CHRISTMAS EVE

Today is Christmas Eve, and tomorrow is Christmas!  So look forward to this time of year to celebrate the birth of our Savior in Bethlehem.  Here are a few thoughts: 1) A CHILD IS BORN-Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  What a special child Isaiah tells us about.  This child will bear the government upon his shoulders.  This child will be wonderful!  A counsellor, and what other child would be called "the mighty God", or "The everlasting Father".  None other.  This child is special.  This child would be the Prince of Peace who would bring peace between sinful man and a Holy God.  Praise the LORD, a son is given to die for our sins on Calvary.  Thank you Jesus, for coming to be born as this special child, this babe of Bethlehem.  2) FROM EVERLASTING-Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."  This ruler is special.  Other rulers have come and gone, but this one to be born in Bethlehem, is from of old, from everlasting!  This make Him GOD!  For only God is from everlasting to everlasting!  Jesus came to earth as a babe, but He was always before, from everlasting, the eternal God the Son.  Who is, and was, and is to come.  The alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.  This is our Savior.... the LORD Jesus Christ!  Praise His Name! 3) ALL WRAPPED UP-Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."  God is wrapped up in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  What a sight!  What a lovely and lowly sight that speaks to the heart of Christianity.  He came to serve, so He comes lowly.  He came to change our eternal destiny, so He comes lovely.  It also reminds me of when they wrapped up Jesus once again:  Mark 15:46 "And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre."  Here He has died for our sins, and they wrap Him up in linen for His burial.  He came to us wrapped up, and He left us wrapped up.  And if we will trust Hiim as our Savior, He will wrap us up in His arms of love and never let us go!  Praise God for the greatest gift ever wrapped!! May you and yours enjoy this Christmas eve!  Merry Christmas!  Pastor Mike Mutchler