Bible Bites - Christmas 2020

Did you know that the Christmas story, the entire story of Christmas was told about 700 years before the birth of Jesus?! In this Christmas edition of Bible Bites, we take a look at what Isaiah wrote about Jesus, our savior long before His birth.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon 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 uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
- Isaiah 9:6-7

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgement he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief, when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors.
-Isaiah 53:7-12

Why did I bring these scriptures together. I brought these two scriptures together because this is the true story of Christmas. It is the story of John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Typically, our Christmas stories only tell the heartwarming story of angels singing and a baby being born in a manger. There's nothing wrong with this, but for many, this is the whole story. This is all they hear. They don't understand the fullness of why this baby was born, or who this baby was. If we only read the beginning of the story, we don't see the whole story. We don't see that we are in the story as well. 

God sent His only begotten Son down to Earth in the most absolutely humble conditions possible. He wasn't born in a palace, a house, or even a nice little inn. The King of Kings was born among the animals in a stable. I'm sure the smell of that stable wasn't exactly the greatest. 
The first people God told were considered among the lowest - the shepherds. And He treated these humble shepherds to a concert of a choir of angels and the first look at the newborn King! 

The Most High came down and became the lowest, suffered, and died all so that our transgressions could be wiped away, that we might be clean and justified and redeemed back to God. We were saved from our rightful sentence of eternal death to the glory and praise of God Almighty! What a gift!

So as we give and receive gifts this Christmas, let us truly remember the greatest gift of all has been given by God and let us present ourselves as a gift to Him. (Romans 12:1 - I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship). 

Let's Pray:
Father in Heaven, we thank you for this amazing and unending gift that you've blessed us with in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of your only begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior - Jesus Christ, the King of Kings! 
As we celebrate this Christmas, we pray that this gift be at the center of our celebrations, our hearts, and our discussions. Bless our celebrations, and our gift giving and receiving to be a reflection of your gift to us, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. We thank you and pray all of this in Jesus' most holy name. Amen.