Merry Christmas!

Jesus really did come as a baby.

Angels really did sing.

Shepherds really did worship.

Wise Men really did come from “afar.”

But most people didn’t notice.

Many people in Bethlehem slept through the night, not even aware of what was going on.

The shepherds who got to see the angels were on one of the lowest rungs of the social ladder. Nobody was real worried about what they had to say.

Herod had not even been aware of this new baby until the “Wise Men” came – which many scholars think was probably two years later!

When Jesus arrived in Egypt, there was no fanfare for a “newborn king”.

As Jesus grew up, most of his family did not even believe He was who He said He was.

The disciples were completely hopeless after He died.

We wouldn’t have Christmas if it wasn’t for Easter. We wouldn’t know about Him if He hadn’t come back to life. The New Testament would not have been written. The disciples would have gone back to their jobs, trying to figure out exactly what they had seen and heard, but probably unwilling to do much about it. After all, Jesus had told them He was God – how can God die?

But, Jesus did die. And, because He came back to life, we can have life. Because He paid the price for our sin, we no longer have to fear death or judgment. And because of that, we get pretty excited about celebrating a birth we would have ignored.

I hope you and your family can find a way, during this busy holiday season, to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I hope you have a great time. Merry Christmas!