HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESUS
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord”. Luke 2:11
As the month of December arrives in the calendar, most of us get into Christmas celebration preparations. We plan our holidays, visit our dear ones, bake cakes, make new clothes, send greetings, shop for the family so on and so forth….
I live in the suburbs of Delhi, the Capital city of India; where the concentration of Christian population is all most nil. But the neighbors, store keepers, friends and people who interact with us and know that we are Christians often remind us of Christmas cakes, greeting cards, Santa Claus and fun during Christmas day. They almost wait for the date – 25th December every year and ask for gifts, perks etc.
Well quiet often it strikes in my mind that – what is this Christmas celebration all about? Why we Christians get so busy in getting involved in the celebrations without even understanding the truth? Why nobody ever bothers to find the answer to few simple questions regarding Christmas??
I made up my mind and got into the business of finding out the truth about these celebrations. It took quiet a long time to do some research in this line and here I am trying to put those truths before you.
Try to answer the following questions:
Is 25th December – the Birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Why the name X-Mas is given to the birth of Christ?
Which is correct – either X-Mas or Christmas?
Did really the disciples of Jesus celebrated the festival ever?
Is there any mention of incident or instruction to celebrate Christmas in the Bible?
Did Christ command to observe His birthday as Christmas day?
Is Birthday Celebration a Christian tradition or heathen in origin?
Who else celebrated their birthdays and what was the consequence??? Etc.….
Such questions often seem to puzzle our simple minds. Sometimes we don’t want to bother ourselves by these puzzling questions. We simply over look the matter and follow the traditions of our forefathers.
Keep on reading….
My sincere prayer is that may the Lord Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. Truth is Jesus Himself.
THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD
The Holy Bible, very clearly and precisely reveals the record of the birth of Christ. Jesus the Blessed son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity – was ordained for the salvation of the lost world. His coming into the world was promised by God through the prophets, centuries before His coming. The Old Testament saints and the devoted Jews were always waiting for the “Messiah the Christ”, the Redeemer of Israel.
The birth of Christ changed the whole history of the mankind. Today the history is divided into two parts – as BC and AD. Birth of Christ took place exactly as it was written and prophesied. But the general expectation of the people was that He would come as a political leader and show His splendor and glory as the King of Jews. So when Jesus was born in the city of David
Only the selected few could know about the simple advent of the Savior. Shepherds were the first group who got the good news by the angels and they were the first to come and see the new born “Chief Shepherd”. They were happy and went out to spread this news to everybody who came across.
Bible records about the visitation of the Magi or the wise men of the East; who saw “His Star”, a unique, different and huge star in the sky and understood a great king is born. Therefore they collected their gifts and victuals and began to follow the star towards the west. Following the star was not an easy task those days. They had to travel in the dark nights only so that they could see that star and follow. Despite so much of hurdles and hardship they could undertake and reach up to the city of Jerusalem , which was the political capital of Judea .
They knew that a great king was born and the star has so far led them to the city of Jerusalem so their first reflection was – He must be born in the Palace; whereas the star was leading them beyond Jerusalem to the rural Judea – to the city of David- Bethlehem
As they entered the Palace at Jerusalem
The wise men realized their mistake and came out of the Palace; at once they saw the Star waiting for them outside the Palace to lead them further. They were glad to follow the star and at last the star halted upon the house where the child Jesus was. Notice here the star halted not on top of the manger but on top of the house where boy Jesus was living by then.
The journey of Magi or the wise men from East took almost two years to meet the boy Jesus at Bethlehem and by then Joseph could find a house to keep his family.
HIS STAR AND THE WISEMEN OF EAST
Dear friend, let me delve a little in to the spiritual aspect of the word of God here.
Well, Bible calls them WISE MEN, but seeing their response to the circumstances, any present day scholar would have called them FOOLS. However, Bible calls them WISE – then what was their wisdom?
Note here – they saw “His Star”- that is they saw the Star of Jesus. Well some times some people interpret this Star as Jesus himself. But No, this Star is not Jesus but this Star represent the Servants of Jesus, spiritually.
This Star guided the WISE MEN to the HOUSE where Jesus was. Therefore the word of God in Daniel 12:3 says – “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the STARS for ever and ever.”
Wise men would still follow the star.
They became wise because they followed His Star. Dear friend, if you are willing to follow the teachings of the true servants of Christ, then you are that Wise man.
Following the star was not an easy task. People would have considered them as foolish they were traveling the dark night following a star, not knowing the path. Sure they might have come across many hurdles, hardship, dense forests, high mountains, deep rivers, rough and rugged unpaved paths full of many dangers, still they took the risk and did not give up. They went on following the star. It might have claimed their strength, their time, their money and even life. But they kept on following the star and at last their endurance and perseverance paid off; they could reach the House of Jesus and worship Him.
Dear friend, the way that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow and few shall find that. That is not the easy high way. Following Jesus is really hard and demands lots of perseverance and patience.
But the WISE MEN ARE STILL FOLLOWING THE STAR, STILL FOLLOWING THE WAY, STILL FOLLOWING THE DOCTRINES OF THE APOSTLES.
Wise men came to Jerusalem
Could any body be born as king?
Certainly, not.
One could only be born as a prince and after the coronation only he would be declared a king.
But look here, the wise men are searching for “the born king of Jews”.
Isn’t it interesting?
They knew what they were asking. People might have called them fools – but they knew Jesus is the King – rather the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus was born as a King, lived as a King and when died on the cross, He died as the King of Jews. Upon his head it was written – JESUS OF NAZARETH
Jesus overcame the death, rose again and went to heaven.
Dear friend, He has promised that He will come again and shall come again as the KING OF KINGS! AND LORD OF LORDS!!
In the Palace of Herod in Jerusalem Jerusalem
These wise men saw the star as they came out of the palace of King Herod
Wise men never saw the child Jesus in the manger, as some Christmas greetings cards depict in the picture. No, they met Jesus at the house and it was after nearly two years of His birth. That’s what the Bible reveals at Matt.2:16. Because after the departure of the wise men, Herod ordered to kill all the children aged “from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
....................................TO BE CONTINUED....................
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