I love Christmas! 

The lights, tinsel and beautiful decorations, the music, Christmas stories (even reruns), the whole bit.  It is a wonderful time of year as we commemorate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Oh sure, the exact date may not be accurate, but the celebration is right.  The day (the whole season) remembers the birth of the greatest miracle this world has ever known, or ever will.

The Holy Ghost “overshadowed” a young virgin girl, most likely just in her teens; and she was told by an angel that the “holy thing" which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).  Lowly shepherds had an angelic confirmation announcement, and a phenomenal star guided wise men from the East to the house where the baby’s mother, Mary, and Joseph (the godly man chosen to rear this Holy Child) were living.

And that’s what we remember during the Christmas season—and we should!  But we must not leave the Holy Child Jesus in the manger; He grew up according to the Plan drawn up before the world was made.  With adoration, we look at the manger, but we don’t stop there; we acknowledge it as the Plan’s beginning.  We go further and worship the Redeemer who fulfilled His purpose on earth and now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Luke1:80 tells us “the child grew and waxed strong in spirit” and was “filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:40).  God’s Plan was developing just as He structured it.  When Jesus was twelve years old, His family traveled to Jerusalem for the feast as was their custom.  While there this Child astonished the doctors (learned men) in the temple with His understanding and answers.  Before they left, his parents received two prophetic messages as to the role of Jesus in “The Plan.”

Can’t you see the progression of the unfolding Plan that God has revealed to us in His Word—the Holy Child from His miraculous birth toward the Suffering Savior on the cross?  The Baby in the manger was born to fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9)

In Peter’s sermon at Cornelius’ house in Joppa, he introduced this Holy Child who had grown up as the one that “God anointed…with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good…for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

One day in the temple, Jesus stood up and said of Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).  Jesus demonstrated that He was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy concerning Him (Isaiah 4:18).

….The Plan Unfolds….

The path Jesus was traveling, would further fulfill prophesies of Isaiah who said of Him, “…and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6)…he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Now we can understand why Jesus said just before He died on the cross, “It is finished.”  The Plan is nearing its completion.  The earthy path ended for Jesus and His purpose on earth completed.  There is just one more step of the Plan to achieve our redemption.  On the third day after His terrible death on the cross, Jesus’ followers discovered that the tomb in which they had buried Him was empty!  To their great astonishment, He was gone!  Their understanding of the things He had told them of this had been unclear to them—now they knew, He had risen from the dead!

An angel at the empty tomb announced:  “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee” (Luke 24:6).

The Perfect Plan was in effect and working for the salvation and redemption of mankind.  The indescribable Love that had underwritten this incredible Plan for our redemption was in full force and could not be repealed!  Jesus had claimed His rightful place at the right hand of the LORD just as David had foreseen.  “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1).

That is why we can say with the writer of Hebrews, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v 12:2).

The Perfect, Divine, Complete Plan has been instituted to provide an eternal home for us who believe in and accept the passage to that home in the Eternal City purchased by the Baby in the manger who grew up to become the Man of God.  Stepping down from His position in Heaven, Jesus’ earthly journey took Him to Calvary where He paid the ultimate price that was on our life’s ledger in the debit column.  Our sin debt which we couldn’t pay was credited with full payment and stamped “Paid in full” by the obedience of our Redeemer, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was motivated by Love that is beyond our comprehension.  Our ticket has been paid in advance; we need only to claim it.  We will leave here “debt-free”!  He will soon be coming for us and we will be in His presence forever! 

Yes, yes!  We will celebrate the birth of this Child!  But as we do, we will remember that “He Grew Up” and became our Savior, worthy of our worship.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

“…Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9)

~~Delores~~