Thursday, December 06, 2007

Is Christmas in Your Heart?

This time of year almost everyone greets each other with “merry Christmas.” Lots of people set out little nativity sets in their yard or in their house. People recount the story of the Christ child and sings songs about Jesus’ birth. But as you take part in this, is Christmas in your heart? What do we mean by that?

What we mean is this? Is Christ in you? There are only 3 kinds of people in the world, those who can count and those who can’t. But seriously –there really are only 2 kinds of people in the world: those who have Jesus in them and those who don’t.

Colossians 1:25-27 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.NASB95

When Paul says that Christ in them is the hope of glory. What he means is that Christ in them is their hope of sharing in the glories of God for all eternity in heaven.

You see you can get to heaven unless Christ is in you and you are in Christ. You must be joined together spiritually with Christ to enter heaven.

Why is that? No one can enter heaven on their own. Why not? Because we are sinful.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,NASB95

Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to approve (look upon) evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?NASB95

Because of this we deserve God’s punishment, not heaven:

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death,

But I am glad that this is not the end of the story:

Romans 6:23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.NASB95

This is the message of Christmas: God offers you the gift of eternal life and this life is in His Son.

You see Jesus not only was born as the baby who was God in human flesh—but the God-Man died on the cross for our sin and rose again making a way of eternal life.


Colossians 2:13-14 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision (or unholiness) of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.NASB95

But in order receive this gift you must turn away from your sin and turned to Christ Jesus as your God, your Savior, and your Lord.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;NASB95

Romans 10:13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”NASB95

When you call on the Lord and believe on Him. God grants you be joined as one with His Son so that he takes away all of your sin and gives you all of His righteousness. (Romans 6:2-7; 2 Cor 5:21)

The baby in the manger is the Son of God (God in human flesh), He is the Christ on the cross, He is the risen Lord of all the earth, He is the judge who will judge all of the earth.

Is Christmas in your heart—that is to say is Christ in your heart.

How does Christ get into your heart:

Acts 16:31 … “Believe in (into) the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, …”NASB95

Turn away from all else and put your trust in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.

I hope that if you have not put your trust in Christ already that you will do so this Christmas season. Then you can truly celebrate Christmas because Christmas will be in you! Christ will be in you: the hope of glory!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.NASB95