Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and you’ll receive a blog about the legend of the talking animals.  So today, on the eve of Christmas Eve, you’re getting theological thoughts about the baby Jesus…

Setting the stage: God is in heaven sitting together with God’s heavenly hosts in all God’s glory, thinking.

God: I have a plan.

Angel: A plan for what?

God: To finally be with my people AND save them!

Heavenly hosts:  hahahahahaha!!

Angel 1: Remember the first time, how that worked out?  You told Adam and Eve they could have the run of the place, so long as they leave the fruit on one tree alone.  So, what did they do?  Eat that fruit!!  You had to kick them out of the garden and guard the entrance!

Angel 2: Yeah, and remember the next time?  You thought you could start over fresh.  Send a flood over the whole earth.  But, no.  You couldn’t do it.  You had a soft spot for Noah and his family and decided to let them live.  Then they had kids and their kids had kids and, well… see how well that all turned out!

Angel 3: So, you thought you’d try again with the Israelites.  You helped them escape slavery and while they’re in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, you feed them and take care of them every step of the way.  You tried to talk to them directly and to dwell with them again but, no, they wouldn’t have it!  They refused to talk with you and sent Moses to talk for them instead.

God: I know.  I know.  They were scared.  But this time, I have a fool-proof plan.  This one will work!

Angels 1, 2 and 3 together (eagerly): Okay.  What is it?

God: I’m going to go live among them.

Angel 1: You’ll frighten them to death!

God: I’m going to become human.

Angel 2: Like, a king?

God: Yes, in a way.  But, I’m going to become an infant.

Angel 3: Who’s baby?  Surely not King Herod’s?!?

God: No.  I’m going to become Joseph, the carpenter’s, son.  He’s engaged to a girl named, Mary.  I like her.  I’m going to be her baby.

Angel’s 1,2, and 3: What????  The people will kill you!

God: Yeah, I thought of that, too…

Comedy?  Drama?  Or greatest love story ever told?  Before we skip ahead to Good Friday and Easter, I want to spend some time thinking about the baby Jesus and what this means.

Martin Luther wrote a blog in response to this act.  Okay, he wrote reflections about it in a meditation he entitled “Nativity,” which is included in Martin Luther’s Christmas Book, by Martin Luther, full of meditations and sermons about Christmas.  Luther wrote:

Let us, then, meditate upon the Nativity just as we see it happening in our own babies. I would not have you contemplate the deity of Christ, the majesty of Christ, but rather his flesh. Look upon the Baby Jesus. Divinity may terrify man. Inexpressible majesty will crush him. That is why Christ took on our humanity, save for sin, that he should not terrify us but rather that with love and favor he should console and confirm.

Behold Christ lying in the lap of his young mother, still a virgin. What can be sweeter than the Babe, what more lovely than the mother! What fairer than her youth! What more gracious than her virginity! Look at the Child, knowing nothing. Yet all that is belongs to him, that your conscience should not fear but take comfort in him. Doubt nothing. Watch him springing in the lap of the maiden. Laugh with him. Look upon this Lord of Peace and your spirit will be at peace. See how God invites you in many ways. He places before you a Babe with whom you may take refuge. You cannot fear him, for nothing is more appealing to man than a babe. Are you affrighted? Then come to him, lying in the lap of the fairest and sweetest maid. You will see how great is the divine goodness, which seeks above all else that you should not despair. Trust him! Trust him! Here is the Child in whom is salvation. To me there is no greater consolation given to mankind than this, that Christ became man, a child, a babe, playing in the lap and at the breasts of his most gracious mother. Who is there whom this sight would not comfort? Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience, and guilt, if you come to this gurgling Babe and believe that he is come, not to judge you, but to save.

Contemplate the greatest love story ever told this Christmas.  Contemplate the love our Savior shows in becoming an infant child for you.  Read John 1:14, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1:14