CHRISTMAS STORY, A TALE OF GOD’S GLORY!

CHRISTMAS STORY, A TALE OF GOD’S GLORY!
John R. Petrilli

Author, artist and singer Joni Eareckson Tada captures the wonder of Christmas with these words: “Can you imagine the glory and splendor displayed in the heavens on the night our Savior was born? Close your eyes … picture the sapphire-blue night sky ablaze with a million diamonds as the angelic host gave the brilliant announcement. And then, as if that wasn’t mind-bending enough, an angel choir raised up a chorus of praise that shook the heavens and earth. When I think of the majesty of that moment my heart and voice burst into adoration right along with the heavenly praise team!” Stories we’ve rehearsed over and over again can become ‘old hat’. If the Christmas story has become that for you, try witnessing Jesus’ birth from a totally different perspective … through the lens of God’s glory.

MARY GLORIFIED GOD IN HER SINGING ! Luke 1:46-47

“My soul GLORIFIES the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” (NIV)

Picture yourself puttering about in the kitchen or garage when, out of nowhere, a being appears, illuminating everything around you. It tries to calm your justifiable fears, then informs you that you’ve been hand-picked by God for a unique and strategic role in His redemptive plan. The being even gives you a secondary event involving a distant relative as a reference point to serve as confirmation. Having arrived at the relative’s home, something totally out of the ordinary happens which leaves no doubt in your mind that God really has chosen you. This is the scenario Mary was in as she realized she would be birthing and parenting the very Son of God. Her beautiful song, the “Magnificat”, expresses the sheer ecstasy she felt as the recipient of such a singular honor. Her profound joy spilled over into a song of praise that directed all the glory to God. To make this year’s celebration special, determine to set aside a specific time for singing glory to God for the ‘big’ as well as the ‘small’ things He’s done and continues to do in your life.

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD GLORIFIED GOD IN HIS ANNOUNCING! Luke 2:8-12

“All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s GLORY flashed around them.” (CEV)

They were nothing to look at. Simple, everyday, blue collar, lunch pail kind of guys. The night wasn’t any different either: routine predator there, sick sheep here, a straying sheep over there … nothing out of the ordinary. Like a nightshift over-the-road truck driver, their work went unnoticed, and for the most part, unappreciated. Yet it was to these unknowns that God sent an official birth announcement! In a split second the ground they occupied lit up with the blinding brilliance of God’s ineffable glory! Struggling to regain their senses amid the flood of light, they heard a firm yet soothing voice assuring them that all was well. It was the voice of none other than an angel of the Lord. Joseph had heard it (Matt. 1:20). Zechariah had heard it (Luke 1:11). Now these lowly shepherds heard it. That angelic voice bore the good news of the Savior, a message that would resound all across the ages. A rock concert’s light show or a spotlight beam cast on a stage performer pathetically pale in comparison to the visual display of this night. The birthday of the Savior had arrived! It was time for “Lights! Camera! Action!” It took a blinding light to shake the shepherds out of their doldrum routine. May the light of God’s Word shake us out of our sometimes jaded familiarity with this holiday.

THE ANGELIC ARMY GLORIFIED GOD IN THEIR PRAISING! Luke 2:13-14

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘GLORY to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’ ” (NIV)

It may come as a surprise to some that heaven is a very musical place. Heaven’s angels sang as they watched the Master Designer at work on the morning of creation (Job 38:7). Heaven will reverberate as vast multitudes celebrate the Lamb’s victory with a resounding version of the original Hallelujah chorus (Rev. 19). Is it any surprise that we find a contingent of celestial soldiers heralding the arrival of the Prince of Glory to earth? This angelic contingent was large, enthusiastic, offering divine peace and favor! This angelic contingent declared God’s glory as they celebrated the birth of His precious Son! So what will your voice be doing this Christmas season, singing the praises of some designer label, or the praises of God?

