A King Is Born
When the angel announced the birth of Christ to Mary, he said: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."
When John called the attention of his followers to Jesus, he exclaimed,
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
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His birth was without worldly grandeur. He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger; yet His birth was honored far above that of any of the sons of men. Angels from heaven informed the shepherds of the advent of Jesus, and light and glory from God accompanied their testimony. The heavenly host touched their harps and glorified God. They triumphantly heralded the advent of the Son of God to a fallen world to accomplish the work of redemption, and by His death to bring peace, happiness, and everlasting life to man. God honored the advent of His Son. Angels worshiped Him.
Early Writings P153
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I entreat you, my brethren and sisters, to make this coming Christmas a blessing to yourselves and others. The birth of Jesus was unhallowed by the great men of earth. He was the Majesty of heaven; yet this royal subject had no attendants. His birth was unhonored by the very men he came to our world to save. But his advent was celebrated by the heavenly host. Angels of God, in the appearance of a star, conducted the wise men on their mission in search of Jesus. They came with gifts and costly offerings of frankincense and myrrh, to pay their oblation to the infant king foretold in prophecy. They followed the brilliant messengers with assurance and great joy. The angels passed by the school of the prophets, the palaces of kings, and appeared to the humble shepherds, guarding their flocks by night, upon Bethlehem's plains. One angel first appeared, clothed with the panoply of heaven; and so surprised and so terrified were the shepherds that they could only gaze upon the wondrous glory of the heavenly visitant with unutterable amazement. The angel of the Lord came to them, and said, "Fear not, for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." No sooner had their eyes become accustomed to the glorious presence of the one angel, than, lo! The whole plain was lighted up with the wondrous glory of the multitude of angels that peopled the plains of Bethlehem. The angel quieted the fears of the shepherds before opening their eyes to behold the multitude of the heavenly host, all praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace, good will to men."
SARSH
December 9, 1884
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This was the description that God gave of his own character. Jesus came to represent the goodness and mercy and love of the Father, and Satan was filled with enmity toward the Son of God, and strove from his very birth to destroy him. He worked through wicked Herod to accomplish his design, but the Lord preserved the life of the young child Jesus, and thwarted the design of the evil one. Repeatedly the life of Christ was in peril. Many times even after the people had listened to his gracious words, and had seen the manifestation of his power in healing the sick and blessing those around him, they were ready to destroy him. He hated sin with a perfect hatred. It was the pure, spotless life of Jesus that stirred up the hatred of Satan and a profligate nation; for Christ did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. The Jewish nation was filled with doubt and prejudice, and this led them to hate the Son of God. Because of their unbelief, they were on the enemy's side, under the control of the evil one.
S T November 18, 1889
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…. Have special meetings when you can,--meetings of humiliation, of afflicting the soul,--meetings where the rubbish shall be cleared away from the door of the heart, that the blessed Saviour may enter. What a wonderful time the dying of the old year and the birth of the new might be! If we individually try to do what we can on our part, God is faithful that hath promised, and he will fulfill on his part abundantly more than you can ask or even think. Let no more moments be wasted. Let us now arise, and make earnest efforts to cherish the subduing love of Jesus. We need to be melted over, that the dross may be removed. We need to learn in Christ's school meekness and lowliness of heart, drawing closer and closer to Jesus.
SARSH
December 16, 1884
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The twenty-fifth of December is supposed to be the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, and its observance has become customary and popular. But yet there is no certainty that we are keeping the veritable day of our Saviour's birth. History gives us no certain assurance of this. The Bible does not give us the precise time. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, he would have spoken through his prophets and apostles, that we might know all about the matter. But the silence of the Scriptures upon this point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes. In his wisdom, the Lord concealed the place where he buried Moses. God buried him, and God resurrected him, and took him to heaven. This secrecy was to prevent idolatry. He against whom they rebelled while he was in active service, whom they provoked almost beyond human endurance, was almost worshiped as God after his separation from them by death. For the very same purpose he has concealed the precise day of Christ's birth; that the day should not receive the honor that should be given to Christ as the Redeemer of the world,--one to be received, to be trusted, to be relied on as he who could save to the uttermost all who come unto him. The soul's adoration should be given to Jesus as the Son of the infinite God.
SARSH
December 9, 1884
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The Messiah's coming had been first announced in Judea. In the temple at Jerusalem the birth of the forerunner had been foretold to Zacharias as he ministered before the altar. On the hills of Bethlehem the angels had proclaimed the birth of Jesus. To Jerusalem the magi had come in search of Him. In the temple Simeon and Anna had testified to His divinity. "Jerusalem, and all Judea" had listened to the preaching of John the Baptist; and the deputation from the Sanhedrin, with the multitude, had heard his testimony concerning Jesus. In Judea, Christ had received His first disciples. Here much of His early ministry had been spent. The flashing forth of His divinity in the cleansing of the temple, His miracles of healing, and the lessons of divine truth that fell from His lips, all proclaimed that which after the healing at Bethesda He had declared before the Sanhedrin,--His Sonship to the Eternal.
The Desire of Ages P 231
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The wonderful bright star that led the wise men from the east was the bright angel choir that sang to the shepherds in Bethlehem the song of Glory to God in the highest.
This is the story that never grows old and we love to here it over and over again. Repeat it to me and my heart thrills with new joy and thankfulness every time.
Through all eternity the saints will rejoice at the never ending theme of the story of redemption to study forever at the glorious feet of our Redeemer.
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Have you wondered why sometimes there is an X put in the place of Christ in the word Christmas. Don’t you believe Satan is trying to do away with Christ in the human heart in every way he can. That is why he has brought us to think it is Santa Clause who gives us the blessings and gifts at Christmas time, when it truly is Jesus who gives us all the good things we need. Santa is certainly very much like the word Satan, and he very much likes to see Santa Clause pictures all around instead of pictures of Jesus. Satan loves all the songs sung to Santa and not all the glorious melodies to our Saviour who redeemed us and saved us from our sins. This is why for the same reason we see the 7 with a line through it. 7 is God’s special number and especially does Satan want to get rid of the 7th day Sabbath and put his false sabbath in its place.
Santa can not save us from our sins or give us eternal life.
Jesus is the only one who can forgive us our sins and give us a home in heaven forever.