God Motivation this Christmas

In order to be God motivated this Christmas, I'm going to need more than Away in a Manger. I think I struggle a little more each year with this season as we work through what to buy for people, whether or not to buy for certain people that may or may not expect a gift, and how we'll coordinate the travel to various family celebrations. Call me Scrooge. But one thing I really do want to do this Christmas is to look at it rightly, to look past the many distractions and be a God motivated observer of the holiday. Who is this Christ-child that we hear about even in the name of the day itself? After spending a little time reviewing the Nativity this week, I was reminded of a few things that got me more excited to celebrate the Savior. There were patterns of this Child's life that were set from his very first moments that greatly inspire my worship. In brief, here they are:

He was born into great controversy. Jesus didn't just choose to do and say things during His adult ministry that were politically incorrect, offensive to many, and challenging to all. From the get-go, His life was one that many people would have said should not have happened. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:18-19). Unwed pregnant teen girls are not all that much of a rarity today, but they were then. Joseph's kindness to Mary in this instance, even before the angel filled him in on what was going on, would not have been something that Mary would likely have found with most guys. In fact, the whole deal was so controversial (and just downright odd) that the public had no idea as Jesus was growing up that Joseph was only Jesus' adoptive dad (Luke 3:23). Jesus didn't have cute little onesies that said things like "100% Pure Virgin Born" or "Whose Yo Daddy? Mine's the Holy Spirit." They kept these things under their hats. But all fun aside, there was something awesome and dramatic about Jesus' entry into the world that set the stage for the amazing and controversial life that He lived. This is a manger Baby that I'm excited to worship this year.

His birth fulfilled ancient prophesy. Jesus wasn't the guy that people just decided to elect as the Messiah; his birth came about in a very specific way, controlled by divine activity. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (Matthew 1:22-23). Knowing this helps me to be God motivated in that I'm reminded of God's great power in bringing about circumstances from the very beginning of Jesus' life (a pattern that continued throughout His life) that set Him apart from and above all others. Immanuel, "God with us" was something new and remains fresh and unmatched, despite how liberal "scholars" try to undermine it. We've gotten pretty good around Christmas time of doing everything we can to get rid of all that Immanuel means; it does have a great element of danger I suppose. It would mean accepting the prophesies made about His birth and then having to wonder if all the other Scriptures relating to Jesus were ones that we also needed to pay attention to. "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6) just doesn't fit very well into our increasingly pluralistic society. But just the same, knowing who Jesus was, the Messiah prophesied about, ignites my faith this Christmas and draws my attention back to Him.

Jesus was born in great humility and glory. These two characteristics seem very opposed to one another, but for me it says even more about the uniqueness of Jesus and the consistency of His Person. He was the Jesus who only traveled locally, and that on foot, who did not fight back when he faced crucifixion, but who also performed astounding miracles and arose in immortality after being put in the grave. But humility and glory characterized His life from the beginning also. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:7). That's the side of humility. But the glorious side looked like this: And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). This was followed by a multitude of angels celebrating the glory of Jesus' birth. This is the Jesus I am delighted to worship this year, the One who humbled himself to a pauper's birth and a criminal's cross, the One who was extolled by the heavenly host and is now victorious in heaven. This is the God who motivates me this Christmas.

Lord God, there is much to distract your church this Christmas from Your Son who was born to establish her existence. Please put Him at the center of our minds and hearts this season. May He be our motivation for celebration. In His name, Amen.