THE SHEPHERD’S GLORIFIED GOD IN THEIR WITNESSING ! Luke 2:15-20

“The sheepherders returned and let loose, GLORIFYING and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly how they’d been told!” (Message)

The spellbound shepherds confirmed the angelic report with an eyewitness exam at the Babe’s makeshift cradle. Realizing they had witnessed the real deal, they couldn’t help but broadcast the news. It’s human nature to spread the word when you’ve found a product or service that lives up to its claims. Magnify that propensity a thousand times, and you’ll have a sense of what these animal tenders experienced that night. Unlikely heralds that they were, these under classed laborers became flaming evangelists. Given their low and disreputable rung on the social ladder, it’s equally surprising that their testimony was believed by everyone who heard it! The evangelistic zeal of these first missionaries didn’t die out, but continued to burn long after they returned to their flocks. Christmas is an ideal time for getting the good news of salvation into the hands and hearts of those around us. Why not use this Christmas as a golden opportunity to share the gospel? God has so many creative ideas waiting for you. Just give it a bit of thought and prayer.

SIMEON GLORIFIED GOD IN HIS PRAYING ! Luke 2:28-32

“With my own eyes I’ve seen Your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of GLORY for Your people Israel .” (Message)

For some folks “Seeing is believing”. It was true of Thomas, and here we see a godly man named Simeon rejoicing as God made good on a promise He’d made to the aged saint. This wonderful gentleman walked so close to God that he heard the Spirit’s whisper in his inner ear, informing him that he’d see the Savior before he passed away. That day came as he felt prompted to visit the Temple . Having taken the Babe into his weakening arms, Simeon bursts forth with a prayer of gratitude to God for allowing him such an incredible privilege. The Temple which housed the glory of God in the earliest days of Israel’s history had once again become the chosen place for a visit, this time from God’s Son Jesus, the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8). On such a memorable occasion this thankful follower of God offers a prayer that glorifies the Lord for His wisdom and grace in providing One Who would reveal the light of salvation to both Jew and non-Jew alike. In Jesus we have the full revelation of all the glory of God, a Savior for all who will put their trust in Him! As you worship this Christmas season, take advantage of the incredible opportunity you have of coming to know the Savior. Like Simeon of old, embrace Jesus with your whole heart and life. When you do, trust me, you’ll have something to really sing about!

THE WISE MEN GLORIFIED GOD IN THEIR GIFT-GIVING ! Matt. 2:1-11

“[The same star they had seen in the eastern skies] led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: they were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and WORSHIPPED him.” (Message)

This time around instead of debating the number of wise men, the nature of the star, or how old Jesus was, let’s zero-in on the real significance of this account. It’s all about worship. The real story is found in the “How”. Their search for God involved great distance (1), much diligence (8) and raw determination (11). After travelling thousands of miles on camelback, how would these God-seekers respond when they reached their destination and found their King? They just quietly bowed down before Him! At Christmas time we find ourselves searching. Searching for that perfect gift. Searching our mailbox for a card in from a loved one or friend. Searching for companionship. Searching. And not suspending that search until we’ve found what we’re searching for. But all that searching will be in vain if, at the end of it all, we fail to find Jesus. And having found Him, we, like those ancient seers of the past, celebrate by presenting to Him our most precious and priceless possession, our hearts.

LIKE MARY, THE SHEPHERDS, SIMEON AND THE WISE MEN, WE CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY THE GLORY OF GOD ! 2 Cor. 3:18

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s GLORY, are being TRANSFORMED into His likeness with ever-increasing GLORY.” (NIV)

Mary would never be the same. She’d heard from God, and became a key player in God’s unfolding plan of redemption. The Shepherds would never be the same. Once the butt of everyone’s jokes, they now held their heads up high. They’d met the Good Shepherd and joyfully became a part of His fold. Simeon would never be the same. The senior saint could now face his closing days in peace knowing he’d come face to face with the long-awaited Messiah. Each person in the Christmas narrative enters the story one person, and comes out someone completely new. That’s what happens when a man, a woman, or child encounters Jesus, the Lord of Glory! They are completely and permanently changed! Before we encounter the Lord we reflect lives that are natural, plain and undistinguished. But once we’ve met Jesus face to face we come away with a supernatural glow on our faces and a new brightness in our disposition. Because we’ve received the Lord of Glory into our hearts and lives, we now reflect that same heavenly glory. And as we yield more and more of our lives to Him, His glory will shine through our words and deeds with ever increasing brightness and clarity. May God give you and each of yours a wonderful, glory-filled Christmas!