the gift of gifts
TRANSCRIPT
THE GIFT OF GIFTS
O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds, and enlarge my mind.
Let me hear good tidings of great joy, and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose, my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father,place me with ox, ass, camel, goat, to look with them upon my Redeemer’s face,and in Him account myself delivered from sin; let me with Simeon clasp the new-born Child to my heart,embrace Him with undying faith, exulting that He is mine and I am His.
In Him Thou hast given me so much that heaven can give no more.
~ from The Valley of Vision
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INTRODUCTION
I still remember the Christmas that caught me unprepared. I was in my second year at Dallas Theological Seminary. I spent the fi rst part of that December frantically reading books, writing papers and taking fi nals. I then stuff ed a few outfi ts into a suitcase and jumped on a plane with Liz to fl y back to Minnesota so that we could spend Christmas with our families. The weeks in Minnesota leading up to Christmas were a whirlwind of family, friends, snow shoveling, cousins, presents, food, Pictionary, movies, wrapping paper, Christmas programs and my grandma’s oyster soup.
On Christmas morning I remember sitting in my mom’s green Christmas room surrounded by torn wrapping paper and bows with a lap full of presents and a room full of family and yet my heart was empty. In all the activity I had failed to set aside time to prepare my heart to receive the true Gift of Christmas, which is Jesus.
My guess is that you too have had at least one Christmas that caught you unprepared. The sad truth is that the busy-ness of December often crowds out space to ponder the amazing truth that God came to dwell with us. When this happens many good things push aside the best thing, which is a tragic thing because of course Christmas is all about Jesus.
As a pastor at Faith I want to help our church make room to prepare our hearts for Jesus. My prayer is that December for us would always be a time focused on the one who wrapped himself in humanity to save us, and that in focusing on Jesus our homes would be fi lled with wonder, our hearts would be fi lled with joy and our Decembers would be fi lled with peace.
During this December I want to challenge our church to set aside time each day to remember that is it all about Jesus. In this daily devotional you will fi nd a short reading for every day in the month of December. The readings will take you on a journey of understanding the beauty, the majesty, the humility and the suffi ciency of Jesus. At the end of each reading you will fi nd several discussion questions. Of course you can answer these questions alone, but if you have family or friends these questions can be used to begin a meaningful conversation. Finally, I have included some space so that you can jot down the thoughts that the Holy Spirit speaks to you as you linger in his presence and he prepares your heart to celebrate Jesus.
As always I am so thankful for the leadership of our church. I would not have the time or the space to write these ma-terials without a host of other people who not only recognize a gift but give me space to use it. I am also so thankful for Jesus who humbly serves me and is slowly teaching me to humbly serve others. Finally, I would like to dedicate It’s All About Jesus to Natalie and Peter who taught me to slow down in December and to lead them to Jesus.
Merry Christmas,Pastor Charlie
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
December 1 Jesus is a Great Treasure................................................................................................................. 1December 2 Jesus is God in Flesh........................................................................................................................ 2December 3 Jesus is Unchanging........................................................................................................................ 3December 4 Jesus is a Friend to Sinners.............................................................................................................. 4December 5 Jesus is the One Who Stepped Forward...................................................................................... 5December 6 Jesus is Good News........................................................................................................................ 6December 7 Jesus is Sitting Down...................................................................................................................... 7December 8 Jesus is the Good Shepherd........................................................................................................... 8December 9 Jesus is Already But Not Yet.......................................................................................................... 9December 10 Jesus is Conceived by the Holy Spirit........................................................................................... 10December 11 Jesus is Your Creator........................................................................................................................ 12December 12 Jesus is Your Great Healer.............................................................................................................. 13December 13 Jesus is Your Freedom..................................................................................................................... 14December 14 Jesus is the Great Fulfi llment......................................................................................................... 16December 15 Jesus is Coming Back..................................................................................................................... 17December 16 Jesus is Generous............................................................................................................................. 18December 17 Jesus is Right on Time.................................................................................................................... 19December 18 Jesus is the One Who Absorbed God’s Wrath............................................................................ 20December 19 Jesus is Standing in Victory Over Death...................................................................................... 21December 20 Jesus is Better................................................................................................................................... 22December 21 Jesus is the Radiance of the Glory of God.................................................................................. 23December 22 Jesus is the Hero of the Bible......................................................................................................... 24December 23 Jesus is Born for You....................................................................................................................... 26December 24 Christmas Eve Scripture Readings................................................................................................. 27December 25 Christmas Day Scripture Readings................................................................................................ 29December 26 Jesus is Putting to Death Our Prejudices..................................................................................... 31December 27 Jesus is in the Manger...................................................................................................................... 33December 28 Jesus is Love.................................................................................................................................... 34December 29 Jesus is Simple.................................................................................................................................. 35December 30 Jesus is All We Need...................................................................................................................... 36December 31 Jesus is Always with You................................................................................................................. 37
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DECEMBER 1 - JESUS IS A GREAT TREASURE
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a fi eld, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that fi eld. ~Matthew 13:44
Jesus is a great treasure. He is fully God and fully man. He is the high king of heaven and yet he set aside his glory to walk this earth. He created our fl esh and then wrapped himself in it to dwell with us. Jesus is a great treasure.
As a baby Jesus was helpless. He cried when he was tired and nursed at his mother’s breast when he was hungry. As a young boy he learned the stories of God’s faithfulness and empowered by the Holy Spirit he slowly saw his place at the center of it. Gradually he grew from a boy into a man who was full of grace and full of truth.
As a man Jesus built benches, submitted to his father, washed feet, proclaimed good news, calmed storms, called the dead to life, healed sickness, encouraged the broken, gave rest to the weary, battled Satan, broke bread, and poured wine so that we could remember. And so in this month of December we remember.
We remember that both the manger and the cross held his body. One held his body in birth; the other held his body in death. We remember the events Mary pondered in her heart and the sword that pierced it. We remember the angels that sang at his birth and the crowds that called for his death. We remember the horror of the cross and the wonder of an empty tomb. We remember these things and in remembering we discover what we knew the fi rst time we stumbled upon him – Jesus is a great treasure.
Questions/Response:
• Do you treasure Jesus?
• What other things do you at times treasure more than Jesus?
• Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you treasure Jesus this Christmas.
• What is one thing you can do this December to treasure Jesus?
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DECEMBER 2 - JESUS IS GOD IN FLESH
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became fl esh and dwelt among us. ~John 1:1, 14
The message of Christmas is not that God picked a baby to save the world but that God entered the world as a baby to save us. This message is shocking but Christians believe it. At the center of our faith is a deep conviction that the great, personal and powerful God who fl ung planets into space, and hung the stars in their place made himself very small and entered the womb of a virgin to become a man.
