Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Rejoice With Exceedingly Great Joy Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and will call His name Immanuel. Luke 2:1 It happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be the sign to you: You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told to them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 When they had entered into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, God told the prophet Isaiah He would send the Savior into the world. God told Isaiah what He would do and what He would become. And He told Isaiah the Messiah would be born to a virgin. God fulfilled His promise to Isaiah with the birth of Jesus to a virgin. He even told the prophet Micah where the Savior would be born—Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you will come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” When the time was right, God fulfilled these prophecies through His Son, Jesus. Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (NKJV) The world does one of two things regarding Jesus. They either ignore His birth wrapping Him in paper, singing songs about His birth they don’t even believe, or they worship Him as the Savior He was born to become. We have two detailed accounts of His birth. Both accounts involve worship. In the first account in Luke, we see Jesus’ birth and how angels proclaimed His birth to shepherds who made haste and found Him in a stable and worshiped Him. In the second account, in Matthew, we see a search for Him by wisemen from the East, who went first to King Herod, who determined where they should look for Him. They were guided by a star. When the star led them to the house where He lived, they worshiped Him with presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. How do you worship Jesus? Do you acknowledge Him as Your Savior and Lord, or is He only someone the songs are about? Do you rejoice with exceedingly great joy as the wisemen did? Or do you rush to your Christmas tree to see what you received for Christmas? What meaning does Christmas hold for you? Do you worship a man in a red suit who promises to give you presents if you are good? Or do you worship the KING of Kings and the LORD of Lords, Jesus the Messiah, who promises you eternal life if you will believe in Him? Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth with celebrations at church. They attend special services proclaiming the reason He was born—to redeem them from sin and give them eternal life. Redemption involves sacrifice, but people don’t think about Jesus’ sacrifice, only about His birth. They sing songs of joy and worship Him, then when Christmas is over, they wrap Him up in a box and put Him away until next year when they will unwrap Him and place Him in a stable and worship Him once more. Why do Christians know more about Jesus’ death than they know about His birth? They only know He was born in Bethlehem. They don’t know what year or the month of His birth. They can only give an educated guess because of certain events surrounding His birth. However, they know the month and day of His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus was born with one purpose—to lay down His life, so that He could pick it up again and thereby give you eternal life. John 10:15 “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 Therefore, My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Christians either don’t want to think about the reason of Jesus’ birth on Christmas, or they rejoice because the reason of His birth, was His death for their salvation. What about you? Do you unwrap Jesus and place Him in a stable on Christmas and put Him away when the season is over? Or do you worship Him every day for the reason of His birth, His death? Come, let us bow down. Let us worship Him, Christ the Lord. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, to give me eternal life. Let me worship You every day, not only on Christmas at His birth but let me worship You for the reason He came, my salvation. Let joy fill me as I rejoice in my salvation with the birth of Your Son. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 25 December 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay