While the time of year may be wrong to celebrate His birth, it is never wrong to celebrate Jesus, as long as we celebrate Him for the right reason and for who He actually is.
At Christmas the focus tends to be on baby Jesus, meek and mild, but here are some of the more neglected things that scripture tells us in its account of Jesus’ birth. To me they describe a Jesus far different to the one commonly portrayed at Christmas.
“… you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end”
“… that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
“there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ”
“…she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”
“Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against …that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”
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After today I’ll be away for two weeks and any comments will have to wait for moderation until after my return.
And over this period when so many celebrate christmas in ways that give Jesus so little thought (or if they do think of Him they think of a baby in a manger), my prayer is that more will see Him as the crucified King who could not be held by death. The Messiah, risen and seated at theFather’s right hand, who will one day return to rule.
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.