By Correspondent in Abuja.
Pastor Alex Ogundipe of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Daki-Biyu District, Kubwa, Abuja, has outlined 10 key reasons Christmas is celebrated by Christians around the world.
Speaking on Thursday, the senior pastor said although Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ, it also represents the fulfilment of God’s promise to humanity.
According to him, Christmas celebrates the fulfilment of prophecy as recorded in Isaiah 7:14, which states: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”
Ogundipe explained that Christmas signifies the restoration of hope lost by humanity in the Garden of Eden.
“Adam was driven out of the garden where God provided everything for man, including Eve. From that moment, curses began to reign,” he said, citing Genesis 3:15.
He added that the emotional and spiritual state of Adam after the fall must have been devastating.
“I can’t imagine the state of Adam’s mind; everything went blank in a single day. But the arrival of Jesus Christ restored hope because, through Him, mankind was reconciled back to God, as stated in Ephesians 2:12,” the cleric noted.
The pastor further described Christmas as a celebration of victory.
“We are celebrating the victory already staring us in the face. When Jesus is fully enthroned in your life, victory becomes inevitable,” he said.
He also described Christmas as the celebration of blessings released, stressing that all blessings come through Jesus Christ and are accessed through Him.
According to Ogundipe, Christmas signifies the end of waiting and the abolition of darkness.
“Our waiting in darkness is over. Jesus declared in John 8:12, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,’” he said.
The cleric added that Christmas represents the restoration of God’s love to mankind, as expressed in John 3:16.
He also noted that Christmas is a celebration of goodwill and restored peace, citing Luke 2:14, and concluded that it ultimately signifies the arrival of God’s solution to humanity’s problems.
On how the birth of Jesus can be made meaningful in the lives of believers, Ogundipe urged Christians to embrace genuine repentance, accept and believe in Jesus Christ, know Him personally, and surrender fully to the leading of God’s Word.
“Don’t let this Christmas be business as usual,” the pastor advised.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
