The joy of celebrating Christmas comes from focusing on the true meaning of Christmas – and that is Jesus Christ. For the next several posts, I want to focus on how to have an abundant Christmas. We’ll explore 4 reasons that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead, became human flesh for us. Our theme verse is John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Let’s look at what Jesus gives abundantly to those who are trusting in him for salvation.
1) Pardon
The abundant life is one in which we are forgiven. Paul said in 1 Tim. 1:15: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Paul knew what it meant to experience abundant forgiveness, because he was a former blasphemer, murderer, and persecutor of the church. But God saved him out of a life of self-righteousness, bitterness, and hatred and used him to spread the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul went from being a miserable Pharisee trying to earn his salvation to a joyful Christian resting in the finished work of Jesus. And we can experience that abundant pardon as well, by trusting in Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection for us. That’s why he came – to represent us to God the Father and the Father to us. Jesus, being both God and man, is the only one who can do that. This is the greatest gift we could ever be given – forgiveness of our sins, and a relationship with the God who created us. This is why we celebrate Christmas!
- Are you looking to Jesus Christ alone and his finished work on the cross to save you or are you looking to your own righteousness, hoping your good works will outweigh your bad?
- Have you experienced this abundant pardon and the joy that comes with it?
- Have you experienced this saving relationship with the God who created you?
I pray you know this abundant pardon through Jesus Christ this Christmas! And take heart, there is no sin that God cannot forgive! As the great preacher and author of Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan, said, “No child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of forgiveness.” Thanks be to our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ!
Please join me in our next post as we look at what else Christ gives abundantly to those who trust in Him.
