Subject 13 : The Gospel According to MATTHEW
[Chapter 1-3] Jesus Who Was Conceived By the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25)
(Matthew 1:18-25)
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.”
Matthew chapter 1 describes the birth of Jesus in detail. By human logic, a virgin who has never been with a man having a child cannot be possible. A pregnancy could be possible only when there has been a sexual relationship between a man and a woman. Therefore, throughout the history of all ages, this kind of extraordinary birth is only seen as in a myth. However, this was possible with God.
We can understand this if we carefully examine the reason Jesus was born. The reason Jesus Christ, who is God in His essence, was born in a human form through the Virgin Mary was to save His people from all of their sins. In other words, to save sinners from their sins, He Himself had to come as the Savior. To save the sinners, a sinless One was needed as the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2), and that was Jesus Christ, who was God Himself.
For a virgin who is pledged to be married to have a child before the marriage is an action that deserves criticism of the society as an unlawful behavior. This could even be a sin that deserves the death penalty among the Jews at that time. The Law of Israel commanded that anyone who committed adultery be stoned. According to today’s scripture lesson above, Mary and Joseph were pledged to be married. Joseph and Mary both feared God. So, through the marvelous occurrence they had experienced, they learned to follow God’s plan with faith that feared God.
The Scripture records specifically this historical event in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” And again, Isaiah 9:6 states, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And it was fulfilled.
Also Micah 5:2 records, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me. The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” This passage prophesizes the birth of Jesus definitely and concretely.
The Books of Micah and Isaiah are prophecies that were recorded by the prophets Micah and Isaiah as the words of God were on them, inspired by the Holy Spirit. They knew by God’s prophecy about the birth of Jesus Christ, who was to be born over 700 years after their days, and recorded it.
Besides these passages, there are many places in the Bible that prophesy the birth of Jesus directly or indirectly. This is truly amazing. The birth of Jesus was an impossible mystery unless it was designed and done by God Himself. This proves that God the Father had planned the birth of Jesus from everlasting, that is, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth (Proverbs 8:23).
The Bible is composed of 39 Books of the Old Testament and 27 Books of the New Testaments, totaling 66 Books. The Old Testament is composed of the Books of the Law and the Books of the Prophecy, while the New Testament provides the Gospels, the Epistles, and the Revelation. The Old Testament is mostly written in Hebrew and Aramaic and the New Testament is written in Greek. The strength of the Hebrew language is its precise meaning and the strength of the Greek language is its extensive vocabulary.
The Bible was recorded over 1600 years by forty some people in many different places. As a result, the lack of credibility on its unification is the general view. However, this was not written by any man’s intelligence, but rather it was written inspired by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all the prophecies of the birth of Jesus coincide with the events and facts that happened historically.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 records, “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This passage proves clearly that the Bible is authentic and that its author is God Himself. And we have to know that, not only in Isaiah, but in the entire 66 Books of Old and New Testament in the Bible are the prophecies and records about the birth and work of Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:27 records, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself,” and verse 44 records, “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’” These passages make it clear that the Jesus Christ is the Master of whom the Bible spoke.
Then what is the reason that Jesus was born, who has been prophesized and testified to throughout the centuries, through the body of the Virgin Mary as a human? In the name ‘Jesus’ the purpose and the meaning of His birth are clearly reflected. As we put meaning in a name when we name things, Jesus has the meaning “the One who will save His people from their sins.” The fact the He was given the name Jesus of all the names is a sure sign that shows the purpose of His birth.
The Almighty Creator came to this world in a lowly human form. This shows the amazing grace He has for us. The reason Jesus came as a human was because He loves us so much.
John 3:16 records, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” What this passage tells us is that anyone who believes in Jesus can enter Heaven.
There would be no one in this world that would sacrifice his only son for a criminal. When this is so even with humans, the fact that the Creator was born in a human body for humans that are just like insects tells us how much the Holy Triune God loves this world. Therefore, if someone rejects His unconditional love, he deserves to be condemned for such stubbornness.
John 8:24 states, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
Here, what does the passage “if you do not believe that I am He” mean? This means that “if you do not believe that God sent His one and only Son and that one and Only Son is Jesus Christ.” The reason Jesus came to this world is to save the sinners from all of their sins as it was recorded in Matthew chapter 1.
The work of the Old and New Testament is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is real and alive. As it is real that Jesus came to this world to take on the sins of the world, crucified on the Cross and was resurrected on the third day, the Holy Spirit is another Person, and a real Spirit of the Holy God just like Jesus. Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is also God Himself.
