First of all, merry Christmas to all of you! I hope you all have had a wonderful season and a great day! In the midst of all the presents, Christmas dinners and family visits, I'd like to cut in and share with you guys the climax of Christmas, the real reason I'm making this post in the first place. While I don't have any special words of my own, God's word does have a lot to say...
...Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool...
...The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined...
...For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...
...an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"...
...he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed...
...For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation...
...and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised...
...Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Now, I'd like to close with a lyric from the song "Audience Of One" (by Sovereign Grace Music)...
"With all my heart and soul and strength
In every word and thought and deed
I’ll live for Him who died for me
To please the Audience of One
How can I not pledge all my love
In light of all that He has done?
There is one glory that I seek
To please the Audience of One"
Merry Christmas!
(PS: Updated the random song page.)
(scripture quotations from Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:9-11, Isaiah 53:2-5, Romans 5:6-11, 2 Corinthians 5:15, and 2 Corinthians 5:17)
