Merry Christmas, Superkid! I am so excited about this season. Not just Christmas, which of course, is the best season of the year! But I’m talking about the times we are living in. While many hard things are going on in the world, the GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is HERE—the same message the angels gave the shepherds the night He was born. Before the big announcement, not only was it dark in the fields, there had been 400 years of silence from heaven. No prophet had been speaking to the people telling them how much God loved them.
In that dark time, Roman soldiers controlled Jerusalem, making it hard for God’s people, who began to cry out to God for the Savior to come. And “Suddenly….” Luke 2:8-14, The Passion Translation, says:
“That night, in a field near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! But the angel reassured them, saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!’ Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: ‘Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.’”
You’d think EVERYONE would know that something spectacular and miraculous had happened, but no. People didn’t realize that their prayers had been answered, because their Savior didn’t look like they expected.
They pictured a king, a strong and mighty warrior who would save them from the Romans. The surprise twist is that Jesus came as a BABY, born in a human body to grow up, just like you. Why? Because Jesus didn’t come to defeat just the Romans, but to defeat the real enemy, Satan—and He did! That’s really the GOOD NEWS of the Christmas story! Yes, it was news to the shepherds that the Savior was finally come, but the biggest news was that He came as a baby! God could have sent someone to wipe out the enemy, but He was determined to see His love and glory come through His Son, Jesus.
As Jesus grew up, He told people of His Father’s great love for them, preaching, teaching and healing them. Jesus was literally the Messenger sent straight from the Father. John 1:1-5 describes Him as the Living Expression from God!
“In the beginning the Living Expression was already there. And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God. They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning. And through his creative inspiration this Living Expression made all things, for nothing has existence apart from him! A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome!”
Since that time, He has been shining the Light of God in a dark and hurting world. He WAS the warrior king that people imagined He would be! He beat the devil in hell and won the victory for God’s children, freeing them from Satan’s control.
For thousands of years, He has been showing us who we truly are. We know that we are His children, and have begun to understand that we can be like Him. His light has grown brighter and brighter in us.
At the same time, the world has become darker, more confused and more hurt than ever before. Why don’t they turn to the Light of Jesus? They may know the Christmas story, but they don’t see the power in a BABY any more than people did when He was born.
In John 6, the people didn’t recognize Him as the Son of God. He wanted to do great miracles for them, but they didn’t believe in Him. He wanted to help them. He said several times, “I will raise them up in the last day.” Who? Those who were hungry for Him, would BELIEVE in Him and DO what He said.
We are in that last day Jesus talked about—when He will SHOW Himself to the world again.
I used to think that meant Jesus would pour out His power, love and glory on the world, and they would turn to Him and get saved. Now I see that Jesus isn’t coming to them like I thought. Instead, His power and glory will flood the earth through US! Jesus wants the children of Light to be His glory carriers!
Instead of just expecting miracles in a church service, we will see Him flow through US to help, heal and love people wherever we are. We are, after all, the BODY of Christ!
If Jesus is the Best Gift ever, and He is, then we are the GIFT WRAP people have to open to see Him!
The more we let Him lead, correct and heal us, the more we look like a gift the people around us will want to open.
So this Christmas, remember: Be the gift box! Shine forth His Light!
Merry Christmas to you, Shiny Bright!
Commander Kellie ♥