Many people believe that Christmas began 2000 years ago with a baby in a manger. On the contrary, Christmas really began with the first human beings, Adam and Eve. Long ago, God created human beings to have the same nature as Himself.
We were created to love and respect one another and to be full of joy and peace. We were created to be full of gentleness, kindness, and all things that are good.
Adam and Eve did not have one wrong thought or motive. They knew no sorrow, pain, or evil of any sort. They walked in total peace with a perfect capacity to love.
But something happened!
An angel who was once perfect and full of love became blinded by his own beauty. He developed pride in his heart and started a rebellion against God. He became completely transformed into a being of hate, deception, and all that is evil. This now fallen angel became jealous of God’s new creation and sought to destroy them. Soon, he developed a plan to disguise himself and he tricked Eve into disobeying God; evidently Eve invited Adam to do the same. Before this happened, they were clothed in the light of God’s glory because of perfect purity in their heart. After disobedience entered their hearts, their nature changed, and they became separated from God! God’s heart broke! His humans were now marred with fallen nature. Not only was their perception of good tainted, but understood and knew evil. That meant they now had the capability to think evil thoughts, and do evil things. Their fallen nature naturally bent towards rebellion. Adam and Eve’s heart sank as they realized the ramifications of what they had done and how this would affect all the generations after them. They knew that this would be like cancer, as it passes from generation to generation like an unstoppable plague. The understanding of their wrong decision hit full force like a freight train. When their firstborn son became jealous of their younger son, and rose up and murdered him with no remorse in his heart whatsoever! The situation was desperate!
However, God had a plan!
All through the ages, there were prophecies spoken of by the prophets about someone who would come and break the yoke of sin off of the human race and reconcile us back to God. 2000 years ago, in a town called Bethlehem, in the nation of Israel, a virgin gave birth to a son as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before. Meanwhile, in a nearby field, shepherds were watching over their flocks when an angel appeared to them from heaven. They were very fearful and greatly amazed. The angel assured them that he came to bring a message of great joy and he announced the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy. It said, “A virgin shall conceive and give birth to a Son, and His name shall be called Immanuel” (which means God with us). This same child grew and amazed many people with His wisdom, humility, love, grace, and miracles, which were so great it was mind staggering! All the days he walked the earth, he was perfect in his ways and fulfilled all the laws and requirements of God. When the fullness of time had come, the promised Messiah fulfilled the final part of His mission. He hung up on that old rugged cross to bear our sins. The consequences for our sins, along with the punishment that we would have had to suffer. He crushed the head of the fallen angel that deceived Eve, breaking in pieces the power of sin that was over our lives.
On the third day, He rose again from the dead because death was the penalty for sin, and Jesus had no sin.
He ascended up into heaven, and until this day, He intercedes for all His creation.
So now we come to the valley of decision:
God answered the desperate cry of His creation and came to earth to pay our sin debt. He endured the beatings that we deserved, which was carried out by the nine strand whip with shards of bone and metal embedded into the ends that tore through his back. He bore the mockery of the guards when they wove a crown of thorns, beat it into His brow, placed a purple robe around His bruised, and torn body and bowed down. Jesus suffered the excruciating pain of the nails that bound his hands and feet to the cross and before He let out His final breath, He forgave His murderers and ultimately made the way for anybody to come to Him to receive His gift of forgiveness.
Jesus did all of this for you, and me, and that leaves us with the question:
Will you live for Him?
Heather Dunaway