THE DAY JESUS CAME FOR CHRISTMAS

 

 

Many years ago, in czarist Russia, a man who was traveling through Siberia, was told the following story by his host. “Timothy an orphan had been brought up by his uncle, who was his legal guardian. When he was 17 he found out that nearly all his inheritance had been wasted by his uncle. He was so angry that in a quarrel he fired a gun at his uncle.

Fortunately he only wounded him on the hand. The judge exiled Timothy to Siberia. In Siberia he built a small house and settled next to us.  The injustice he had suffered affected him very deeply. He was so angry and resentful that for a long time he refused to make any contact with his neighbor’s. He spent his time reading books.

One time I was able to talk to him over the fence and from that time on we became good friends. We spent many hours together studying the Bible. But, if anyone happened to mention his uncle, he would go as white as sheet. After sometimes he married and his extreme bitterness ended. He went into business and became very wealthy. 

One day I asked him whether he had forgiven his uncle, now that God had blessed him so much and he had recovered all the things that he lost in his youth. He turned very white. I asked him why after so much bible study and knowledge of the Scriptures, his heart was full of resentment and he would not forgive. He said his uncle had caused him much pain and he would never forgive him, never!

One morning Timothy was sitting outside his house reading his Bible. He came to a passage where Christ went to a rich man’s house and his host did not even give him water to wash his feet. Timothy put his Bible down and began to think about the great love of God, he burst out “Oh Lord if you were to come to me I would give you all I have and am”.

Suddenly a wind passed over him and he seemed to hear the words “I will come”. Later in the day Timothy came to me and told me what happened. He asked anxiously “do you really believe the Lord will come to me as a guest?” I replied that it was beyond my understanding. I asked him whether there was anything about it in the Scripture.

Day after day Timothy waited for the Lord, but nothing happened. However, he never doubted that the Lord would come. Six months passed and on Christmas Eve Timothy came to me and said “brother, I am expecting the Lord tomorrow”. I asked him why he was so sure of it this time. He said that after his usual prayer that morning he seemed to hear the Lord say “I am coming tomorrow”.

On Christmas day Timothy prepared a seat for a special guest. As evening approached he got impatient of waiting for the special guest, he stood up to pray so that the other guests could eat. He had hardly finished when there came a great gush of wind which shook the house followed by a loud noise as if something had fallen against the door. Suddenly the door burst open of itself.

On the threshold stood a very old man dressed in rags , he was so weak that he could hardly stand, but behind him there was a wonderful light and a delicate fragrance seemed  to come in with him. As Timothy gazed at this strange figure he bowed down and cried out “Lord I see who has come, I receive him in your name, do not come yourself for I am not worthy to have you under my roof”.

He looked at the old man again, the radiance and fragrance had faded; it was his uncle. Timothy went forward, took him by both hands and led him to the seat reserved for the special guest. Then the uncle told him his story; he had lost his family and all his possessions. For a long time he had been wondering through the forest and plains of Siberia, trying to find Timothy, to ask for forgiveness.

He had completely lost his way and he was so afraid he would freeze to death that night. Suddenly he met someone who told him “go to that house over there, you will be warmed and fed”. Then he took hold of my hands and helped me. Timothy told his uncle that it was Jesus who had led him there; He wanted Timothy to forgive him. Timothy forgave his uncle and stayed with him until he died.

Just a few days before he was crucified, Jesus gave a promise to his disciples (Matthews 25:31-44) “When the Son of Man comes …sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and … He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom”

The basis of his judgment is surprising “I was hungry and you gave me food… I was in prison and you came to me. He does not say a thing about prayers , Bible study, faith and all those things that we associate with going to heaven; it’s as if those things do not matter at all. Does it mean that all one needs to do to enter heaven is what is listed here?

The sheep had met the other qualifications; Jesus called them “blessed of my father” v.34 (Matthew 5:1-12) and the righteous v.37 (Job 36:7). The righteous will ask “Lord, when did we do all these things?” And the king will answer them “what you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me (Matt 25:34-40). Who are the brothers of Jesus?

In Matthew 12:46-50 we read that Jesus “stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said “here are my mother and brothers, for whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus true family; consist of those who do the will of God.  Hebrews 2:11 says “both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family”

Jesus said “anyone who loves me …my father will love them and we will come and make our home in them” (John 14:23). Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, Jesus spoke to him from heaven and asked “Saul why are you persecuting me” (Acts 9:3). Later Paul told the Galatians “it’s no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me “(Gal 2:20).

Whatever you do to the least of the believers, whether good or bad, you do to Christ. Jesus can be found wherever his people are. When you open your arms to a fellow believer, you are receiving Christ (Matt 10:40). If you are a believer compassion flows out of you naturally. Faith without actions is dead (James 2:14-25). God gives us opportunities, big and small, to do good and show kindness.

On the judgment day we shall discover that the things we thought were so important are not what matters most to God. It is not the monumental successes that demonstrate the proof of true salvation. It is that day to day routine grace, kindness and goodness demonstrated towards believers that proves the case. This is great because any Christian no matter their status: rich or poor, young or old, can do it.

In Romans 2:6-7 God says he will “render to every man according to his deeds. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honor, immortality, they will receive eternal life”. He does not say the ones who did the phenomenal things but those who by patient routine well doing, just the goodness of life that flows out daily.

Jesus identifies with the least of his brethren; the most insignificant, the most inconsequential life is intimately integrated with the life of Jesus. When you look at a Christian and say “they are not worthy my attention, they don’t deserve my time, their personality does not appeal to me or I don’t want to get involved in that situation, that is Christ identified with that person.

Both the goats and the sheep are surprised at the judgment. The sheep seemed to be totally oblivious to the things they had done. These people loved the Lord and their service was just their way of life, they did think was a big deal. The goats are surprised to end up in Hell. They did not think being indifferent to the needs of others was a big deal.

When the judgment begins, there is no way to distinguish the goats from sheep. This is true of life as we know it today. The saved and the lost mingle together in the world. They live together, work together and worship together. Most of the time it is hard to tell who is in which group; but the Lord knows his own (2 Tim. 2:19). When the judgment is over the groups are forever separated.

Your love for others is the measure and evidence of true love for Christ. We will forget most of those services but whether big or small, the Lord Jesus sees it all and remembers it all and one day he will reward us for all of it. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward”(Matt.10:42). And that is a promise!  This Christmas you have an opportunity to make Jesus smile.

               MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!