Christmas Morning Meditation

The Gospel is about Jesus

His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary atoning death and life bringing resurrection

Christmas turns our attention to His birth.

What was predicted in the Old Testament

Revealed in the Incarnation and all through the Gospels

Proclaimed in the book of Acts

Explained in the Epistles

And Expected in Revelation

Jesus, was born to die so that we might have life.

Matthew tells us who He is. His purpose is revealed when the Angel says to Mary, you …will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Zechariah prophesied:

Luke 1:68-69 – “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He visited and accomplished redemption for His people,

And raised up a horn of salvation for us

We must worship Him in Spirit, Truth, Intensity, and Humility as Mary did in her song of praise (Luke 1:46-55)

What this day is is really about is joining with the angels in singing Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Jesus is The Divine Word

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

He is the Light of Men

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

This Light Comes that we Might Believe

Jesus is the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. And as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

What is it that we must believe?

What is this story that begins today with His birth?

It begins with God’s Glory

Which is immense beyond imagination. We owe literally everything to Him. He created me us glorify Him in all of our ways.

Yet we could not have failed more miserably than we have. Because of our sin, God has every right to condemn us to the everlasting Lake of Fire. We’re completely unable to save ourselves or even begin to contribute to our own salvation.

But what we could not do, God did. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us. He then raised Him from the dead, showing that His death atoned for all of the sins of His children: past, present, and future. 

When we repent of our sins and place our faith in Jesus, God saves us completely, perfectly, and eternally.

Like Mary, we don’t deserve any of this, but for those who are saved, we will be eternally thankful.

The Christmas story is told with perfection in Luke 2:1-20.

Luke 2:1-20 (LSB)

Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for a census to be taken of all the inhabited earth.

2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was going to be registered for the census, each to his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was with child.

6 Now it happened that while they were there, the days were fulfilled for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guest room.

8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. 11 For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

15 And it happened that when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it marveled at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary was treasuring all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as was told them.