Most of us have no problem believing in God, but struggle being secure in God’s belief in us. Do you ever think, “How can God believe in me? How could God ever possibly desire me?” Most of us become pretty adept at hiding our imperfections and deficiencies from others while being fully aware that we can’t hide them from God.
Mike Slaughter, Christmas Is Not Your Birthday
Christmas is God’s pursuit of humanity – of you and me.
Hosea’s outrageous love for Gomer
“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:28 New International Version (NIV)
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
Luke 1:35 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38 (NRSV)
This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
Matthew 1:18-19 New Living Translation (NLT)
As he considered this [situation], an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20-21 (NLT)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17 (NIV)
For God so loved _______ that he gave his one and only Son, that when _______ believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn _______, but to save _______ through him.
2 TAKE-AWAYS
1. Christmas is God’s ultimate expression of His outrageous love for us.
2. God wants us to be His representatives so others may come to know God’s outrageous love, too.
We are a reflection of the Love that came down at Christmas!