This belief sets Christianity apart from every other religion. You see, on one end of belief there are religions like Bud-dhism and Hinduism which teach that God is in everything and that we all share in the divine. In these religions there is nothing all that special about God coming to be with us. It is not a life transforming event because of course God is always with us. He is part of us and we are part of him.
On the other end of the spectrum of belief there are religions like Islam and Judaism, which teach that God is so far removed and transcendent, that his coming to us is impossible. We must make our way back to him by our own eff ort, because there is no way God would step down to meet our need for love and salvation.
But Christianity is utterly unique. Christianity teaches that God is so personal and involved in this world that his coming to us is not only possible; it is promised. Additionally, Christianity teaches that God is so far removed and transcendent that his coming is an history-altering, life-transforming event - an event so spectacular that it can only be announced by a great choir of angels and yet an event that is so personal it touches the lives of ordinary shepherds on a hillside on the outskirts of Bethlehem.
Jesus is God in the fl esh. This is the message of Christmas and this message changes everything.
Questions/Response:
• What did Jesus give up in becoming a man?
• Why did God have to become a man to rescue us?
• How is the truth that God became a man a comfort to you personally?
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DECEMBER 3 - JESUS IS UNCHANGING
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~Hebrews 13:8
Change is woven into the fabric of life. We move from playing house, to awkward dates, to fi nding love and giving ourselves to another person. We grow up and our bodies grow old. We transition. We move on. We try to stabi-lize our emotions but they surge. We try to stay in touch with friends but friends shift. We try to linger in the good seasons of life when we are healthy and fi nancially stable only to fi nd that life is like the windings of a great river – it constantly bends to make room for new scenery. Sometimes the changes are helpful. Other times they are simply painful.
In all the changing of life it is good to know that Jesus is constant. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love is not topsy-turvy or inconsistent. His promises are not about to give way to something new. His character isn’t bent by public opinion.
Instead Jesus is constant, solid, reliable, steadfast and unchanging. As such we can cling to Jesus and fi nd real hope in Jesus when life become topsy-turvy and we are headed for another change. After all, the same face Mary saw on that fi rst Christmas is the same one we will behold when we see him face to face.
Questions/Response:
• In what ways has your life changed over this past year?
• How would you describe the changes that you have experienced?
• Describe the help you fi nd in knowing that Jesus is unchanging.
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DECEMBER 4 - JESUS IS A FRIEND TO SINNERS
And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” ~Luke 5:31-32
A question that must be answered at Christmas is this: why did Jesus leave his home in heaven to walk this earth? The answer is actually very simple. He came to befriend sinners and to call them to repentance.
The simple truth of Christmas is that every last one of us is a terrible sinner. We struggle to follow God. We hate. We lie. We clamor for hurtful things. We are selfi sh and inconsistent. We do, think and say foolish things.
Although this seems discouraging it is actually meant to be encouraging. You see, being a sinner does not disqualify us from friendship with Jesus – instead being a sinner is a prerequisite for friendship with Jesus.
Additionally, Jesus not only befriends sinners, he radically changes them. And so selfi sh Zaccheus became generous – timid Peter became courageous – anxious Martha learned to sit at Jesus’ feet – harsh John challenged the church to love and murderous Paul became a great preacher.
If Jesus befriends and transforms terrible sinners, what might he do in your life this Christmas?
Questions/Response:
• How has Jesus been a friend to you?
• How has Jesus changed you?
• Is there any area that you want to see Jesus change in your life this Christmas? If so, ask Jesus to be working in your life this month and daily submit this area of your life to him.
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DECEMBER 5 - JESUS IS THE ONE WHO STEPPED FORWARD
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13
During World War II, prisoners of war were building a great railroad for their Japanese captors. The prisoners went out early in the morning with their shovels and worked for hours in the hot sun. After working the prisoners handed back in their shovels and waited while the prison guards counted the shovels.
One day, after a particularly hard day of work the shovels were counted and the guards noticed one shovel was miss-ing.
The prisoners were all lined up and ordered to stand in the hot sun until someone admitted stealing the shovel. No one stepped forward. Next the guards shouted and beat the prisoners. Still no one stepped forward. Finally the guards threatened to kill all of the prisoners unless someone admitted to stealing the shovel.
At last one man stepped forward and he was immediately killed.
Later that night the shovels were recounted at the tool shed and the guards realized that no shovel had been missing. They had miscounted. Suddenly it dawned on them; an innocent man had stepped forward to save the other prison-ers.
Roughly two thousand years ago innocent Jesus stepped forward to save us. On that fi rst Christmas Jesus entered our world to live the life we were meant to live. Thirty-three years later he went to the cross and died the death we deserve. Three days later he rose from the grave and now Jesus is alive and stepping forward to save us.
Questions/Response:
• Read Romans 5:6 – 11. In these verses where do you see the truth that Jesus stepped forward to save you?
• In what ways has Jesus stepped forward for you?
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DECEMBER 6 - JESUS IS GOOD NEWS
The angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” ~Luke 2:10-11
The coming of Jesus into our world is good news. Once we were distant from God and without hope in this world. Once we were overwhelmed with guilt and shame because of our selfi shness and sin. Once we were anxious, restless, and fearful to face the day.
But now in Jesus we have a suffi cient savior. Now in Jesus there is a way to come back to God because in Jesus our sins can be forgiven and our lives can be remade. Now in Jesus there is a living hope that is beyond the reach of sor-row. Now joy and peace are not what we long for but instead they are what fl ow into our hearts because of Jesus.
In many ways receiving the good news of Jesus is like opening a window and pulling back the curtains in the morning. When you open a window you don’t have to beg the fresh air to come in. When you pull back the curtains you don’t need to make a formal request for the sunlight to fi ll up the room. In a similar way when we open our hearts to receive the good news of Jesus he doesn’t wait for us to tidy up our lives before he enters. Additionally, he doesn’t wait a few months to see if we are sincere and have the right motives in opening our hearts to him. Instead, he immediately enters the room with light, life, joy, peace, patience, contentment, forgiveness, and a whole host of other blessings. Like the morning sun he pushes back the darkness and like the winter air he refreshes everything. This is good news. So open your heart and let him in.
Questions/Response:
• Have you opened your heart and received Jesus?
• At this moment is the posture of your heart more open or closed to Jesus? Why?
• Are there areas of your life that you are holding back from Jesus? Why?
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DECEMBER 7 - JESUS IS SITTING DOWN
But when Christ had off ered for all time a single sacrifi ce for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. ~Hebrews 10:12
When we sin Jesus is in heaven sitting down. This truth is profound. It helps us to see that Jesus is not worried that our sin will be greater than his sacrifi ce. He is not pacing the fl oor of heaven wondering if our failures will hinder his plans to bless us. He is not the least bit concerned that the severity of our sin will sever us from him. Instead, he is seated because he is confi dent that his single sacrifi ce on the cross is suffi cient to cover all of our sins, all of our short-comings, and all of our failures.
