For sons and daughters
Reflecting on the birth of Jesus
Reflecting on the birth of Jesus
The almighty son of God came as a human to teach humans to be sons of God
The everlasting father born a baby to show us he truly is humble and gentle; the burden really is light
The wonderful counselor became a carpenter to show us our jobs have more eternal purpose than we can even imagine
The prince of peace offended many and showed righteous anger but brought everlasting unity through it
Jesus died for the sins of all
But before he died, he was born
Before he rose and ascended, he lived
Before he died for our sins, he was born and lived to show us how to live
Live like him
He came to not only show us how to live
But how to be fully alive
Fully hopeful. Fully peaceful. Fully joyful. Fully fulfilled.
And I don’t think it’s unfair to say: Easter is for everyone, Christ died for the sins of all
but Christmas—the birth of Jesus—is for Christ followers; for sons and daughters
not “believers” for even the demons believe Jesus is Lord of Lords
But the birth and life of Jesus is for those who have tasted and seen—whose hearts are soft, minds are renewed, and lives are changed
Jesus’ birth is for those who are reborn
Jesus’ life is for those who seek life in him
Who take literally that the word became flesh
Who are wise not because they seek knowledge but because they fear the Lord
Who have lost so much—friends, family, jobs, opportunities, money, popularity—yet have everything; a people of sorrow but have joy
Who walk among the earth with heaven dwelling within them
Who live in the upside down kingdom; where to be last is first, the humbled are exalted, and denying oneself is receiving everything
Christmas is for you, follower of Christ
And even if you are not a follower of Christ in this moment, you are one step away from being adopted into sonship; you are one step away from the path of life
A life of faith—not aimless guessing, but spiritual realities—the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
Close your eyes and breathe in all the gifts, benefits, rewards, and fruit of walking in the spirit
Close your eyes and breathe out for there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Let the good smells of Christmas time remind you that your life is a pleasing aroma to God, simply for being a son or daughter
Let the good music of Christmas time remind you that the Lord sings songs of joy over you
Satan prowls around, looking for vulnerable children of God; for their moments and memories he can steal, kill, and destroy
“Not today Satan” has become a commodified, consumeristic phrase on a shirt—no doubt his own deceitful scheme—so that we might forget it’s one of the most powerful spiritual weapons given to us by God himself
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23 NKJV
Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Matthew 4:10 NKJV
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NKJV
You are empowered with every spiritual power given to you by the creator of the world, sons and daughters
Take back your power and inheritance this week; for God’s is the kingdom, power, and glory and you are his child
Walk in your adoption to sonship as you remember the birth of your savior; eat, drink, and enjoy the fruits of your labor for it is a gift from God
2 Corinthians 6 is certainly not a passage you’ll hear in a Christmas service, but it has ministered to and encouraged me greatly in this season. The subhead of this passage is “the character of Paul’s ministry” and it perfectly describes the people who care about the birth and life of Jesus, who follow him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
As God’s partners,[a] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says,
“At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you.”[b]Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[c] and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.[e]
Cheers and Merry Christmas to those who accepted the marvelous gift and did not ignore it.
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