I mentioned earlier that the work of the Bible is the work of the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2 records, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Spirit of God in this passage is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit truly exists just as God the Father and Jesus truly exist. The Holy Spirit is also mentioned in today’s scripture lesson that we have read: “After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” This passage tells us that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary.
Therefore, in reality, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the same God to us. For Jesus to come to this world as our Savior, there was collaboration with God the Father and the Holy Spirit that made it possible for Jesus to be the Savior. However, some people find this part hard to believe and demand evidence that explains this, saying this is absurd. Then, I can give these people the work of the Trinity in detail from the Scripture in the works of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. Just as you truly exist, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father truly exist. As we are all human, but each individual is different and unique from the others, the role of the each one in the Trinity is different, but they are one God. I tell you that the Holy Spirit is the divine Spirit.
Devine Spirit, the Holy Spirit is a Person, and has its own independent character. It was by the work of the Triune God that the Savior of mankind, Jesus, came to this world through Mary. Therefore, we know that in the work of salvation, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit worked together. This is why Jesus commanded His disciples to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19) right before He ascended to Heaven. The work of God that created the universe and all the work that God has done are not done by God the Father alone, or done by His Son, Jesus Christ alone, but they are done by God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit together as they counsel about all the works and do all the work.
We were saved from our sins by believing what the Savior had done for us. As Jesus is a true Being, the Holy Spirit is a true Being as another Person of Divine God. Just as Jesus is a true Being, the Holy Spirit is a true Being as another Person of Divine God just as Jesus is. Therefore, all the works within the universe are the work of the Triune God. In fact, not only the Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of us who believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, but also He tells and teaches us the truth and guides us in the way of life.
Let us look at John chapter 14. John 14:25-26 says, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
This is why the Bible calls the Holy Spirit the Helper. The Holy Spirit that the Father would send “will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” The Helper Holy Spirit teaches us the Truth. He teaches us the Truth about all things such as what pleases God the Father and what His will is. Also, the One who reminds us of what the Lord has taught us is the Holy Spirit. This is why the Bible tells us that “the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you” (1 John 2:27). This means that the Holy Spirit teaches us about God as He resides in our hearts. This is why the Holy Spirit is the Helper.
The Scripture describes Jesus Christ in detail as well as the works of the Holy Spirit. All the Books of the New Testament, such as the four Gospels, Acts, the Pauline Epistles, the Epistles by James, Peter and John, and even the Revelation are teachings of Jesus. In the period of the four Gospels, the Lord Himself taught us. As the period of the Gospel was over, Jesus ascended to Heaven. He promised that He would send the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and since then it has been the age of the Holy Spirit.
This is the period of Holy Spirit. This period that you and I live in is the period in which the Holy Spirit works. This period that you and I live in is the period of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit resides within us, and makes us to spread the gospel. And He helps us understand the Truth, rebukes our sins, guides us to follow God’s will well, and supplies what is lacking in us. Also, He helps us realize what is wrong, and reminds us of the Word.
The gospel of the water and the Spirit is the gospel of the Holy Spirit. This means that the Holy Spirit works with the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Why does the Holy Spirit do the work? That is because this is the period of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was born in this world, and took on our sins by His baptism, received judgment, ascended to Heaven, and will come back someday. Until Jesus’ return, the Holy Spirit works along with the written Word.
The Holy Spirit is the God who works through the God’s Word. When Mary accepted God’s message, the Holy Spirit works to have baby Jesus. The Holy Spirit gave the ability that made it possible for the baby Jesus to be born because Mary who heard the words of God accepted God’s message saying, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” As such, the Holy Spirit works through what was prophesied.
Matthew 1:22-23 says, “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” We must know that the Holy Spirit works for those who believe in the written Word of God.
In Luke, the Bible tells us that the angel Gabriel, who showed up to Elizabeth also shows up to Mary and tells her, “Blessed are you among women! The Son you will bring forth will be great!” The great One meant the Savior. Then Mary was frightened and asked him, “How can this be since I do not know a man?” Gabriel told her that “Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.” Then Mary accepted the words of God that the angel gave her and said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her, and then Jesus was born from her. This is a good example of how the Holy Spirit works.
