Text: Gen. 3:15
INTRODUCTION
Christmas is more than celebrating the birth of Christ; it is appreciating God for sending His Son, Jesus Christ to save mankind from the slavery of Satan through sin.
In Luke 19:12, the King went to a far country to take for Himself a Kingdom which was initially under the control of some wicked people. This story is an allegory of the Messiah-King who came to this world to receive a kingdom for Himself; a kingdom of saints; a kingdom which will be a replicate of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 6:10). This is what Christmas reminds us of and this is what we ought to appreciate God for.
THE KINGDOMS WARFARE
God created the world and gave the possession, control and management of it to man, who was created in God’s image. At creation, man was a physical representation of God on earth; anywhere man is God is. But man lost the possession, control and management of earth to Satan. And from that time till now, Satan claims to be the owner of the world and all that are in it. He became the king or prince of this world and his kingdom begin to be in control (Matt. 4:8, 9; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). This is the worst thing ever that mankind allowed.
The emergence of Satan as Prince of this world introduced the world to two different kingdoms, each trying to gain possession of the world and its system.
These two kingdoms are spiritual, but fighting to have control over a physical world. Know that the spiritual controls the physical. The Kingdoms are the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Light. The Kingdom of darkness is under the kingship of Satan and it controls the sinners and the world system. While, the Kingdom of Light is under the Kingship of Christ and it controls the believers in Christ Jesus, those who are born again (read Col. 1:13). The Kingdom of Light has the following characteristics which are opposites of what are available in the Kingdom of Darkness (righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost – Rom. 14:17, and power – 1 Cor. 4:20)
The Kingdom of Darkness has, for ages, been having an upper hand, since the emergence of the two kingdoms. God has from time to time introduced different formulars (called dispensations) to put His Kingdom on the forefront – Innocence (Gen. 1:28-30; 2:15-17), Conscience (Gen. 3:8-8:22), Human Government (Gen. 8), Promise (Gen. 12:1- Ex. 19:25) and Law (Ex. 19-23). None of these formulars worked God’s intention. Man must be free from the control of the Dark kingdom, but how?
Then the answer came. Grace is the formular to win the battle against the Kingdom of Darkness and put the Kingdom of Light in charge. But then, who will bear the Grace? No one volunteered to do this because Grace must be borne by the relinquishing of one’s title, suffering, and death on the cross (Rev. 5:1-4), but Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God volunteered (Rev. 5:5-12). Christ came full of grace (John. 1:14), conquered Satan and bought our freedom through the shedding of His blood.
Notwithstanding, this victory is not automatic, it becomes ours by appropriation; we must accept Christ as saviour and king.
CHRIST – THE KING THAT WE NEED
Christ is the king that we need if we must be citizens of the Kingdom of Light. If we have not accepted Him as King, then we are not in His Kingdom.
Why must we accept Christ as the needed King?
1.He is the promised Messiah
2.It is in Him alone that we have salvation (Acts 1:12)
3.Only to His power shall all powers bow ((Dan. 9:25; Phil. 2:9-11 – The name of Jesus Christ in the mouth of the believer silences the Kingdom of darkness).
4.Only through Him can we become heirs of God (Rom. 8:17)
5.Only through Him can we have true riches (Eph. 1:7, 18; 2:7; 3:8; Col. 1:27)
How Christmas does fits into all these? Christmas is the appreciation to God for sending the Messiah-King to our world to save mankind and establish the Kingdom of God in it (Luke 2:11)
1.If Christ was not born, the Kingdom of Light will not regain its control over the Kingdom of Darkness.
2.If Christ was not born, He would not have done the work of salvation by shedding His blood.
3.If Christ did not come, darkness will still cover the earth (John 1:5)
Christ gave us the Light-life we possess as citizens of the Kingdom of Light, without His birth we will not have this Light-life.
4.Christmas is the foundation stone upon which Easter is built.
5.Christmas is the ushering of the King of Glory into the affairs of world. Psalm 24 is written with this in mind (read through with emphases on lines 8 and 10)
CONCLUSION
Only by revelation can one understand what Christmas stands for. Christmas is Christ celebrated. Christmas is Christ worshipped. Christmas is glad tidings. Christmas is joy to the world. Christmas is peace on earth. Christmas is the best thing that ever happened to the world (Luke 2:10-14)
Pastor Joseph Omolola
Agbara DCC Superintendent
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