Often when we sin the image we have of Jesus is that of a shocked and disappointed God who mutters to himself, “I can’t believe it. I never saw that coming. That sin is too big to forgive.” Instead, we should see that Jesus is sitting down. He knew we would stumble. He knew we would fail. And he knew that his single sacrifi ce would deal with the whole of our sin, not just part of our sin. Sadly, though, we often have a bigger estimation of our sin than we have of our savior.
This Christmas Jesus is inviting you to sit down with him. Practically, this means that you stop running around trying to clean up and cover up your sin. Additionally, sitting with Jesus means you stop being anxious about what you have done and wondering if you went too far; instead you rest in what Jesus has done for you. Finally, sitting down with Jesus means you stop punishing yourself for your sin. You are free and forgiven and Jesus is sitting down. Are you sitting down? The choice is actually very simple. Either Jesus bore all of your sins or none of your sins; he either saves you once for all or not at all. So make your choice. Trust Jesus and sit down.
Questions/Response:
• What sin does Jesus want you to sit down and talk with him about?
• This Christmas make it a habit to sit down daily with Jesus to share your sin and your struggles. Daily seek his forgiveness instead of carrying around your guilt and shame. Daily allow Jesus to forgive you and cleanse you. Then move on.
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DECEMBER 8 - JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
He will tend his fl ock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. ~Isaiah 40:11
As humans we are limited. We have limited strength and understanding. We have limited physical, emotional and fi nancial resources. Because of this, at times we feel weak, frightened, lost and in need.
The image the Bible uses to remind us of Jesus’ willingness to help us is the image of a good shepherd. As a good shepherd Jesus searches for us when we are lost, he strengthens us when we are weak, and he binds us up when we are broken.
Even still when Jesus comes to us we often get frightened. Like foolish sheep, we tend to think he has come to take away our freedom, and destroy something good in our lives. So we run from him and the help he off ers. Still Jesus pursues us, seizes us, throws us over his shoulders and carries us home.
Typically it is only when we are home again that we realize Jesus wasn’t trying to hurt us – he was saving us and bring-ing us back to the place where we belong.
So this Christmas I want you to learn a new habit. Begin every day with these four words: “Jesus I trust you.”
These simple words will help you acknowledge that in every circumstance Jesus is graciously guiding and protect-ing you as a good shepherd. When you take this view of Jesus your hard circumstances becomes opportunities for growth and your pleasant seasons become periods of praise. Additionally, your continual trust in Jesus will strengthen your confi dence in him and allow you to place more of your life in Jesus’ hands, which of course is where your entire life belongs.
Questions/Response:
• Make a list of the things in your life that you need to entrust to Jesus.
• Memorize Luke 12:32.
• Start your days in December reciting this verse and declaring your trust in Jesus.
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DECEMBER 9 - JESUS IS ALREADY BUT NOT YET
The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the fi nishing touches on the salvation work he began when we fi rst believed. ~Romans 13:12
We are living in between ALREADY and NOT YET. When Jesus came roughly 2000 years ago he began an incred-ible work that has profound implications for our lives today. Because Jesus came, lived, died and rose again we are ALREADY rescued from the punishment of sin, we are ALREADY loved by God, we are ALREADY adopted into God’s forever family, we are ALREADY forgiven and set free.
But Jesus has not yet brought his kingdom to this world. And so our world is still busted and broken. Our bodies still get sick and die. Sin still hangs around hoping to do some damage. Things are still not the way they were meant to be.
But one day, Jesus is coming back again. When he returns Jesus will come not as a baby in a manger but as a Sover-eign King on a horse. On that great day Jesus will wipe away our tears, he will heal our sickness, he will destroy death and he will put away sin and Satan forever. Sadly, this day is NOT YET.
And so we are people who live in the ALREADY and hope for the NOT YET. While we wait we are fi lled with joy be-cause God the Father has ALREADY been faithful in sending Jesus once and he will be faithful to send Jesus again.
Questions/Response:
• Refl ect on the many ways you are thankful that Jesus ALREADY came into our world.
• Why are you excited for Jesus’ second coming?
• How can you nurture an eager longing for Jesus’ second coming?
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DECEMBER 10 - JESUS IS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 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.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel an-swered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. “ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” ~Luke 1:30-38
In the months leading up to that fi rst Christmas the Holy Spirit was powerfully at work magnifying Jesus. The reason for this is that the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to point us to the glory, suffi ciency, and supremacy of Jesus. He has been called the shy member of the Trinity because when we look to the Holy Spirit, he turns our eyes away from him so that we might see Jesus. Jesus taught this in John 16:14 when he said, “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
Because the Holy Spirit exists to make much of Jesus, he is willing to empower and transform anyone who shares his desire to make Jesus known. Mary is a beautiful example of this.
When the angel Gabriel visited Mary he declared to her the greatness, dignity, power and authority of Jesus. He told her that her son would be a gracious savior, the Son of the Most High, and the Sovereign King whose kingdom would never end.
Gabriel’s message caught Mary off guard but instead of doubting the message she humbly asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” In this response we see a woman who is ready to make much of Jesus – she is willing to bring him into the world – but she is uncertain how such an impossible reality might actually come true.
Gabriel answered her by pointing her to the Holy Spirit and then by reminding her that nothing is impossible with God. In this we learn that the Holy Spirit is powerful and he is willing to work through those who share his passion to make Jesus known.
Mary responded to Gabriel by saying, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Mary’s response should be our response to the Holy Spirit. We too should be ready to say to the Holy Spirit, “I am your servant. Empower me to make much of Jesus. Put me in the places that will help others see Jesus. Allow cir-cumstances to fall into my life that point people to Jesus. Use my mouth to share the love of Jesus. Use my body to bring his life into this world. Use my suff erings to point to his suffi ciency. Use my weakness to magnify his strength. Use me when, where and how you see fi t.”
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This Christmas follow Mary’s example and live, work, love, and speak so that those around you might know that Jesus is a great Savior and that he is the King of this world. Share in the ministry of the Holy Spirit and allow him to work through you to draw men and women to Jesus.
If that is your heartbeat, then your heart is beating in rhythm with his heart and your life is full of his presence, just like Mary’s virgin womb.
Questions/Response:
• What typically keeps you from responding openly to the Holy Spirit?
• How has the Holy Spirit used you this past year to make much of Jesus?
• Take some time now to ask God how he wants to use you this Christmas season to point people to Jesus.
• Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Commit this response to memory so that you are ready to respond to God when he comes to you and asks you to point people to Jesus.
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DECEMBER 11 - JESUS IS YOUR CREATOR
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ~Colossians 1:16
Jesus created you. He breathed into you the breath of life. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. He crafted your personality, your physical attributes, your abilities, your intellect, your tastes and your temperaments. When you look in the mirror you might not like what you see, but when Jesus looks at you he sees his handiwork. All things, including your life, were created by him.
