Pastor McNayr
Why do we do this? About 2000 years ago there came into a small town, south of the enslaved nation's capitol, a nervous young woman soon to have a baby. She rode on the back of a donkey led by her husband in obedience to the governmental decree that they travel days from their home to be registered for new taxes.
A child born to a poor family on a dark night. How could such a birth herald world shattering change? It all happened in a moment- a most remarkable moment. God has come near. He came not as a flash of light, or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl, and a sleepy carpenter. Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for the stargazers there would have been no gifts.
God invaded history 2000 years ago. The gift of His Son was not wrapped in tinsel and glitz. His birth, life and death were necessary parts of the gift of God. The resurrection was the capstone to the work He's done. The empty tomb is the Father's acceptance of the Son's work, that by accepting God's gift we too, can one day walk away from death forever.
What better gift is there to give than to point others to the empty manger, the empty cross and the empty tomb, and tell others that there is hope for today! It's not a someday hope, but one for the present and for all our tomorrows. As He once entered His creation, so He now seeks entrance to our hearts to bring His Peace and Joy within us. His is the gift that does indeed keep giving, one that cannot be truly understood until He is received.,
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
He calls to you now. Will you let Him in?