In this age, the Holy Spirit is still in the world working within our hearts. How does the Holy Spirit work? When we believe in the written Word of God, the Holy Spirit works through God’s Words. When we spread the Gospel to those who have not accepted Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit that works within them. When you and I spread the gospel and God’s Word, the Holy Spirit within us works on those who are not yet born again. When the Gospel is spread, the Holy Spirit works within them, helping them to understand the Gospel. When people hear and think about it, the Holy Spirit teaches them the Word of God as to what it means, and works within them to help them understand the gospel. As a consequence of this, people receive the remission of sin. Because God gives us the understanding through His Words, the Holy Spirit works through what was written in the Scriptures.
Our Salvation was planned by God in Jesus Christ before creation, and Jesus Christ, the Son came to this world and accomplished our salvation through His water of baptism and the shedding of His blood on the Cross. And the Holy Spirit assures the redemption we have received that was planned by God the Father and executed by the Son. The Holy Spirit, as the Helper, helps us to have strong faith, saying, “You are believing correctly. Believe like that, that’s correct.”
As such, the Holy Spirit is the Helper and Teacher to every one of us. This is why the period of the Holy Spirit is the period of New Testament, and the period of the New Testament is the period of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we must know that we are living in the period of the Holy Spirit.
It is true that Mary conceived a child by the Holy Spirit as she accepted the words of God that He gave her, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, the baby Jesus was born into the world. We thank our God who gave us this salvation. The work of the Holy Spirit enables us to be saved.
Conceived by the Holy Spirit means that the salvation we have is from God. It is not done by a great founder of a religion but a work done by God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to make us His children. This is how we were saved from our sins and received the remission of sin. This is why the fact that we were saved is by the work of the Holy Spirit. And this is why we are thankful.
Generally speaking, we know Jesus pretty well, but we do not know much about the Holy Spirit. However, in reality, the One who resides within us is the Holy Spirit. As it is said that Jesus is in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ, the Son in the Father and the Father in the Son, it was Jesus who cleansed our sins before ascending to Heaven, and now it is the Holy Spirit that lives within us in our faith. Jesus Christ, for real, came to this world, blotted out all the sins of yours and mine, and ascended, and now the faith that believes in Jesus Christ and the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit resides within your hearts. You and I are under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore we must know the Holy Spirit very well. If you and I make the Holy Spirit who lives within us unsatisfied, it is displeasing God. When we please the Holy Spirit who lives within you and me as we follow His instructions, not only are we joyful, but God is also pleased. Therefore, as our faith that believes in Jesus Christ in our hearts should be unchanging, you also need to be aware of the Holy Spirit that lives within you. When we are aware of the Holy Spirit, we can have a proper relationship with God. And only when we are aware of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit works within us, and makes intercessions to God on our behalf, helps us to understand God’s will, and leads us in the paths of righteousness. But if we dissatisfy the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit would be in a bad mood, and He would say, “Then you do whatever you want, you take care of it on your own,” then we would feel as if we were abandoned by God and we would be depressed and confused and feel we are separated from God 9000 miles away. So, we must know the Holy Spirit well, who lives within us. By the Work of the Holy Spirit within you and me, Jesus has saved us and the Holy Spirit still works within us to guide our way.
Do you understand this? ―Yes.― The reason you understand this is because you have received the remission of sin, and now the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Those who have not been saved and thus do not have the Holy Spirit in their hearts cannot understand the Word of God and say the Word is illogical. There is nothing more logical than the Bible that was written as it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The introduction, the body, and the conclusion is clear and obvious in the Bible. However, those who are not yet born again cannot see the authenticity of the Bible at all. So, Jesus regards them as the blind, saying, “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39)
Once I met a pastor. This pastor one day said to me, “If you can explain to me by human logic how Jesus was born from a body of a virgin, then I will believe in God’s Word as it is.” As many theologians have this kind of faith, so did this pastor. I was dismayed by his saying that he would believe in Jesus if I could explain to him how a virgin who does not know man could be with a child. So I asked him.
“Are you a pastor?”
“Yes, I am a pastor, and I am also a director for a Christian student organization at a university.”
“A director? What is the role of the director?”
“The role is to help students to understand Christianity, so they can have faith.”
“As the director, you do not believe in the birth of Jesus? Do you not believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary, born into this world, and saved us from our sins?”
“No, I do not believe it.”
“Then first, you should be ashamed of yourself. Secondly you cannot call yourself a pastor who is a shepherd to your sheep. You are merely a professional pastor who simply does it to make a living.”
He said that a chicken can lay unfertilized eggs, but having a child without knowing a man is impossible.