Additionally, all things were created for him. Do you see what this means? It means that your life is not your own. You were created to know, love and follow Jesus. Not to know and love yourself. Because of this the chief aim of your life must be to draw near to him, to learn about him, to listen to him and to deepen your friendship with him. It is only in these things that you will be all that you can be and fi nd joy and peace. You were not created to go your own way. You were created for Jesus. And just like a car won’t run on peanut butter, so your life won’t run without him.
Do you believe that? If so, the most important issue right now is not purchasing Christmas presents, cleaning the house, or getting things done. The most important issue is this: Will you draw near to Jesus? Will you be with the God who made you, and sacrifi ced his life to save you?
Questions/Response:
• How does knowing that Jesus made you give you meaning and peace in this life?
• How does acknowledging that your life is not your own change how you approach life this Christmas?
• What things keep you from drawing near to Jesus?
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DECEMBER 12 - JESUS IS YOUR GREAT HEALER
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ~Mark 1:40-42
During his earthly ministry Jesus was constantly approached by people for physical healing and often he graciously healed them. The reason for this is that Jesus came to rescue us from sin, and sin aff ects not just our souls but also our physical bodies. And so as a demonstration of his power and the salvation from sin that is found in him, Jesus healed people and promised to one day heal us completely when he returns again.
The question is does Jesus heal people today and if so can we come confi dently to him to receive healing? The answer of course is yes. Jesus does off er real physical, emotional, and spiritual healing today, to give us hope for his second coming when he will remove all sickness and to draw others to the healing that is found in him.
And so if you fi nd yourself sick this Christmas come to Jesus and ask him to heal you. He is a God who is moved with pity for you and he will often stretch out his hand to heal. If he doesn’t bring healing today you can have hope that he will one day bring healing to your body when he brings your body back to life at his second coming. Until that day comes, rest knowing your great healer isn’t indiff erent to your suff ering. Instead he took on your suff ering. He came as a baby and he went through the whole of human experience including suff ering, sickness and death. He did this to sympathize with you and to heal you. By his wounds we are healed.
Questions/Response:
• How have you experienced Jesus’ healing hand?
• Is there any sickness or suff ering that you are experiencing right now?
• Talk with Jesus about your suff ering and your sickness and boldly ask him to heal you.
• What hope does it give you this Christmas knowing that Jesus will come again to bring complete healing to your body?
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DECEMBER 13 - JESUS IS YOUR FREEDOM
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~John 8:36
The Bible tells us that at one time we were all slaves to sin. Being a slave to sin is terrible. It means we have no choice but to sin. This explains why sin comes so naturally to us. We didn’t need to be taught to be selfi sh. We didn’t need a tutor to train us in going our own way. It was easy. We didn’t have a choice. We were born slaves to sin.
But Christmas reminds us that something unimaginable took place in our slavery to sin. Jesus stepped into human history and paid the price to buy our freedom. On the cross he off ered his life for our lives. And now in Jesus we are free. But we are not free to do whatever we would like to do. We are now free to follow Jesus.
There is a story from the American Civil War that illustrates this well. The story is about a Northerner who bought a young slave girl at a slave auction. As they left the auction together, the man turned to the young girl and said, “I have paid the price for you and now you are free!”
Amazed at the man’s kindness and generosity the young girl turned and asked, “You mean I’m free to do whatever I want?”
“Yes,” the man said.
“And to say whatever I want to say?”
“Yes, you can say anything you’d like to say.”
“And to be whatever I want to be?”
“Yes, whatever you want to be.”
“And even to go wherever I want to go?”
“Yes,” the man laughed. “You’re free to go wherever you’d like to go!”1
She looked at him intently and replied, “Then I will go with you.”
As Christmas draws near remember that Jesus came from heaven to earth to set you free so that you could go with him. What will you do this Christmas with the freedom you have in Jesus?
1 Story adapted from Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones
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Questions/Response:
• Take time to thank Jesus for the freedom he has given to you.
• Refl ect on the sinful desires that Jesus has freed you from. Ask him to free you from areas you still struggle in. Remember this Christmas that you are no longer a slave to sin.
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DECEMBER 14 - JESUS IS THE GREAT FULFILLMENT
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. ~Luke 1:68-70
When someone makes a promise to us it is hard to wait for that promise to be fulfi lled. We don’t like to wait because waiting is that awful desert between what is and what will be. And sitting in that desert is hard – especially when what is promised is very good.
A long time ago God made great promises to his people. He promised to bless them. He promised to provide for them. He promised to rule over them. He promised to save them. He promised to undo sin, suff ering, sickness and death. But God’s most important promise – the one all his promises depended on - is Jesus.
Isaiah spoke of God’s great promise when he prophesied, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the gov-ernment shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 1
For years, God’s people waited in anticipation for God’s great promise to be fulfi lled. And you know what happens when you wait – especially when you wait for a very long time. You become restless. You begin to doubt. You won-der if God will be faithful.
And then it happened. In the fullness of time God kept his promise. He sent forth his Son, born of a woman, to re-deem his people. When Jesus walked this earth he did everything necessary to save us. But Jesus did not completely usher in all God’s promises. Instead he sent us out into this world to tell people about his fi rst coming and to look forward to his second coming. On that day all of God’s promises will be fulfi lled in and through God’s great promise – Jesus.
Questions/Response:
• Do you follow through on your promises?
• How is it reassuring to you to know that God keeps all of his promises?
• Make a list of some promises from the Bible that God has made to you.
1 Isaiah 9:6
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DECEMBER 15 - JESUS IS COMING BACK
You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ~James 5:8
Jesus is coming back. Each passing day gives way to the great day when Jesus will wipe away the tears from our eyes and suff ering, sin, sickness and death will all pass away like shadows chased by the morning sun.
As Christians we look forward to this great day. As James says, “we establish our hearts for the coming of the Lord is near.”
The weeks leading up to Christmas are called Advent, which means coming. And so during Advent, we remember that we are people who wait for the Jesus’ second coming.
In this time of waiting we remember the many people like Anna, Simeon, Zechariah and Elizabeth1 who like us waited for Jesus to come. As we remember the longings of these faithful men and women we learn how we should wait for Jesus and about the anticipation that should grow in our hearts to see Jesus.
Then on Christmas morning we celebrate the fact that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.”2 We celebrate on Christmas like the shepherds celebrated on that fi rst Christmas. We rejoice on Christmas like Simeon who said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace…for my eyes have seen your salvation.”3 Doing so helps to prepare us and to say, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come.”4
Questions/Response:
• Do you fi nd yourself anticipating Christ’s second coming or do you fi nd yourself this Christmas too wrapped up in the busyness of life?
• What are ways that you can wait well for Jesus’ second coming?
• Pray that Jesus will come soon and pray for strength to wait well.
