“Two Empty Places”


Reading:  Matthew 1-2
Text:        Matthew 1.18-21

There is another side to the story of Jesus.  Many want the baby, but not the Man.  They will celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus, but they reject Him as Lord and King (Acts 2:14-47).
Two empty places are important all year long: the empty manger and the empty tomb.  Jesus did not stay in the manger.  He grew up and led a perfect, sinless life.  He conducted a ministry of teaching and healing.  Finally, He died on the cross as a sacrifice so that we may be forgiven of our sins.  Neither did Jesus remain in the tomb.  Because He was resurrected, His birth, life, and death mean something.  Though Jesus Christ may not be wanted by everyone in this world, He is desperately needed.  (Mark16:15)
In this New Year, we need to accept Jesus in all His life and in all His roles.  The blessed and tender baby of Bethlehem, the thought-provoking preacher and teacher, the abused and crucified Jesus of Calvary, and the triumphant resurrected Son of God.  As we ponder this great Savior in the coming year, let us promise to never forget any of His life and never set aside any of His teachings to selfishly sin.                                                                                         TM




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Colors of Christmas: Green

  Discussion:                                    Evergreen plants, like holly and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and winter wouldn't last forever! The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid-winter festivals. In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, “paradise plays” were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. Today, think about the newness of life we have because we are in Christ. The old man could represent the dark winter and the barren trees. Then think of the bright Christmas trees that are so easily seen! … Help brighten someone’s life this week! Inform
Read more

“Prepare for Happiness”

  DISCUSSION:                                    Just recently we have seen the devastation that can result from hurricanes, earthquakes, and fire. According to the show on National Geographic channel “Doomsday Preppers” there are a lot of people over the country stocking up on supplies in the hope of being able to survive (months) a natural disaster or power grid failure. Many agree with this philosophy. Who could argue that it is a smart idea to be prepared? As a provider we should take reasonable measures to have our family prepared for hard times both mentally and physically. In this life, Christians have something more precious to protect than material things. Preparing our souls for eternity is much more important. We have been promised a gift that nothing can compare to, a home not made with hands (2Corinthians 5:1). So even if disasters come our way, we can be sure God will take care of His children. As a Christian we have a peace of mind from our faith in God’s word and beli
Read more

“Blow-out in Boston”

BIBLE READING: Luke 14 DISCUSSION                                                                                       Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet… Accompanied by her fiancé, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the flower arrangements they liked. They both had expensive taste, and the bill came to $13,000. After leaving a check for half that amount as down payment, the couple went home to flip through books of wedding announcements. The day the announcements were supposed to hit the mailbox, the groom got cold feet. "I'm just not sure," he said. "It's a big commitment. Let's think about this a little longer." When his angry fiancé returned to the Hyatt to cancel the banquet, the manager could not have been more understanding. However, concerning the refund, she h
Read more