So here’s an interesting way many of us worship God. Especially at this time of the year. We go to church because that’s what everyone does. We give gifts because that’s what we do. And we enjoy the holidays because we get time off work. But have we truly grasped this time of what it’s meant to be?! We pray selfish prayers for what we want and not the Lord’s will to be done. We worship Jesus as this idol figure because we should, not because of the King that he truly is!
Many of us in “the church” have our own version of who Jesus is. I’m not about to argue what’s right and what’s not because that’s not the point at all. The point is that our view of Jesus has often been tainted. We worship the season not the infant king. We worship the mother, not the man that changed the world. We walk in guilt for not doing what we’re “supposed to do” (like go to church sunday morning), even though all the Lord asks is that we meet with HIM!
So, why have we missed the reason for the season?
Maybe because we worship the legacy and image of who Jesus was after the fact of his sacrifice. Maybe we have missed the miraculous story of who Christ was, even though it was obvious if we only trusted from the beginning.
Think about it, a baby was born 2000 years ago. Nothing to exciting right? Well what if I told you he was born of a virgin? Remember a virginity is NOT having sex, and if you don’t have sex you won’t concieve a baby. But a girl, that happened to be a virgin, gave birth to a baby boy.
Now in Isaiah (chapter 7) the Lord asks Ahaz to ask the Lord your God for a sign. Ans Isaiah prophecies, “the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
For over 2000 years this prophecy, that came from the Jews by the way, has been overlooked. We question God all the time. Why? Clearly God did what he said he was going to do. What are the chances of a virgin giving birth after someone spoke the exact prophecy? God did what he said he was going to do!
And so we move on…this baby grew up in an environment much different than a literal king would. Of course he came as a poor carpenter’s virgin girlfreind’s child. There is no possible way we would worship him because of his title. We worship him because of who he truly was, not his credentials. And then what happened, he lived an extremely unselfish life. Unheard of if you ask me! He didn’t do anything because he felt like it. He never hurt anyone. He never cheated anyone. He showed the world a different way to live. A life much greater than anything we could tangibly touch, see, or taste. He was a radical. He lived by loving others. Time and time again this man that was once a virgin’s little baby boy, rocked our logical and intellectual world. He walked on water. He multiplied food in an instant. He raised people from the dead. He talked to spirits that only talked to him! The world had never seen that before, and heck we see and hear about it all the time today.
Then it gets even more dramatic, this man named Jesus who is kind of a kook to many gets tried and sentenced. He doesn’t defend himself, he doesn’t fight back, he accepts. He follows based on the choice of men around him. God gave us a choice and freedom to accept or reject Him. And what did we do? We chose not to listen to Jesus and instead we decide to kill him. And don’t forget just before we decide to kill him, Jesus predicts his own death. And he says something crazy: “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the son of man will be fulfilled. he will be handed over to the gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
And what happens? On the 3rd day Jesus is gone, the tomb empty. He has risen! So what’s not to believe here? Mere chance of all these things happening? People lying to make this all “really happen”? Who gets credit if it was all a hoax? What happens when we dive into what Jesus actually taught and shared. Maybe, just maybe if we find evidence today of such truth, then will the rest be valid?
I stand as one who calls himself a Christ follower. Jesus said we must have faith like a child. That means we can’t let our minds get in the way of what’s really going on. It’s hard I know, but I’m giving Jesus a chance here. I’ve seen healings happen. Mere chance? I have not seen a healing when I haven’t prayed? Life makes more sense now that I chose to give it up. As in giving up “my” needs and wants and letting God direct me for the purpose he created me.
So as we head into this Christmas season, let’s focus our hearts on Him, Jesus. Why did he come? If he’s real or not, look into scripture and seek for yourself. I guarantee you that if you are looking for truth you will find it. Step outside of yourself for once and guve up everything you are holding on to. Maybe then God can reveal himself to you through that little 8 pound, 6 ounce baby infant Jesus that we often overlook as the mighty saviour from ourselves.
