Missing the Christmas Story?

It's the Christmas Season again! Typically, many are anticipating the events of the season by making plans, buying presents, developing menus, and finalizing travel arrangements. For believers, we are trying to do the same things yet, we also try to add Jesus to the mix by recognizing that “He is the reason for the season.” And while I believe that we get the “point” of Christmas, we sometimes miss the most important aspect of the Christmas story. Matthew's and Luke's account (Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 1:26-2:20) give us the details surrounding the birth of Christ and the prophetic implications of His coming, namely, bringing salvation and the kingdom of God to a world in captivity. John's account of the Christmas story, however, provides a picture of what those things actually mean. You might be questioning the fact if I've ever read the gospel according to John because there is no mention of Mary and Joseph before Jesus was born, the virgin birth, Bethlehem, the wise men, shepherds, angels, or a baby in the manger. In fact, John's description is summed up in one, yet extremely powerful verse that states: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us...” (John 1:14).

For many, that verse reminds that Jesus came to us in the flesh and walked this earth clothed in humanity. The phrase of “making His dwelling among us” is often translated “tabernacled” among us. In other words, the God of the universe pitched a tent on earth and lived among us. We sing songs about Emmanuel or “God with us” and we're reminded of this great mystery of God making Himself flesh. Yet, how often do we consider the implications of this truth and its relation to the Christmas story? Its easy to relegate this to a picture of a helpless baby in a manger who grows up to die on a cross for our sins. After all, that is the reason why He had to come--there was no other way. The unfortunate thing in all of this is in seeing Emmanuel through the eyes of history and not through the truth of reality.

Jesus did come in the flesh and dwelt among us. It is an historic fact that cannot be disputed (unless you're a rouge secular scholar who ignores what even the most critical of skeptics have conceded to recognize). In the Christmas story, we as believers, tend to capsulize the event into a “silent night, holy night”“ which was on a “cold winter's night that was so deep.” We look back on the story during this season and create a nostalgic feeling that brings about excitement when we reminiscence about the coming of the child-King. John's statement, however, runs much deeper than to simply remind us that Jesus came as Emmanuel. Rather, John offers us a picture of what the coming of Jesus would be in reality to “all who received Him, to those who believed in His name...” (John 1:12). In becoming “children of God” something incredible happens----we become the Christmas story!

If I were to ask the simple question of “where does God dwell?” many would respond, “In heaven.” If I were to ask “Where does Jesus dwell?” to a believer, the answer would most likely be “In my heart.” The reality is that as believers, God has chosen to make His dwelling in the tent of our flesh. Its not that He “dwelt among us” as the KJV renders, but that He is even now “dwelling among us” in the tabernacle of our flesh. As Christians, we carry the light within us. We are the helpless babes who are completely dependent upon our Father to help us live as we should in this world. We are the one who have been called to tell a world bound in captivity that “salvation has come” and the “kingdom of God” is at hand. Emmanuel has now become “God with us, GOD IN US!” Christmas is not a story that is confined to history but it is a story that is continuous until the day when Jesus comes once again to bring all things to completion. So while we may enjoy the traditions of this Christmas season and indulge in some things that in light of eternity really have no importance, let's not forget the most important truth of the Christmas story: We are the dwelling of “the Word made flesh” called to shine light into the darkness and to proclaim “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth to men” for salvation has come through Jesus Christ!

The Coming of a King

It was dark days and the world was in disarray when the announcement first came to a people who were subject to a wicked king, “ The people walking in darkness have seen a great light…for unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:1, 6). The words of the prophet Isaiah came at a time when trusting God was no longer in the interest of the Israel. King Ahaz had decided, despite the fact that Isaiah had told him to “trust God” when faced with the invasion of an enemy, to take it upon himself to place the “government upon his shoulders.” For most kings, this was the normal way of life----they were kings and they ruled their kingdoms. Not so with Israel. They had a king, but he did not rule the kingdom. He was not to be the supreme ruler; rather, he was to be an administrator and was to faithfully serve the people under the hand of God’s authority. God’s people allowed a tyrant on the throne who had forgotten that when it came to His kingdom, God alone had the authority to rule and reign.

The repercussions of Ahaz (and other kings who choose to place the “government upon their own shoulders”) brought the people of God into even darker days under the rule of an empire not their own: Rome. During those days another announcement came, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12). In the midst of living among the most powerful earthly kingdom to ever be upon the face of the earth in all of history, God announced that His king had now come to change the entire power structure of mankind. This time, however, it was not about lands, armies, empires, or politics. It was about coming to rule the unconquerable kingdom of the hearts of man and the human spirit. Although a few recognized that the “child was given” to rule and reign in their lives, many continued on in the same fashion as Ahaz and trusted in their ability to rule their own lives.

Psalm 89 speaks of God’s rule and reign over all of creation. It calls for men to bow before His throne and just as Isaiah promised, the psalmist recognized that one day that upon David’s throne, would sit one who would be exalted over all the “kings of the earth” and who would rule forever (Psalm 89:27-29). Today, that person is sitting on that throne. Do we recognize that? The psalmist goes on to describe something that is all too common in our world concerning this King---“You have exalted the right hand of his foes…” (Ps. 89:42). The psalmist recognized that because Israel failed to maintain the covenant relationship between and God and themselves, God turned them over to the authority of their enemies. The result is that for many, like in the days of Ahaz and in the days of Rome, nothing has changed and life remains under the rule of someone other than the One who is destined to rule.

Christmas is a powerful reminder that a King has come. He has not come to simply give us a warm and wonderful story that will be reproduced over and over until we lose sight of its true meaning. He came to be KING! He came in the hopes that we would no longer “exalt the right hand” of his foes and would exalt Him to the rightful place in our lives. In the bible, the “right hand” is symbolic of authority, rule, and power. Isaiah’s promise was that when the child was born, the “government will be upon his shoulder.” In other words, He was given the authority to rule and reign in our lives. We’ve been given this promise. We’ve been given this King to rule and reign our lives----but is His right hand exalted in our lives or that of his foes? The foes are no longer physical governments that attempt to dictate to how men should live; consequently, it is the government of men's hearts that stand to assert the “right hand” of authority over Christ. It is pride, greed, envy, lust, anger, bitterness, doubt, worry, and fear that represent the “foes” of this King. We cannot go through life after having encountered the King and then exalt the right hand of his foes in our hearts----otherwise, His coming to us would be in vain. We would be no different that the countless people who throughout the ages have missed the point: Jesus Christ has come to rule and reign as King over our lives. Either He is or He isn’t. A salvation that doesn’t have Jesus Christ reigning in our hearts and reigning over His foes is no salvation at all! 

If there is any doubt as to why Jesus Christ came, it will one day be made crystal clear. This king is coming once again. In his first coming, he established a throne within the hearts of men. In his second coming, he will establish his physical kingdom. No longer will there be ANY foes to be found. Echoing throughout the heavens and the earth we will hear “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). My prayer is that during this Christmas season you would remember that we have been given a King to rule our lives and because of that, we would actually allow Him to have that place in our hearts.