I said, “This is why I say you must not be an authentic pastor but only doing it to make a living. How can you lead the students to Jesus when you don’t even understand this or have faith in this? You should leave your Christian student organization that you are leading. You would not lead them to Jesus. You are ruining their souls.”
It was lamentable that someone who calls himself a pastor does not understand the birth of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. To tell you the truth, if the Holy Spirit does not live in you, it is impossible for you to understand the birth of Jesus as it is written in the Bible. How do you understand the birth of Jesus? There is such thing called artificially insemination these days, however, even this requires a sperm and an egg for conception. Then how could it be possible to be born only with one of them? However, the birth of Jesus was possible because it was the work of God.
The event that the baby Jesus would be born through the Virgin Mary by the work of the Holy Spirit was prophesied over 700 years before Jesus was born. Why was there the passage in Isaiah, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel”? When God wants to let us know His amazing plan for us, He often reveals it through a particular event that is not possible by human power.
There was a time that Israel was taken over by the enemies and all the people in Israel were taken as captives. It was impossible to take this country back from the enemies. However, God promised that this country would be restored in 70 years. No one believed it, but the miracle happened in God’s hands.
Likewise, the amazing miracle through the prophet Isaiah “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” really happened. It is impossible by human logic, but God had promised that He would work through this miracle, and He really did. How does God work with His mighty power to save you and me? As He sent his prophets to prophesy, He still sends His servant angels to deliver His messages and saves anyone who believes in the Messages. Therefore, the salvation for you and me is the work of the Holy Spirit.
By the works of the Triune God―God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we have been saved. So, even now God sends the Holy Spirit to anyone who accepts His Word and makes them children of God. When we were saved, did we get saved or received the Holy Spirit because someone shouted, “Receive this fire” or “Receive this Holy Spirit”? No, we did not. The Holy Spirit always works through the written Word. Whether we read the Word ourselves, or someone preaches it to us, if we believe in the Word, the Holy Spirit works within us to help us understand the Word and assures us. So the Holy Spirit fulfills the Word within us as it is written. This is why God gives the Holy Spirit as a gift to those who believe in the Word.
You and I have received a truly amazing salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit. Here, that the Virgin Mary conceived a baby, Jesus, by her faith in the Word, and that you have been saved by believing in the Gospel of the water and the Spirit and thus Jesus came to dwell inside you as the Holy Spirit are the same principle. If you believe in God’s Word, you will receive the remission of your sin, and then become a child of God. When you become a child of God, the Holy Spirit lives within you.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son of God was without sin. He works within us the same way it is written in the scripture lesson. As Mary accepted the message from the angels, the Word became flesh and was born as the baby Jesus. This is how the Word works. This is how Jesus became our Savior.
As we say “the work of the Holy Spirit,” someone might imagine that the Holy Spirit appeared to Mary and told her “I will work through you from now on,” and worked as some magic. That is not how it happened. That is not how God worked. When God sends His Word, if we accept God’s Word, the Holy Spirit works within us along with the Word of God, and as a result, the Word is fulfilled within us as we believe. The same principle is applied to the birth of Jesus and our being born again. That is how it happened when you receive the remission of your sin. That is how it worked when I was born again. When we accept and believe in God’s Word, our sins are actually blotted out and the Holy Spirit assures that.
That is how Jesus and the Holy Spirit work. Is this not amazing? Mary accepted God’s Words and the baby Jesus was born. What happened when you and I accepted the Word of salvation through Jesus’ baptism and the blood of the Cross? Were your souls born again as the righteous or not? They were born again. Was there the Holy Spirit in Jesus or not? There was. The Holy Spirit was in Jesus from His birth. Is there a Holy Spirit within us who has made us born again by the gospel of the water and the Spirit? There is. It is the same miracle. It is the same Word.
Do you understand the Word that Jesus was born by the work of the Holy Spirit? ―Yes.― It is the same work. It is amazing. Therefore, when we receive the remission of our sins by accepting Jesus, it is not the end. The Holy Spirit who actually lives in us teaches us, and guides us as a Teacher. Therefore, it is the Holy Spirit within us who is reigns over us, teaching us and guiding us.
Therefore, we are not alone. God, the Holy Spirit, is always with you. You are with God. Likewise, the Holy Spirit also helps in our weaknesses when we are in trouble or hardships. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26). If we do not know what to do, it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us, “That is not the way, this is it.” He reminds us of God’s Word, and comforts us. When we are in sorrow, He holds our hearts and comforts us. This is how we are always with the Holy Spirit.
