During the holiday season it seems more people think about Jesus than at other times.
It may be that this time of year causes people to think of home and family and that triggers a remembrance of families who tried to follow God.
Generations of the past seemed to have a closer relationship to God and spiritual things than exists today. The fact that God sent his Son for man should cause people to think about Jesus all the time.
The sacrifice made by Christ caused him to suffer humiliation and pain. The Savior of mankind was subjected to illegal trials, mocking, beatings, having people spit upon him and finally to being crucified on the cross.
He was tried by both the Jewish courts and the Roman courts. Pilate, a governor who could have set Christ free, chose to please the crowds rather than release one who was innocent.
All these things Christ endured to be the sacrifice for mankind. Realizing what a sacrifice was made for mankind should cause one to take advantage of the salvation offered by God and to live by his word all the time.
Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof ” (Matt. 6:33,34).
In this passage mankind is told to think about spiritual things not just on the physical things of this life.
God’s word is full of ways for man to have a better life, yet sadly many fail to heed divine advice. This causes them to forget the sacrifice and place their trust in the physical.
Following God all the time means one must obey his word. It teaches that those who followed Jesus had to believe he was the Son of God: “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).
In another passage the holy Scriptures tell again of the importance of faith (Heb. 11:6). God commands that one repent of sins: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
One must have faith in Jesus as the Son of God, repent of sins, and then confess the name of Christ as the Son of God: “…And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:38).
The next step is to be baptized for the remission of sins: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, …” (Acts 2:38).
If this passage is not plain enough, Peter makes it even plainer: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 3:21).
Knowing God sent his Son, all should follow his teaching for one day judgment will come.
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (Jno. 5:28, 29).