We cannot know how wonderful the good news of Christmas is until we understand how bad off we are before God on our own. From the beginning and without exception, human beings have disobeyed a perfect and righteous God, the Supreme Authority who, to be true to His holy character, must punish everyone who departs from His prescribed moral code. Every person stands condemned before God, guilty and hopeless. Now for the good news: Hopeless, except for the one hope God Himself provides in Jesus Christ, His Son. At just the right moment in history, God sent His Son, who is a member of the Godhead and who existed in eternity past, to take on human flesh by 1) entering a virgin’s womb and, nine months later, 2) being born as a baby. Jesus became a human being, yet without ever ceasing to be God. He grew up, lived a perfect life, and during His three-year ministry taught that people can find forgiveness and eternal life only in Him. Many loved Him, but many others hated him fiercely and maneuvered to have Him executed on a cross. Because He was God and never had sinned, Jesus could pay the penalty for the sins of guilty human beings when He died; and He did! Crucified and buried on a Passover Friday, He rose from the dead on the following Sunday morning. His resurrection proved God had accepted His Son’s sacrifice as a substitute payment for the sins of guilty human beings. Jesus conquered sin and death! Now the good news becomes personal. God will forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life if you turn from your sins and ask Him to apply Jesus’ blood and Jesus’ death to your account in heaven. This is the wonderful, glorious news of Christmas!
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