1 See Luke 1 - 22 Galatians 4:43 Luke 2:28 - 294 Revelation 22:20
18
DECEMBER 16 - JESUS IS GENEROUS
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. ~2 Corinthians 8:9
Giving is what Christmas is all about because Christmas is all about Jesus. All throughout the Bible we are told that Jesus is a generous, sacrifi cial and cheerful giver. Long before he walked this earth, Jesus made this universe and as such everything in all creation belonged to him. The riches of heaven were his. The wealth of earth was in his hands. The cattle on a thousand hills belonged to him.
Yet for our sake, Jesus became poor. He gave up nearness with his Father to be close with us. He sacrifi ced his life to redeem our broken lives. Spiritually he became impoverished by taking on our sin so that we might be clothed with the riches of his righteousness.
When we recognize and receive Jesus’ generosity the Holy Spirit does a remarkable work of turning our selfi shness into selfl essness. We become joyful givers because Jesus has joyfully given to us. And because we are satisfi ed in him, we no longer use people to get stuff ; instead we use stuff to bless people.
Questions/Response:
• How does Jesus’ generosity challenge you to be more generous?
• Think back over this past year. In what ways have you been generous? Praise Jesus for this good work in your life.
19
DECEMBER 17 - JESUS IS RIGHT ON TIME
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ~Romans 5:6
Jesus is right on time. As a matter of fact all of human history, including your life, is moving forward precisely at the speed that he wants it to move forward. You may feel like things are out of control, but things are not outside of his control. You may feel that you have to rush off to the next thing, but you don’t. You may believe there isn’t enough time to get lost in a conversation with your spouse but you’re wrong. There is a time for laughter and time for love. There is time for you and time for me. There is time to work and time to rest. There is time for a hundred indecisions and revisions of your life.
There is time for all this because Jesus is right on time. He is not rushing about, which means you can linger - you can listen – you can slow down – you can rest - you can make memories – you can feel the squeeze of your daughter’s hand instead of the pressure of over commitment – you don’t have to move things forward – you aren’t being passed by or passed over. Everything is moving forward and will continue to move forward precisely at the speed that Jesus wants it to move forward.
Worry, stress and anxiety tend to fl ow from thinking that it’s our responsibility to move things forward and that our timing is better than Jesus’ timing.
Jesus repeatedly said he didn’t want our lives to be fi lled with worry and anxiety. Instead he wants us to trust him. And so while Jesus walked this earth he often pointed to the birds and said, “If God cares for common sparrows, how much more must he care for you?”
God’s care for us is immense and Jesus’ timing is perfect. So we can slow down and enjoy life - like the birds.
Said the robin to the sparrow,“I would really like to knowWhy those anxious human beingsrush around and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,“Friend, I think that it must beThat they have no Heavenly Fathersuch as cares for you and me.” ~Elizabeth Cheney
Questions/Response:
• How do you feel right now? Do you feel rushed? Does life feel out of control? Or are you confi dent that Jesus is in control and that his timing is perfect?
• How are your feelings aff ecting your life and your joy this Christmas?
• Pray and ask Jesus to give you confi dence that he is always right on time and that he is in control of your life.
20
DECEMBER 18 - JESUS IS THE ONE WHO ABSORBED GOD’S WRATH
God put [Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ~Romans 3:25
Christmas declares that God is willing to meet the demands of his justice, for Jesus came to die.
God’s law calls us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind but we have loved other things more. This is the es-sence of sin – dishonoring God by loving other things more than him. Since we all do this the Bible rightly says that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.1
At times we are tempted to think that our sin isn’t serious but it is. John Piper captures the seriousness of sin in these words, “Sin is not small because it is not against a small Sovereign. The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. The Creator of the universe is infi nitely worthy of respect and admiration and loyalty. Therefore, failure to love him is not trivial – it is treason. It defames God and destroys human happiness.”2
Since sin is serious and God is just, he can’t sweep sin under the rug; instead he must deal with it. And so in the Bible we are told it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, the wages of our sin is death, and at one time we were all objects of God’s wrath.3 These words are not idle threats fl owing from a cranky God. Instead they are words that fl ow from a just God, who cannot endorse or pass over our sin.
And yet in a remarkable and unimaginable turn of events God was not content to show his wrath; instead he wanted to reveal his love. And so God sent Jesus into our world to absorb his wrath and to bear the punishment for all who trust him. Paul says it well in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”
What this means is that Jesus came to be our substitute. He died in our place and for our sins. On the cross, Jesus absorbed the wrath of God.
If God were not just, there would be no Christmas because there would be no demand for Jesus to die. Additionally, if God were not loving, there would be no Christmas because there would be no willingness for God himself to meet the demands of his justice – God would simply let us absorb his wrath.
But Christmas declares that God is just and loving. He is willing to meet the demands of his justice. Jesus was born to die. This Christmas open your eyes to see the seriousness of your sin and the suffi ciency of your savior. Look at the coming of Jesus and say, “This is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”4
Question/Response:
• When did Jesus save you?
1 Romans 3:232 The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper3 Hebrews 10:31, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:34 1 John 4:10
21
DECEMBER 19 - JESUS IS STANDING IN VICTORY OVER DEATH
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” ~John 11:25
Christmas is often a time of sadness and sorrow for those who have lost loved ones. After all, at this time of year we realize there are empty chairs at the table, empty stockings on the mantle, and missing smiles at the window that once welcomed us home.
God meant us to live forever but sin destroyed everything and now we die.
On that fi rst Christmas Jesus entered our world to defeat and destroy death. He did this by dying on the cross and being buried in a cold, dark tomb. But death couldn’t keep Jesus down. Three days later Jesus walked out of the tomb alive.
Now Jesus stands in victory over death and Jesus has promised that death won’t keep us dead. If we are in Jesus death has been swallowed up – it has lost its sting.
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said that Jesus turned the grave into a bed and dying into waking up. This means one day we will die. But if we believe in Jesus after we die, we will awake to be with Jesus and to be reunited with those who love Jesus.
And so this Christmas do not grieve like those who have no hope. Remember, death has been swallowed up in vic-tory. Whoever believes in Jesus, will live. Questions/Response:
• Who are you missing this Christmas?
• Jesus stands in victory over death. How does it impact your life this Christmas knowing you worship a risen Savior?
• Is there someone in your life this Christmas who needs to know that Jesus is standing in victory over death?
22
DECEMBER 20 - JESUS IS BETTER
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purifi cation for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ~Hebrews 1:1-4
Jesus is better than anything and everything. He is the heir of all things, which means all things in heaven and on earth belong to him. Additionally, Jesus created and is currently sustaining all things, which means all creation exists and is existing by Jesus.
