Looking Forward to Christmas

Looking Forward to Christmas Series Overview

What do you look forward to about Christmas? There are many different things people look forward to at Christmas in our culture. Some people love the festive atmosphere at Christmas where decorations and Christmas carols abound nearly everywhere you go. Some people love being given presents, the anticipation of what will be given, the thrill of unwrapping and the excitement of new things. Some people look forward to giving presents to others, the excitement that comes as the person you love opens their carefully selected gift. People look forward to the carols, the massive lunch, the family gatherings and the joy of celebrating with others. Even those who dislike Christmas look forward to something, even if it is only boxing day when Christmas is finally over and the relatives have finally gone home.

The truth is that people have been looking forward to Christmas for more than 4,000 years. However, it was not the presents, the celebrations or the food which these ancient men and women looked forward to. In fact, being unaware of exactly what Christmas would look like, these men and women would have had no idea about any of these things. Instead they looked forward to something far greater and far more important, God fulfilling His promises by working in the world in an incredible way.

Over the next few weeks leading up to and including Christmas day we will be studying four of the things that these men and women of faith were looking forward to and how these things should change our lives also. We will look in detail at Matthew 1-2 as, with the meticulous nature of a tax collector, Matthew records in detail how each of these things were fulfilled at that very first Christmas.

December 8: Looking Forward to a Blessing

Matthew 1:1-17, Genesis 12:1-3.  4,000 years ago Abraham began looking forward to a blessing that God would bring to all the nations of the Earth through Him. On Sonday, 8 December we will see how this promise has been fulfilled in the past through Abraham's descendants and Jesus ancestors, in the present through the blessing that comes to us through Christ and in the future when He will return to judge the Earth and to reign as King forever. We should proclaim this blessing to all nations.

December 15: Looking Forward to a Baby

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25.  All of Israel was looking forward to a baby, a very special baby promised by God through the prophet Isaiah. On Sonday, 15 December 2013 we will see how Jesus humbled himself to be born as a human baby at Christmastime in order to fulfil that promise to the nation of Israel and so that we could all become the children of God. If Jesus, God the son Himself, should humble himself to save his enemies we too ought to humble ourselves and serve others by sharing Him.

December 22: Looking Forward to a King

Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 2:1-12.  What had happened to God's promises? The people of Israel were beginning to despair. God had promised them a mighty king who would reign on the throne of David forever. Instead, the people were in a foreign land being oppressed by God's enemies still looking forward to a king promised by God. On Sonday, 22 December we will see how Jesus, born at Christmas time, is the true king who lived, suffered and died for the sake of His people and who will reign over them forever. We too must submit our lives totally to this incredible King.

December 25: Looking Forward to a Rescue

Jeremiah 31:15, Jeremiah 31:31-34 Matthew 2:13-23.  Sin, sickness, suffering, war, oppression, death. Our world is a truly broken place. Jeremiah and all the people of Israel were looking forward to a rescue from this brokenness, a rescue that began at that very first Christmas. On Christmas Day we will see how God rescued Jesus from Herod so that we could have a rescue from sin, death and, at the return of Christ, a final rescue from sickness and suffering. Through faith in Jesus Christ we too can have access to this rescue and proclaim it to others.

As we prepare to gather each Sonday and celebrate what God has done through Christ, be praying that the word would be preached faithfully in your church, that the gospel would be proclaimed and that many men and women who need that rescue would find it as they put their faith in Christ. As you look forward to Christmas pray that God would show you who you can invite to hear about Christ and that He would give you boldness to proclaim Him to others during this time of year.

God's richest blessings,

Josh Rowe

MTN Trainee 

ChristLife Presbyterian Church