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"Peering Into The Heart Of God”
Contributed by Mark Roper on Dec 19, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: At Christmas when we celebrate Jesus birth – we have the opportunity to look into the face of Jesus and realize we are peering into the heart of God
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“Peering into the heart of God”
During the Christmas season, many people are preoccupied with shopping, gifts and fun activities, but they fail to pay attention to the real meaning of Christmas– the birth of Christ.
The result is that they miss the real joy and blessing of Christmas.
The Best gift that God has prepared for us in Christmas is Baby Jesus.
1. What is the meaning of his birth?
2. Why is Jesus’ birth good news of great joy for you and me?
Luke 2:1-7 NIV
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Each time I have read this familiar passage, I have wondered in the past why Jesus entered into the world in such a humble way.
Why didn’t he just appear in all his glory and splendor the in clouds, and descend to earth?
Why didn’t Jesus come to man demonstrating all his power and authority?
Why did Joseph take Mary with him to be registered when it was not legally required of him to take her along, and why would he subject her to 80 miles travel in her condition, when it would have beneficial for her to stay home?
Why didn’t God work out the details ahead of time so the Christ child could have pleasant accommodations?
The real beauty of this Holy Ordained event reveals the Mystery and Majesty of God’s plan for man.
We sometimes yearn for great and startling evidences of God’s presence or power. "Oh," we think, "if only I could see miracles now, as in Bible days. If only something great would happen to me!" How we long for the sensational. And how much we have to learn.
"God had entered the world as a Baby.
1. Majesty in the midst of the mundane.
2. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat.
3. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable.
4. God had entrusted Jesus to, two rural teenagers Mary and Joseph for His care and well-being. His life was absolutely dependent upon them
God’s great miracles, and God’s great works, are sometimes done in quietness and in the simplicity that is common to men.
1st GOD IS DOING A GREAT THING HE IS NOT SIMPLY REVEALING ABOUT HIMSELF. HE IS REVEALING HIMSELF IN JESUS THE BABE.
In Jesus we can KNOW God, not just know ABOUT God
2nd GOD HUMBLES HIMSELF TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US.
In Jesus God not only lays aside his abilities to take on human flesh but God reduces himself into 6lbs of flesh – a baby.
• Christianity does not teach that man must climb some ladder into heaven in order to find God and to be with him, but Christianity teaches that God comes down that ladder in order to meet us and take us back with him.
• We don’t have to become like God before we can encounter him, because God became like us first.
3rd JESUS CAME AS A BABY TO SHOW HE BECAME LIKE US AND MEETS US RIGHT WHEREVER WE ARE – NO PRECONDITIONS
Matt 1:15
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
God who is with us is also For us...
4th GOD KNOWS WHAT IT IS TO BE HIS HUMAN CREATION
We are not talking about God becoming “LIKE” man, as if he were putting on some kind of disguise that he could pass himself of as a man – we are talking about the God who created the world entering into that world AS man and ON MANS BEHALF in order to redeem him.
God did not send a messenger or a representative to help the poor creatures that we are – but he involved himself directly.
5th THE MEANING OF THAT FOR EACH OF US IS THAT HE IS APPROACHABLE;
• He has made Himself readily available to the humble of this world.
• Access to a king birth is not accessible to the common man, the unknown, or the rejected.