The Hope of a Savior
Isaiah 9:6
Since Thanksgiving, the shopping malls have been telling us that "It is the most wonderful time of the year." And it is - for them. For many others, however, it can have many mixed emotions. Christmas is not the same as it was when we were children. As an adult, we see it is different, sometimes it can be economically difficult, buying so many gifts. This year especially, because many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus. This year a lot of families have lost their loved ones.
Perhaps, this year, we have not been able to go on the plans we had for Christmas, due to Covid-19 safety. There are many family members working in the healthcare force. There are many people this year who have been affected, directly and indirectly, by Covid-19 and cannot see their family during Christmas. And sadly, there are many who have lost their loved ones this year. But even through all the struggles, God finds a way to put joy and peace in our hearts.
In this Christmas season, may we remember the good gifts that the Creator has given us: the sun, the moon, and this good earth. All the blessings of the earth: the sky, the waters, plants and animals. And shall we all glorify Him for this incredible gift of life: of flesh and blood and of breath and memory. Every moment we have lived in our lives, through both joy and sorrow, all gives us meaning to our lives and proves that we are fully human and fully alive. And, above all, we must remember the gift of when the Word became flesh and was sent to save us, to heal us, to bring us joy, and to bring us back to God.
The prophet Isaiah, speaking on behalf of God, had prophesied hundreds of years before, in Isaiah 9:7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And Jesus came, just as promised.
Those are magnificent descriptions of the long-awaited Messiah. “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is first called "Wonderful Counselor.'' James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” He is called “Mighty God.” Colossians 1:15-16, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” He is called “Everlasting Father.” Romans 8: 16-17, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” And He is called “Prince of Peace.” Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Our Savior, our messiah, and our redeemer was born to us this Christmas season. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. (Isaiah 9:6)” Can there be a more perfect place to be on Christmas, than God’s house? Can there be a more perfect story than the story of the first Christmas?
Today, let us meditate on the day salvation was born on this earth. Jesus is the reason for the season. Let us meditate on 3 points: God came to the world as a tiny babe, God came to be our Savior, and God came with fullness of love.
God Came to the World as a Tiny Babe
The Creator of the universe loved us enough to come into our world. And He did it not in power, but in the most helpless disguise possible: that of an infant. The Bible says, in Acts 3:26 “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son (child) Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” KJV.
Now the way that God came into the flesh is a great marvel and mystery. The Apostle Paul himself called it that. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh." (I Tim. 3:16a) It is a marvelous event, a magnificent event, a majestic event.
John Phillips, a great Bible teacher, once said, "The great mystery of the manger is that God should be able to translate deity into humanity without discarding the deity or distorting humanity.”
I read a story about a schoolteacher in England. They were supervising the construction of a manger scene in a corner of her classroom. The students were excited as they set up the little stable and covered the floor with real hay, and then arranged all the figures of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Men, and all the animals. And in the middle was a little crib, in which the tiny infant Jesus lay.
But one little boy just couldn't understand something. He was absolutely confused. He kept returning to the manger and stood there with a puzzled face. The teacher noticed him and asked, "Is anything wrong? Do you have a question?”
The boy replied, "What I'd like to know is: why is it so small? How does God fit in a small manger?"
God entered the world as a babe in a manger. But why did the God of heaven come down as a human infant? Could He have not come down from heaven with all His glory? The Book of Hebrews 5:8 says, “that though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Jesus was made perfect and learned obedience through suffering. This does not mean that Jesus did not know obedience before His incarnation, or that His human flesh was not perfect. He is eternally perfect and always united, in will, with the Father. Rather, when Jesus left the throne of heaven and put on humanity, He experienced the frail and sinful nature of man. He would have experienced all of the hunger, exhaustion, pain, sweat, and temptation that any man did. He was tempted, but did not sin, for He was pure and filled with holiness. It was through this method, that Jesus became the lamb who was slain for our sins. A pure and sinless lamb who was slain for our sins.
