02.Jan.2008 The Christmas Story Demonstrates the Nature of God
Matthew 1:18
The Kingdom of God is something we can bring to the here and now. We can demonstrate it in this world by knowing God’s character and acting out our desire to be like Christ.
The Christmas story gives a clear demonstration of the nature and character of God. Joseph in this story was in a dilemma – the dilemma was between the law and his heart. He was struggling with himself between his compassion for Mary and the dictates of the law he had grown up following. The law commanded commanded strict punishment for women who cheated on their husbands or were pregnant out of wedlock. However, the angel Gabriel had told Joseph to go ahead with his wedding and to name his son Jesus. (Emanuel – God with us).
This command went totally against how he was raised (in the Jewish tradition). Even being righteous as a man, he struggled with the promise of God. God so often does things that are so contrary to the way we would do them. When you look at this story in the context of the nature of God, it makes sense. The generations that led up to Mary and Joseph – the lineage of God – the royal bloodline of Christ – was filled with people who the law would consider unworthy. Four women in particular give excellent examples: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba.
God sees more than our issues. He looks beyond our problems and our humanity. There is a constant conflict between our humanity and our desire to be like Christ. That is why God looks at our hearts to see where out true love lies. God overlooks so much to bring His will to earth. He looks past our actions and see the real us – the person he has destined us to become. He sees in us His overall plan. When we get a glimpse of the potential God has put in us we start to move past the things that have held us back and start moving towards God. God looks at our hearts. As we struggle, he intervenes. We can’t box God into the context of our human knowledge or try to interpret what we think is or isn’t God. We have to trust that God is bigger than our perceptions and circumstances.
Emanuel – God with us. Jesus said, I didn’t come into the world to condemn the world. I am in you, and you will represent me. Everything I have done, you will do. Jesus hasn’t left because Jesus is in us. The world is confused about who Jesus is. They know of an about God, but they don’t know Him. They don’t know who He is. When you have an encounter with the real God, with Jesus, you are instantly changed. It doesn’t matter what influences are in your life – what law, what selfish lifestyle – you are going to honor and obey God.
Our prayers at Christmas and throughout the year should ask for God to be in us, not just with us. We should pray that we can become reflections of the true God who overlooks problems and sins and sees the potential within.
