It's hard to begin the Christmas season with Bible verses or perspectives that haven't already been discussed a thousand times. What more is there to really say? There's a baby, wise men, shepherds, Herod, and eventually a flight to Egypt at the end (even though I've noticed many churches skip that last one).
Sometimes I think that in our attempts to be good Christians, we slip into religious tropes. "It's the reason for the season!" Sounds good on a bumper sticker. The only thing that concerns me is that sometimes I think we cling to the "baby in a manger" imagery so much that we really lose sight of the context of the reason for the season. That phrase doesn't print as well on a bumper sticker, but I think it's more accurate.
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)
This is another popular Bible excerpt, but rarely applied to Christmas. I think this is important. The Christ child was not just an answer to prophecy, not just a child, and not just a sacrifice. He was all of those things and more.
The Christ child was sacrifice. Think of Mary and Joseph and the sacrifice of a normal life with social acceptance. It was sacrifice in Christ's own life pushing away worldly pleasures and privileges. Finally, it was the sacrifice of the father watching his son die on a cross.
The Christ child was an answer to prayer. Think of Simeon, another often skipped story, who prayed for a messiah and was allowed to live to old age until he laid eyes on baby Jesus. Think of the countless individuals who prayed for mercy and healing and finally received it at the hands of Christ. Think of the prayers of the disciples in hiding awaiting the resurrection of their Lord only to see him appear in their room 3 days after the crucifixion.
The Christ child was glorification. Think of the angel who appeared to Mary and Joseph to announce the miraculous news of a virgin birth. Think of the glory of the angels singing to the shepherds proclaiming the coming of a savior. Think of a Lord capable of conquering death itself and restoring the world to something pure and worthy of God.
You see, the Christ child can't be boiled down into any one thing or it loses it's profoundness. We worship a total and complete God who offers total and complete forgiveness and grace for all our sins. This Christmas season, when you sing a Christmas hymn or see a religious Christmas program, think about the totality of who the Christ child was and his connection to the totally sufficient savior we worship today.
DEVOTIONAL PRAYER A Prayer for Christmas Revival Dear Father, we praise you and your holy name as we begin this Christmas season. Help us to keep sight of the totality of your grace and love. Furthermore, keep us convicted to maintain a sense of total grace and love to those around us... those in our families, in our communities, in our churches, and elsewhere around the world. Help us to return to something more pleasing to your eyes so that you could be glorified in everything we do. In your son's holy name, Amen.
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