Title: Welcoming Christmas with Faith
2013. 12. 22 Sunday morning worship service
Bible: Luke 2:25-33
Title: Christmas with Faith
The world sees Jesus as one of the world's four great saints based on what kind of beneficial achievements Jesus left on society. The Jews were waiting for a great messianic king who would save them from the Roman rule at that time. But Jesus' view of salvation was too superficial to them, so they threw it away. By what kind of Jesus should we think of the meaning of Christmas?
1. We must welcome you with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
People in society look at the Christmas of Jesus according to their emotions. It is a Christmas that you can enjoy while singing and listening to flashy chori and upbeat carol music that stands tall. They seem to glorify God with their mouths, but they sing with joy in their hearts.
In the text, Simeon says in verse 25, “The Holy Spirit was on him”, verse 26, “he was instructed by the Holy Spirit,” and verse 27, “by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit…he saw the baby Jesus.”
The Holy Spirit works for the decisive completion of faith. Even if you know the prophecies and covenants of the Bible, or even if you know the doctrine well and have theological depth, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, all of them are knowledge and experiences that have nothing to do with salvation.
Romans 8:1-2 ‘1. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
2. It must be a Christmas in which we gain the assurance of salvation.
The Nativity of Jesus is not the appearance of a saint. The Christmas of Jesus is the providence of God who came to save us from our sins personally, and we must first be convinced of our salvation. People who are not sure of their salvation even if they celebrate Christmas several times once a year do not fully understand the meaning of Christmas. So, the true meaning of Christmas is that the Lord must be born in your heart, not on the date.
Verse 30 says, “My eyes have seen Your salvation.”
In addition, I confess that I am Jesus, who came as a light to illuminate the nations of darkness. The salvation of Christianity is so that we are saved from ourselves and then we do missionary work for salvation to everyone in society, and missions that hope for the Lord's guidance in everything are being done. In verses 31-32 of the text, it is said, “This is what has been prepared before all people, 32. A light to illuminate the Gentiles..”
There are many events on Christmas Day, and the Christmas season is greeted with a festive atmosphere. If the Christmas of the Lord goes well in all parts of the world again this year, it will be raised to the level of the birth of people for social peace like Catholics. Like Simeon, we should further strengthen our assurance of salvation by welcoming the Lord in the Holy Spirit, while at the same time proclaiming eternal life to the world and revealing the Lord who is a light in a dark world. The saints who are welcoming the Christmas of the Lord want to engrave the meaning of the feast in the dimension of life.