Joy Born at Bethlehem

Charles Spurgeon, the "Prince of Preachers," was very mindful of the need to avoid seeing Christmas as a merely religious holiday, open to commercialization and frivolity.

Accordingly, throughout most of his extensive ministry he refused to alter his teaching schedule to fit in a "Christmas" sermon, as is so common today. Looking through Spurgeon's vast teaching archive, we find only 19 instances in which special attention was given to the topic of Christmas.

Spurgeon's focus in these 19 sermons is overwhelmingly the who and why of Christmas. He marvelled at the fact that God would send his only Son into the world for people who in no way deserved it.

Christ came into the world to save sinners. That was Spurgeon's focus 150 years ago. We need that message now more than ever.

Joy to the world, the Lord has come!