With the Christmas holidays upon us, many who seldom consider religion at all as well as multitudes who are active in religious matters are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The birth of Jesus Christ occurred just as it was prophesied to. He was born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-23) in the city of Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1) and was of the seed of David (Rom. 1:3). It was a great event, one for which the Jews had been longing to occur. The angels rejoiced (Luke 2:8-14) and many who heard of the birth and some seeing the baby Jesus rejoiced. A glorious time indeed. Actually, the “how” He came is not so important as “who” came and “why” He came. We are talking about the coming of the Son of God (John 3:16). He is the “Word of God” that was with God from the beginning, made all things that were made and is God Himself (John 1:1-3). He “…was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”. He who was “…in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:6-7). And, just why did He come. He came, “…made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). He came in the form of a mere man, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:16-18). “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
Yet, even this is history. Even secular writers attest to the reality of Jesus of Nazareth. Of course it is of necessity that we believe the Biblical account of His birth, for faith in Christ is a requirement to have an eternal home (Heb. 11:6). The fact is, one must believe all the word of God, not just the historical account of the birth of Christ. That which followed, yea all the life of Christ and all of His teaching is of great importance to us, in fact, our eternal salvation is dependent upon all of the gospel accounts of Jesus being absolutely true and that we believe it. Yet, as stated, the coming of Christ and His mission while on this orb is past tense. He has come and fulfilled all that He was to do. On the cross He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Some 50 days later, He ascended into the heavens to sit on the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9; Eph. 1:20). There He currently reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords, having “all power in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18).
Now comes our main point. He is coming back. As He ascended into the heavens, His apostles watching, angles in white apparel said to them, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). He came the first time as the Savior. He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). His blood was shed on the cross to pay the price for our sins (Heb. 9:12; I Pet. 1:18-19). When He returns, it will not be as the Savior nor even as the King. When He returns, He will come as the Judge. The apostle, Paul, told Timothy, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” (II Tim. 4:1). While standing in the midst of Mars’ Hill in Athens, Paul told them that God “…hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). To the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10). God is merciful and long suffering, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Pet. 3:9), “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (II Pet. 3:10). The time will come when time has run out. At that time, “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thess. 1:7-9). Well it may be to celebrate the birth of Christ, but that which is much more important for us at this time is to be sure we are ready for the next time He comes.