Author: Nathaniel Colt

Read: Matthew 2:16-18

As word of Christ’s birth spread, not everyone was thrilled with the news.

When the wise men showed up at King Herod’s palace, inquiring about the location of the new King of the Jews, Herod was disturbed. He liked being king, and he thought he was good at it. He was proud of the temple he’d built and of the fortresses and cities he had constructed. He liked ruling over others, and he had a history of ensuring that no one could take that power from him.

So Herod plotted in secret to find this new King in order to remove the threat to his power. “When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him,” he told the wise men (Matthew 2:8).

They didn’t, and Herod couldn’t track down the child. He was jealous at the thought of a new King who might someday unseat him from his throne. This led him to order a horrific slaughter of all the boys under age 2 in the area of Bethlehem.

And this is why Jesus had to come—so that humans might be rescued from sin and darkness forever.

Read: Matthew 2:1-16

Ever had a big dream you couldn’t let go of? Someone you wanted to meet, something you wanted to have, somewhere you wanted to go. It can be difficult to free yourself from such ambitions once they’re in your head.

In a way, the wise men of the Christmas story were chasing their own dream. These scholars could see a bright star sparkling in the Eastern sky. Having read the prophesies, they thought the star was a sign. A new ruler had been born. They wanted to meet Him, so they loaded up for the trip, packing provisions for the long journey and precious gifts appropriate for a king.

Were the Magi disappointed when they finally arrived? They’d been expecting a new ruler, born in a fine palace. They had even stopped at King Herod’s palace to ask about the star and Christ’s birth.

“Not here,” the king’s scholars said, consulting the old prophesies. “Try Bethlehem.”

There was no grand palace in Bethlehem. But there was a small house where a young boy lived with His parents. The wise men brought their gifts before this new King. They knelt before this new kind of King, who had not come as a mighty ruler, but as a humble servant.

Read: Luke 2:15-17

Have you ever visited a new place or saw a new movie that you just had to tell a friend about? And the friend’s response was probably typical: “I’ll have to check it out.” Yes, they believed you. It’s just that . . . well, they needed to see it for themselves.

When the angelic choir disappeared into the darkness, leaving the shepherds alone on that hillside outside Bethlehem, the shepherds probably had questions. They didn’t doubt the news—the sights and sounds of the heavenly hosts convinced them of the truth. But curiosity moved their hearts, so they decided to visit the new King.

“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,” they said to one another.

So they left the sheep and followed the star into town, where they found a dirty stable and a newborn baby sleeping in a manger. They knelt in the dirt. Here He was! The long-promised Savior.

Afterward, the shepherds could hardly contain their excitement. They told everyone they met about what the angel had said. Most people were surprised, though some were likely skeptical—people who needed to see for themselves or didn’t believe a baby could be their Savior.

But many believed. They understood, through hearing the words of the world’s first evangelists, that the Messiah had arrived!

Read: Malachi 3:1-6

Everybody is preparing for Christmas—and there is so much to do! Gifts to buy, get-togethers to plan, greetings to send. And don’t forget about cleaning! We want things to be just right.

John the Baptist was in the preparation business, too. And his ministry had been prophesied in the Old Testament. He wasn’t concerned about presents, parties or cleaning the house. He lived a humble life out in the wilderness, making clothing from camel hair and eating locusts with wild honey (Matthew 3:4). He believed that the Messiah was coming soon, and that his mission was to get people’s hearts ready to accept Him. So John taught people to repent from sin in order to prepare for the One who could truly take away the sins of the world.

After John was gone, people began to forget about him. Jesus had begun His earthly ministry by then, but as crowds listened to Jesus near the river where John had baptized, they remembered the prophet’s words—and it helped them believe that Jesus was the Messiah. “John did no sign”—he didn’t perform miracles, they said. “But everything that John said about this man was true” (John 10:41).

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7

“Why did you decide to . . . ?”

If you could meet your governor, senator or president, you might have some questions—if you could work up the courage to ask! It’s a big deal to face someone who has such influence.

When that someone is the Creator of the universe, though, there’s really only one thing to say: “Yes, Lord, I’ll do it.”

When God brought Isaiah into His presence, He had a job for the prophet. God despised the injustice and rebellion that Israel’s leaders had perpetrated, so He wanted Isaiah to declare that this conduct would have consequences. Foreign invaders would come and take over Israel’s land.

But there was light on the horizon, too—the Lord would send a new King to Israel. A child would arrive, who would grow to become the counselor and teacher for His people. This Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Isaiah assures his people, will be born. God keeps His promises, Isaiah declared. God is passionate about helping His people achieve the purposes He has for them.

And God delivered. Seven hundred years later, God came to live among the people of Israel in the person of Jesus. He set aside, for a time, His heavenly qualities and became human flesh. That future King—the Wonderful Counselor— had arrived!

