Worship is never man-centered, but Christ-centered. Therefore, the proper emphasis and spirit of Christmas is worshiping Christ. The famous evangelist of the past, Charles H. Spurgeon, once said: "The holiday will come and go, so we must now take the opportunity to exalt Jesus Christ."
Christmas is the heralding of the entrance of Christ into human history. It is heaven descending to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Our response should be the same as the angels on Christmas Eve: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"(Luke 2:14).
From a biblical perspective, every personality attached to the birth of Christ worshiped Him joyfully and with sincerity of heart. Here are some examples:
1. Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist
"And she spake out with a loud voice" (Luke 1:42)
2. Zacharias
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people" (Luke 1:68)
3. Angels
"A multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13)
4. Shepherds
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen." (Luke 2:20)
5. Simeon
"Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God." (Luke 2:28)
6. Anna
"She coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord" (Luke 2:38)
7. Wise Men
"Come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2)
8. Mary
"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:46-47)
Please keep Christ at the heart of your Christmas holiday celebrations.
Pastor John & Shawn
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Pastor's background/ministry
- New Life Bible Church
- I received my BA and MA degrees (Bible, 1983; Pastoral Studies, 1988) from Bob Jones University, and served as an assistant to the Dean of Men for four years. I then served as senior pastor at Faith Bible Church, Mt. Joy, PA for almost 14 years. At that time, I left, along with 6 seed families, to plant Harvest Bible Church in Lancaster, PA. God blessed this work abundantly, and it became indigenous in one year. HBC continued to grow numerically and spiritually. I resigned on March 25, 2007, and Pastor Jon Walters was voted in a few weeks later. We praise God for the smooth transition. I am working on my Doctorate of Sacred Ministry degree (DSM) from Northland International University, and I am also a Chaplain at a chemical dependency/mental health hospital. I have an incredible wife (Shawn), three loving children (Morgan, Meredith, & Micah), and a terrific dog (Chutney).