LUKE 2:9-14, That First Christmas

Christmas spirit is all around.
Bright lights, joyful songs, colorful gifts, and reunions - they are in every corner!

This is the only time of the year where parties and celebrations are everywhere.
We love to give gifts and play joyful songs.
We intentionally meet with friends and families we haven't met for a while or even reconnect with those people we had some disagreement from the past.

There is something about this season why we do those things.
That love we wanna spread, that joy we wanna share, that kindness we wanna show and that forgiveness we wanna give - there must be something ultimate we have received why this season brings us such vibes and feelings.

The bible tells us that one starry starry night way back from more than 2000 years ago, in a manger, a child was born and prophesied that he will bring GREAT JOY for all people.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.””
- Luke 2:9-14 (NLT)

The radiance, the joy, the wrap and the songs this season - all started because a Savior has been born.
Their origin was traced back that one night when Christ came down to this world - That First Christmas night.

But did you realized that since Christ is King why didn't He came down looking like one?

Christ could choose Himself to be wrapped in a mind-boggling show of power in the presence of all angels and heavenly hosts yet He chose to wrap himself in the likeness of men in the presence of the shepherds and animals.

He was born illegitimate in the sight of this world for he was born out of wedlock.

His first visitors are the lowliest of the community.

He sleeps among the animals away from their home town.

No wealth, popularity or privilege in the world's eye can be associated with His arrival that night.

He was nothing like the Savior that the world expected for He represented everything the world wants to reject.

He entered our world with all humility - why? because Christ came here not to live but to die.

He came to serve not to be served.

He came to be our ultimate example of how to live a perfectly obedient life to the Father.

So as we celebrate this season,
We may remember that out of all the lights displayed, Christ is the first-ever light shone in our lives - to be our hope and guide. (JOHN 8:12)

That out of all the Christmas songs we're hearing and singing, first Christmas Carol happens that one night when vast of heavenly hosts sang praises to God because He sent His son for us. (LUKE 2:13-14)

That out of all the gifts we're receiving, Christ is the first-ever gift, wrapped for us to die on the cross for our sins. (EPHESIANS 2:8-9)
It even touched my heart all the more realizing that as our exchange gifts have worth, we also have worth to Christ for He bought us at a high price (1 CORINTHIANS 7:23) and treated us as His special possession. (1 PETER 2:9)
While did you know that Christ was only sold for thirty pieces of silver which are equivalent to the value of a slave their days? (MATTHEW 26:15)
I felt sorry realizing that while He values us that much, we only value Him that less - and so this Christmas may we show to everyone His real worth in our lives for He deserved more than that and we can never thank Him enough.

Lastly, we may remember that out of all the reunions we're attending, first Christmas gathering happens when the poor and the wealthy, the forgotten and the popular, the lowliest and highest of the community unites in His birth - These are when Shepherds and the Wise men came that first Christmas.
Truly, He holds everything together. (COLOSSIANS 1:17)

So I don't think we can celebrate this season leaving Christ behind - because He came we have a reason to celebrate, we have a reason to be merry, we have a reason to give and we have a reason to sing.
Thanks be to God for giving us GREAT JOY which all began that first Christmas.