (Luke 2:8-14) 12/25/2022
The greeting, “Merry Christmas,” means we worship and exalt Christ with joy and happiness. What must we be happy and joyful about as we worship? We hold onto and believe at least five spiritual facts when we believe in Christ. Rejoicing and enjoying that is faith. First, it is Christ who existed long before creation. That means that He is not merely human but God Himself. That is how He was able to solve the curse of Genesis 3 and the fundamental curses of life that mankind could not solve on their own. Second, He became flesh and came to earth as a human being. We must firmly hold onto that reason today. Third, we believe in His death and resurrection of the forgiveness of sins. He received all the curses we should have received in our place with the authority of the priest, king, and prophet. He resurrected and gave us new life to live as Children of God who enjoys God’s blessings. Fourth, we believe in His return to earth. When will He come? It is when all those predestined to be saved through Christ are saved (Matthew 24:14). Therefore, our missions and evangelism are important. God promised to make all our meetings, work, problems, and even pain into evidence so that evangelism has no choice but to take place through us (Acts 1:8). Fifth, all lives will receive judgment before Him (Revelations 20:11-15). We also have committed many evil deeds. Thus, we must hold onto Christ, who has received all curses and judgment in our place on the cross in advance. Afterward, believers will enjoy eternal life and happiness in a new heaven and earth.
- Why did Christ come as a human? Why must we truly rejoice and be happy this Christmas?
In other words, He finished at least three curses that mankind should have faced. It is a curse related to sin (original sin, ancestral sin, self-committed sin). It is a curse that came as we were bound by Satan (destiny). It is a curse of eternal hell. Our curses did not merely end. Christ came in human form (incarnation, self-humbling) and finished all our curses through excruciating shame, suffering, and death (redemption). Although it was a time of extreme suffering for Christ, it became a time of great joy and thanksgiving for us.
1) God sent angels to the shepherd tending sheep in the fields, and delivered this joyful news (gospel) (verse 10). They said Christ had come to save us, but He will be in a manger (verses 11-12). God had already lowered Himself by coming as a human, and even his place of birth was humbling, which was a manger. It said that would be the sign (evidence) of the Son of God that had come as a human.
2) At that time, there were sounds of the heavenly armies and angels praising together (verses 13-14). “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” What does this mean?
① What does “Glory to God in the highest heaven” mean? It means that although He has come as flesh for our forgiveness of sins, he is the God who will receive all glory.
② What does “on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” mean? The world is filled with disputes and war. Therefore, the blessing of blessings that Christ gives us is peace. That is why it said He became the peace offering. First, it is the peace we enjoy with God. All life problems began with the severed relationship with God. Christ came so that life could enjoy peace with God and God’s blessings (Ephesians 2:14). Second, it is peace given within us. After the fall of the first life, life became filled with shame, worries, and fear (Genesis 3:1-10). However, now, we can enjoy the peace God gives us in Christ (John 14:27). Lastly, He has made it so that all lives and all creations can enjoy God’s peace (Colossians 1:20).
- We become those who enjoy three blessings when we accept Christ as my Savior and become children of God.
1) Christ finished everything by lowering Himself, facing suffering, and receiving all curses (John 19:30). But why do I still face problems, suffering, and shame? It is not a problem. It is a time to experience Calvary. Although my problems are incomparable to the humiliation and suffering Christ faced, that becomes an opportunity to experience Calvary. Therefore, if we meditate on Christ’s suffering during times of pain, important healing will occur (Isaiah 53:5).
2) Now, we have become those who will enjoy God’s glory. This was a blessing that life possessed from creation (Genesis 1:27, 2:7).
① Christ brought God’s glory to restore this blessing (John 1:14). The moment we accept this Christ in us, we become ones who possess God’s glory (Isaiah 60:1-2).
② Our lives will shine if we enjoy God’s glory through faith, prayer, and 24.
Darkness will crumble before that light, and our life will become a masterpiece of light that reveals God’s glory.
③ Do not struggle to find this before people because of people and through the things of people. Eventually, you will be deceived. We became worthy before God, who is perfect and eternal, because of God and through the things of God. Enjoy the abundant blessing of God in me. That is the filling of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of being established on the throne. Joseph, who was unfairly sold, David, who was a shepherd, Moses, who was a fugitive, and Paul, who was a persecutor, all enjoyed this blessing.
3) The blessing that follows here is the peace He gives us. This is what we really need.
① Enjoy the peace between God (Romans 5:1). Train yourself in worshipping God (worship-centered), looking upon God (prayer-centered), and communicating with God (holy meditation-centered). I receive spiritual strength (spirituality, the blessing of spiritual summit), and the darkness working behind all problems will crumble at that time (Romans 16:20).
② The peace God gives us comes upon our hearts at that time.
The Devil continuously tries to steal the peace of your heart through problems, conflict, and difficulty. Thus, some hearts become sick (stress, depression, panic disorder, mental problems). Even the body becomes ill (cholesterol, diabetes, cancer). Change everything into thanksgiving and pray. It said that the peace of God will take control over me (Philippians 4:6-7).
③ Then, peace between people will be restored. It said everyone will return, and the Father’s house will be glorified (Isaiah 60:4-7). This cannot be done by struggling to do so on my own. It will be done if we change our thoughts and restore our faith.
Conclusion – The world only becomes more difficult as time goes on. Therefore, hold onto the three absolute answers of Christ who has come(absolute faith). Christ came in the lowest form for me (absolute salvation). Christ died and resurrected and gave me His glory (absolute blessing). Christ gave me peace and has made me an apostle of peace (absolute mission).