Tag: christmas

Kids & Kingdom- Children in the Gospels: The Christ Child

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn Imago Dei Class, Kids & KingdomLeave a comment

Every year we pause and reflect on the miracle of the incarnation at Christmas time. It is one of the most important elements of the Christian faith, and is foundational to understanding the gospel and salvation. Entire books have been written seeking to explain the numerous details or implications of the incarnation. My goal is not to explain it fully here. But I do want to highlight one very important point about God’s entrance into the world, and that is how he came- as a child.

In my previous post, we read the prophecy concerning the virgin giving birth to a son in Isaiah 7. Just a few chapters later in Isaiah, we are given more information about The Son that will be born. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness, from this time forth and forevermore” (Isa 9:6-7).

“For to us a child is born.” The Son of God who upholds the universe by the word of his power (Heb 1:3) could have entered the world in any way he wanted. He could have come as a thirty year old man ready to begin ministry. Just as God created Adam as an adult, he could’ve allowed his Son to become man by simply fashioning a body out of dust for him.

As God took Elijah up into heaven, he could have sent his Son in human form down from heaven. Jesus could have come in a grandiose way where he would be seen and known instantly. Or he could have mysteriously come as Melchizedek does in Genesis 14. But he didn’t. He came as a child. As an infant. As a fetus. As an embryo.

Jesus of Nazareth was born to a poor family traveling to Bethlehem. The offspring that was promised to Eve, Abraham, David, and Israel was finally here. And as all offspring comes, he came as an infant, fully dependent on his mother’s sustenance and care. The nature of his coming is important. If he didn’t come this way, all of the offspring promises could not have been fulfilled in him, because he would not have been anyone’s offspring!

Christians often say that Jesus was fully God and fully man. But there was a time in his life when he was fully God and fully child.  Luke tells us that he “grew and became strong” and “increased in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:40, 52). He grew up as other children did, in their homes and in their communities, learning, playing, eating, and celebrating. He spent time with siblings, cousins, and other neighborhood kids. He did kid things. But there were signs that he was different.

Continue reading “Kids & Kingdom- Children in the Gospels: The Christ Child” →

Post-Christmas Blues: Why Christmas Leaves Us Longing for More

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn Devotionals, Miscellaneous6 Comments

It’s a feeling that comes every year. I felt it yesterday when our timed lights on the Christmas tree cut off for the last time of the Christmas season. We spent an entire month leading up to this day, and just like that, it’s over. I remember feeling the same way as a child. It’s the same feeling I would get when a good friend would have to go home after coming over to play. I call it the post-Christmas blues.

As a child, I felt the blues because there were no more presents or family gatherings, and I had to go back to school. Its certainly not as strong now, but I still feel it. I love Christmas and everything about it. Every year, I am sad to see it go. But why?

I don’t think its the lights, trees, decorations, or festivities. Nor is it the family meetings, delicious goodies, or joy of seeing my kids enjoy Christmas day. All of these things are great, but what is unique about Christmas, especially for followers of Jesus, is a month long opportunity, not to savor the external trinkets of Christmas, but to savor the reason for Christmas: the Savior Himself. And to do so with the people that we love.

As an adult, I’m not as concerned about all the external trappings of Christmas. I am concerned about worshiping Jesus as I ought to, and leading my family to do the same. And Christmas is an incredible opportunity to do just that. But here’s the thing. Every year when Christmas ends, I feel like I didn’t do enough.

I didn’t read enough advent devotionals. I didn’t meditate on the incarnation enough. I didn’t lead enough discussions with my family on the meaning of God sending His Son. I didn’t encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ enough. I didn’t sing the songs of the season with enough of my heart. I didn’t sit back and rest in Jesus enough. I didn’t share the news of His coming with nearly enough people.

The post-Christmas blues, then, are just a symptom of this underlying diagnosis: I am not enough. I will never worship, serve, and glorify God enough. But its at this point that I must remember the whole point of Christmas: that God knows I will never be enough. No one can be. But His Son is! True enough- I haven’t worshipped Jesus as much as I could have this season. But my relationship with God is not based on how much or how well I worship Him. It is based on the perfect life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. And in that I can rest in every season.

