The advent of our King. Infinite becoming finite. The Eternal One entering into time. The invisible becoming visible. We sing of it in carols, read of it in greeting cards, and tell of it through the voices of children in Christmas programs.
I don’t know about you, but for me the remarkable story of Christmas becomes more real, more personal every year.
Christmas celebrates the magnificent occasion of the timeless Son of God coming into time to show us God’s love for all people.
God’s promise of the Savior King has been recorded throughout history—from Genesis to Isaiah to Micah: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…He will reign on David’s throne…upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
The apostle John records the birth of Jesus in fourteen verses (John 1:1-14), Matthew in eight (Matt. 1:18-25), and Luke in seven (Luke 2:1-7). In some ways simple and in others so profound, the Christmas story is a stirring picture of who God is and what He has done—coming to meet us where we are, intervening on our behalf, and involving us in the process.
Consider Joseph, the loyal and faithful husband to Mary. Chosen to be the adoptive father of our Lord, Joseph would protect the infant Savior of the world and shield Mary from public shame. A carpenter by trade, strong, sturdy and stable; able to lead the tiring expedition to Bethlehem and the stable, able to encourage the mother of Christ. As the man of the house, Joseph would teach Jesus His first lessons in the law of God, and then silently step back when at the age of twelve it became evident that Jesus’ first allegiance must be to another Father.
Joseph never speaks a word in the Christmas story. Yet every word not spoken, speaks volumes. (Matt. 1:18-25)
We aren’t told in the Word of God why Mary was chosen; but from the little we have, it’s clear she was no random selection. An ordinary, small-town girl who honored and obeyed the will of God. Imagine her courage as she walked the greatest adventure she would ever know on this earth.
David Jeremiah describes Mary’s assignment for which she had no preparation: “The Babe of Bethlehem, the Boy of Nazareth, the brawny Workman of the carpenter shop, the gentle Man of Galilee, the Teacher without equal, the mighty Man of merciful miracles, the humble Man of patience and grace, Mary was also there to see before her own eyes her own Son in the throes of agony and death.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, who also needed Jesus for her Savior as much as every one of us: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).
Cutting My Teeth on Christmas Blog
Shepherds, the lowliest of the low, least educated, and despised by the orthodox people of the day. Sweaty and smelly (they tended stinky sheep), simple men of the fields. What first visitors to the manager! They had names, but we don’t know what they were. Yet they heard, they saw, and they followed the angel’s simple instructions to Bethlehem. And they told everybody they met what they had seen. (Luke 2:8-14)
Magi. Gentiles from the East. We’re told they traveled across the continent to see the Messiah with their gifts of time and of treasures—gold fit for a king, a fragrant offering of frankincense, myrrh for the One who came for the purpose of dying. They came with the same purpose as the shepherds: to worship Jesus! (Matt. 2:1-2, 11-12)
For those who are in Christ, Christmas lies solely in the birth of Jesus—the magnificent occasion of the timeless Son of God coming into a lost world to show us God’s love for all people.
The most profound truth of all truth of why we celebrate Christmas. It’s the story about God’s people in need for a Savior.
Merry Christmas!
Source: Why the Nativity? David Jeremiah, 2022