Contributed by: Pastor Michael Sanchez, Bloomer Baptist Church
Sitting in my office I began to ponder on the Christmas season we are in and decided to write this first contribution to share those thoughts on the birth of Christ. I believe many times we Christians don’t take the time to slow down and ponder on the birth of Christ. Yes, we “know” and maybe even speak of Christmas being about Christ. But let’s think this through so that we may, “Join the triumph of the skies with the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem” with just as much joy as the angelic host.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to preach a sermon that I hope will help you as it did myself to ponder through the birth of Christ. The text for the sermon was John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (KJV)”. Thinking upon the Baptist’s proclamation of Christ I believe there are three great truths that we may remember of Christ, the Christmas Lamb.
The First truth we can see about Christ is that at His birth, He did not come as a king, but as a lamb. Now what kind of lamb did He come as? Not as one of many, but the only Lamb (Jhn 3:16) for Christ is not one of many sons of God, but He is the only begotten Son of God, The darling Lamb of God. With that, we can also ponder at the eternality of Christ. When Christ was born, He did not come into existence, oh no, He just as God the Father has and will eternally exist (Jhn. 1:1), and another point to be mesmerized about this Lamb of God, is that this Lamb, which was born, was the Lamb to be slain from before the foundation of the world (Rev.13:8) which brings us to our second truth.
The Second truth we can remember, is why was this Lamb born? To answer the question, we think of the work Christ was sent to accomplish. That work would be reconciling lost men to Himself. Christ was not born to die an old man, no He came with the purpose to pay for the sin of those who would believe. Sin which He never committed, and He did this to redeem a people for Himself which consist of both Jew and Gentile. Oh, how the Christian rejoice during this season knowing that their Redeemer has come!
The Third truth we can remember is that this Christmas Lamb will one day return. Yet, upon His second coming He will not be returning as the Lamb to be slaughtered, but as the King of kings, The Lord of Lords! Oh, what a glorious day that will be when every knee will bow before Him! Christian let us be humbled as we remember the truths of Christ, the work He has accomplished on our behalf, and let us also be encouraged to know that because of His work we are reconciled to the Father through Christ and there is not a thing we have to fear on this side of eternity!
As we go throughout this Christmas let us echo The Baptist’s proclamation of Christ, “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world”! By doing this we can remind fellow believers to come along side us in adoration of our Savior, while pointing hopeless people to Him. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas season, but Christian let us do more than just give Christ a nod of the head this Christmas, let us adore Him, proclaim Him, for He is worthy!
