For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 (KJV)

There is no evidence that Jesus was born in December; nevertheless, we know He was born. We are all subject to his time for time was divided not before or after Buddha; not before and after Muhammad or any other religious figure or so call god, but was divided before and after Jesus. Even an atheist is subject the reality of the times.

No, the Word Christmas is not in the Bible either or any mandate to take one specific day out of the year or even a couple of weeks of the year to celebrate this thing we call Christmas.

No, Santa Claus is not in the Bible and indeed, this commercialize holiday season is probably an abomination before the Lord for it takes the focus away from Christ and place it right on us. What are you going to get this year?

The world knows how to make money; they have been making money during this season for years. In my country Puerto Rico, they celebrate the 25^th of December and turn right back on January the 6^th to celebrate the tree kings; remember, the three kings that brought gifts to Jesus?

The world has now found a way where they can even celebrate Christmas without honoring Christ. It has become increasingly politically incorrect to say, Merry Christmas, have you noticed?

But on the day Christ was born we received a pattern for all of us to follow; there was worship all around his birth.[1] I don’t see anybody giving gifts to each other because Christ was born, I see three kings giving gifts to Jesus and I see the heavens open, giving honor to Him who is worthy. I see God expressing the ultimate love by giving his only begotten Son to be killed like a sacrificial lamb for the salvation of the lost. Where did you find in the Bible that the focus is on us?

But the world has us focus on gifts to each other; I mean that is the true! Christmas parties, drinking, etc. You name it! The other day I went to a Christmas party for a local medical center; no prayer, no acknowledgment of Christ, but plenty of alcohol. I could not wait to get out of there!

The reality my beloved brothers and sisters, is that God gave us the greatest gift of all; salvation. A salvation that nobody deserves and a salvation that nobody can possibly earn. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us,

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

I am grateful for His gift and I will never take it lightly. He caused me to have the faith to believe unto salvation. He caused my heart to see my sin and to repent and to stop the thinking system that told me that I was… well; I was ok; when I was really lost.

Did I get saved because I was a part of the elect spoken in Romans 9? No, the Israelites were the elect people and they blew it; but it was all God’s plan; it was always His heart not just to save a few, but to extend this opportunity of salvation to the whole world, for God so love the word that he gave his only before Son that whosoever believe shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) That is why in the Bible He saved the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar, who was the king of the most demonic city of their time. Was he an Israelite? That is why God took a very reluctant Prophet, Jonah, to preach repentance and salvation to another demonic city, Nineveh and that whole town experience a great revival. God has shown us over and over His love for all of us. We are called Gentiles ourselves, that means that we are not chosen, that we are not Israelites, but did God abandoned us? No, His love reaches out to us also.

Beloved, these are the times of grace for the Bible tells us in Romans 5:20,

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, (NKJV)

Now, these are good news! Jesus provided us with that good news. There is plenty of sin on this world and it will get worse before the coming of the Lord, but God is still saving people by grace and through faith. These are the times where God can be found. The prophet Isaiah told us in Isaiah 55:6,

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. (NKJV)

You can find Him; He is not hiding from anybody. The amazing love of God has reach out to the elect and the elect massively rejected Him. So according to Romans 11 they were cut off from the promise and we were added in. The natural branches were cut off, nevertheless, has God given up on Israel? His covenants still alive today and He will take those cut off branches and connect them again because… He can! Has God given up on you, as long as you are alive there is still hope.

Never question God’s love; His love is universal. He “… demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Is that good news or what?

Merry Christmas, I say, with great joy and meaning; not depending on what I get or don’t get. I have gotten the greatest gifts of all; on April 26, 1997 for no particular reason other than God’s mercy and, not because I was seeking Him, but because of His grace, He saved my soul. Today, if God decides to stop blessing me, but I still have this salvation, I have more than enough.

Again, Merry Christmas and not just a happy new year, but a new year filled with joy, for the joy of the Lord is our strength[2]. A year of the peace of God that overpasses all understanding.[3] A year of close relationship with God, a year of digging into the Word, a year where you will “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. And finally, a year of growing “…in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”[4]

[1] Luke 2

[2] Nehemiah 8:10

[3] Philippians 4:7

[4] 2 Peter 3:18