God brings peace and joy- the one who created the stars slept under them

God brings peace and joy – the one who created the stars slept under them

Merry Christmas to all my readers and listeners. I thought it would be fitting to focus on God becoming flesh and dwelling with us this time of year. I want to approach this so that when you get to the end of the article, you will have become so confronted with the reality of what God did that you will be awe-struck and longing to let right thinking about God infiltrate every situation and moment of your life. I will look at creation, humans that oppose God, and humans that accept God, and put it all together to let this Christmas and the rest of your life become a life of worship and adoration.

Emmanuel means God with us; those who have been in Christ for any time have heard this from the pulpit. However, I want to take a moment to look at this from God’s perspective and give us a more profound reverence for what He did when He became a man and dwelt among us.

Creation from His Perspective

Ponder the following few sentences slowly:

The one who created the stars was now sleeping under them. The one who strung the planets in line walked on one. The animals He fashioned and sustained became sustenance for Him. The land He brought out of the water to form dry land held the weight of His body. Some of the trees that sprouted out of the ground were going to be fashioned into a torturous cross to hold Him as He was pierced and died.  The humans he created and sustained were listening, seeing, and touching God in the flesh- God was with us. Those same humans would turn on Him and have their creator, Savior, and sustainer public executed as a common criminal.

Why did I want you to slow down to read the last few sentences? In those sentences, I wanted God's perspective to be forced into your heart. God dwelled among us- Emmanuel. The God who creates and keeps everything going steps down inside of all the going. Neither did He have to nor was He under any obligation to dwell here. This should melt you. The King of the universe -His Majesty- would dwell among us. Oh my, He visited us! I want to shift now to the perspective of those who opposed God when He lived among us.

Humans that opposed God

Not everyone embraced God in the flesh; the scriptures revealed that this child would be a King and the government would be on His shoulders. This was a threat to all those in power, with those in the government's leadership and the religious leadership who led under the control of the government of Rome. Herod tried to have Jesus killed at a young age. Many mothers mourned as soldiers came in and killed their children as they watched helplessly. God communicated with Joseph, and he took the child and his mother and went to Egypt. The child was safely brought back after Herod’s death, and He continues to grow in favor of God and man. His teaching was in opposition to those religious leaders.

He taught in the temple at a young age, and people and leaders were confounded by His teaching. The God of all creation was teaching with clarity and authority. The ones who were supposed to be eagerly awaiting His coming completely missed the fulfillment of God’s revelation to them. Instead of embracing the messiah, they wanted Him dead. The hatred they had for Jesus led them to gather paid liars together to testify falsely, which ended in His crucifixion. See, the Christ child brought division right away. The ones in control and with political power wanted Him to die. Nevertheless, the broken and poor in spirit listened to the authority of His teaching and saw the miracles testifying to His life.

His creation was drawn to His power and authority even though those with earthly power and authority rejected Him.

The human relationships that accept God      

Not only did God appear to the outcasts of society, like the shepherds, but He also revealed Himself to the intellectuals and wealthy. They brought Him gifts from afar. Everyone within his community saw when these wise men showed up, and word traveled what was given to the child. Jesus could sympathize and relate to humans because He was one. Some who followed watched Him grow up. I can promise those shepherds who had the angels appear to them watched His life closely and told others about Him. We know the poor turned to Him and received healing, care, and forgiveness. We know the intelligent and wealthy came from far away to honor Him.

 However, some followed with the wrong motive. Some planned how to end him, while others sought Him for what He could do for them. Nevertheless, people follow His life with curiosity and amazement. As he spoke, some began to see that He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies. It is for this purpose that Jesus came to this earth to be the fulfillment of God’s revelation to His creation. I will take a few more lines to put it all together for us so that the truth of God would consume our hearts.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Putting it all together leads to a life of worship

Christmas comes toward the end of the year, and this is a reminder of what Christmas brings for those of us who believe in the Christ child- a new beginning.  All creation given by the power and care of His hand testifies that this new beginning is available for those who are awakened to the need for help and desire to receive it.

The humility in the creator of all the earth coming to dwell among us should well up in us a humility that leads to gratitude.  He lived beneath, beside, and inside what he created: the sky, stars, planets, trees, plants, animals, oceans, and humans. He was opposed, yet He did not revile back. He lived a simple life – compared to those religious leaders of His day- yet it profoundly impacted millions and continues to do so today. His power, position, and authority were not center stage in front of the rich and powerful. It was displayed in the most simple areas in a small Jewish house, at a wedding, or beside a Sea.

Many came to Him and followed some with the wrong motives; however, those who encountered Jesus left different. Even the powerful did not want responsibility for His death -Herod and Pilate. It was the broken that received peace and joy everlasting.

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (Matthew 27:45)

Everyone seeks joy and peace; they pursue it relentlessly, exhausting themselves by chasing everything that will not give it. Nevertheless, that baby in the manager stands like a tower over human history, drawing all who truly want peace and joy.

Whoever opposes Him does so to their detriment. I plead with you this Christmas season to let the awe and wonder of Christmas forever change you. You have sinned against your creator. How? If you have lied, stolen, not always honored your father or mother, or blasphemed God’s name, you have broken God’s rules for life. This does two things for you. First, it shows that God is good for giving these rules. Two, you are the one who is evil for breaking them. Acknowledge that you are wrong for doing so. This is called repentance. Place saving faith in what the Christ child did when He became a man. Faith in His death, burial, and resurrection will free you from the weight of your sin. Your sin deserves a just punishment in hell. You can be rid of what you deserve by repenting and placing saving faith in Christ. If you do this, you will bear fruit, proving you have genuine saving faith. Do so today. If you reach out to us, we will send you a free Bible to help with your new relationship with Jesus.

 If you believe in the baby in the manger, contemplate the peace and joy He gives, and continually remind yourself of who you worship. The humble King and creator that came down into the creation He designed and sustains to fulfill the scripture to bring us peace and joy. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!! Until next month, go out and share or proclaim the gospel because the truth worth sharing or proclaiming is the truth that transforms.  If you would like to become a monthly champion, give here.