Merry Christmas

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. -Isaiah 9:6-7

The Jewish people over 2,000 years ago were waiting for the long promised Messiah. They searched the scrolls of The Law and the Prophets and longed for the King of Zion to rise up. Finally, in a town called Bethlehem in a city of David, the Messiah came. God had finally arrived to dwell among his people. This newborn baby, Jesus, was announced first to the shepherds, to the lowest of the low. He was born without an audience, without wealth and in the dark of the night, in a stable suited for lowly animals. THIS is how our God chose to send his son into the world.

The word advent means “coming”. Advent is a season of waiting and of longing, and ends with God coming to dwell among us. It is a season of darkness: longing for the great light to come into the world and into all people. Today, many churches around the world celebrate Advent by singing songs calling out to God to send a savior. The Old Testament Jews sang in hopes of the messiah promised in Genesis. In our case, we sing for the second coming.

Christmas marks the first coming of Jesus and allows us to catch a glimpse of the thrill and awesome power that will come with the second and final coming of Jesus. It is a time to celebrate and a time to feast with our families, to orient our hearts once more on the savior of the world, and to praise God that his promises are always true and always in his perfect timing. Today Christmas is often perceived as a time to get cool presents and to stuff our faces with grandma’s homemade pies, but in reality we are celebrating the birth of the incarnate God. As R.C. Sproul said,

What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, as important as that is, but what’s so significant about the birth of that particular baby is that in this birth we have the incarnation of God Himself. 

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”  16 they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. -Luke 2:1-20