LESSONS FROM THE BABY JESUS

Jn. 1:14

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

1. OUR GOD DESIRES TO BE WITH US

     Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise, "I will be with you."  Why is that important?  Because when we face troubles we know our Savior understands; He's been there.  We get tired of the unfairness of this world, and our Savior understands; He's been there.  When we struggle against the pressures of life and we cry out to God, our Redeemer hears and knows what we are talking about; He's been there.   Jesus Christ knows what human life is about because He lived as we live - actually in a lower estate and more difficult circumstances than most of us ever face - from the challenge of birth to the moment of death.  The baby Jesus - tiny, lovely, fragile, and seemingly helpless - is Emmanuel, God with us.  

2. OUR GOD IS DETERMINED TO SAVE US

     No man can get right with God on his own.  The truth is that we all have a problem that's bigger than ourselves, and Jesus is the only solution that's bigger than our problem.   From the very beginning, as God taught Adam about obedience, He connected sin (i.e., disobedience) with death.  And since all of us have sinned we, like Adam, have earned death and separation from God.  So what can we do about it?  Nothing.  Being sorry doesn't turn disobedience to obedience.  Sacrifices can't turn disobedience into obedience. Hey, let's face it, even our sacrifices are imperfect.  So God Himself became our solution.  The everlasting Word, God the Son, became the baby of Christmas and dwelt among us.  He was born, lived a perfectly obedience and righteous life in our place, died on a cross to pay for our disobedience and satisfy the justice of God, was buried and conquered even death by rising again.  The Christmas child, the eternal Son of God became the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God, a perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish so that we might become righteous through faith in Him. 

3. OUR GOD LOVES US

     As John wrote in his first epistle, "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."  The birth of Christ didn't just happen at some random time in some random way.  It was planned by God before creation and was brought about by Him at the perfect time according to His eternal purpose.  That birth is the clearest possible demonstration of His overwhelming grace and His fierce love for His people.  God's eternal Son set aside His glory and position and humbled Himself for our sake - not because of our worthiness, but solely because of His love. 

     Friends, never never never doubt the love of God for you.  Never never never doubt that He loves you with an everlasting unbreakable unshakable love.  God in a manger.  God on a cross.  That is proof enough! 

Pastor Keith