So here is a question to consider this Christmas. Is there anything great in this world that excites you? Is there any great artist whose paintings move your soul? Is there any great athlete whose game you take pleasure in watching? Is there any great musician whose music you love to hear? Is there any great author whose books fi ll your time? Is there any great thinker whose thoughts shape your life?
Jesus stands above them all. And all of their abilities, intellect and creativity fl ow from him. Sure, some may deny this. Sure, some may even take the abilities that come from Jesus and use them to mock him. But the truth remains, all things come from Jesus and Jesus is ten million times greater in every realm, except the realm of sin.
To grasp this reality, imagine that you took all the great artists of every country and every century of the world and you put them in a room with Jesus. So sitting in one corner is Monet and in another is Picasso and in another is the great Michelangelo. As Jesus puts his paint on the canvas, they would all gaze in amazement and feel small in comparison to Jesus.
This is true for every human endeavor. All the great physicists would listen to his theories of physics. All the great biologists would lean in to hear his understanding of life. All the great musicians would weep as he performed. Even Lebron James would sit the bench to Jesus. He is ten million times better than any person we admire. Words simply fall short of describing the greatness of Jesus. Perhaps the only words that come close are from one of his doubters who eventually became a follower. “Jesus you are my Lord and my God.” 1
Questions/Response:
• What things do you fi nd yourself putting above Jesus? Are there people whose opinion you value more than Jesus’ opinion? Are there words you listen to above Jesus’ words? Make a list of all the things you are tempted to see as better than Jesus.
• Now bring this list to Jesus and ask him to forgive you and to give you a desire for him to be above all things In your life.
1 John 20:28
23
DECEMBER 21 - JESUS IS THE RADIANCE OF THE GLORY OF GOD
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. ~Hebrews 1:3
Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of God’s nature, which means when we gaze at Jesus we see the fullness of the glory of God.
Many years ago a man named Moses asked to see the fullness of the glory of God.1 God would not allow this be-cause he knew seeing him face to face would be the death of Moses. But in an act of grace God allowed Moses to catch a passing glimpse of his glory. God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock and covered him with his hand. After God passed by the rock, God removed his hand and Moses briefl y saw in the passing of a moment the back of God but not the face of God. This brief encounter with God radically changed Moses. Seeing just a glimpse of God’s glory gave Moses confi dence to lead God’s people and power to press on through the peaks and valleys of his life.
In Jesus we have something better than just a passing encounter with God. We have the fullness of God in a form that redeems us and transforms us. Additionally, in Jesus we have the fullness of God in a form we can meet with daily and whose presence we can linger in and enjoy. So the posture of our life should be a life devoted to seeing, feeling, and understanding Jesus. The Christian life is not one of vague spiritual emotions or chasing an elusive God. Christianity is grounded in objective content, and that content is Jesus who is the radiance of the glory of God.
Although we don’t see Jesus with our eyes, God has not left us without all the resources we need to gaze on Jesus and linger in his presence. God has given us the Bible which tells us who Jesus is, what Jesus did and what Jesus is doing in this world. Additionally, God places the Holy Spirit (who inspired the Bible) within us to reveal Jesus to us.
During this Christmas season do not forsake the great gift you have been given. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God. When you see and savor him you are seeing and savoring God. When you understand him you are under-standing God. When you linger in his presence you are spending time with God.
Question/Response:
• In what ways has lingering in Jesus’ presence prepared you to celebrate Jesus’ birth?
1 Exodus 33:18 - 23
24
DECEMBER 22 - JESUS IS THE HERO OF THE BIBLE
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. ~John 5:39
Jesus is the hero of the Bible. The entire Old Testament looks forward to Jesus. The Gospels tell the story of Jesus. And the remainder of the New Testament explains the implications of Jesus’ fi rst coming and the looks forward to his second coming.
Unfortunately, some people prefer the New Testament to the Old Testament because they wrongly believe that only the New Testament is about Jesus. However, Jesus taught in John 5:39 that the Old Testament was primarily about him. Furthermore, following his resurrection Jesus opened the Old Testament scriptures to teach his disciples about himself. In Luke 24:27, we read, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scrip-tures - the things concerning himself.”
Here is why it matters this Christmas that we remember Jesus as the great hero of the Bible: If we lose sight of Jesus as the hero of the Bible, we will make many mistakes as we read the Bible.
The most common mistake is moralizing. Moralizing is reading the Bible not to learn about Jesus but mainly to learn principles for how to live life as a good person by following the good examples of some people and avoiding the bad examples of other people.
Sally Lloyd-Jones points out this common error at the beginning of The Jesus Storybook Bible, where she writes: “Sadly some people think the Bible is a book of rules telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It is about God and what he has done. Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes showing you people you should copy. But most people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes, sometimes on pur-pose…at times they are downright mean.” 1
So the Bible isn’t a book of rules or a book of characters that we should follow. The Bible is a book about Jesus. It took God thousands of years to tell his story and only when we realize it is all about Jesus are we ready to interpret the Bible rightly. You see, to interpret the Bible rightly we must connect all of its verses, concepts and events to Jesus and see it is all about Jesus as our God, our savior, our sacrifi ce, our prophet, our priest, and our king.
In Doctrine, Mark Driscoll walks through the Old Testament showing how it all points to Jesus. Here are a few con-nections he makes.
1 The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
25
“When Abraham left his father and home, he was doing the same thing that Jesus would do when he left his father in heaven to come to earth. When Isaac carried his own wood and laid down his life to be sacrifi ced at the hand of his father Abraham, he was showing us what Jesus would later do in carrying his wooden cross and laying down his life to be sacrifi ced by his Father in heaven. Jesus as the greater Jacob wrestled with God in Gethsemane and though wounded and limping walked away from his grave blessed. Jesus as the greater Joseph serves at the right hand of God the Father and extends forgiveness and provision to those of us who have betrayed him and uses his power to save us in loving reconciliation. Jesus is greater than Moses in that he stands as a mediator between God and us bringing us the new covenant.
Like Job, innocent Jesus suff ered and was tormented by the Devil so that God might be glorifi ed, while his dumb friends were no help or encouragement. Jesus is a king greater than David; he has slain our giants of Satan, sin and death, although in the eyes of the world he was certain to face a crushing defeat at their hands. Jesus is greater than Jonah in that he spent three days in the grave, not just in a fi sh, to save a multitude even greater than Nineveh. When Boaz redeemed Ruth and brought her and her despised people into community with God’s people, he was showing what Jesus would do to redeem his bride, the church from all the nations of the earth. When Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem, he was doing something similar to Jesus, who goes to work rebuilding our lives. When Hosea married an unfaithful whoring wife that continued to walk away from him, he continued to pursue her in love and showed us the heart of Jesus, who does the same for his unfaithful bride the church.” 1
As you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, remember Jesus is the great hero of God’s Story, which means he must be the great hero of your story. Just like all the diff erent pieces of the Bible do not fi t together without Jesus, so all the diff erent pieces of your life won’t come together without him. So make this Christmas all about Jesus – the great hero of God’s story and the great hero of your story.
