Is the Joy of your Christmas in the Presents or in the Presence?
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Isn't the Presence of God your Greatest Need this Christmas
When God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be born into this world on Christmas day, the Bible says in Matthew 1:23 that Jesus was given the name “Emmanuel” which means “God with us.” This name shows that God clearly understood that our greatest need was not presents. What we need most is His presence with and among us. So as you evaluate your life today, where can you say is the joy of your Christmas this season? Is it in the presents or in the presence of God?
Moses understood how greatly he needed the presence of God in his life. His mission was to lead to the promised land the children of Israel whom God had delivered from bondage in Egypt. God had given Moses gifts or abilities to perform extraordinary miracles (Exodus 4:1-17) and had also given him his loved one, his brother Aaron, to go with him as his great companion. But despite all this, Moses said to God, “‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ”’ (Exodus 33:15).
Furthermore, to demonstrate the great need of God’s presence in the midst of His people, God instructed the children of Israel to construct the tabernacle (Ex. 36-39) and later on the temple (1 Kings 6-8) as places where He would meet with His people and dwell in their midst. However, God was not in each person and the common man could not have a personal relationship with God and was actually barred from coming into God’s presence in the temple by a thick curtain. He could only approach God through a High Priest who was allowed to come into God’s direct presence in the Most Holy Place only once a year (Hebrews 9:1-9). It was while the temple was still serving its purpose that the prophet Isaiah gave an astounding prophecy saying, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call His name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14) which means “God with us”.
Around 700 years later, Jesus was born and we are told in Matthew 1:21-23 that Christ’s birth took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet in Isaiah 7:14. Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection were fully intended to bring God into the world and be present with each of us so that we can develop a personal relationship with Him. In both Matthew 27:51, we are told that at the moment of Jesus’ sacrificial death, the veil that separated the common man from God’s presence in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, thus opening for us a new way to God through a relationship with Christ. The presence of God’s Holy Spirit no longer dwells in a hidden place in the Old Testament temple, but now dwells within the life of every person who is truly saved or genuinely born again (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Page 1 ⇦ Previous | Next ⇨ Page 3
Isn't the Presence of God your Greatest Need this Christmas
When God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be born into this world on Christmas day, the Bible says in Matthew 1:23 that Jesus was given the name “Emmanuel” which means “God with us.” This name shows that God clearly understood that our greatest need was not presents. What we need most is His presence with and among us. So as you evaluate your life today, where can you say is the joy of your Christmas this season? Is it in the presents or in the presence of God?
Moses understood how greatly he needed the presence of God in his life. His mission was to lead to the promised land the children of Israel whom God had delivered from bondage in Egypt. God had given Moses gifts or abilities to perform extraordinary miracles (Exodus 4:1-17) and had also given him his loved one, his brother Aaron, to go with him as his great companion. But despite all this, Moses said to God, “‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ”’ (Exodus 33:15).
Furthermore, to demonstrate the great need of God’s presence in the midst of His people, God instructed the children of Israel to construct the tabernacle (Ex. 36-39) and later on the temple (1 Kings 6-8) as places where He would meet with His people and dwell in their midst. However, God was not in each person and the common man could not have a personal relationship with God and was actually barred from coming into God’s presence in the temple by a thick curtain. He could only approach God through a High Priest who was allowed to come into God’s direct presence in the Most Holy Place only once a year (Hebrews 9:1-9). It was while the temple was still serving its purpose that the prophet Isaiah gave an astounding prophecy saying, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call His name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14) which means “God with us”.
Around 700 years later, Jesus was born and we are told in Matthew 1:21-23 that Christ’s birth took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet in Isaiah 7:14. Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection were fully intended to bring God into the world and be present with each of us so that we can develop a personal relationship with Him. In both Matthew 27:51, we are told that at the moment of Jesus’ sacrificial death, the veil that separated the common man from God’s presence in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, thus opening for us a new way to God through a relationship with Christ. The presence of God’s Holy Spirit no longer dwells in a hidden place in the Old Testament temple, but now dwells within the life of every person who is truly saved or genuinely born again (1 Corinthians 3:16).
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