Saturday, January 5, 2019
Michah 5:4 And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST TINSEL
A small number of believers welcomed the arrival of the Christ. Along with Mary and Joseph, we can count Elizabeth and Zacharias, the shepherds, and Simeon and Anna. Sometime later, after Joseph moved his family into a house, the Wise Men came.
What was it that drew these people to Jesus? The nativity scene is depicted in picture and song in lovely ways, but there was nothing about the sight which merited more than a passing glance, let alone worship and praise.
What moved those believers to place their entire hope in this Child is that which moves us to do the very same thing: it was the Word that God connected with this Child! Here was the Christ through whom the power of Satan would be crushed. The wounds and stripes afflicted upon Him would result in our spiritual healing. And we have heard from the very lips of the Messiah Himself, that those who believe in Him shall never die, and that He shall return one day to receive us into His Father's house.
Though those who greet Him and worship Him in truth may be few in number, merely a remnant, Micah gives them good reason not to fear. It is because the Lord shall stand, and He shall rule in strength and majesty so that His flock may abide.
Amid all of the decorating, baking, and singing of carols, how many people made the connection between the birth of Christ and the redemption of their souls from eternal ruin?
Christmas is about how Christ came to offer His life to save us from damnation in hell to a place reserved in heaven for eternity. Everything else is just tinsel.
-- From the "Lutheran Spokesman"
