The Reality of Christmas - a podcast by David K Payne

Luke 2:16–20 (NLT) They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

 

“The nativity mystery “conceived from the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary”, means, that God became human, truly human out of his own grace. The miracle of the existence of Jesus , his “climbing down of God” is: Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary! Here is a human being, the Virgin Mary, and as he comes from God, Jesus comes also from this human being. Born of the Virgin Mary means a human origin for God. Jesus Christ is not only truly God, he is human like every one of us. He is human without limitation. He is not only similar to us, he is like us.” 
― Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline

 

Consider how many times we have heard rave reviews or bold predictions about what the restaurant is like, or how great the resort is, or how amazing the show was. Those times when people promised the other person was beyond explanation. The promises of the politicians who proclaim what is to be. We hear all these promises, we make room in our schedules to check it out, only to be disappointed more times than not.

Well this is not how it is with our story! For thousands of years the prophesies were given concerning a savior, a messiah. It was told of His birth and now these simple shepherds had such an amazing encounter they left their sheep and went to see this child. But unlike so many experiences in our lives, this one was different. This time what was foretold was actually true...The baby was there and though many might have overlooked the child, the shepherds came expecting and were not disappointed... it was just as the angels had declared.

So now some two thousand years later we have the privilege of time. We are able to compare what was foretold to what actually happened. We see that what was said about Christ and about what He would do, actually occurred. Historically it is just as they said it would be.

More importantly for you today, what you celebrate on this Christmas day is real. There was a baby born and He lived, grew up, worked, taught, healed, transformed and ultimately saved so many people from their sins and circumstances. Today as you meditate on these things, know of assurance that what He has been to and done for others, is available for you today. Ask Jesus into your heart and recommit to providing room for Him in your life every day.

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