Preparing for Christmas #8: Root of Jesse

 

 What is this?  Where would you find it?  What is it a part of?  Why does a plant have roots?  Roots keep a plant from blowing over, and they bring water in the soil up to the rest of the plant.

   Trees need roots too.  If we cut down a tree at the trunk and left the stump, could the tree still live?  Sometimes a stump may look dead, but all of a sudden a little green shoot can come from an old willow or basswood stump.

   In the Bible, Jesus is called the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10; Romans 15:12).  Who is Jesse?  He was the father of King David.  After King David died, one of his sons took over as the next king, and God promised that this family would always be the kings of Israel (2 Samuel 7:16).
   After many years rulers from other countries took over and no kings from David’s family were in charge of Israel.  It seemed as though the tree was chopped down and had died, and that no more kings would ever come from the line of David.

   But Jesus was born as a Jew into the family of King David (Matthew 1:17; Luke 3:23,31).  Jesus is the King from that family of kings.  The root was still alive so that Jesus could come into the world at God's time, more than 2000 years ago.

“O Come, O Come Immanuel”, verse 4

            O Come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,

            Unto your own and rescue them!

            From depths of hell your people save,

            And give them victory o'er the grave.

Preparing For Christmas #7: Sun of Righteousness

What did God create that gives light in the day-time?  The sun.  Why is light so important?  How would you feel if the sun would not come up tomorrow?  We need the sun to give us light and life.  Without it we could not live.

   When the old priest Zechariah finds out he will have a son John and that the Saviour will come soon after, he sings a poem to God.  He says, “The rising sun will come to us from heaven and shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow or death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:78)  He is saying that Jesus will be like the sun that gets rid of the darkness of sin in our lives and shows us where we need to go.

   Jesus is like the sun.  When you see the sun today, be reminded that Jesus came to earth to give us light.

           

            “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, verse 3

                        Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace

                        Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

                        Light and life to all he brings

                        Risen with healing in his wings.

                        Mild he lays his glory by,

                        Born that we no more may die,

                        Born to raise the lost on earth,

                        Born to give them second birth.

                        Hark! The herald angels sing,

                        “Glory to the new-born king.”

Preparing for Christmas #6: Prince of Peace

Above there is a symbol of peace, a dove.

   How do you feel inside if someone is yelling at someone else?  How do you feel if you are pushing someone or being pushed?  These things make us feel bad inside.

   How do you feel when you are sitting quietly and watching one of God's creatures, maybe a bird or bug or a horse?  How do you feel when someone you love gives you a hug?  These are nice feelings, feelings of peace and safety and warmth.

   The yelling and pushing feeling is how we would feel against everyone and even against God if Jesus never came.  We would be enemies of everyone.  Jesus, a prince (son of the King), was born to make peace between God and us (Isaiah 9:6).

   All the bad things we say and think and do push God away from us.  But Jesus, the Prince of Peace, put all those bad things out of the way so we can have peace with God.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” verse 3

            Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace

            Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

            Light and life to all he brings

            Risen with healing in his wings.

            Mild, he lays his glory by,

            Born that we no more may die,

            Born to raise the lost on earth,

            Born to give them second birth.

            Hark! The herald angels sing,

            “Glory to the new-born king.”

Preparing for Christmas #5: King

   Whose picture is on this coin?  Why does her portrait appear there?  Queen Elizabeth's picture tells people that the money is from Canada and that she is our ruler.  Queens and kings used to have more power in Canada than they do today.  Now most of the ruling is really down by the leaders in Ottawa that people voted for.

   When we think of Jesus being called the “newborn king” in some Christmas songs, we may not understand what is meant by “king”.  Jesus is not a king like the kings of this world.  He rules now from heaven and is in control of all the countries of the world and their rulers.  He guides and directs the things that happen, but he is not responsible for the bad things people do to hurt each other.

   When we realize Jesus is the King and Lord of everything, we want to praise Him.  At the end of history, He will show His power by destroying all that is evil and ruling in a more public way.  We can trust Him to rule us better than any earthly ruler.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” verse 1

            Hark! The herald angels sing,

            “Glory to the new-born King;

            Peace on earth and mercy mild

            God and sinners reconciled!”

            Joyful, all ye nations rise;

            Join the triumph of the skies;

            With the angelic hosts proclaim,

            “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Preparing for Christmas #4: Son of God

   Look at the wooden people in the picture?  What relationship is being shown between them?  Yes, a father is standing beside his son.  Does a father have a child? Yes, that is why he is called a father.  And most children love their fathers.

   In a voice from heaven, God said at Jesus' baptism, “This is my Son, whom I love;  with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

   Sometimes a father and his son do not get along, but God the Father and the Son always agree and have the same love for us.  The Father sent Jesus into the world, and the Son willingly came to rescue us and to let us join his family. 

   Because Jesus calls believers His brothers and sisters (Mark 3:35), we can also call God our Father and pray the Lord's Prayer which starts “Our Father who art in heaven...”  (see full prayer on December 11^th)

“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” verse 3

            From God, our heavenly Father,

            A blessed angle came;

            And unto certain shepherds

            Brought tidings of the same;

            How that in Bethlehem was born

            The Son of God by name.

Preparing For Christmas #3: Potter

What is this jug made of?  How was it made?  A potter has a wheel that turns the clay as it is shaped.  Could the potter make two pieces exactly the same?  No.  Each pot or bowl or cup will be a little bit different.

   Now imagine with me if the clay could talk and say to the potter, “I don't want you to make me into a jug;  I want to be a fancy plate that is hung on someone’s wall as a decoration.”  Of course, the clay cannot talk.  The potter is allowed to make whatever he wants to with the clay (Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:21). 

   Jesus is like a potter because, as God, he shapes and changes us to become what he wants us to be.  He also places us exactly where he wants us to be at this moment. We need to be like clay and let Him do his work.  Are you letting the Lord of Christmas shape you?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

You are the potter, and I am the clay.  Mold me and make me what you want me to be.  Grant me patience so I will wait quietly, and not fight you.

Amen.

Preparing for Christmas # 2: Creator

What are some things that can be made with play dough?  If you use your imagination, you can make all kinds of things.  You could make something to look like a worm, but you could not make it alive.

   Because Jesus is God, He was part of creating the universe—all that we see around us in nature.  It says in the Bible, “Through him [Jesus], all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3).  So really, Jesus is the Creator.  Did he have play dough or other materials to work with?  No, he simply spoke and things came to be, out of nothing.  Light, sky, land, seas, sun, moon, stars, birds, fish, animals, and people—all of these things were His invention.

   At Christmas, the One who made everything entered into our human world.  He could have chosen an easy life, but as we will read later on, He chose to go through the same hardships we go through.  This is amazing!

“Silent Night”, verse 2

            Silent night!  Holy night!

            Son of God, source of light,

            Now lies crying in Bethlehem's stall

            Tiny child, Creator of all,

            Infant, Saviour, and King!

            Infant, Saviour, and King!