The below is a bit of a repost and re-working of an article I wrote last year.
John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…..
The Almighty God took on human flesh…
He was born miraculously of the virgin Mary….
Herod tried to have Him killed as a newborn….
I don’t know…. when the Creator of the universe moves heaven and earth and takes on human flesh, maybe that is supposed to grab our collective attention.
I guess in some ways it has. After all, when else can you walk through a mall and hear the gospel being sung as you shop?
And yet….. How much of that is little more than Christmas traditions? What I am talking about here is, earth shattering, grab your attention, good news! I don’t mean grab your attention a little bit – I mean grab our wholehearted, lifelong, enduring, and collective attention.
Perhaps when God moves heaven and earth, is born of a virgin, and takes on human flesh that maybe His intent was bigger than a lawn decoration during the Christmas season? (Please don’t misunderstand. I am not against the nativity lawn decoration. I am against the dullness of my own heart that so easily thinks little of all that lawn decoration represents.)
Perhaps Jesus, born in the manger is to be more than: “Awww look at the cute baby in the manger.” More than a decoration we might put in the front yard next to Santa, Snoopy, and the Grinch.
So, how might Christmas be more than just a nice holiday and a few extra days off of work? And while I love the tree, presents, food and decorations! Is Christmas more than the “stuff” that occupies our attention this time of year?
We must push through the “stuff” and think about WHO is in that manger.
John 1 says: This is GOD with us. Who is in the manger makes all the difference. If we do not know who is in that manger, Christmas will be nothing more than just another holiday….and the manger will be just another cute, sentimental decoration.
BUT, consider…. God, Himself is in that manger!
The creator of the universe came!
The One who has no beginning and no end has taken on human flesh!
The King of ALL kings has come!!!!!
Think about this:
200 years ago it was believed that there were some 6,000 stars in the universe. 200 years ago – 6,000 stars seemed like a lot of stars. Today astronomers believe there are more stars in the universe (that we know of) than there are grains of sand on all the beaches and deserts on the earth!
Uh…. wow!
The latest evidence shows us that there are between 100 and 200 BILLION galaxies in the universe each of them containing 100’s of billions of stars.
Amazing!?!
And the Bible just matter of factly states: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth….
But hold on a minute. Consider that this God who created all those stars (and everything else in the universe) has now come down and taken on human flesh. God – in human flesh! AND…. the reason He has done so…. was to go to the cross and die for our sins!
As a culture we are easily impressed with actors, actresses, and athletes.
Over a year ago George Clooney found himself in my small home town Titusville, Fl. He was there to shoot scenes for the movie “Tomorrowland”. As you might imagine, social media blew up in my hometown. Clooney sightings were being reported. Photos uploaded, rumors of sightings were passed along, and on and on it goes.
“Did you hear Clooney is shooting scenes downtown?”
I just did a quick google search with the words: “george clooney filming in Titusville fl”
My google search spit back at me 34,700 results! Wow!
My point? When George Clooney comes to small town Titusville it blows up. Why? Well, it’s George Clooney! Duh!
What does it mean that the God of the universe, your Maker and mine, takes on human flesh, and is born as a baby in a manger, in the small town of Bethlehem to one day die for our sins?
For the most part, culture is indifferent to this “good news of great joy”. Some are blasphemous and many can be heard yawning. Can you hear the cultural yawn? And sadly, my heart is also dull to the, earth shattering glory of God with us.
A long time ago – by the mercy of God – I traded the yawn in for worship! I still struggle, my heart can still be dull to such glory. How about yours? Will you join with me today and slow down. As Christmas day quickly approaches, consider with me:
It is GOD with us!
GOD came and took on human flesh
That cute baby in the manger….. is GOD!
Praise Him and trade in that cultural yawn in for worship!
HALLELUJAH!