GOOD MORNING FRIENDS: IMMANUEL: THE REASON FOR THE FEAST OF CHRISTMAS(re-edited). This Sermonette is the last edition for the year 2014. Among other things, I heartily thank God for giving me-His Servant and your humble writer the Physical; mental and spiritual Health along with the intellectual FECUNDITY, to write the series of this INSPIRATIONALS. Today’s Sermonette is dedicated to Christmas 2014. This year’s Christmas Day is THURSDAY 25-12-2014. Our aim is to discuss the Purpose of or Reason for the FEAST of Christmas, as well as to attempt to RECONCILE OR FIND THE CONNECTING LINK IN THE THREE MAJOR NAMES JESUS BEARS, which are Emmanuel; Jesus and Christ. To do so, we need ask: what is Christmas? Why do we celebrate Christmas? Regarding what Christmas mean, I refer us to the 2013 Christmas Bulletin. In that edition, we did say that the word “CHRISTMAS” IS NOT IN THE BIBLE. However, the MESSAGE Christmas conveys is. We also did say that the two root words, “CHRISTOS” and “MISSA” which respectively come from Greek and Latin Languages. That is CHRISTOS AND MISSA combined to form the TERM “CHRISTMAS.” “Christos” (Christ), mean the “ANOINTED ONE.” “Missa” is what the Roman Catholic Church call “MASS.” “Missa or “MASS” mean “THANKS-GIVING.” TRANSLITRATIVELY, Christmas IS “CHRIST’S THANKS-GIVING.” CHRISTMAS can also mean THE THANKSGIVING OF CHRIST. But the question is: THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT? The CHRISTIAN TRANDITIONAL VIEW AND ANSWER IS THAT, CHRISTMAS IS THE THANKS-GIVING FOR OR MARKING THE BIRTH OF IMMANUEL (Emmanuel). Immanuel / Emmanuel mean GOD (IS) WITH US. The prophecy concerning the Birth of Immanuel, who is the Messiah and have the DIVINE TASK TO SAVING Mankind from Sin and Satan and shall be born by “the Virgin,” is seen in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 6:8; 7:14; 8:6 & 9:6-7 Prophetical gave us the specific name and functions this “Son” will bear and do, when he is born. THIS PROPHECY was RE-ECHOED AND FINDS FULFILMENT in Matt 1:22-23 & 24-25; Luke: 2:4-14. Also, note that when the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and announced her Divine Conception of the Holy pregnancy as seen in Luke 1:29-33, the Specific name this “son” is to bear is Jesus. Thirdly, at the APPEARANCE OF “AN” UNNAMED “ANGEL” (Luke 2:9) on the Day and perhaps near the Town of Bethlehem where this “son” was born, this unnamed Angel DESCRIBES HIM THUS-“A SAVIOUR HAS BEEN BORN TO YOU: HE IS CHRIST THE LORD.”Here we see WHAT LOOKS LIKE BIBLICAL OR DIVINE CONTRADICTION AT PLAY. Our interest there is to finding the THEOLOGICAL link to these names: Immanuel; Jesus and Christ in the context of why we celebrate the feast of Christmas. Any Attempt to finding the reasons for the DIFFERENCES AND AS WELL THE LINK BETWEEN THE THREE KEY NAMES OF JESUS, raises these questions which borders on “why did the Angel Gabriel instruct Mary to name her Child “Jesus” (Luke 1:31), when it has been divinely foretold earlier on in the O.T that this “Son” shall be called Immanuel (Isaiah 6:8; 7:14; 8:6)? A second question is why did the Unnamed Angel that appeared immediately after Mary delivered her Holy Baby chose to describe this Son as “Savior” and “Christ the Lord,” instead of calling Him “Jesus” as Angel Gabriel foretold? Are there SPIRITUAL roles these names have to play in the Life of the “Son” as well as in the Salvation EXPRESSIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF Christians then, now and in future? Our answer is that The PRONOUNCEMENTS by the two Angels regarding the names the Savior will bear have the following or more implications: (1) The Angel Gabriel’s directive influenced Joseph (and Mary) choice of the name Jesus for the HOLY CHILD at Baptism/ Christening. (Matt 1:25b & Luke 2:21). (2) The Unnamed Angel’s directive influenced the Shepherds and Perhaps the entire Christendom to call this Savior “Christ the Lord.” These acts SEEM to be an offence or an act of disobedient to or disregard of divine prophecy. In my view, I don’t think so. But even if it may seem to be so, we choose to lay emphasis on the SPIRITUAL VALUES AND DIVINE POWER the three names have in the life and MINISTRY of Christ as well as in the life of Christians. Why? We hereby state that the three names refer to one and the same PERSON. For instance, I have a son, who is less than a year old and bears more than one name. At home, my Son has a name that is more popular than the others, while outside the home another of his name does. That one of my son’s names is more popular either at home or in the public, cannot take away the fact that his names refers to him. This illustration applies to the three major names of OUR SAVIOUR’S NAME NAMELY IMMANUEL; JESUS AND CHRIST THE LORD. So the name Immanuel, reminds us that “God is With Us” and is still DWELLING AMONG US through Jesus Christ, our Savior. See John 1:14. The names Jesus Christ mean the DIVINELY ANIONTED SAVIOR, reminds us that “THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG TOWER; THE RIGHTEOUS RUN TO HIM AND ARE SAFE.(Prov 18:10).Phil 2:10 & Romans 10:8-17 says, that at the name of Jesus Christ, every KNEE AND TONGUES must bow in WORSHIP AND CONFESSION THAT “JESUS IS LORD.“ It is in the SPIRIT OF BOWING AND CONFESSING THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST THAT WE MARK the Feast of Christmas. And the purpose of Celebrating CHRISTMAS annually is to THANK God for giving Jesus to us, to SAVE US AND PAVE THE WAY FOR US TO ENJOY God’s Peace. In Luke 2:14, we see why Jesus was Born. In summary therefore & based on Luke 2:14, here are the 3 goals for which Christ was born. Namely: 1. To Join the Multitude of Angels in Heaven and Humans on Earth GLORYING GOD IN HIGHEST by singing PRAISES FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE. 2. Jesus brings God’s Peace on EARTH and to men. Any who desire God’s Peace, must accept Jesus. You Desire Peace, don’t you? You shall find it in Jesus. 3. Christ brings God’s GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN. In turn, we must convey God’s GOOD WILL toward all men, not being people of EVIL WILL. This 3 goals we must ensure we daily re-learn and practice, especially as we observe the celebration of Christmas annually. Much more & like the Magi, let us give our lives to CHRIST, and with acts of CHARITY DRIVEN BY GODLY LOVE, share some of our MATERIALS POSSESSIONS WITH GOD’S CHURCH; THE NEEDY AND NON-NEEDY NEIGHBORS about us. MERRY CHRISTMAS as well as THE BEST OF 2015 TO YOU. Amen
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:00:25 +0000
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