Matthew 1:24; Matthew 2:2; Luke 1:38; Luke 2:16-17
When we think of Christmas or Christmas Day there is a call to give a response to that which this day brings to us. One of the beautiful truths of Christianity is regardless of what realm you are in, there is continually a call to respond.
When you read God’s Word, you are challenged to respond to it. We cannot read it without having a response. It is not a book that is apathetically read. It calls for engagement and reaction.
The Holy Spirit God comes to convict humanity of sin, righteousness, and judgement. The Holy Spirit calls for a response in our lives.
Christmas is a special time of the year where the whole world stops long enough to think of Christ. Now they may be busy and they may not understand the depth of Christ like we do, but there is a call for a response during the Christmas Season. The challenge of Christmas today is for us to respond to the message.
We see four responses in the Christmas Story.
a. Acceptance: Mary responded to the angel by saying “May everything you have said about me come true” (Luke 1:38)
b. Obedience: Joseph did as the angel commanded and took Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:24)
c. Enthusiasm: The shepherds excitedly shared the news of the savior (Luke 2:16-17).
d. Commitment: The wise men followed the star and sought the newborn king (Matthew 2:2)
The question becomes “How will we respond to Jesus?”