The second half of November typically marks one of the busiest time of year. The malls are decorated, carols are playing, images of a jolly fat man with rosy cheeks are plastered just about everywhere you look. Sadly, ‘wants’ begin to replace needs, noise triumphs over quiet and busyness creeps into our life. With this in mind, I now sit quietly asking the question. “When was the last time we were in awe of what God did that first Christmas?” Of course, we are taking about the advent. The first coming of Christ.

When were we last in awe struck by what God did for us as recorded in Mathew chapter 1:18-25 and Luke chapter 1:26-38?

I ask this because words like…. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” … should deeply affect us!

“Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end”.

These words should…deeply… affect us!

Now, I know we have all heard the story before; that is the birth of Christ. However, I want to suggest to you that familiarity in this case is not our friend. I say this because familiarity causes us merely glace over the text instead of marinating in the details. And perhaps one of the greatest details we could reflect on this Christmas is how out God broke into our universe, our humanity in the form of a child. God’s son was conceived in the womb of a virgin. God incarnate. Carne meaning flesh, the God-man. It’s the hypostatic union (the combination of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ). “They shall call him Immanuel, meaning God with us”. You see, these words should tell us just how much He loved us. While we were yet enemies of God, slaves to sin, he sent his son to save us. God is not distant. Instead He is the one who initiates, who acts, who draws, who seeks and saves the lost. He saves us from our sin.

Jesus, our redeemer was sent from heaven by His Father with on mission in mind. To save his people from their sin. It was a mission of mercy. Jesus would be born, laid in a manger, grow up like every other child but when the time was right, he would begin his earthly ministry. He would point people to the Father. He would say things like, “I an the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)”. He would pay the penalty for our sin in full. His name is JESUS and he came to save his people from their sin. Let that grip your heart today.

But know this! Death was not the end. After his body was laid in a tomb and the tomb was sealed, it was found empty on the first day of the week. Now, that doesn’t surprise those of us who have read Luke chapter 1″26-38 because there we see the foreshadowing of his kingship.

Luke records, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of this father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Jesus conquered sin, death and Satan. He is the rightful king, the ruler, the Son of David. He came fulfilling prophecy upon prophecy. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and His kingdom will have no end. What that means is…He is our king! Do we trust Him like He is?

“Mary, you have found favour with God… He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High”.

There is so much more to discover in what the gospel writers have recorded. I encourage you this season to take time to sit quietly; to read what scripture says about the birth of Christ. Allow your heart to be impacted by the significance of what is found there. Well, let me close with the words of Isaiah.

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. This is our Jesus, our Saviour, our King.

Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas. May you truly know the love of Jesus.