A Reflection on Christ and Christmas // 2025
The Ongoing Impact of Jesus’ Life
The implications of Jesus’ life are always impacting us in various seasons. Yes, if you are a believer, you commune with Him always by the indwelling Spirit, but His actual life instructs us on the great truths concerning God, redemption, and ourselves. Jesus’ ministry reveals to us His passion for the plan of the Father, the revealing of His Father’s true nature, and the freedom that is available to humans through Jesus from the oppression of sin, sickness, and demons. Passion week and Good Friday remind us of God’s commitment to judge sin, crush His Son, and offer us a free gift that we do not deserve. Christ’s birth does something quite different. It brings us back to three primary realities. First, the safety that God is approachable in Jesus. Second, the childlike fascination that God took on our frame and became observable, and, thirdly, the hope that what the angel proclaimed at the birth of Jesus is true.
“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Lk. 2:10–14)
This Child, who was born in the City of David, has much wrapped up with Him. He is the promised Seed—the One prophesied from the first moment of our fall. The hopes of all the ages are resting on this One. Behold, the One destined to free His people from sin and to crush the head of the serpent, the One to ransom Adam’s fallen seed, bring heaven and earth together, and usher in a kingdom of everlasting righteousness.
Closing Thoughts, Prayers, and Praises
Today we stand post-crucifixion and post-Easter—forgiven and filled with His Spirit, but the manger beckons us to come look again. It is the place where we first hoped that God, in all His kindness, could stoop so low and cast His lot in with us. The manager is the first glimpse where we believed God could take us in, warts and all. The humility of it all causes us to bow, but it is the tiny fingers of the King that allow our hearts to reach. If He can become like us, then just maybe He will make a way for us to become like Him. Just maybe this will turn out to be good news after all. In my Christology courses, I have only touched the mere fringes of His greatness. The past glimpses are but whispers. Eternity with a resurrected, glorified body will be necessary to search Christ’s depths. Until then, we believe and ponder the mystery of when God put Himself on display in a human frame and loved us like no other.
Jesus, we stand broken before Your humility and amazed at Your relentless love. We await Your return. Know this, we miss You! Until then, we give You our unbridled affection and unfettered praise. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain
Hark! The herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Refrain
Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Refrain
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Refrain
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
“And Can It Be That I Should Gain?” By Charles Wesley
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
‘Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
“And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”
‘Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
“The Beauty of This Man” by Allen Hood and David Brymer
My heart is stirred by a noble theme
Bringing blessed words unto my King
Giving up my love as a sweet offering
Oh, the beauty of this Man
For the sake of love,
He left His Father’s throne
Searching for a bride, bone of His bone
Such a humble kiss to make her dust His own
Oh, the beauty of this Man
Jesus, I love You, I give You all my worship
Jesus, I love You, Your name is Wonderful
See His hands, His head, His feet and His side
They bear the marks of wrath, a pure sacrifice
To secure her love by giving up His life
Oh, the beauty of this Man
She now faint with love
Beckons Him to come
Establish righteousness as God’s risen Son
On that glorious day,
She’ll marry her Fair One
Oh, the beauty of this Man
