The Birth of Christ

This week at S.W.A.G my friend and fellow leader Bethany taught the lesson. (: She was very excited and did an amazing job. She taught the Birth of Christ. Since we were leaving for Christmas Break we felt this was a good lesson to teach all the students. We had 21 kids in S.W.A.G this past Friday, this is more then we have ever had. It was amazing, God is really working in the lives of the students and Paint Rock High School. <3 

The Birth of Christ

• What is Christmas?
• What exactly was the Birth of Christ?
• What gets the Most attention during this time of the year?
• What should we celebrate? 

     Okay, so what's the deal with Christmas? what is the point of it? The obvious answer is that its the beginning of our salvation, but if we take a good look at the bible, that's not so. They've been talking about it since the Old Testament! 
     
      The most popular one is Isiah 53, which seems like it's talking about stuff to teach a lesson, in the same way proverbs does, but if you take a closer look, it pretty much details the entire Life of Christ. Right there.... and again in Isiah 7:14, which is actually directly quoted in the Gospel of Matthew. Then again in Micah 5. IF you look at them, its kind of eerie how well they predicted the Birth of Christ. 
    
      Oh, the best part? Isiah was completed about 500 years before the Birth of Christ! The book of Micah was written only maybe a little after. I know it's only my personal opinion, but that seems a little to hardcore to not have been planned. 

     So, if the Birth of Christ has been talked about for CENTURIES, what did the actual even mean for us? Why celebrate the day of Christs birth, if its been known throughout a huge period of time?
Why go through such lengths to celebrate it, if it's not what actually saved us from sin? 

Resolution
     
      Its actually pretty simple, and its something I want you to try and wrap your brains around. 

      The Birth of Christ is when it became REAL. 
Think about the real gravity of that. Think about it. Hard. A baby boy was brought into the world, like they are every day, hundreds of them. He was Born among the filth of animals because his mother had no other place. Something like that now would be considered a Tragedy. 

        And because this kid was born in a barn some 2000 years ago, everything in the world, all the way to you sitting here reading this, has been completely changed. The night this kid was born, people trembled, and kings were brought to their knees. 

       That is why we celebrate the Birth of Christ. It's when things became tangible, its when all those words from the old testament became real. It was the first step of our salvation to Earth, and the beginning of his trip to the cross. 

This was a powerful lesson and one I had never really been taught on. It was amazing to be a student at S.W.A.G instead of the teacher. I learned something new. The kids, i feel, got alot out of this lesson. People are saying God is gone from schools... they need to take a trip to Paint Rock. God is present, God is near, God is there. We pray, We hand out bibles, We lead worship, We teach his word. God is always with us, he never leaves. Even when we step on the school grounds He is still there. I felt his presence Friday. I feel his presence always when I'm walking through the halls of my school. 

Remember why we really celebrate Christmas. Its not about the gifts, food, parties, its bout Christ. On the day he was born, we were saved. If He was never born, I would not be here writing this right now. Like Bethany said, its when things became real. 

                                                           God bless <3 

                                            Love, 
                                               Heaven April