Bethany Baptist Church met at 11:00 Sunday morning for a special Christmas service. Dan Stillings and the Jubilee Singers presented “One Star,” an anthem about that one special birth that proved to be the light of all mankind. Pastor Bob Sorensen brought a message, “The “When, What, Why, and Where of Christmas.”
We can not truly put a date to Jesus birth, it could have been in the early fall before winter came to Bethlehem. It could have been winter, spring, summer, or fall we don’t know. When the angels made the announcement there was no date on it, but we can say that the celebration of Jesus birth did not begin at Jesus’ birth. Isaiah announced in Isaiah 7:14 “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The angel did not give the date when he announced to Joseph, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Since there was not date given, we can concluded that it is not necessary that we know the date. The important thing is that Christ was born.
The “What” of Christmas we do know. Isaiah 9:6 says that the child that would be born “shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” The angels announced to the shepherds, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” The “What” was the everlasting Father come in the flesh as a baby to become the Saviour of the world, the God/Man. When we talk about the “Real Reason for the Season,” we are usually speaking of Jesus. But the real reason for the season was lost mankind. Jesus came to seek and to save lost mankind. Christmas has become a day with much emphasis on money and magnificent gifts, beautiful decorations with tinsel and lights. It stands in sharp contrast to the simplicity of God’s Gift, Jesus, “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
The “Why” of Christmas? God looked down and saw the exceeding sinfulness of all mankind, Psalm 53:2. God came down in response to the need. Psalm 18:6-9. God the Son laid down his life and because he had the power to do so, he took it up again. John 10:17-18. He got up out of the grave, Matthew 28:6. He went up into the heavens as the disciples watched, Acts 1:9. He sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12. He’s coming down again. Matthew 24:44.
The “Where” of Christmas? Micah 5:2 gave the location Bethlehem from which the ruler of Israel would come, but Christ’s birth was first conceived in the heart of God, before the foundation of the world. It continued through the Old Testament as Jesus gave testimony in John 8:58, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” It was confirmed in Bethlehem’s manger, Matthew 1:21 and Luke 2. It was completed on Calvary’s cross. Luke 23:33. There he was crucified. When Jesus said, “It is finished, his real reason for coming was completed. John 19:30. Have you put your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ? Have you been born again?
