“Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all people.”
Luke 2:10
For those of us living in a world of electricity and streetlights, it’s difficult to imagine a night of total darkness. No glow from the city. No car headlights. No sound of highway traffic. Just quiet, save the occasional bleating of sheep.
Try as we might to imagine it, we are challenged to identify with the terror the shepherds must have felt, when the angel of the Lord appeared to belt out the birth announcement for the Messiah.
The birth of a baby is always good news. New life. Little fingers and toes. Joy to the entire family. But this baby is even more special. This baby is unique – different from any baby before or since.
This baby is Immanuel. God with us.
Unlike any other baby at any time in history, He is the realization of God’s promise to Abraham:
“…all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:3b
Born in the lineage of Abraham, the Christ child is the fulfillment of that long ago promise. The blessing was given to Abraham, but it wasn’t just for Abraham – or even for Abraham’s family. Way back in the Old Testament, God promised that this particular blessing was for “all peoples on earth.”
Hundreds of years later, God made good on that promise when Jesus was born. The angel confirmed the promise when making the birth announcement for “all people.”
All means ALL!
Whether you are high or low on the social ladder, whether or not the world deems you “privileged,” “educated,” or “worthy” … this blessing is for you. It’s a message of not just joy, but great joy.
The shepherds heard it before anyone else. Not the leaders, or the elite of Jewish society. Coming first to those of lowly station, the message for “all people” was made clear: this joy is for everybody!
Our classes and distinctions, our prejudices and predispositions are all man-made. This joy is God-created! Joy is bigger than happiness. And the message that came with this heaven-sent-to-earth bundle of joy was JOY FOR ALL!
The arrival of Jesus brought hope for eternity … hope that transcends our position, performance, or pedigree here on earth. He brought a message of love and acceptance, of blessing beyond what any of us could dare hope or imagine.
A message that is so simple it borders on being unbelievable.
Many miss it or reject it. And many of us who have it somehow allow familiarity to render it stale.
Take a moment to ponder the miracle that God would humble Himself to become human. Pause to celebrate the indescribable wonder that Jesus came TO us and FOR us. His birth – and later His death – were all part of God’s ultimate sacrifice that offers us great joy. And let that reality bring a renewal of JOY to your heart today!
There are more than 3 weeks remaining in December …
plenty of time to start the study of
Reflections for Christmas in this month’s Write The Word.
Download your bookmark and SOAP study pages today to join us!
