The Big Picture of Christmas
Galatians 4:4-7
The big picture of Christmas does not start in Bethlehem, or in the manger, or with angels announcing the Savior's birth. The big picture of Christmas begins all the way back in the Garden of Eden, though God knew well before that exactly what would happen. Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord and thereby poisoned the entire human race with sin. Every single person from then on has sinned against God.
Long before that time, God was already preparing the ultimate sacrifice to erase the sins of everyone who would receive His offer. God referred to the coming Messiah by saying Satan would bruise His heel. (Genesis 3:15) Christ's ultimate victory over the Devil is forecast in the same verse: "He will bruise your head." Then God killed an animal to create coverings for Adam and Evean indication that blood had to be shed on a person's behalf for him or her to be forgiven of sin.
Scripture and human history books reveal the Father's continuous preparation for Messiah's arrival. God promised to bless all nations through Abraham, and Jesus is of Abraham's lineage through the patriarch's great-grandson Judah. And God used Alexander the Greatsinner though he wasto spread the easily understood Greek language throughout the world. In that way, there was already a common language when the disciples began to travel and share the Good News.
Christmas did not begin in a Bethlehem stable or end on Calvary's cross. God's plan is eternal, and He prepared it all for you.
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