Questions/Response:
• Think back on this past year. How has Jesus been the hero of your life? What has he saved you from this past year? What has he done in your life?
1 Doctrine by Mark Driscoll
26
DECEMBER 23 - JESUS IS BORN FOR YOU
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the fi eld, keeping watch over their fl ock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were fi lled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ~Luke 2:8-11
When Jesus was born an angel appeared to shepherds and gave them good news of great joy. A savior had been born for them.
This was a startling message. In those days shepherds were social outcasts. They were marginalized, laughed at and looked over. After all, shepherds spent most of their time with smelly and stubborn animals. They didn’t make a lot of money. They were not welcome in the temple for worship. As a boy you didn’t grow up hoping to be a shepherd; it was a job you ended up with.
For us today being a shepherd might be similar to an undocumented immigrant working at McDonalds. So when you set up your Nativity, don’t romanticize the shepherds. They were the most unexpected group to be part of the Christmas story.
And yet when God wanted to announce the coming of Jesus to this world, he didn’t send his angels to a king in a grand palace, or to a great scholar in a lecture hall, or to a priest at the temple. Instead he sent his angel to a group of nobodies that nobody noticed and he told them that a savior had been born for them.
Stop for a minute and consider the signifi cance of this. Nobodies are somebody to God. Jesus came for all people, not just important people. He came to rescue those who have made it in life and those who have not. He came for the high and the low – the rich and the poor – the healthy and the sick – the known and the unknown. Jesus is an inclusive savior. He was born for you.
I don’t know about you, but for me that’s encouraging, because at times I feel like a shepherd. At times I feel on the outside looking in. At times I feel a little awkward and out of place. At times I feel like a nobody that nobody notices, and yet refl ecting on the shepherds reminds me that God notices me. He cares about my ordinary life, and he sent an extraordinary savior for me.
This Christmas refl ect on the shepherds and remember that Jesus was born for you.
Questions/Response:
• Has there been a season in your life when you felt marginalized, and unnoticed?
• How is it encouraging to you to know that Jesus notices you and loves you in every season of life?
• What does it tell you about God that he included the shepherds in the Christmas story?
27
DECEMBER 24 - CHRISTMAS EVE SCRIPTURE READINGS
Christmas Eve and Christmas day are a bit diff erent in this Advent devotional. Instead of writing a refl ection for you, I have included passages from the Bible for you to read and then space for you to write down your own refl ection. I also included a Christmas song to sing in worship to Jesus to prepare your heart to celebrate his birth. Personally, my favorite Christmas tradition is reading the Christmas story with my family and then worshipping Jesus together. I hope this becomes a rich tradition in your family as well.
Matthew 1:18 - 25Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfi ll what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means, God with us.”
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”
Luke 1:26 - 38In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 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.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impos-sible with God.”
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel de-parted from her.”
28
O Come All Ye Faithful
O come all ye faithful Sing, choirs of angels, Yea, Lord, we greet thee,Joyful and triumphant. Sing in exultation, Born this happy morning: O come ye, O come ye to Sing, all ye citizens of Jesus, to thee be all glory Bethlehem. heaven above! given!
Come and behold Him, Glory to God Word of the Father, Born the King of Angels; In the highest: Now in fl esh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord.
Christmas Eve Refl ectionHow has Jesus worked in your life during this advent season?
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29
DECEMBER 25 - CHRISTMAS DAY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Matthew 2:1 – 12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they off ered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Luke 2:1 – 20 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the fi rst reg-istration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her fi rstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the fi eld, keeping watch over their fl ock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were fi lled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will fi nd a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
30
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds re-turned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Joy To The World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! No more let sins and sorrows grow,Let earth receive her King; Nor thorns infest the ground:Let every heart prepare Him room, He comes to make His blessings fl owAnd heaven and nature sing, Far as the curse is found,And heaven and nature sing, Far as the curse is found,And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. Far as, far as, the curse is found.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! He rules the world with truth and grace,Let men their songs employ; And makes the nations proveWhile fi elds and fl oods, The glories of His righteousness,Rocks, hills, and plains And wonders of His love,Repeat the sounding joy, And wonders of His love,Repeat the sounding joy, And wonders, wonders, of His love.Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
Christmas Day Refl ectionThere are lots of opinions about who Jesus is. Some people have said he was a good teacher. Others have said he was a prophet or a healer. But the true answer to who Jesus is, is found in the Bible. In the Bible we discover Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He came from heaven to earth to dwell among us. He lived the life we were meant to live and he died the death we deserve. Three days later he came back from death to life and now he reigns as a risen savior ready to forgive, transform, and empower any and all who trust in him.
On this Christmas Day spend some time journaling about who Jesus is to you. Is your opinion about Jesus consistent with the Bible?
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31
DECEMBER 26 - JESUS IS PUTTING TO DEATH OUR PREJUDICES
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his fl esh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ~Ephesians 2:14-16
Jesus gives us the ability to put to death our snobbery and reconnect with the parts of the human race we despise. Timothy Keller highlights this beautifully in his Christmas sermon entitled “Mary”. I have found this sermon to be most helpful and so I’ve included an excerpt for you to meditate on today. I pray his words will be as helpful for you and they were for me.
Mary An Excerpt From a Sermon by Timothy Keller 1
Have you ever noticed how women-centric the incarnation and the resurrection narratives are? Do you realize that women, not men, are at the very center of these stories?
For example, in the story of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene, a former mental patient, is the one Jesus tells to take this news to the world. Everyone else in the world learns about the resurrection from her. Women are the fi rst people to see Jesus alive from the dead.
In the incarnation, the annunciation comes to a woman. God penetrates the world through the womb of a poor, unwed, Jewish, teenage girl. The fi rst theological refl ection group trying to wrap their minds around this to fi gure out what this means and what is going on is Mary and Elizabeth.
We know that in those days women had a very, very low status. They were marginalized and oppressed. For example, we know that a woman’s testimony was not admissible in court. Why? Because of a prejudice against women.
We say to ourselves, aren’t we glad we’re past all that? Yes, but here’s what we have to realize: God is deliberately work-ing with people the world despises. The very fi rst witness to his nativity and resurrection are people whom the world says you can’t trust, people the world looks down on.
Because we don’t look down on women today, we don’t look at this part of the Christmas story and realize what we’re being told. But here’s what we’re being told: Christmas is the end of snobbishness. Christmas is the end of thinking, Oh, that kind of person.
You don’t despise women, but you despise somebody. Oh, yes you do! You may not be a racist, but you certainly despise racists. You may not be a bigot, but you have certain people about which you think, They’re the reason for the problems in the world.
