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The Christmas Story: a Child is Born

12.11.2018 by Jennifer Howe //

Hello, friend! ‘Tis the season, and I (Jennifer) wish you a precious Advent time this year. The Facets settled on taking a look at the Christmas Story, but with a fresh look. When we searched for the Father, Son, and Spirit in Christmas, we found wonderful gems to share. Tracy shared about the Spirit’s role in the story last week. Be sure to come back next week to read Kim’s post on the Father. This week, it’s all about JESUS!
The Story of Christmas: Jesus (J. Howe)

Around this time, Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken throughout the Empire. Luke 2:1 CJB

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.*

Oh, sleepy town of David—Bethlehem, the House of Bread—overwhelmed with visitors. Caesar decreed, so “Everyone went to be registered, each to his own town” (Luke 2:3). People with family or means fill every home or rented every room. The rest find shelter where they can. Shepherds rest in the open fields under a clear sky, captivated by the stars. They listen through the usual nighttime noises rippling through the flock, alert for sounds of a threat. The descendants of David, all of them, sleep through the quiet night. The visitors won’t stay long. They will rest from their travel, visit with relatives, and wait to register until they leave for home.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Luke 2:4-5 ESV

In all the crazy-busy of the masses arriving in town and settling their families and the herds they were forced to bring with them, an unknown teenager and her husband slip through the crowds. Their travel took longer than it would; it was slow going with her need to rest and drink and eat so often. The healthy boy kicked and rolled inside Mary’s belly. “He’ll be here soon. Jesus will be born in Bethlehem. Tonight?” she wondered.

Joseph was a good man. Even so, he’d been pushed so far. Mary was beautiful and kind and precious to him; he loved her. Tonight he would care for her and the child. It was the right thing, the honorable thing. The baby would be born in Bethlehem. He would help. They would figure it out together.

The young couple’s larger family group traveled separately and more quickly for the census. By now they were settled, and no one expected the couple to join them. Joseph would have to find a quiet place of their own for their stay.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 ESV

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.*

And there He was. Larger than all of the universe and smaller than a bread box. Lord of all and Servant of all. God slipped into the creation He made with a word—and He was the Word.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. John 1:10 NLT

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

God is a loving and generous Gift-giver, so He offered a few the opportunity of a lifetime.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. Luke 2:8-18 ESV

The shepherds heard the news and they went to see Him! And do you see what I see? “And all who heard it wondered.” Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and who else? It doesn’t say, but news of a beautiful baby travels fast in almost any culture. Add an angelic birth announcement, and people have something to talk about.

Two thousand years later, people are still talking. Some are interested in religious things or decorated things or sales increase things. ‘Tis the season. But there’s nothing in that. No “God with us.” No help for this life or relief from sin and suffering. If you want the real truth, love, and power of Jesus at Christmas listen closely.

No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.*

It’s all about Jesus. He’s the reason for the season, and I desperately need Him. We desperately need Him.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today.*

When I think of the coming Savior King at Christmas, I am amazed. Jesus was God and man. That He stepped down from heaven to earth is incredible. That He became one of us is mind-blowing. That His mission was to reconcile sinful humankind to Holy God is pure love.

I want my heart to be the place Jesus casts out sin, enters, and lives. I want a new heart, mind, and life because of the love of Jesus. You?

I also want to remember that, while He came to us as a baby, the rest of the story is amazing! Jesus grew up and now reigns as King of all from heaven. Now that’s a story worth reading. Do you know how it goes?

Signature, Jennifer Howe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


* Lyrics from O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Phillips Brooks and Lewis Redner.