God Came to be our Savior
Jesus came to the world as an infant, but He grew in wisdom and stature. He didn’t stay as a baby. He became a man; dedicated to sharing the good news of the Father for others. Just ask the angels what they think of Jesus, they will tell you: “A Savior has been born unto you, He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
• Ask John the Baptist and he will tell you, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29
• Ask the demons what they think of Jesus, they will tell you. “What do you want with us, Son of the most high God?” Mark 5:7
• Ask the apostle Paul, what do you think about Jesus? He will tell you, “that nothing compares to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8
• Ask the Roman centurion what he thinks of Jesus, he will tell you. “Surely this is the Son of God.” Matthew 27:57
• Ask Peter, what do you think about Jesus and he will tell you. “God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:39
We celebrate the fact that God came to us as a tiny babe, but we also celebrate that this tiny babe became our Savior, who saved us from the chains of sins and death. The night Jesus was born, angels came to shepherds near Bethlehem, and one said, "I bring you good news of great joy." That was a happy greeting.
However, there were a lot of trials and tribulations that laid between that the birth of Christ and the joy and salvation it promised. For the new-born child, trials and sufferings began almost immediately. When He was just a baby, a jealous king tried to kill him. When He grew up, the people of Nazareth threw Him out of their city. He became a wandering teacher - homeless, often hungry, and weary, tempted and tried. He was hated, accused, denied, and betrayed. At last, there came a Friday when a wreath of thorns was pressed hard on his head, and He was spat upon, scourged with whips, nailed to a cross, and by mid-afternoon He was dead. Before sundown, His body was placed in a tomb.
However, through all the sufferings, the story does not end there. On the first Sunday following his burial, very early in the morning, Jesus met His friends outside the tomb, and His first word was this: the Greek word "Chairete." Which means "Joy be to you!" "Be of good cheer!"
This greeting was a happy one. Jesus fulfilled the message of joy which angels had declared more than thirty years before. And now, here today, nearly 2,000 years later, we still echo that theme again: "Be of good cheer: we bring you good news of great joy!" God came to be our Savior.
We spend so much time on things from popular culture and old folk stories, that we may accidentally overshadow the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is a time for celebrating the day when heaven came down for us. The day God sent His only son as a lamb for our sins, so that we may also be called His children. He lived in glory but gave it all up to become a tiny babe, who then became a grown man who suffered and died for the sins of the world. That humble babe in manger became our Savior.
He Came with the Fullness of Love
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6).” As a child of man, Jesus was born; but as the Son of God, Jesus was given. Notice the Son was not born, the Son was given. Let us read the greatest verse in the Bible, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John. 3:16) God's Christmas gift to the world was a person of deity wrapped in a package of humanity.
In John Stott’s profound book, The Cross of Christ, he wrote about how, in Christ’s death on the cross, Jesus paid our sin debt, in full:
“God’s love must be wonderful beyond comprehension. God could quite justly have abandoned us to our fate. He could have left us alone to reap the fruit of our wrongdoing and to perish in our sins. It is what we deserved. But he did not. Because he loved us, he came after us in Christ. He pursued us even to the desolate anguish of the cross, where he bore our sin, guilt, judgment, and death… It is more than love. Its proper name is ‘grace,’ which is love to the undeserving. God himself in his Son has borne the penalty for our law-breaking”. - John Stott
That tiny babe gave Himself for us. He stepped down from the throne of glory to carry our burdens. And for only one reason: God loves us, every one of us. So have a grand and wonderful Christmas Day and give God the glory due to His name.
Many of us may have experienced troubles and struggles this year. This year has been a hurdle for many of us. However, Christmas is a reminder of God’s love for you. No matter what struggles you may face, God is there working in your midst. He came into this world, so that you may have salvation. So that you may have eternal life and be a part of His family and kingdom. He can so that He can live within you. So that no matter what difficulties you face, you know that you are not alone, and you are loved. You are loved by the creator of the heavens and earth.
God came into this world as a humble and helpless infant. He did not come into this world with all His glory but came through the humble form of humanity. He took on the fragile and sinful nature of human flesh. God came into this world to become our Savior. So that He could be the blameless lamb who was slain for our sins. He who knew no sin, became sin, so that we may be saved. God came into this world with the fullness of love. For we did not deserve His mercy, but He gave it to us through His grace. And by His grace, our sins and darkness are washed away.
So, Merry Christmas to you all. It is a merry Christmas, because our savior was born. Salvation was fulfilled, and you have been saved. You have been called to be His children. What greater gift is there than this? Jesus is the reason for the season. Amen & Merry Christmas.
