Greg's Notes

Mary, Did You Know?

Luke 2
Series:

I want to focus on that first Christmas Eve. I want to talk about where Jesus came to, why He came, and when He came. We know it was over 2,000 years ago, but that was not a random thing. It was God’s perfect timing. Galatians 4:4 says, “When the time was just right, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, to adopt us to bring us into the adoption of sons.” The time was “just right,” which means the time was fully developed, like a piece of ripe fruit, ready to be plucked.

Practical Principles

  1. Ultimately, God is in control. World figures come and go. Dictators come and go. Kings and queens, presidents, and prime ministers too. But the Lord moves people the way that He wants to move them. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The King’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord. He moves it however he pleases.”
  2. You need to make room for Jesus. Each of us is an innkeeper and we decide if there’s room for Jesus. The inn is your heart. I’m not talking just about asking Him in, but I mean making time for Him each and every day.
  3. The shadow of the cross lay over the beauty of the first Christmas night. To be blunt, Jesus came to die an agonizing death and to ransom us from an eternal death sentence.

Relevant Reminders

  • Everything in the world was in place for the arrival of the Messiah.
  • It’s been said, “History swings on the hinge of the door of a stable in Bethlehem.”
  • Red is the color of Christmas. Not because Santa wears red, or because sometimes we wrap our gifts in red. Red is the color of Christmas because red is the color of the blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross. 

Applicable Actions

What is Christmas at its best? It is gathering with family and friends, maybe enjoying a meal together, exchanging gifts, and worshipping together. But these are glimpses of things to come because in many ways, Christmas is a promise. It’s a glimpse of something greater. It’s really not about Christmas; it’s about Christ. That’s what we’re really longing for. Not merriment, but the Messiah. Not goodwill, but God Himself. Not presents, but His presence in our life.