Our Newborn King

Charlie Brown famously demanded to know the meaning of Christmas.

Linus - wise beyond his years - quotes Luke chapter 2 and solemnly affirms that Jesus’ birth is the true meaning of Christmas.

Even after all these years, I still get teary when I hear that part of the story.

We know there’s a degree of sentimentality to Christmas.

That’s a good thing. It’s good to have great memories of family, food, fun, gifts, going to church.

And the message that pastors share during the Christmas season is good, too. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to save us.

For a few moments this morning, though, let me take our minds in a different direction:

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Micah 5:2 NLT

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.

Matthew 1:1 NLT

1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Matthew 1:18 NLT

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 2:10–11 NLT

10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Did you catch the emphasis of these verses? Prophecy and story about the coming King. Some use the word Messiah but in a Jewish context, it means the same thing.

At Christmas, we sing carols that speak of the coming King but I think it gets a bit lost in the focus on the baby in the manger.

That makes this Lord’s Day a great time for us reflect on the message that the baby in the manger is destined to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Two Kinds of “Awe”

When we see pictures of new babies it’s a nearly a given that we’ll say, “Awwwwww.”

This year, we’ve welcomed three babies to the T&C family (more in our extended family).

Clark, Eva and latest, Luke Mathew.

Man, that Luke Mathew. That’s a strong name. He’s going to grow up to be either a country singer or pro bull rider...

It’s not all that different when we see a beautiful picture of the manger scene or Mary & Jesus. It prompts us to that “Awwww” emotion.

And that’s wonderful. It’s great to express joy and gladness when we think about how God has wrapped our bruised flesh around Himself in Jesus.

It’s also important that we continue to worship the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Hebrews 12:28 NLT

28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

We learn to distinguish between two kinds of “Awe.”

There’s the awwww of a cute baby.

Then there’s the shift to “awe” at God made manifest in flesh.

We move from the Christmas lullaby to a rousing anthem of praise for our King Jesus.

We need that sense of awe and wonder. Today’s Caesars and Herods fight for control and power in schools, businesses and government just as they did in Jesus’ time.

But Jesus arrives, unnoticed by nearly everyone. Not in opulence and fanfare but in humility and obscurity.

We’ve learned that putting all of our faith in the modern-day power brokers will never be sufficient nor will their solutions satisfy.

When Jesus is King

He’s so much better at kingship than I am. I am not a very good king of my own life.

When Jesus is King, we cast off our own misguided rule.

We learn to reject temptations.

We learn to handle material wealth (or the lack of it).

We learn how to live in relationships and how to restore relationships.

We learn how to be generous.

We’ll begin next year rebooting our spiritual lives together as we learn what Jesus taught his disciples about his kingdom.

Matthew 7:24 NLT

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

So let us continue to gather at the manger to celebrate the new-born king. It’s entirely appropriate for us to have an emotional reaction to God, in flesh, come among us.

Let us also fall to our knees in awe of the might Christ of the Cross who is King of Creation and Lord of our lives.