By George Whitefield
Christmas is much more meaningful than we sometimes realize.

The celebration of the birth of Christ has been esteemed a duty by most who profess Christianity.  When we consider the condescension and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, in submitting to be born of a virgin, a poor sinful creature; and especially as He knew how He was to be treated in this world; that He was to be despised, scoffed at, and at last to die a painful, shameful, and ignominious death; that He should be treated as though He were the off-scouring of all mankind; used, not like the son of man, and therefore, not at all like the Son of God; the consideration of these things should make us admire the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was so willing to offer Himself as a ransom for the sins of the people, that when the fullness of time was come, Christ came, made of a woman, made under the law.

He came according to the eternal counsel of the Father.  He came not in glory or in splendor, not like him who brought all salvation with him: no, He was born in a stable, and laid in a manger; oxen were His companies.  O amazing condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ, to stoop to such low and poor things for our sake.  What great and wonderful love was here, that the Son of God should come into our world in so mean a condition, to deliver us from the sin and misery in which we were involved by our fall in our first parents!

And as all that proceeded from the springs must be muddy. because the foundation was so, the Lord Jesus Christ came to take our natures upon Him, to die a shameful, a painful, and an accursed death for our sakes; He died for our sins, and to bring us to God: He cleansed us by His blood from the guilt of sin.  He satisfied for our imperfections; and now, my brethren, we have access unto Him with boldness.  He is a mediator between us and his Father.

Therefore, if we do but consider into what state, and at how great a distance from God we are fallen–how vile our natures were; what a depravity, and how incapable to restore that image of God to our souls, which we lost in our first parents–when I consider these things, my brethren, and that the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore us to the fabor with God which we had lost, and that Christ not only came down with an intent to do it, but actually accomplished all that was in His heart towards us–that He raised and brought us into favor with God, that we might find kindness and mercy in His sight–surely this calls for some return of thanks on our part to our dear Redeemer, for this love and kindness to our souls.  How just would it have been of Him, to have left us in that deplorable state wherein we, by our guilt, had involved our selves?  For God could not, nor can receive any additional good by our salvation; but it was love, mere love; it was free love that brought the Lord Jesus Christ into our world about 1700 years ago.

What, shall we not remember the birth of our Jesus?  Shall we yearly celebrate the birth of our temporal king, and shall that of the King of kings be quite forgotten?  Shall that only, which ought to be had chiefly in remembrance, be quite forgotten?  God forbid!  No, my dear bretheren, let us celebrate and keep this festival of our church, with joy in our hearts: let the birth of a Redeemer, which redeemed us from sin, from hell, be always remembered; may this Saviour’s love never be forgotten!

article adopted from Power for Living

First Baptist Church of Perryville is located at 4800 W. Pulaski Hwy., Perryville, MD