Merry Christmas you guys. For my full sentiments, check out the Spooky forums.
Luke 2:1-20; Hebrews 1:1-12; Isaiah 9:2-7
You know, we’re all used to Christmas. Baby Jesus, trees, candles, gifts. This is normal for us. Christmas has been around forever as far as we’re concerned. We don’t think twice about seeing a baby in a manger, who happens to be the Son of God. We don’t find it at all strange that “the exact representation of [God’s] being”, as Jesus is referred to in our reading from Hebrews, came to earth.
But you know what? When you really think about all this, God looks absolutely nuts! It’s the kind of thing that makes me want to say, “Look. I know you’re God and all, and this whole world is kind of your show. But what in the world are you thinking! A baby? In a feeding trough? Born to poor people? In the middle of nowhere? Come on. Surely you could have come up with something better!”
Isaiah the prophet tells us that the son of God is going to do all kinds of things. In the land of the shadow of death a light will dawn. The yoke which burdens the people will be shattered. Weapons and armor will be burned. This son will rule on the throne of a king. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This does not sound at all like what actually happened.
If this child was really a king, He should have been born somewhere a little fancier. Not where the animals are. But He is a king. And even with the humility of his birth, an angel announced to some shepherds that something is going on that will change the world. And angels don’t just show up for anyone.
This is one special baby. Yet for many of us Christmas has become something common. Something that happens every year and we have to spend a lot of money to get presents for everyone. But there’s nothing we should find common about Christmas. God did something no one could imagine – God became a human. Even more scandalous, God became a human to die for us.
I mean think about it, if it really came down to it, how many people would you be willing to give your life for. You might be able to come up with a few, and they’re most likely people who you are close to. But Jesus Christ came to die for people who had absolutely no idea who he was, and even the people who sentenced him to death. When we wanted nothing to do with God, God wanted everything to do with us.
That’s the kind of thing Christmas should mean to us. God gave us the ultimate gift. Something that we can’t even imagine a way to properly pay back, and God doesn’t want us to try. This gift is free for all who believe that Jesus is Lord. It’s incredibly simple! All because on Christmas God did something that didn’t make any sense. He loved us so much that His son was born as baby, to grow up, live, and die for our sins, only to rise again to new life – the same new life that all believers share through Him.