The Master's Masterpiece of A Messiah

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Season's Greetings

Happy Holidays!

Family Gatherings, Presents Exchanged, Food Consumed, Time of Rest (or at least time when you may not be working or you at least get a day or two off of work).

What really makes Christmas special? The answer, despite so much that distracts us from the real meaning, the real reason for a celebration is the spiritual aspect of Christ's birth.

This event, which we remember this time of the year, was the beginning of the most incredible portion of God's Marvelous plan.

The Master’s Masterpiece

Christmas is our way of celebrating the God’s Masterpiece! The Master’s Masterpiece. When over 2000 years ago the miraculous birth of the Christ-child happened in the little town of Bethlehem of Judea.

Christ's birth is one of the key events of God's Entire plan and purpose.

The virgin birth is one of the most incredible, miraculous, and magnificent events to ever occur in all of history.

A Masterpiece event, if you will. God's Masterpiece. That is why we celebrate. That is why we remember what took place over 2000 years ago. There are many great works of art, and many great accomplishments that have happened in history, but nothing is quite as amazing as the birth of Jesus.

Much like an amazing painting or sculpture, when a person takes the time to look and gaze upon such a work, a masterpiece, it is virtually inevitable that the observer will become even more amazed. Amazed not just at the work that was done but also how and why it was done, and the meaning behind the creation of such an incredibly magnificent work of art.

However, it is also quite possible for the observer to become complacent, particularly as the familiarity grows and time passes by. Some of us have celebrated Christmas a number of times. So it is very possible for us to lose sight of how truly magnificent and incredible it really is.

Let me give you and example.

I have some pictures in my study/office. The pictures are there everyday. The pictures hang on the wall. They aren't going anywhere. Quite often I don't even look at them, while I'm studying. Occasionally I do look at them. Once in a while someone will come in and comment of them or ask me questions about them.

Lighthouse Masterpieces

The pictures are of lighthouses. They are nice pictures. They have special meaning to me. My father's study was decorated with items from New England and Maine, particularly Lighthouses.

I've spent time at each of these lighthouses over the years, so I have fond memories when I look at the pictures. But it is easy for me to forget about these pictures, and these places.

My hope is that we would not forget the meaning of Christmas. The birth of Christ is one of the most incredible masterpieces of God's plan for us, and we should not let this Christmas time, or any Christmas time pass by without taking time to pause, and consider and gaze upon this incredible work of God.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

God With Us . . . Immanuel

Matthew 1:22–23 ESV

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Good New of Great Joy

Luke 2:8–11 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

A Savior is Born!

Luke 2:12–16 ESV

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was 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 those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

The Master’s Masterpiece

The Master's Masterpiece of Christ's birth shares a incredibly special place in our lives as Christians, as believers who have by faith, found redemption in Jesus' Christ.

Again, we ought not let the familiarity of this incredible event, central to the Master's work, become normalized, or on par with other far less meaningful historical events, or the things which so typically fill our "Holiday Celebrations" this time of the year.

Or worse yet, if the events of Christ birth would be brought down to a place of obscurity and forgotten in our lives. We aren't there yet, but there are many things that pull our attention or distract us from God's amazing story, The story of the most precious gift ever given.

Now please bear with me for a few more minutes, as I take you back to the example of the pictures of the lighthouses in my study.

Lighthouse Masterpieces

The pictures are of lighthouses. They are nice pictures. They have special meaning to me. My father's study was decorated with items from New England and Maine, particularly Lighthouses.

As I stated earlier, I've spent time at each of these lighthouses over the years, so I have fond memories when I look at the pictures. But it is easy for me to forget about these pictures, and these places.

West Quoddy Head is on the Eastern Shore in Lubec Maine

East Quoddy Head is on the Eastern Edge of Campabello Island, in New Brunswick, Canada. Just over the border from the Easternmost part of Maine.

Mulholland Light, is also on Campabello Island. Just to the left as you pass over the border crossing bridge.