CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

From a sermon

Luke 2:15—20: “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

“Those that seek Me early shall find Me.” This is what we hear Wisdom call to all those who in soul’s distress seek Him, Who alone can so blissfully fill the treasures of the heart that is thirsting after God.

The joy that fills the heart of the finder is clearly portrayed in those shepherds who on the first Christmas morning went out seeking and returned as happy finders to eternally magnify the Lord.

Do you already belong to those earnest seekers after Jesus? Or do you still seek your happiness in the things of the world, in the things of time and sense? Poor, indeed, is he whose aim in life is no higher than the sublunar sphere. Remember that the world passes away, and the lust thereof. And now yon have again celebrated that precious and glorious Christmas day, again you have heard the blessed Christmas tidings, and has it again had no effect upon you? Have you again celebrated Christmas without having sought Jesus? Oh, how bitter it shall be for you if death shall soon find you still unreconciled! Then you shall be summoned before God, accused as one who never did aught but what was evil in God’s sight, as a breaker of His covenant, as a profaner of His majesty, a destroyer of His image, as a transgressor of His law, and, worst of all, as one who has rejected God’s holy child Jesus, the only Savior from death and Redeemer of sinners, and hence is without a surety for his debt or a God for his heart. Oh, consider, your sentence has already been passed, namely everlasting destruction. Therefore. O man, learn to ask after Jesus, learn to seek Him while it is still time to seek Him. And since no man shall seek after Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost, learn to pray for that dear Spirit, then the Lord shall give Him to you, for so says the Lord (Luke 11:13), “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.”

Well, seeker of Jesus, have you already become a finder? Must you, to your sorrow, still answer this question negatively? In the name of the Lord we may encourage you; the Lord shall certainly cause you to become a finder. But then you must do as the shepherds, leave everything, stop debating, and come to Jesus. The Lord grant you love and faith thereto. Ask much for wisdom and light. And sometime you shall find, for He will turn His hand upon the little ones; a bruised reed shall He not break; He has promised: “Those that seek Me early shall find Me, and whoso findeth Me findeth life and shall obtain favor of the Lord.”

And that is bliss! A seeker of Jesus once said to me, “If seeking Jesus is already so blissful, how very blissful shall the finding be!” The bliss of finding cannot be expressed. And when by faith you embraced and appropriated Him, Oh, child of God, what sweet peace your soul then felt! Then you became a zealous preacher as the shepherds, you would have called the people out of bed at night to speak about Jesus. How you recommended Him to God’s concerned people. And how is it now? Answer that question between the Lord and your soul.

Child of God, again this Christmas Day your Lord and your God calls to you, and says, “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise.”

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen