–Lou Bradshaw  (Comin’ Home)

       “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.”

                    –1 Corinthians 2:7 (NKJV)
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       Eighty-ones years ago America stood in shock at the devastating attack by Imperial Japan on our forces at Pearl Harbor.  December 7, 1941, was a day that “will live in infamy,” proclaimed President Roosevelt.  Four days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States; it had become World War II.
       People were stunned, people were angry.  My Mom worked at F.W. Woolworth in Boulder, CO and was called into work.  They had to take everything off the shelves that said “made in Japan” and destroy it.  It took four long, bloody years to defeat the forces that were against us, but slowly and assuredly our country marched to victory.  Now I wonder if we could endure such a war, especially with our woke culture having our military involving themselves more in “sensitivity training” rather than a force with which to defeat an enemy.
       That one day–that day of the vicious attack plunged the United States into a deadly war.  One day, and things were changed; lives were changed and many were lost.  
       But let me take you back to another day.  That day when deity came to earth in the form of a baby.  He dwelt among men, He walked with us, yet so many didn’t recognize Him and then they rejected Him.  Look at John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NKJV)  
       Yes, there was that day which we call Christmas. (And I’m not going to argue that it wasn’t actually Christmas day.  There was a day it took place and we have decided to celebrate it on the 25th of December).  There was a day when the King of Glory laid aside His royal robes and became a man.  Understand, He did not place aside His deity.  Even lying in the manger, depending upon Mary and Joseph, He was God.  Oh, the mystery of the Incarnation!  It has to excite and thrill the soul.
       Let me add to the wondrous story.  Paul tells us that “He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4, NKJV)  Only God…  It boggles my feeble mind to try to understand that the Son of God already had the plan of salvation, already had us in His “mind” before He even spoke those words to create.  But remember, God is not in time.  He transcends time.  He is the God of the past, the present, and the future.
       It makes my mind wonder, if when He smiled as a baby lying there, that He was thinking of the amazing mystery that we cannot understand but to His mind would be plain.
Look at the Babe, lying in the manger–God with us–Immanuel.  One day, as Paul writes, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”  (Galatians 4:4, NKJV)  One day, in the history of the universe, even before there was history, He came to us to fulfill His purpose–the salvation of mankind.  Look at the Babe.  The great Gift from the Father.  All that is needed is acceptance.   Now is the time to accept Him, for there is coming another day–another day in the fullness of times.  He will come to those who have accepted Him.  
       Sing out!  “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”

                         –Louis L’Amour  (“Mistakes Can Kill You”)

       “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

                         –Luke 2:52 (NASB)
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What is the most important scripture verse?  It may be different things to different people.  Some would certainly say, John 3:16 and wouldn’t be wrong.  I know of folks who have taken for themselves a “life verse” and there probably isn’t anything wrong with that, but they need to remember that they took it at an earlier time in their Christian walk.  We must also remember that “all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable…” (2 Timothy 3:16)  I want today to draw your attention to one of the key verses in the Bible–John 1:1-4 (NASB)

          1 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
          2 — He was in the beginning with God.
          3 — All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
          4 — In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

       The Son and the Word are the same; the Son is the manifestation of the Word.  Here was the thought of Christmas before there was a Christmas.  The Word was God.  From this very first verse we are told “of Christ’s eternality, His personality, and His deity.” (Alistair Begg)  He was in the beginning, and we are told later in the Bible that He laid the foundations of the world, therefore, He was before the beginning.
       Lay hold of that for a minute, dwell upon the thought of the infinite, eternal Christ.  The One who spoke and the cosmos was created.  He was/is the word, the thought, principle, speech, action…He is the “divine reason.”
       What does that have to do with Christmas?  I want you to take a different look at the baby in the manger.  This miraculous Child, lying there, actually helpless depending upon Mary and Joseph is this “Logos”–this Word.  The mystery of the Incarnation–the Son of God laying aside His glory to be born as a man.  The One who spoke the world into existence is in a manger of straw.  The One who put the natural and physical laws of the universe in order is there dependent upon the mankind He created.  “The child in the manger was the very same person who put the stars in the sky–including the very star which led the wise men from the east to come and worship Him.” (Begg)
       This year when you look at a nativity scene try not to see just a cute little Jesus.  See Him as He really is–the Creator, the One who brings life both physical and eternal.  See Him in His deity, not as a cute, cuddly infant.  “He is more than a man.  He was, is, and forever will be one with the God of all creation.”  (Begg)  Look at the mystery, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NASB)

                         –Bobby Cavazos  (The Cowboy From the Wild Horse Desert)

       “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

                         –John 3:17 (NKJV)
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               “Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.”
                              –Bess Streeter Aldrich

I had put together my notes and was planning on continuing with thoughts on Samson, when I was nudged (by the Holy Spirit and my wife) to focus on the reason for the season–our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I will continue with Samson and the Psalms after Christmas which means it may be January.  I trust that you have already determined to set your eyes upon the Lord during this time of year.  It is a grand time, a wonderful time, and a mysterious time.  With that I want to draw your attention to part of that mystery.  

          “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
                         –John 3:16 (NKJV)

          “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (Amplified)

This is one of, if not the most familiar verse in the Bible.  This is Christmas–God giving the gift of His Son.  This is part of two great mysteries:  the Trinity and the Incarnation.  But I want to concentrate on one word.  “Loved.”  This word, agape, has tremendous meaning.  It denotes tremendous passion, and, in fact, our word “agony” comes from this same root word.  Love and agony?  Think of the verse above, and let me paraphrase:  “God so agonized over the world.”  Can you picture the agony of God as He looked down upon this sinful world?  His love/agony over mankind needed a solution, hence, the sacrifice of His Son.
       When we look at the cross and the crucifixion we see tremendous physical and emotional agony.  There was also something happening in the spiritual world, a spiritual agony of sorts, but it started eons before when God loved the world…  So agonized in His love that He was willing for His Son to die to save mankind from their sins and give them life eternal.  Can you imagine what He sees today with those being offered so great a Gift and yet rejecting it?  “I gave My Son for you, don’t turn aside.  I have a great life for you, accept this Gift.”  My thoughts entirely, but…
       At the beginning of this Christmas season, look at the Gift of God’s infinite love.  How could He love so much?  I cannot explain, but He gave a gift in the form of His Son to save this sinful world, and that means you and me.  It may not be a carol, but the words of C. Bishop’s hymn come to my mind:

               “Such love, such wondrous love,
               Such love, such wondrous love,
               That God should love a sinner such as I,
               How wonderful is love like this!”

                         –J. Lee Butts  (Written in Blood)

       “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
                         –John 1:4 (NKJV)
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December!  What a wonderful month of celebration.  It is a month of birthdays:  my Mom’s (who dearly loved Christmastime) and my Aunt’s who were both born on this date.  And of course the main one that we celebrate is the birth of our Lord.  It is a month of singing:  carols and songs about the Christmas season.  Let me remind you that there is a difference between a Christmas song and a Christmas carol.  “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells” are examples of songs; “Silent Night” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” are examples of carols.  The carol is a hymn, and these bring reference to the Son of God–Jesus Christ.
       From time to time during the month I will refer to a hymn, and the first one was written in 1872 by Josiah G. Holland.  It is one that is rarely heard much less sung that tells of the birth of our Lord.  The Incarnation–what a mystery!  I doubt that the angels can even fathom what was taking place on the day in Bethlehem so many years ago.  Oh, there were on the scene, and they were praising and rejoicing, but I wonder, I just wonder if even they with their heavenly knowledge understood.

               There’s a song in the air!  There’s a star in the sky!
               There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
               And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
               For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

       There was commotion taking place.  The heavens were alive and the spirit realm must have been fluttering with excitement.  Imagine, the One who sits upon the throne has chosen to become a man.  The evil one must have grinned in delight for he now has a chance to defeat his foe, just as he did Adam in the Garden so long ago.  

               There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth,
               For the virgin’s sweet Boy is the Lord of the earth,
               Ay!  the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
               For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

       The star, that wondrous light that guided the magi to Bethlehem was more than a bright light in the sky.  I believe it represented the glory of God.  The glory that the Child willingly placed aside to come to earth to face the perils that each man faces, and more.  He would be attacked like no other ever had been or ever will be.  Yes, there was the physical abuse, but I can only imagine the emotional, and the spiritual war that took place within Jesus.  I like to think that when Jesus looked up into the heavens He remembered that star.  
       
               In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
               And that song from afar has swept over the world.
               Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
               In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

       Because of the birth of the Son, we have the hope of salvation.  Salvation that He provided on the cross, but started before at the birth.  Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior understand the warmth that is in their heart; one that is aflame during the Christmas season.  Look down upon the baby lying there so serene, so innocent, and remember that He is more than just another child; He is the Savior of mankind.

               We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song
               That comes down through the night from the heavenly throng.
               Ay!  we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
               And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

The star gave light to the magi to find the Child, just as He is the light for us to follow.  Rejoice, for we have seen a great light, the light of the world lying in a manger.