I’ve spent the past few weeks in preparation for Christmas. A holiday that some of the Christian faith celebrate through the beginning of January. A holiday, that for many has become a secular celebration. More snowmen and Snoopy decor is sold than mangers and wisemen. Yet, Luke 2 is one of the most renown stories in all the world, in fact you’d be hard pressed to find a more famous story. Still, some reading this don’t know what Luke 2 is, but they in fact do, everyone knows the story, but the source is what so many avoid.
So, what is the story about? Really? I once heard “A Preacher” rattle off an inpressive list of adjectives in an attempt to describe the indescribable. And it got me to thinking back to Advent. Names, what is Christmas it all about.
I suppose its easiest to start in the beginning. In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1. The Word. The Word of God created existence. That’s unfathomable to our primitive and logically driven 2 pound brains. Yet, to a child, the miraculous is commonplace, and we are called to have childlike wonder. In John 1:14 the spirit of Christmas is revealed, not through the narrative of Mary and Joseph, but succinctly. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. – John 1:14. If He is the Word, and The Word was there in the beginning, and then became flesh through Him… then shouldn’t we take the time to get to know The Word. Afterall, we all know that “the book is always better than the movie.” So, just read the book.
The Word is just the beginning. One of my personal favorite parts of scripture is Exodus 3:14. God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you. Other translations say “I AM THAT I AM.” Either way this is a great moment. Moses, stuttering and afraid asks what he should tell people when he returns, who sent him? God then drops the mic with “I AM.” In reality, no other description could do because God is indescribable. This definition is expanded upon, once again in John. Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” – John 8:58. The permanency and infinite nature of a man who is more than a man, a man born of a virgin, sinless, perfect…a man who…just is. We define ourselves by career, relationship, title, etc. Only He could say “I Am” and it make sense.
So He is The Word, He is “I Am”, yet we just spent exorbitant amounts of money for gifts wrapped in printed paper to be ripped up and thrown away, adorned dead trees in our houses with lights and ornaments to celebrate the Son of God. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. – Luke 1:35. As inconceivable as it is, this baby had lived long before He was born. As He later explained, “before Abraham was, I am.” As The Word, He was there in the beginning. It is His nature as the Son of God that makes Him accessible. God flooded the earth, turned cities to ash, women to pillars of salt, rained fire and brimstone, destroyed the tower of Babel. His son however, well, healed the sick, raised the dead, loved the sinners and sacrificed himself for all mankind. It is human nature to believe that generations are built upon. As mortal minds we expect the next generation to be better than the last, we want our children to surpass us and do better. God knows our minds, hence He gave us the Son of God to restore our faith and save us from ourselves.
Isaiah 59:20 says The Redeemer will come to Zion. Redemption is such an appealing concept to us. Mainly because we are beyond redemption when left to your own devices. Apologizing and being contrite is like attempting to smooth out a crumpled piece of paper, once its crumpled, its crumpled. To be redeemed is not only to be rescued, it is to be restored. When the jews fled Egypt, they were rescued, but it qas kore than that, they were restored as the Chosen of God’s people, they were redeemed. Jerusalem sits on top of Mount Zion. Long before Mary gave birth in a stable, in the city of David, a prophet said that a Redeemer would come to Zion. Jesus went to Jerusalem to be sacrificed, He went there to die there, this sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice to God would restore our relationship with God, it would rescue us from our sin, it would redeem us.
I could keep going…I could go on and on with different titles and names.
Light of The World; Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ – John 8:12
Lamb of God; John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look the Lamb
of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ – John 1: 29
Another favorite of mine, Mediator; For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Immanuel; The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14 or, if you want New Testament…they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’) – Matthew 1:23.
If you have kids, you have legos, if you don’t have kids, you can afford to go places with fancy architecture. If you have both…well…nice for you. Either way, the significance of a Cornerstone is only something I recently related to Him. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation. – Isaiah 28:16 (God’s people are) built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. – Ephesians 2:20.
Bread of Life; I am the bread of life….I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. – John 6:48 & 51
The Vine; I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener…..I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. – John 15:1 & 5
Glory of the Lord; The glory of the Lord will be revealed – Isaiah 40:5
One title that He holds is one we often overlook, because we are called to be apostles, we are called to do His work, we are called to carry the gospel and we are called to build His kingdom… yet, if we are “called” to do that then we have to acknowledge that in our natural state, we arent doing that. In our natural state, we stand in the crowd shouting “crucify Him.” He is the Man of Sorrows; He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of sorrows, and familiar with pain. – Isaiah 53:3
Alpha and Omega; I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is
to come, the Almighty. – Revelation 1:8
Prince of Peace; For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given …and he shall be called… Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6
Of course a pop culturally timely title is The Way; Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ – John 14:6
Another favorite of mine, to the point, Lord; Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. – Acts 2:36
Some of you who like the flowery symbolism and metaphorical passages may be fond of The Morning Star; I, Jesus… am… the bright Morning Star. Revelation 22:16
Good Shepherd; I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. – John 10:11. If you like this one google “parable of the lost sheep” and thank me later.
Messiah; Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. – Matthew 16:20
Son of Man; The Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. – Matthew 12:40. This is even more explored in Daniel 7:13-14, but I don’t do Bible studies at my Church, so, read it on your own. Point is, He is both divinity and humanity.
Christ; The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). – John 1:41. “Messiah” is a Hebrew word, and “Christ” comes from the Greek “Christos” which means that someone is annointed. He was called Christ because He was not just here for Jews, He was God’s king, annointed for the world.
At this point, this one is pretty self explantory, but at this point, why not, Saviour/Savior; ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord’. – Luke 2:11.
And definitely my favorite, Jesus; Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. – Matthew 1:21. The name Jesus means “The Lord Saves.” His dad picked that name for Him, knowing how the story ends, or begins, time is all relative to the Creator of the cosmos. Point is, that’s His name, not a title, His name…and that’s what it is all about.
I know this was a tad longer than you’d like, but I was influenced by a preacher a tad more verbose than usual, so, it pans out just fine. Point is that in a few weeks Christmas will be over, and as you drag the tree to the curb, as you box your lights, as you undecorate, don’t stop celebrating all that He is, was and will forever be. He is not just the “reason for the season”…He is everything.
