Believing Christmas

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now inside of three whole days from Christmas Day? How
much about Christmas do we believe? How much can we believe?
How much do we wish to believe? Does the magic
of Christmas come from belief or the trappings of the season,
the decorations, the music, the nostalgia, the gathering of families.
Maybe all of that, maybe none of that. But to

(00:21):
believers around the world, this remains foremost a sacred holiday,
for it marks the day on which the Savior was born.
What a glorious day it was, if you believe. Some
of the world's peoples knew of it at the time
and waited so patiently, for they had read about it
from the Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah was

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a prophet then as now. Prophets are blessed, for they
hear God's messages and then pass them along. They among
us speak for God, sometimes about the day, sometimes about
the future. Usually prophets only appear when we are doing
bad things, sins against the Lord and each other, steal,
bring war, reject the Lord, and turn our backs on God.

(01:06):
The Father Isaiah may have been God's most active messenger,
for he wrote more poems, stories, and prophecies than any
other in biblical history. There are sixty six chapters of
the Book of Isaiah. You might think Isaiah a grouch
debbie downer. Actually just the opposite. He always painted a
bright and hopeful future for God's flock. Sure he'd warn

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us about what awaits those who sin without guilt are
unjust to his fellow man. But like a stern but
loving father, Isaiah pulled us back, inspired us to do
better by promising wonderful things to come. Never let us
forget that if you are contrite, you will be welcomed
into God's house and enjoy the fruits of everlasting life.

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In so many ways, Christmas each year gives us that chance. Yes,
on Easter we are born again, but on Christmas, with
Christ within us, all of us, not just infants, we
all enjoy the birth of our faith. Much of Isaiah
is hopeful. He promises our failures are not permanent. A
just and lasting peace will come to all who believe.

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All sheep wander from the flock from time to time,
but as our shepherd, God never rests in bringing us
the wanderer's home. Maybe that is why Isaiah is the
prophet we most frequently visit this time of year. What
did God tell him? Well, He told Isaiah to write
that we must prepare the way for and of the Savior,

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for he will be the Lamb of God, who will
take away the sins of the world. In this life
on earth. He will teach us that a humble birth
and undeserved death and glorious resurrection shall show us how
forgiveness and redemption is his plan for us. All Isaiah's
words foretold of what we for centuries deeply believe in

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the origin of Christmas. Any man who walks in darkness
will see a great light. The true light of the
world is on the way. An angel shall speak to
a virgin, and she will accept this immaculate conception, for
she too is a servant. She will conceive and bear
a son, though born in a manger. He will be

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the Prince of Peace, and his lone intention then as now,
is to bring only peace to earth. That one day
all of the swords would be melted down and made
into plowshares. Weapons will be made to feed, not kill
or maim. Isaiah wrote all of this, predicted all of

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this seven hundred years before it came to be. If
you believe