I remember watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special. With all the hustle and bustle of shopping and gifts and trees and decorations, we lose sight of what Christmas is all about. But Linus got it right. Remember? He recited part of Luke 2. ‘Christ’mas is not about any of that. It is about the birth of our Savior.
Luke 2:8-20
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, goodwill toward men!”
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Can you imagine what it would have been like to be out in the field and seeing an angel with the glory of the Lord around him? Anyone would be in awe as the shepherds were. And what great news to hear of a Savior! Christ the Lord is Savior of all. It is interesting that he picks a lowly shepherd to first proclaim the birth of Christ. Shepherds were not considered of high regard in those days. How often God does this. He often uses the ordinary, the lowly, the common. “The first will be last and the last will be first.” He is not impressed with our status in this world. He cares about the heart. He care about you. That is why He sent His Son.
As Linus said in the show, “that’s what Christmas is all about.” It’s not about the gifts or family, or a man in a red suit or flying reindeer. It’s about the greatest gift of all. That Christ came into this world, God in the flesh, born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life, and paid for all of our sins on the cross. He gave His life so that we can have eternal life. And as the shepherds did, when we are given such great news, shouldn’t we go and share it with everyone? Shouldn’t we glorify God and praise His name?
Luke 1:26-38
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
God used Mary, a teenage girl, who was soon to be married to Joseph, a carpenter. Again, God does not use someone famous or of high authority, but common people with faith
to declare His word and in this case to bring forth a Son, who would be the Savior of the world. He would be God in the flesh, Immanuel, which literally means, “God with us.”
Isaiah 7:14
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 would come in the flesh through Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, our Redeemer. He loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins so that we may be forgiven and have eternal life . Jesus Christ came as a baby, born of a virgin. He will come again and rule the world. I pray that He will rule in your heart as well. I am so grateful that He came into my life and lives in me.
Luke 2:1-7
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
My Daily Scriptures 