This is the third week studying the birth of Jesus.  The first week we studied about the announcement of Jesus’ birth, last week was about his arrival, or birth; and this week we are looking at the acceptance of His birth.  It wasn’t just the acceptance of a baby boy being born; it was the acceptance of the birth of the Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the very Son of God, by the shepherds and the wise men.

Now the shepherds were busy watching their sheep out in the field, away from the busyness of the town where all the people had come to pay their taxes.  I wonder if their job was a lonely job and felt unappreciated by those for whom they raised the sheep.  After all, if you read much about the history of the Israelites, you know they sacrificed a lot of sheep in accordance to the Law.  However, God did not look at them as outcasts of society because of the type of work they did.  So much so did He see their significance in His Kingdom that He sent angels to tell them that His Son had been born. Significant perhaps because in Hebrews 13:20 Jesus is called the Great Shepherd.

And what did those shepherds do?  They left their sheep and went to see this baby who the angels said was Christ the Lord.  The gift they brought was their heart of acceptance and when they had seen Him, they went about telling everyone.

The wise men from the east, following the Star, also came see this babe born King of the Jews.  (In my daily reading today, I learned that there is a possibility that these wise men could have been Persian or Babylonian; perhaps a result of the influence Daniel had on the government of Babylon and Persia years ago.  I had never thought about that connection before.)  When they found Jesus, they fell down and worshipped Him; and then they gave to him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

What I see in this is that God Almighty is interested in everyone, no matter what line of work they do, or what station in life they are in.  God sent His Son to save the world; it doesn’t matter what kind of job a person has.  (John 3:16)

However, King Herod didn’t receive the news of the birth of the King of the Jews very well.  He felt threatened for “his” kingdom. Does this mean that those in authority can’t or won’t receive Jesus in their hearts as Savior?  No, it does not mean that at all. Those wise men from the East were probably people of authority.

We need people who have a reverence of God in places of authority in our Nation.  Psalm 33:12 tells us that, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.  So, we can understand that it is of utmost importance that our leaders be God-minded and be servants of the One True God.

What is your acceptance of this news that the Son of God has been born? That the Savior, Christ the Lord has come? Are you numbered among the shepherds and the wise men who sought out the King, the Savior, Christ the Lord?  If not, then receive Jesus into your heart and let this Christmas be your first Christmas as a child of God.  If you already are saved, a child of God, then remember to celebrate His Presence in your heart and life every day.   God gave us His best in giving us Jesus as the Savior, the Redeemer.  The best gift we can give to God is our heart of love, and obedience in living for Him.

In John 3:3, Jesus himself said that we must be born again. This is because everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

1 Peter 1:23 teaches that we need to be born of incorruptible seed.  Because Jesus is the Son of God, He is that incorruptible seed.   He was obedient to God in all things, even to the death on the Cross for the sins of the world.  You and I are that world; so that means everyone needs to be saved.

2 Peter 3:9, tells us that the Lord wants none to perish but that all should come to repentance.

Being born again means we believe in our heart, and confess with our mouth, that Jesus is the Son of God and that God raised Him from the dead.  (Romans 10:9-10)

John 3:15, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16, for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

My Merry Christmas to you is that you know the love and peace of Jesus in your heart, as Savior and Redeemer.