Read: Jeremiah 33:13-16

“Oh, I wish I could . . .”

We all wish for things. When we’re young, we desire some awfully big things. We may wish for a bazillion dollars or for incredible strength. Or perhaps we wish that Grandma were still alive or that we hadn’t said something hurtful to a friend.

Hope is greater than a wish. It’s an anticipation of something that really can happen. When a student spends a lot of time preparing for a big presentation, she hopes that the production will go well. If she hasn’t prepared, though, she wishes for a good presentation.

The prophet Jeremiah lived hundreds of years before Jesus came. He spoke out against the corruption and evil of his time, telling God’s people that God would not let their sins go unpunished. And he longed for the Messiah to come. This was no mere wish. Jeremiah believed that the Savior would come because he was counting on a promise. He confidently hoped for the Savior’s arrival because the Lord had proclaimed it.

Jeremiah delighted in God’s promises. His hope was anchored in God’s words:

“Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16).

Read: Micah 7:7-8

“There’s not much here.”

Ever said that about a town, perhaps one you’re driving through on a road trip while looking for a good place to eat lunch or a park to stretch your legs? You cruise the main street, unimpressed.

“Can’t we go somewhere else?” you ask.

Then you see a sign proclaiming that this town is the birthplace of a famous leader or writer. See that little white house with the green trim? It was once her home. You think, OK, maybe this place is worth a closer look.

Hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, the prophet Micah spoke out against the leadership of Israel, warning them that their corruption and rebellion against God’s ways would not go unpunished. But Micah also spoke of hopeful things to come, the arrival of the Savior in the town of Bethlehem.

“A small town without much there,” he pointed out. But from that town came a great leader. Bethlehem—once the city of David—became known as the place of the Savior’s birth.

A similar thing is true for believers today. When we agree to let Jesus live within us, to be Lord of our lives, we are changed. Our identity is defined by Him.

Read: Luke 2:8-20

It’s the night of the big show. The choir is dressed in its shining finest. The music has been honed to perfection since the beginning of time. This performance will be epic, a celebration of the greatest moment in human history: the arrival of the Savior.

And where is this angelic choir scheduled to perform? At a majestic concert hall or to an audience of earthly kings? No, the army of angels descends in the dark to a scraggly hillside outside a small town, to perform for a group of shepherds gathered around a campfire as their sheep graze nearby. “Fear not,” one angel says. “I bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Needless to say, shepherds weren’t exactly the cultural elite of the time. You can imagine what more “proper” folk would say about a bunch of guys who spent most of their time taking care of animals. Yet this was the first audience to hear the news of God’s Son’s arrival on earth. The Lord of hosts sent His army to sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Read: 1 Samuel 16:6-12

In school, did you ever pick teams for a game of soccer or basketball during recess? You knew which players you wanted: the fast, the tall, the powerful. You wanted to win.

The prophet Samuel had similar qualities in mind when God sent him to Jesse’s home in Bethlehem to anoint Israel’s future king. Kings had a certain look to them

in those days, a look that helped citizens feel secure. People wanted powerful kings who would protect them against enemies. Back then, kings didn’t just give orders; they often joined the fight, too.

But God was looking for something else. As Samuel began to meet Jesse’s tall, powerful sons, God rejected each of them. He said Samuel should not evaluate the new king by his outward appearance, but by his heart. God told Samuel to anoint the last of Jesse’s sons, a seemingly un-kinglike shepherd boy named David. Samuel obeyed, and after David grew into a young man, he did indeed become king.

Generations later, God said to look to Bethlehem for the new king. And in that humble little city, Israel’s true King was found—taking the form not of a mighty warrior but of a humble child sleeping in a manger.

Read: Luke 1:26-38

Have you ever delivered big news to someone? Depending on the specifics, you may have found it either a thrilling opportunity or a dreaded responsibility.

Big news was Gabriel’s business. Tasked by God to deliver important messages, he’d once been sent to help the prophet Daniel understand a complex vision of the end times (Daniel 9:20-27).

But Gabriel’s mission to Mary was perhaps the biggest news yet. Would such news be overwhelming to the girl?

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Gabriel began.

Then as Gabriel stood before Mary, his bright figure filling the room, he recognized that she was troubled. His first job was to reassure her.

“Do not be afraid,” he told Mary. “You have found favor with God.”

Mary would give birth to a baby boy, the long-promised Messiah. The moment that generations had waited for was finally here: The Lord was coming to save His people.

Gabriel knew that she’d have questions: How can this be? I’m not married yet.

As Gabriel delivered answers, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,” he may have thought Mary took the news remarkably well. Indeed, the girl seemed to simply . . . trust.

“I am the servant of the Lord,” she said. “Let it be to me according to your word.” In other words, she was saying, I will trust in His plan. If only everyone faced big news as this young teen had.