The Reason For The Season

John 10:10KJV The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

The Joy of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus is in what it means for you as a Christian. It is not in the feasting but in the reason for the season. Why was He born? The average answer you will get from many Christians is that Jesus came to die for me on the cross. This is nice, it’s true that He died on the cross but till the Christian fully understands the reason for His dying on the cross and resurrecting on the third day, the true essence of Christmas is lost. We find the answer from the mouth of the Lord Himself, He says “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” Christmas therefore is a celebration of a life, it is called Eternal life Paul says, “In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,...Titus 1:2-3NIV” God had already promised this life to man even before time began but brought it forth through the resurrection of Jesus. Beloved! Understand that Adam even before he sinned didn’t have this life that we are talking about.

What then is Eternal life? The traditional Christian has been taught that Eternal life means living forever, that it is a life they will receive when they go to Heaven. This is not accurate. If you are a Christian, you already have Eternal life. Plants have plant life, animals have the animal life, the ordinary man has the normal human life but God too has His own type and quality of life. Actually, He is that life itself. The life, which God has as God, is what is termed Eternal life. Jesus said, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself....John 5:26NIV” John the Apostle was there when Jesus made this statement. This same John long after Jesus had ascended into Heaven and now having understood very well who the Christian is wrote to the Church and said, “ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life....1 John 5:11-13NIV” John says that he wants you the Christian to know that you have Eternal life, the same life which was in the Son Jesus when He walked on this Earth. It’s not something to have in the future. You have it now. Don’t define yourself by the outward for inside you are the very life of God but as John points out, it is knowing that you have it that blesses you. It is this life that made Paul immune to serpent bite, not because he was an Apostle. It’s also because of this life that every Christian has received that made Jesus say, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well....Mark 16:17 -18 NIV” It’s this life that puts you above satan and his devils. It’s this life that satan sought after but couldn’t attain because his motive was borne out of evil and pride. You and I have received it graciously. You can’t be living in sin and unrighteousness when you have this life because the life empowers you to do what is right. Therefore as you celebrate Christmas, celebrate the reason for the season. Celebrate the life that puts you over the depraved life of the ordinary human . Merry Christmas!