He is Lord of Lords, but He came to earth as a peasant. He is King of Kings, but He arrived in a stable, not a palace. The same God who spoke the world into existence was visited on the night of His birth not by kings and princes, but by some humble shepherds from a nearby field. He was given gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh by wise men, having left the eternal riches and majesty of heaven to dwell upon this temporal earth with its material wealth. He who is eternally adored by angels was mocked, beaten, spat upon, and crucified by the people He came to save. Although He has legions of angels at His disposal, He surrendered His life with perfect meekness.
His life-giving message was so radical and contrary to popular opinion that He was disdained by the religious leaders of His day. Those same leaders, who had so fervently awaited the coming of a Messiah, would not accept Him when He arrived. He who is so worthy of our highest praise taught and modeled humility, even to the point of washing His disciples’ feet. He loved unconditionally those who denied and refused Him. He lived not for His own pleasure, but instead ever sought to serve and love others. His coming to this earth did not signal the beginning of His life, but rather initiated the beginning of His walk toward Calvary. He came not to live, but to die as the perfect sacrifice for a world utterly lost in darkness.
In our present time, this same Savior is all too often treated with shameful indifference. Christmas Day, the date on which His birth is celebrated, has been gradually watered down to the point of a mere reflection of the honor and reverence it should receive. Even the name has been replaced by more “tolerant” greetings: Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, etc. Nevertheless, no matter how much Christmas is diluted with distractions, no matter how much this Savior’s name is defiled and misused, His impact on our fallen world will be forever present, forever known, and forever honored by those who accept His gift of life.
Much is made among Christians about focusing on the “real meaning of Christmas”. Obviously, this would be understood as a call to realize that this day honors Christ’s birth. However, this Christmas, I want to ask you to remember and seek to realize the sheer awesomeness of this event. This isn’t simply about a baby being born; this is about God Himself coming down to this world in order to die for mankind. Consider the weight of this love and mercy. Consider the humility, meekness, abounding grace and unconditional love Christ had to show at His coming. Jesus’ physical arrival on our planet wasn’t simply a momentous occasion. It initiated the most important sequence of events in the history of the world: His ministry, death, and victorious resurrection.
Merry Christmas
Excellent post!