 

Categories // Faith, Jennifer Howe's Perspective, The Story of Christmas Tags // Christmas, Isaiah 9:6-7, Jennifer J Howe, Jesus, John 1, Luke 2, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Trinity

The Holy Spirit’s Role in the Story of Christmas

12.08.2018 by Tracy Stella //

The Story of Christmas: Holy Spirit (T. Stella)

Welcome to Christmas, a magical time of year because we celebrate Christ. I know this season can stir up feelings that don’t feel like celebration for some.  If you find yourself in a hard place this Christmas, I pray you feel God’s closeness even more.  I pray the presence of Immanuel (God with us) overwhelm you with His love, hope, joy, peace, and goodness.  I pray He ministers to you through the power of His Spirit. 

And if you find yourself on top of life’s mountains, I pray you take time to thank Jesus for all the beauty He has brought into your life.  I pray you are generous with your love and blessings out of the overflow of His goodness to you.   May you bring light, hope, and love to those whom God brings across your path this Christmas season.

The Light of the World did that for us, so too should we for others.

But these things don’t happen of our own accord. Love, hope, joy, peace, goodness, and light come as a result of the power of the Holy Spirit.  Generosity is a mindset He breeds in us.  Courage is an attribute He calls out in us.  It is through His deposit that we can carry out our high calling to love one another well.

The Holy Spirit prompts Christmas love. He always did. He always will. 

He is evidenced in the story of Christ from the very beginning.  Angels reassured Mary of His coming.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,  to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.  Luke 1:26-38 NLT (Emphasis Mine)

Imagine being greeted by an angel (frightening enough in and of itself) and then being told you were going to birth the Son of God through the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High. 

Think of Mary’s courage.  Christmas not possible without it.  An ordinary young woman made a difference in each of our eternal destiny, because she allowed the Holy Spirit to guide her.

One of the beautiful things I have found as I walk with Christ is the harder and higher our calling, the sweeter the intimacy with Him. And through that intimacy He speaks.  When our calling is of extreme significance, I believe God goes out of His way to confirm for us that we are on the right track.   The good news of following Christ is we can’t make a mistake.  Notice I said following Christ.  He won’t lead us astray, even if He has us traverse some difficult terrain from time to time.

If we’re not following the leading of the Holy Spirit, we’re bound to make mistakes.

Even as we follow, God knows we need reassurance. And He shows up, even as He’s always there.  However, sometimes in His all-knowing way, God decides to turn up the volume of His presence.  He gives Christmas reassurance in unexpected places.

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.  You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:39-45 NLT (Emphasis Mine)

Baby John (the Baptist) was the fulfillment of prophecy.  He would be the one to go in advance to proclaim Christ.  John recognized divinity while still in his mother’s womb.  And the Holy Spirit continued to fill His role in the Christmas story by providing encouragement to a virgin girl named Mary, 3 months pregnant, and likely afraid even as she was courageous.  The Lord knew exactly the words Mary needed to hear and the Holy Spirit divinely inspired Elizabeth to speak words of encouragement and acknowledgement of Christ Jesus to her.

Notice the Holy Spirit’s words to Mary, that she was blessed because she believed.

When situations seem unusual they do require an extra measure of belief.

Faith in the Christmas story requires an extra measure of belief.

God blesses those who do.

Yes, with eternal life (John 3:16). But blessings here on earth too in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13).  One of the biggest blessings we have been given as believers is the deposit of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us.

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT

Just as Mary was encouraged by the Holy Spirit, we can be too.  We can have the promise of Christmas – God alive inside of us that leads and guides us into His presence and into His love.  Out of that overflow, we are empowered to extend Christmas love to others.  The Holy Spirit enables us to do all things that God calls us to, even the hard things. 

Without the hard things Mary cooperated with God for, we wouldn’t have Christmas.

The Holy Spirit birthed the beauty of Christmas in Mary. What does He desire to birth in you this Christmas season?  After all, His story is our story.

Remember, favored woman! The Lord is with you!

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page. 

And don’t forget to check back with us to see what Jennifer and Kim have to say about the Story of Christmas.

Signature Image: Tracy Stella

Categories // Faith, The Story of Christmas, Tracy Stella's Perspective Tags // 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Believe, Christmas, Courage, Holy Spirit, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:39-45

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