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December 16, 2008
The Rest and Comfort of Jesus
Make sure you get what Jesus paid for this season |
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Greetings!
The Christmas season is way too busy. It is usually a "good" kind of busy but busy nonetheless. Office parties, family parties, friend's parties, special events, church events ... it can be overwhelming. It is easy to miss the "why" of Christmas. I hope this devotion helps you keep perspective and encourages your worship of Jesus.
One of the joys of Christmas is giving and receiving gifts. I think the best thanks for any gift is it's use. No one gives a gift hoping it is thrown away. If we are honest, when we give gifts we want to get what we paid for and we want our gift to be used and appreciated. Jesus must feel the same way about His gift to us!
This week, we are following the "Christmas Carol" theme by reviewing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". This carol exposes many truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ including our sin, Satan's attack against the God's creation and children, the Angelic announcement of Jesus, Christ's virgin birth and His rescue of our souls. It is a terrific carol proclaiming God's amazing gift! You can listen to it here by opening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEPhGrErQ3Q in another browser. |
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God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
"Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
God's Word
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ Romans 8:35-39 ~ |
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| Make sure you get what Jesus paid for!
The real message of Christmas and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the fact that Jesus Christ paid for your life with His! The great miracle of Christmas is the implementation of the most amazing plan to destroy sin and death and to purchase your eternal life. Here was the idea ... send a baby to defeat Satan's power! What a story! What a Saviour! What a God!
Jesus paid for your life with His. That is His gift to you every day but also THE reason for the Christmas season. He gave it all so you could have it all. My question to you is, "are you getting what Jesus Christ paid for"?
The great news found in the gospel and in"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is that Jesus came, the plan worked and now we can have rest and comfort. No matter what the enemy throws at you he is defeated. That is great comfort. Remember, nothing can separate you from the love of God! Jesus is your comfort and also your rest!
In spite of the busyness of the Christmas season you can rest. I am not talking about a nap but true rest. You can rest from fear and anxiety because you don't have to fight Satan and the wickedness in this world alone. You simply need to trust in Jesus and obey His lead. In the midst of the greatest storm, fight or battle you can rest. This rest comes from Jesus paying the price for ultimate freedom and security.
I am completely dumbfounded every Christmas as I think of the insanity of this season. We actually celebrate the "plan" that sent a baby to defeat Hell ... and it worked!
This Christmas please take a break from the hustle and bustle of this season and bow on your knees and honor the "babe" that came to rescue your soul. Take time to enjoy family, friends and the "reason for the season" ... Jesus Christ! He is the ultimate gift! He is truly reason for comfort and joy and is the source of true rest! Make sure you use the gift and that Jesus gets what He paid for! |
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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