You likely know about the first Christmas. You probably know that Christmas fulfilled God’s promise from the Old Testament. You know that a virgin woman named Mary was betrothed to a young man named Joseph. You know that before they married, before they consummated their union, the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would conceive a baby from the Holy Spirit, a baby she would name Jesus.
Joseph and a pregnant Mary traveled from their town, Nazareth, to register for a census at Joseph’s ancestral home in Bethlehem. While they were there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Then the angel Gabriel and thousands of angels appeared to shepherds near Bethlehem, announcing Jesus’ birth and praising God for the good news. The shepherds visited Bethlehem to see Jesus. They found the Messiah lying in a manger, and they rejoiced.
Then wise men from the east were guided by a star to Joseph and Mary’s home in Bethlehem. They worshiped Jesus and they offered him gifts, including gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
You know all of that. You know about the first Christmas.
You probably know that Jesus, being truly God and truly man, lived a righteous and sinless life. He died for our sins on the cross and he rose on the third day for our justification. Jesus appeared to over five hundred people after his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6), and he ascended to heaven to rule as King of kings, Lord of lords, and the Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5).
You know about the first Christmas. But do you know about the second Christmas?
The first Christmas is about Jesus, who was born, killed, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. The second Christmas is also about Jesus, who will descend from heaven to earth to condemn unbelievers to hell and save believers for the new earth and new heaven (Revelation 20:11-15).
God promised the first Christmas, and he also promised the second Christmas. Jesus will return: God will keep his promise, just as he kept his promise for the first coming. Jesus’ first coming was promised to God’s people thousands of years before Jesus was born. In the same way, though we have waited two millennia since Jesus and the apostles affirmed his second coming, he will return.
God will fulfill his promise to judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). But he is patient toward us, not wishing that any of us should perish, but that we would all believe in Jesus and repent from our sins (2 Peter 3:9).
If you are not a Christian, please repent and believe in Jesus Christ. If you celebrate the first Christmas, should you not want to celebrate the second Christmas? That way, this Christmas, you would praise God for the past and prepare for God in the future, when Jesus returns for the second Christmas.
The shepherds and wise men celebrated Jesus at the first Christmas. Let us prepare our hearts too, so we can rejoice and celebrate Jesus at the second Christmas.