A Longing for Heaven

I have learned to embrace the post-Christmas blues. God has set eternity in our hearts, and if we are His people, nothing on earth will satisfy us. That’s a good thing, because we were not created for this world alone.

In heaven, we will get to spend unhindered time with God’s people, with family, and with friends. In heaven, we will get to rest and enjoy all that God has done for us. In heaven, we will get to worship Jesus perfectly. And we will be able to do all of these things without the distractions of this world.

In heaven, the warmth, the light, the joy, will never end. Because we will be with God. That’s what my heart longs for every Christmas. And that’s what remains just out of my grasp every year, so that I will never be fully satisfied until I take hold of it. Until then, I will be content to taste the coming beauty of heaven every Christmas season, and to embrace the blues that come along with it, as it reminds me year after year, the best is yet to come.

The Triune God: The Ultimate Christmas Gift

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn Theology1 Comment

Christmas is here! And all that comes with it: lights, decorations, gatherings, and…gifts. What does that last word do for you- gifts? Does it create excitement, perhaps over the gift you might receive or give? Or does it create a sense of burden over the gifts you need to purchase? Whichever it may be, how would you feel if I told you that our practice of gift-giving could (and should) deepen our appreciation of the Triune God?

Why do we give gifts at Christmas, anyways? We may say, “because God has given us the gift of salvation.” And while that may be true, the gift God has given us is much more than that. The ultimate Christmas gift is a Trinitarian gift. It’s a gift prepared, given, and protected by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a gift that redeems the world and restores all that mankind lost in the Garden of Eden, chiefly, an intimate relationship with the Triune God.

When God gives us the gift of salvation, He gives us Himself and the ability to know Him. That’s what we lost in Eden. Everything else is merely a symptom of that broken relationship. So God prepares, purchases, and extends this gift to us. But He does so through each member of the Trinity giving themselves so that we may know God in all of His fullness. Let me explain.

Continue reading “The Triune God: The Ultimate Christmas Gift” →

John 1: The Word Became Flesh

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

This year, my family, some friends and I are reading through the book of John counting down to Christmas. Each day we are reading a chapter and I am writing an analysis. Please join us! Today is John Chapter 1.

John 1

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, He was in the beginning with God.” (verses 1-2).

In the very beginning of the book of John, we are given a clear representation of who Jesus is. From these first two verses, what are we told? That in the beginning, the Word was there, with God, and was God. So who or what is this “Word?” None other than Jesus himself! Skim down to verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Aha! Now we can read these “Word” verses with this knowledge in mind. Lets summarize what this section tells us about Jesus:

  • In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. (v.1)
  • He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. (v.2)
  • All things were made through him (Jesus), and nothing was made without him. (v.3)
  • In him (Jesus) is life, and he is the light of men. (v.4)
  • Jesus put on flesh and dwelt among us (v.14)

Is this odd that John starts with these deep truths about Jesus right at the beginning? Why would he do that? I believe he was intentional about it, because he believed it was absolutely crucial to understand that Jesus was God in the form of a man, to understand the gospel at all!

So what else is unique here? (besides John the Baptist, I will write of him in a later post). Look at this verse, “No one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (verse 18). What does this tell us? The 2nd time the verse says “God,” it is referring to Jesus! Some older manuscripts read “The only Son…..has made him known.” We could also read this verse now thinking of Jesus: “No one has ever seen God, but Jesus, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”

So Jesus has come to make God known, and so that we can know Him! As we read on in John, we will see that because of our sinful condition, this was the only possible way that we could be made right with God. The Bible calls this “knowing God” eternal life; “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

We will see as we continue reading that Jesus came to accomplish this very purpose, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). But first he must live a life of perfect obedience, offer up his life by being nailed to a cross, and rise from the grave to do so. I hope you will join my family and me as we continue to read the gospel of John this Christmas season, as we strive to know God through the amazing gift he has given us: Jesus!