Westside Church of Christ

Kids awaken today with dreams of Santa, reindeer, sleighs and presents…lots and lots of presents. It is the morning that thoughts focus on a manger in Bethlehem centuries ago. While the precise date of the birth of Jesus remains lost in the dust bins of history, the significance remains as vital as ever. The Son of God was born into humble surroundings to bring hope to a lost humanity. It is a message desperately needed right now in our country.

Once the tree is put away, the wrapping paper tossed and the dishes are done; the situation remains untouched. People need Jesus. The rich and poor, powerful and helpless, famous and anonymous all have that in common. Big houses are hiding empty lives. Fancy dinners are hosting starving souls. A turkey leg is no substitute for the bread of life. 

Limousines are loaded with the lost. They are on the fast track to nowhere, but they are traveling in style. They look good from the outside. The view from the inside is totally different. There is an emptiness that they try to fill with parties, sex, drugs and a thousand other alternatives. They never work. Never. It masquerades as satisfaction, but it is a delusion. They are all adult versions of Santa Claus delivering momentary physical fulfilment but the spiritual emptiness remains.

The Lord knows. He came on a mission not only to save people from the consequences of sin but also the meaninglessness of such a life. It is pointless to live in a way that is governed by the lust of the flesh and eyes, and the boastful pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Those passions are not from God. Any gratification that we receive from feeding them will be over at our last heartbeat, but the consequences will last forever. It’s a bad deal from which Jesus came to

rescue us. A life is a terrible thing to waste. 

Salvation came in the form of an ordinary looking baby. It was a plan that had been unfolding for centuries with unpredictable twists and turns. The Israelites had anticipated the Messiah, but they never expected Him to be like this. His genealogy would have made Ancestry.com blush. It would call for a congressional investigation. The skeptics would have been given plenty of ammunition to question His legitimacy, and social media would have exploded. Prophetic

precision surrounded His coming, and they still could not accept Him.

That has not changed for many. History validates His existence. It also substantiates the Scriptures which describe Him, His life and His mission. Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. He gave His life, was buried and rose from the dead to ascend into heaven and take His seat at the right hand of God. It is news that America needs. He is truly the greatest gift of all. Merry Christmas!

Call to Praise: Matthew 1:18-25

His word on it: John 1:29

Sermon: “Behold The Lamb of God”