You and I have received a very amazing salvation. The salvation you and I have received is truly amazing. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit created this universe, so that you and I could receive this salvation and become children of God. We must know this.
Why did God create the world? He created the world so that people like you and me, those who have received the remission of sin, could be the lord of this place. This is why our salvation was planned before creation. It had been planned since forever long ago that you and I would be saved from our sins today. According to the Providence God planned before creation, not only we have been saved from our sins, but also we became the children of God who have the Holy Spirit living within us. Therefore, in reality, we are living as princes and princesses, as the children of God in His Kingdom. Though we may not be princes and princesses as we live in this world, we are the children of God and princes and princesses in His Kingdom. We are the very important people, the true VIP’s. We are important people who have truly received amazing salvation.
This is why Christmas is amazing and has great meaning. When the baby Jesus was born after being conceived by the Holy Spirit, as Mary conceived the baby Jesus by accepting God’s words, and the baby Jesus was born in 10 months, the work of our salvation started. This is why we remember and celebrate Christmas. We sing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come” when the Lord was born from the Virgin Mary after accepting God’s message. We sing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come” on the day when the Lord was born through the Virgin Mary, who accepted God’s words that were sent to her from God. We are commemorating the day of this amazing work.
To be accurate, Jesus was not born in a day of freezing weather, but in a warm day while the shepherds stayed overnight in the field with their sheep. Rather than putting an importance on the exact date, we have designated a day that the whole world comes together to commemorate the day that opened the door of salvation after being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and to remember the salvation we have received in our hearts. What is important is not the day itself, but rather the fact that Jesus came to this world, and that Mary accepted God’s words so that the baby Jesus was born.
We meditate on the amazing salvation again as we commemorate this day. We must bind ourselves again to be those who please the Holy Spirit as we remember the salvation we received by the work of Holy Spirit and that He is living within us. Fellow Christians, we are the people who are truly blessed with amazing blessings. Mary was considered the blessed but you and I are just as blessed. Is it true? ―Yes.―
Is Christmas a day that we paint the town red with our boyfriends, girlfriends, sinners and family? Or is this a silent night, a holy night that we spend doing righteous deeds as we remember and commemorate that the Lord came to save us? It is the day for righteous deeds. I am telling you in advance. I tell you this out of fear that there is anyone in here who misunderstands the meaning of Christmas and feels sorry for himself because he is not out partying. I say this in a fear that there may be someone who thinks “why am I not out drinking like the rest of the world, but spend it so silently?” and feels swayed by the sense of inferiority. The best way to spend Christmas is to spend it silently, meditating on the meaning of the day, or by doing some righteous deeds. There could not be a more memorable Christmas than if we would proclaim the gospel on this Christmas, and as a result, someone would receive the remission of sin. Just like the baby Jesus was born when Mary accepted the Word of God, a sinner can become a righteous person and be born again as a little Jesus in this world by accepting the gospel Word that we have preached. Could there be any more beautiful meaning at Christmas time than that? I hope that you have this kind of righteous Christmas, and if it is at all possible, a meaningful Christmas.
I also urge to look around you to see whether there is anyone in sorrow or pain during this Christmas. Christmas is a holiday that the whole world celebrates. However, we must remember and believe that it could be a very sorrowful holiday for some people so that you can make this Christmas the Christmas that benefits others.
Christmas is a joyful and thankful day. As for me, I hope the publication of our gospel books is done quickly so that I can pass them out at Christmas. I hear that my first book is going to be sent out to America tomorrow, and I wish the book could be put out on Amazon.com soon, so that more people may read it next year. As there are books getting published in Chinese, I hope the publication is done soon so that they can be distributed in Hong Kong and China next year. As Mary conceived the baby Jesus by accepting God’s Words, I wish the Chinese could accept Jesus and receive the remission of sin as well. Is it not your hope as well? ―Yes.― I hope you have a very meaningful Christmas and a cozy Christmas with other righteous people if it is at all possible.
We thank God for our salvation and His protection for us. We see many accidents during every Christmas season, and we thank God for protecting us from these accidents. There are many traffic accidents from drinking and driving as well as crimes by younger people for money to meet their budget for pleasure. We should be careful during the Christmas recess.
I hope that you pray constantly for His protection, for the spread of the gospel, for His Kingdom, for your safety, for the safety of His Church, and the safety of God’s servants and fellow Christians, and for the salvation of many souls.
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