1 Preached at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, December 23, 2001
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There is a place in one of Martin Luther’s nativity sermons where he asks something like, “Do you know what a stable smells like? You know what the family would have smelled like after the birth when they went out into the city? And if they were standing next to you, how would you have felt about them and regarded them?” Luther is saying, I want you to see Christ in the neighbor you tend to despise, in the political party you despise, in the race you despise, in the class of people you despise.
Christmas is the end of thinking we are better than somebody else, because Christmas is telling us that we could never get to heaven on our own. God had to come to us. Christmas is telling us that people who are saved are not those who have arisen through their own ability to be what God wants them to be. Salvation comes to those who are willing to admit how weak they are.
In Christmas there is a great resource for something most of us don’t even feel the need of. We might be able to admit we have trouble being vulnerable with others or that we need help handling suff ering or that we need more passion for justice. But almost nobody says, “What am I going to do about my prejudice and snobbery? I really need help with that.”
Do you remember what an incredible snob you were when you were a teenager? Teenagers generally want nothing to do with people who don’t dress right and look cool. Do you think you ever got over that? You’re not really over that. You just found more socially acceptable ways to express it. You see, teenagers let that aspect of human nature out and don’t realize how stupid they look, and after a while they get rid of it. But really they are just papering over it. There are all kinds of people you look down on and want nothing to do with – and you know it. But in Christmas you have this amazing resource to decimate your snobbery – to remove your prejudice completely. And you are blessed if you open this gift and take it into your life. If you do you will be blessed. You will be transformed.
Questions/Response:
• Make a list of the diff erent ways that Jesus decimated any sense of snobbery by the way he entered the world.
• Take time to refl ect on the way you tend to be a snob. Who do you look down on? Confess your sin to Jesus.
• Ask Jesus to change your heart this Christmas. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you Jesus’ love for the people you struggle to love.
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DECEMBER 27 - JESUS IS IN THE MANGER
And she gave birth to her fi rstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ~Luke 2:7
Mary laid Jesus in the manger. I don’t know if you know this but a manger was a feeding box for animals. It was lined with straw dampened with the fi lth of animal sweat, saliva and urine. A more humble resting place for a baby could not exist. And yet this is where God chose to place his only Son.
Jesus could have entered our world in any way he wanted. He could have come to the comforts of a palace. God could have surrounded his Son with riches and infl uence. But instead Jesus entered the world on the dirt fl oor of a stable, through the womb of a poor teenager and in the presence of a bewildered blue collared worker.
In the manger Jesus looked nothing like a king. He looked like a mistake. The idea that this baby created the world and would one day save the world seemed absurd, illogical and irrational. And yet it is completely consistent with the God of the Bible.
After all, the God of the Bible seems irrational, illogical and absurd. He loves his enemies. He forgives those who reject him. He is a good king who turns the other cheek. And so the truth that God became poor so that his rivals might become rich is seemingly irrational but it completely consistent with his nature. He isn’t logical as we see logic, and yet the only logical thing to do is to worship this baby who rests in the manger and to receive the salvation, for-giveness and love he came to off er.
Really the only irrational thing is to stubbornly refuse God’s love for you. Jesus is in the manger and he waits for you to come to him.
Question/Response:
• What hinders you at this time from embracing God’s extravagant love?
• Ask God today to free you from the things that hinder you from experiencing his love.
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DECEMBER 28 - JESUS IS LOVE
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ~John 3:16
The Bible has a lot to say about love. According to 1 Corinthians 13, love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
I don’t know about you but for me when I look at that defi nition of love I am overwhelmed. I don’t love like that. I want to. I need to. But I fall short. So I am thankful for Jesus. He left his father’s home in heaven and came to be with us. He stopped to notice a weary woman at a well. He let children climb on his lap and he laughed with them. He died on a rough wooden cross and showed the extent that love goes to win back a relationship. He loved us before we loved him. In doing these things Jesus took a defi nition of love and lived it out for us to see because love isn’t fi rst a list of rules. It is fi rst a person. And that person is Jesus.
Question/Response:
• In what ways do you love well?
• List areas that you struggle to love well.
• Make a list of the various ways Jesus loves you.
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DECEMBER 29 - JESUS IS SIMPLE
Jesus said, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” ~John 21:22
Simplicity is the secret to seeing your life clearly and so I am thankful that Jesus is so simple. He has given us one command that we can all understand. Follow me.
If there is anything in your life that Jesus is calling you to follow him in, do it immediately and your life will continue to be as clear as daylight. The minute you hesitate in following Jesus is the minute the fog of disobedience settles in and muddles everything. The only way to lift the fog and to begin to see clearly again is to obey the simple words of Jesus.
So keep your life simple. Follow Jesus.
Questions/Response:
• Is there an area that Jesus is asking you to follow him?
• Stop and ask Jesus “How can I follow you more closely in 2014?” Take time to listen to Jesus and trust that he has some exciting adventures for you in 2014 if you will simply follow him.
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DECEMBER 30 - JESUS IS ALL WE NEED
The one who off ers thanksgiving as his sacrifi ce glorifi es me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God! ~Psalm 50:23
Jesus is all we need. He has loved us, forgiven us, promised us the riches of heaven, freed us from Satan, sin and death and yet still we fi nd things to grumble and complain about.
Our ungratefulness is deeply sinful and this Christmas Jesus wants to put this sin to death.
This is why Jesus calls us to thank him.
Jesus doesn’t need to be thanked, but we need to be thankful. You see, when we are thankful we demonstrate that we understand that Jesus is all we need. When we complain we show that we have lost sight of the riches that are ours in and through Jesus.
Questions/Response:
• Has this Christmas been a season of gratefulness or complaining for you?
• What things do you complain about?
• Make a list of all that Jesus has provided for you. Spend time praising him for being all that you need.
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DECEMBER 31 - JESUS IS ALWAYS WITH YOU
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. ~Matthew 28:20
Christmas is over and tomorrow we wake up to 2014. In a few days life will return to its normal pace. The ornaments will come down and the manger will be put away. Friends and family will migrate back to where they came from. Christmas decorations will go on sale for half price. School and work will begin and fi nd us waking up again before the sun.
I don’t know about you but for me it is sad to see December go. There is a peace that settles into these 31 days. There is a hope that swells in my heart. There is comfort that lingers because more than any other time I remember it’s all about Jesus.
The result is that for a few precious days my heart is aligned with heaven. I love what I was created to love. I long for what I was created to long for. I behold the one who holds me. And in the loving, longing and beholding God comes near and dwells with me.
The amazing message of Jesus, though, is that he is always near. He is Immanuel – God with us. And he has prom-ised to be this not just during December but to the end of the age. This means that all of life can be fi lled with the wonder, the longing and the hope of Christmas. Jesus is always drawing near to us and inviting us to be with him.
Question/Response:
• Invite Jesus to be with you in 2014. Ask him to help you, lead you, guide you, provide for you and to be near you in this coming year.
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