by Pastor Dani Castillo
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” – John 1:14 (King James Version). This is Jesus – the Word became flesh. He is the reason for this CHRISTmas season.
I have always wondered what God was doing before creation. Here’s what I found out when I was reading Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 4 says: “For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” He designed man to be holy and blameless. That means to be sinless, so that man may live with sinless God.
But man sinned. You and I sinned. Yet God’s plan has never changed – and that is for you and me to be holy and blameless in His sight. Man’s plans change, our plans change, but God’s plans remain intact.
You see, before pre-creation time, God was busy with eternal mercies. God’s mind was stirring with merciful thoughts and redemptive plans for humanity. He was already thinking of a rescue plan, even before the Fall. He was thinking mercy… mercy because the consequence of sin is eternal suffering in Hell. The truth of the matter is that we can never be holy and blameless without God’s mercy. He was thinking loving thoughts about you, even before you were even born, even before there was creation. This is the wonderful message of Christmas – that God put His plan into action and sent His one and only Son to dwell among us.
John the Baptist, anticipating God’s wonderful plan, when He saw Jesus coming towards him said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus is God’s Lamb. God himself offered His Lamb to Himself because men’s lambs cannot permanently satisfy God’s justice for sin. The sacrifice has to be perfect, and men’s lambs are not. There is a Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. This perfect lamb is Jesus the Christ, and He dwelt among men.
There is only one hope for the salvation of the world. There is only one hope to escape the consequence of sin. He is Jesus who will take away your sins. If we come to Jesus with our sins, He takes it away from us. He specializes in hard cases, tough sins, and many sins. You confess it, He forgives it. You name it, He destroys it. You expose it, He removes it. You own it, He takes it out. You do not have to have a priest or a preacher or a course in theology… you just have to believe Jesus can do it. He is the Son of God. He is your Lamb. God gave Him to you and me.
This is the essence of the “Merry” Christmas, as the hope that Christ brings eventually makes the soul merry. This Christmas, will you let the Lord Jesus dwell in your hearts, not only to make your souls merry, but more so to change you from within? And this coming year, decide to make a radical change. Make that change in your priority; make the Lord number one in your life. Make that change in habit, be serious with God. Make that change in direction, follow Him from now on. And make this verse your verse for the year, “that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” – Phil 1:6.
God bless you and your families. Merry Christmas and a Fruitful New Year to all!
