View source for 64. On the Birth of Christ

==ON THE BIRTH OF CHRIST==

"I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!" Luke 2:10-11

What angelic mind can descend into the depth, or soar to the height of redeeming love! "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh." "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." "Jesus Christ was of the seed of David;" and yet, "is over all, God blessed forever."

The two-fold nature of Christ was declared by himself on many occasions. To Nicodemus he said, "No man has ascended up to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven." As Man, he was on earth; as God, he filled the heavens with his presence. Proud reason staggers at this truth, but faith rejoices and triumphs. Salvation is of the Lord.

O for this love, let rocks and hills, 
Their lasting silence break;
And all harmonious human tongues, 
The Savior's praises speak.

As Jesus was born in the flesh, so must I be born in the Spirit. He became the Son of man, that I might become a child of God. He died, that I might live. He ever lives to make intercession for me, that where he is, there I may be also.

And did He indeed shed his precious blood for me? Was it for one so vile and wretched, that he became incarnate, endured a life of suffering, and a death of pain? And shall I not love him with all my powers? Why is my heart like adamant for hardness, and ice for coldness? Oh! what ingratitude, worse than satanic baseness! Come, O Sun of Righteousness, dispel the clouds of unbelief which obscure your brightness; drive away the mists of error; melt my frozen heart; subdue my stubborn will. Come with all your vivifying rays of mercy, grace, and love; and make me humble, loving, teachable, and mild, an image of Yourself.

When the Savior of the world was born, angels filled the canopy of heaven with joyful hallelujahs. They sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Did angels rejoice at man's salvation, and shall man, for whom this salvation was wrought, be silent and unmoved? Alas! the loving Savior came unto his own, and his own received him not." Do I condemn the Jews? "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her," said Jesus to the accusing Pharisees. I should sit in judgment on myself.

Blessed Redeemer! your word proclaims pardon and peace to a ruined world; your ministers preach salvation, through your atoning blood, to all who repent and believe; your Spirit strives with sinners by powerful convictions; and still they withstand these workings of your love. And had not your grace been as omnipotent, as it is sovereign, I would even now have been in arms against you. But Oh! the mighty, the almighty power of Love; you did graciously draw me to Yourself, and shed abroad in my heart the kindly influences of your Spirit. Jesus, O Friend of sinners, O Physician of souls, how can I sufficiently adore and praise you. As you had compassion on the leper, the paralytic, the deaf, the dumb, the maimed, and the blind, so have you had pity on me. Yes, as you did raise Lazarus from the dead, so have you bid me live. Oh! that I may live to your glory while on earth; and live with you in glory, when time shall be no more.

The anniversary of the birth of Christ, should be a season of rejoicing, not of carnal feasting; a season for spiritual delight, not to pamper the appetites, like heathens in their idol-temples; a season to exalt the soul by divine meditations, and to console it by the assurance of pardoning grace. Oh! that I may thus rejoice with holy joy, and feel every emotion alive to gratitude and praise. I want to feel my heart full of holy rapture, while I meditate upon the wonders of this day. But I must examine myself whether I be in the faith- whether I have received Christ as offered to me in the gospel. Have I any saving interest in this redemption? Jesus is the Savior of the world. He came to seek and to save that which is lost. I am lost; therefore he came to seek me. But will all be saved? Alas? no! And why? because "not all men have faith." 

Here, then, is the all-important question: Do I believe in the Son of God with the heart unto righteousness? If I do believe, through grace, though by nature a child of wrath, I am among the saved in Christ Jesus; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Oh! what a declaration of grace is this! Truly this is the gospel of my salvation. "Whoever believes." Here is my warrant to hope. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." Give me a stronger and a stronger faith, that it may grow into the assurance of hope. 

"Whoever believes." Oh! what a word of consolation. The word "whoever," in its full meaning, as expressed by our divine Redeemer, extends to the utmost bounds of the human family, whether in time or space. All, from Adam to the last man born into the world, would be saved, if believers in Jesus; for the word is, "Whoever." No nation, nor age, is exempted from this blessing, so long as "Whoever believes" is recorded in the word of Truth. No sins, however aggravated, shall prevent the participation of this salvation, if there only is true faith in the heart of the sinner, accompanied, as it ever will be, with sincere repentance, love, and obedience; for Jesus has said, that "Whoever," (let him be what he may; or where he may; or have lived when he may;) "Whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The same blessed truth was declared by our Lord in his last commission to his Apostles; "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to Every Creature. He that believes, and is baptized, shall be saved." O what mercy and grace is this! Surely none need now despair, who feel an earnest desire after salvation. Everything connected with the redemption of mankind, bears the impress of the divine goodness. The Son of the Virgin was to be called, "Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins." A mere man could not do this; therefore he is, "Emmanuel; which being interpreted, is, God with us." 

