That Baby!

 

Our Christmas story is one everybody loves. What’s not to love about in the drama of a baby born in a stable, about Whom angels sang, and shepherds adored? Our nativity scenes clean up the barn and make the scene much sweeter than it probably was in reality. Our children reenact the story a million times each year wrapped in colorful robes, singing sweetly about Jesus. And, that’s all good! I love it, too, but I want to remind you today to finish the story, to keep in mind Who that Baby is.

Last Sunday morning, as we sang Charles Wesley’s hymn, these lyrics declared the whole of that Christmas story.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity.
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark the herald angels sing-
Glory to the newborn King!

John says it this way: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV)  He was a Baby laid in a manger who is also the Lord of Glory, the God of Majesty, the Creator of the Universe. How can that be?  That I cannot explain, but it is important to receive and believe. The Story offers the promise of salvation, healing, and restoration of broken lives to us and to a lost world!

• Christian, when the icicles of fear pierce your heart, remember the Prince of Peace, the Powerful One who came to us that night in Bethlehem.

• When pride puffs up your mind tempting you to live for Self, kneel humbly before the King of Kings, remembering that the Baby is the King of Glory.

• When terrible storms blow over you, pray to the Man who calmed the storm with His voice, and let Him calm the winds in your life.

• When guilt or shame hold you captive, silencing your worship, humbly confess to that Baby who grew to become our "great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:14-15, NIV)  He forgives, restores, and invites us to come confidently to worship.

Oh, that Baby is our Savior, our King, Who shows us the heart of our Father. Don’t miss the wonder of it all by only remembering the simple drama of a poor couple who delivered their child in a stable. Remember that He is God in flesh, Savior of the world, Who loves you today.

Here is a word from the Word. I pray it inspires you to HOPE, fills you with PEACE, and causes you to WORSHIP.

Jesus “though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.

Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Mary Did You Know?

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Would one day walk on water
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has come to make you new
This Child that you delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Would give sight to the blind man
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Would calm a storm with His hand
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God

Oh Mary did you know
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Oh Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations

Did you know
That your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb
And the sleeping Child you're holding
Is the great I Am

Oh Mary oh

Buddy Greene | Mark Lowry
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Curb Word Music (Admin. by WC Music Corp.)

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