John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
The calendar denotes Christmas is over for another year, but the new covenant believers of Jesus Christ, are looking to the future for the coming Messiah, just like the Jews were looking for the Messiah in the old covenant. Today, the Church looks for the future time of His Promised coming. Like the old covenant people, some have given up on His coming, because they've been told so many times that, "Jesus is coming tomorrow or next week." Many have decided that it's already done.
In 2Thessalonians 2:1-2 (Amplified) Paul tells us, "But relative to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and our gathering together to meet Him, we beg you brethren Not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, whether it be by some pretended revelation of the Spirit of by word or by letter alleged to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has already arrived and is here."
Before Jesus birth in Bethlehem, many believed the Messiah had already come or were told that someone else was the Messiah. Many believed that they were living in the reign of the Messiah already, even then. Many in today's Church, have given up on the second coming of Jesus. His first coming was as a Lamb, born in a manger to be our Sacrifice and cleansing before God. He will come the second time as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and as our Lord of Lords and King of kings.
When we still hope, awaiting in faith and expecting our Lord's appearing, then we are living by His Life and by His faith to become what He has Promised. Paul writes to Timothy in 2Timothy 2:15-18 (Amplified), "But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, And their teaching will devour; it will eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene, so it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus Who have missed the mark and swerved from the Truth by arguing that the Resurrection has already taken place. They are undermining the faith of some."
Like those in the old covenant did before Christ was born in Bethlehem, we are still looking forward to the coming of the Lord, when He returns in all of His Glory. Christmas is an ongoing thing in today's Church. Jesus came the first time, as our Sacrifice and Substitute. He is coming the second time, as Lord of All, according to Hebrews 9:28 (Amplified) which says, "Even so it is that Christ, having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a burden the sins of many once and once for all, will appear a second time, not to carry any burden of sin, nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation those who are eagerly, constantly, and patiently waiting for and expecting Him."
We must not simply look at Christmas, as the long-awaited for coming of the Lord. We have become the new creation family of God by partaking in Jesus' Sacrifice and we look forward by faith and hope to His appearing a second time, for our full salvation. Many Truths from God's Word have been overlooked or disregarded today. The Holy Spirit is bringing these things back into focus for the Church. We can't be reluctant to look beyond tradition or to stand against false words that some have brought.
Many might believe that these things have little importance, but Jesus' coming is spoken of in almost every letter of the New Testament. At Jesus' ascension, the angels spoke of Jesus' second coming long before Paul or anyone else did. This wasn't a man-made doctrine, but came from God's Messengers (the angels). Acts 1:10-11 (Amplified) says, "And while they were gazing intently into Heaven as He went, behold, two men dressed in white robes suddenly stood beside them, who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into Heaven? This Same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into Heaven, will return in just the same way in which you saw Him go into Heaven."
John writes these encouraging Words in 1John 3:2-3 (Amplified), "Beloved, we are even here and now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear), what we shall be hereafter, but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall, as God's children, resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He really is. And everyone who has this hope resting on Him, cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure, chaste, undefiled, guiltless."
Christmas is still coming to those of us, who set our hope and faith in His return. We will never reach our full potential, until that time, according to Revelations 1:4,7 (Amplified), which tells us, "John to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia; May Grace (God's unmerited favor) be granted to you, and Spiritual Peace (the Peace of Christ's Kingdom), from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits, the seven-fold Holy Spirit before His Throne." Verse 7 goes on, "Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him."
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