Is This Love?

God Comes

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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 2:1-7

Nothing shows how much He loves like the fact that He came to earth for us. To have stepped out of eternity, to have entered time and to have come in the form of man is a feat that I can't fathom.

God had the power to create out of nothing. He set the planets in motion, decreed the rising and the setting of the Sun. But for you and for me he set aside all of that for the greater work of glorifying His Father through the saving of his children.

He Calls To Us

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 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. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. - Luke 2:8-19

Who did the Angels appear to? Was it the king, the priests, even someone of stature? No it was the shepherds. Even in the announcement of His birth God shows the pattern that Jesus exhibited in life. He appeared to fools to spite the wise.

Did you know that the shepherds were looked down upon? And not in the common laborer way. Shepherds in many ways were reviled. They were often seen as scoundrels and thieves. Especially by this time.

But God's angels announced the Lords birth to this rouges gallery. *_And they were changed by it._ *

He Give Us Perspective

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. - Luke 2:20

Had their circumstances changed? Not one bit. But when God intersects our lives it changes our perspective. This is a true act of love. It pulls us out of ourselves. Which I know is hard

He Keeps His Promises

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. - Luke 2:21-38

The last, but most important way God shows His love is in keeping his promises. Christ coming is the culmination of promises made over the entire history of mankind. From Genesis 3 to Luke 2 there are hundreds of prophesies across many years.

And it came at a point in history when God had been silent.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18-20‬ ESV)