Our Christmas Day Reading:
Luke 2:4-20 (NASB)
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."
16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
Merry Christmas to you!
Advent is a time of waiting, and now our waiting is over…almost. As you open presents and exchange the joy of what God has done in your life, remember the gift of God that has given us in the birth of His Son.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever would believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
The angels message that first Christmas day is worth our meditation and prayer:
Luke 2:14 (NIV)
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Who are these people on whom his favor rests?
The shepherds…common, everyday workers…coffee shop, waiters, janitors, secretaries, bus drivers, and more of the plain and the nameless. His favor rests on all of those who receive the gift of his life.
You.
Me.
Christmas touches everything in creation. The songs, music, good feelings, liturgies of candlelight and worship services with pipe organs and 200 voices, as well as worship services with a guitar and a congregation of 20. The presents we share, the dinners we eat, the words of kindness and the generosity of giving – all make up our experiences of Christmas.
Yet Christmas is not any of those things. Henri Nouwen in his book “The Road to Daybreak” wrote this so well:
“Christmas is saying yes to something beyond all emotions and feelings. Christmas is saying yes to a hope based on God’s initiative, which has nothing do with what I think or feel. Christmas is believing that the salvation of the world is God’s work and not mine. Things will never look just right or feel just right. If they didn’t, someone would be lying…But it is into this broken world that a child is born who is called Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, Savior.”
Merry Christmas beloved…Merry Christmas friend!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
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