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David. How mysterious his character. He was the root and offspring of David. David's Son, and David's Lord. These names are full of meaning. David signifies, 'beloved'. Jesus, when baptized by John in the river Jordan, was declared by a voice from heaven, to be the beloved of the Father; "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And Paul exhorts the Colossians to give thanks unto the Father, who "has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

Bethlehem, the birth-place of Christ, is a name of rich import. Bethlehem signifies the 'house of bread'. How suitable is this for him who declared. "I am the bread of life." "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." O! that my soul may be nourished and sustained by this "true bread from heaven." Lord, evermore give me this bread. O dwell in me, and I in you. May I daily feed upon you, by faith, in my heart with thanksgiving.

Bethlehem signifies also the 'house of war'. How remarkable this. Jesus, when lying in the manger, was announced to the shepherds, as "Christ the Lord," the Anointed One, Messiah, the Prince. To Mary, before her conception, the angel said; "You shall bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and, shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

To Adam, in Paradise, the promise was given, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. This implies conflict and conquest. Christ was foretold by Isaiah as a mighty conqueror; "Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in the greatness of his strength?" "It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who is mighty to save!" 

David, in the spirit of prophecy, beautifully describes the glory and majesty of Christ. "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust." 

Jesus, by his Spirit in David, thus speaks of himself; "The Lord has said unto me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 

Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews declares, that through death, Christ destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Thus fulfilling the first prediction: Satan bruised the heel of the promised seed, when Jesus suffered on the cross; And Christ, by his death, bruised the head, the kingdom of the power of darkness. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil."

Believers, then, must endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, knowing that the Captain of their salvation was made perfect through suffering. Spiritual armor is provided for the Christian warrior, the girdle of truth, the breast-plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The command is given, "Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong."

The view of the conquering Savior is given, to animate his soldiers to the fight. John, in prophetic vision, saw Jesus going forth "conquering, and to conquer." "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords." "The armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." Well might Moses sing; "The Lord is a man of war; Jehovah is his name."

Let me not be ashamed of Christ; let me fight manfully under his banners; let me continue his faithful soldier and servant; and what will be the consequence? By multitudes of baptized Christians, I shall be derided as an enthusiast; I shall be shunned as a fanatic! And yet, these scoffers and deriders are to be considered as regenerated people! Paul, with fearless heart, through the power and grace of Christ, led his converts on, to conflict and to victory. To the Corinthians he declared "We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. "

To Timothy, Paul writes; "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army." And when he came to lay down his life for Christ, and to receive the crown of martyrdom; he could triumphantly say; "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." If, like the blessed Apostle, I am drawing all my supplies out of the fullness which is in Christ Jesus; and if, like him, I keep the faith, enduring unto the end, with him also I shall receive the crown of life which fades not away.

When I think of Bethlehem, I will think of the House of bread, and of the House of war; out of which He came, whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting; even Jesus, who is the Ruler in Israel, the Light of the Gentiles, and for salvation to the ends of the earth.

Behold! through the regions of death,
What light and what gladness arise; 
Jehovah, in manhood arrayed,
Descends from his throne in the skies.
Rejoice, O you sinners, rejoice! 
Exult at the life-giving view;
Adore the rich grace of the Cross, 
Where the Savior expired for you.
Now peace is proclaimed on high,
Oh! touch the blessed scepter and live,
Ask freely whatever you want, 
For God now delights to give.
The blood of your Savior and Lord,
Has purchased each blessing above; 
The mansions of glory and rest;
The Father's approval and love.
The Spirit of grace shall descend,
And kindle the rapturous fire, 
Whose flame will increase and expand,
When life's feeble lamp shall expire.
In yonder bright region of bliss,
Your praise will incessantly flow; 
Then sing to his glory and grace,
While strangers and pilgrims below.

<p>[[Back to CHRISTIAN MEDITATIONS]] </p>
<p>[[Category:Christian]]