Merry Christmas!
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
It’s Christmas Day….the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior!
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the day, the presents unwrapped and paper strewn across the floor, the meals prepared with care, and the family just beginning to arrive, let’s take a moment to think about the meaning of that first Christmas.
Nine months Mary had been on her journey, from the announcement of the angel to the arrival of a child. Joseph, although he could have left, obeyed the command of the Lord and remained to take part in this mystery. Shepherds arrived in from the fields telling stories about a night sky that had been lit up with a choir singing praises. All gathered to see a tiny, helpless baby lying in a manager. A baby who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
How amazing is it that God chose to save the world through such a child!
Born of a virgin, Christ’s entrance into this world was not just a fulfillment of a promise, but a continual reminder to all of humanity that we could not save ourselves. God provided us a gift so that through His work, we can escape the sin we freely chose. The image of Christ as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes brings us immediately to a place of gratitude and humility. We celebrate this day because we have been justified through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only,…
Today we have the benefit of viewing Christ’s birth in hindsight. Unlike the people of the Old Testament, we do not have to wait for the Lord to come and rescue His people, because He already has. The King has come, and the King has set us free.
The challenge is to feel the weight of this gift. We stand in awe of what Christ has already done and because of what he continues to do. Our worship should include both of these truths—that we have been set free from the penalty of death and we can continue to find freedom from sin as we turn our lives over to Him. We have been justified and are still being restored.
…who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The God of Glory sent us His Son! He sees all of our faults and frailties, and yet He chose to rescue us through the Cross! And even today, while we stand firm in our justification by faith alone, we can lay hold of the promise that He will continue to restore us and form us to the likeness of His Son.
So today, let us praise God for the peace and hope that the birth of Christ provides. We pray you will be reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness and power throughout the celebrations.
Let us all remember the mercy we received when Christ was born at that first advent, and let us look forward with enduring anticipation to the second advent when the Lord will completely restore creation and establish His Kingdom forever.
For unto us a child is born and unto us an undeserved Savior has been given.
Merry Christmas from Dallas Baptist University.
Click the play button above to hear "What Child is This" performed by Andrew Daniel
Recording Engineer: Jake Kreifels and Jesse Hopkins | Traditional English Folksong | Arranged by: Andrew Daniel
Andrew Daniel is a former faculty member who taught guitar at Dallas Baptist University.
Legacy is a vocal ensemble specializing in popular Christian music and secular vocal standards. The group frequently performs for university functions, as well as DFW community and local church events.