Christmas- God with Us

Since Thanksgiving there is not a day that goes by where one of my children doesn’t ask when is Christmas?

We have a tradition in our house of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and the kids love the floats and the singing and dancing, but what they truly look forward to and get the most excited about is the end of the parade when Santa comes riding in. This is the kick off of they looking forward to Christmas day.

When we drive down the street and they see the beautiful Christmas lights it adds to their excitement.

There is an excitement and anticipation of what is coming, of what lies ahead. They know that Christmas day is a good day because it brings great gifts and great joy.

This Bible here is much like my children. The Old Testament is full of signs that and prophecies that point to the day that a savior would come and everything would be made right.

Isaiah 11:1–9 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

There will be a day when everything is restored back to the way it was in the garden of Eden before the fall- This sense of such perfect peace that even animals who don’t coexist will dwell together. The Wolf and the lamb will dwell together, because there is one coming.

Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

This one coming is described as a “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

There is a longing in scripture for this one to come who will bring this perfect peace and justice, and when we get to the last book of the Old Testament what do we get, 300 years of silence.

They a great light breaks through the darkness and we hear this great message that was long anticipated being proclaimed by a heavenly host

Luke 2:10–14 ESV

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 find 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!”

This long expected moment had come! A saviour has come to deliver His people from darkness and sin.

Isaiah 9:2 ESV

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Matthew tells the story of the birth of the Savior and says:

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

Now 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 fulfill 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.

In the Christmas story God becomes like us in the the person of Jesus Christ. It says He will be called “Immanuel, which means God with us.” This is a marvelous act that comes from the hand of our Sovereign God. Jesus Christ is God with us. God dwelling with man.

But this story also entails the cooperation of human beings- in the story it was Joseph. God could have and would have sent His son into our world without Joseph’s willingness to take Mary as his wife, But Joseph is part of the story. For despite his concerns for propriety in the community Joseph, “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife.” (1:24)

His willingness, despite the potential accusations and reputation he would receive from his neighbors and friends, helped with Marry carrying the Christ Child.

Joseph allowed God to work through him as our Maker accomplished His purposes for the humans race.

The story doesn’t end with the birth of Christ. There is still a longing for the day when Christ will come again and restore all things to the way they were in the Garden of Eden. there is a longing for when there will be no more suffering or pain, war or hurt, or injustice. We look forward in anticipation for the second coming of Christ.

And as wee seek to carry on the Christmas story in the word and deed, we do so with the same two-fold recognition. This is God’s doing; it is His work. But just as with Joseph, God invites us to share in the amazing work of both telling the story and living the story- that God came and lived among us; and has given us His Spirit, and we have never been the same since.

Let us join the chorus of angels and redeemed believers proclaiming, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!”