God With Us

Dear Friends,

 “’The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us’)”. Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

God chose a very unusual time and place to make an appearance on Earth. Bethlehem, a small village in Judea, was not the kind of place one would expect God to make his presence known. Sure, King David had been born there, and the prophet Micah had prophesied Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah, but such a humble place … such a humble birth.

And what about the birthplace? A stable? Surely there was someone in town who would have “left a light on” for the one about whom we read in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

What about shepherds as the first to hail his birth? This child in the manager was going to be a very different type of shepherd. “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.” Micah 5:4

Eight days after his birth, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. Simeon, a righteous man whom the Lord had promised would see the Messiah, held the baby Jesus and declared, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,  you may now dismiss your servant in peace. “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

The words of Simeon foreshadowed words Jesus would speak as a man, “’I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12

Another visitor at the temple was the aged Anna. “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to [Mary and Joseph] at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38

Then there were those visitors from the orient —probably from a region that is modern-day Iraq or Iran. Consider the gifts they brought: gold (symbolizing royalty), frankincense and myrrh (aromatic resins that can be used in the treatment of wounds and in the preparation of the dead for burial). “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)

Born in a humble town, in a humble setting, with few to herald his coming, “Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7

Others may scoff as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 (NLT)

The baby in the manager became the Christ on the cross. Let’s use this wonderful season to spread the truly good news of Christmas, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