June 3, 2002, Tony Humphreys, Prestatyn, UK

Something BIG happened

Image Caption: 2000 Christmas card

2000 Christmas card

Submitted

Go outside, look up, do you see it. Look towards the mountains, and on a clear night, you will. It's the brightest star in the sky. It's still there, even after two thousand years. Pointing to the same place. Bethlehem today is a town visited by millions of people from all over the world every year. It is one of the most desired places to visit for billions worldwide. People travel to many cities and towns to visit famous buildings, historic sites and a nations throne. Paris has the Eiffel tower, London has Buckingham Palace and Berlin has the site of the wall. So why Bethlehem? From the most humbling beginning's of an outhouse, with a bed of straw, far from the capital, came a man who would literately change the world. The first cries were heard from the baby boy as his mother Mary wrapped him in cloths' and placed him in a manger, as there was no room in the inn for her, her husband Joseph and their little baby Jesus. From the moment of birth Jesus was famous. Kings' followed a star in the sky, the brightest and brought gifts for the baby. Not just any gifts, but the most precious Gold, Frankincense and Mhyr. Shepherds called to see Jesus, when they saw the new born, they hurried of and told everyone else, who told everyone they knew, and this continued until, well, everyone knew of Jesus. You see, God had promised his son Jesus for many years, and angels had told the shepherds "Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Gods promise was to send a saviour, to save the people of the world from their sins, as laid down in the Ten Commandments. No one goes to heaven with sin, so God kept his word. Jesus grew through many trials, but he never faltered. He made many friends, performed countless miracles, raised the dead and talked to crowds, teaching them of the way of the Lord. He turned around many, many lives. He was respected, trusted, loved and worshiped by all whose heart he touched. He was treated as a king. The government at the time knew all this, because Jesus was so famous. Jesus put passion in to worshipping God, at the time churches had become very formal. Herod, the king looked on all this as a rebellion by the people, and arrested Jesus as the ringleader. He was sentenced to death by crucifixion. On the chants of "Crucify him, Crucify him," Jesus was led away on his final journey. Taunted on his journey, with a crown of thorns Jesus made it to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. He was again mocked by guards and was finally hung on the cross. The soldiers offered him vinegar to drink and place a sign above his head: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. There lay a man, dying. A man who had done nothing wrong. Not by any standards you can use, he was pure, sinless. "The wages of sin is death," says the Bible, so why is this man dying. Remember what the angels said to the shepherds, "Today… a Saviour has been born to you…," and no one goes to heaven that has sinned. A death must take place to pay the price of sin, and guess what, this is it. When we accept Jesus, we have our sins paid for. It's that easy. We can now go to heaven, and live a better, more fruitful life. All those years ago something big did happen, in such a small way. Did you look up, did you see it or is it cloudy. It really does not matter whether you saw it or not, you can read all about it in the Bible, simply turn to the first page in the New Testament, and all will be revealed.