Blaine Butcher taught today, presenting the Christmas story from the viewpoint of an angel in heaven.
The entire point of Christmas is that God made known His love for us by sending His son, Jesus. Jesus left heaven and came to earth to be born as a baby. He lived and experienced a human life, including thoughts, actions, emotions, betrayal, hurt, pain, loneliness, and everything else we experience as human beings during this journey on earth. He identifies with us. He suffered, bled and died for you and for me, because of the “infection” that was on the earth called SIN. God, and the angels in heaven (including the one teaching at today’s service), saw the impact this disease had and how it destroyed love, relationships, families, and all good things, so God sent the “cure.” This was in the form of a meek and mild infant, born into a peasant family who could not find a place to stay, so had to spend the night of his birth in a stable with animals. This is Jesus Christ. Savior, King, Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega.
INVITATION: Join us this week as we pray and meditate on some of the primary scriptures regarding the gospel story – the never failing cure for the disease of sin.
MONDAY: I Peter 1:10-12: Bible scholar John Piper states, “ the angels are stunned by the grace you’ve received in Christ, and longed to come see it for themselves.” Do you take the grace you have received for granted? Spend time today reflecting on God’s grace in your life.
TUESDAY: Hebrews 13:2: What is your perception of what an angel looks like or how they might appear in your life? How might this verse help you see “strangers” in your daily life?
WEDNESDAY: Genesis 6:5-6: Can we imagine God feeling grief? Seeing how far humans had fallen away from his original intention for them, God’s heart, we are told, was filled with pain. God grieved for the human soul that is dead because of sin. Early believers thought the primary remedy for the soul was to weep tears of compunction, sharing God’s grief at its misery and folly. How does it affect your image of God to imagine how he grieves over sin in your life?
THURSDAY: John 3:16: This verse is considered perhaps the most clear presentation of God’s plan to save the world from the disease of sin. As you enter into the truth of God sending His son at Christmas for the sins of the world, how does it help you enter into the true meaning of Christmas and keep a distance from the secular meaning of Christmas?
FRIDAY: John 1:14(a): The Word – Jesus – became flesh. Today during your time with God express your thanks for The Word becoming flesh on your behalf. Notice how this posture of gratitude affects your day and your interactions.
SATURDAY: Phil. 2:5-8: We are told our attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ in these verses. Our world and culture encourage us to try to be God’s and do not typically value being humble and a servant to others. How do you feel about this call on your life from Scripture? Hebrews 12:2 gives a way to live against the culture. It is to “keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” How can you better keep your eyes on Jesus each moment of each day? How might you carry that into the new year that is upon us?