I love the story related years ago by Marlo Thomas, daughter of famed television star, Danny Thomas. It seems that…
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew pictures. Occasionally, she would walk around the room to see each child’s work.
“What are you drawing?” she asked one little girl who was working diligently at her desk.
The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.”
The teacher paused and said, “But no one knows what God looks like.”
The little girl replied, “They will in just a minute!”
I share this story today because it so beautifully serves to illustrate the essence of Christmas. On that first Christmas morning so long ago, a little child was born. But that child was unlike any other person ever born, either before or since; for that child was destined to change both history and eternity!
As that child grew into a man, He showed us more of what God is like than we had ever known. For the Apostle Paul (in the Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21) testifies that that child alone was to live His whole life without ever committing a sin! He lived such a perfect life that He was able to state (John 14:9):
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
But more than just reflect the Heavenly Father, He literally revealed the Father to us in human form. As the Apostle John’s New Testament Gospel says:
“1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness…”
Then, as if to be absolutely clear, John states:
“14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Little wonder, then, that this child, Jesus Christ, when grown to be a man would also state (John 10:30):
“I and the Father are one."
You see, my friend, as God’s One and Only Son, not only did Jesus Christ show what the Father in Heaven was like, He actually manifested the Divine Presence of God here in our very midst! He was literally God incarnate - God in the flesh!
It was for this reason that the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 7, verse 14) had foreseen His birth and referred to Him in this manner:
“14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 1, verse 23) informs us that Immanuel translates into “God with us”!
And it was for this same reason that Joseph and Mary were told to call him Jesus. In Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 1, verses 20 and 21), the angel said to them:
20 …“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Thus, John’s Gospel account of the incarnation of Jesus includes these amazing words:
12 … “to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Two chapters later, John was led to pen the words to some of the world’s most beloved Bible verses, John 3:16-18:
“16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned…”
Needless to say, John's earlier satements imbue these famous verses with tremendous meaning!
And for this reason, I thank God for Christmas! I thank God for Immanuel! I thank God for Jesus! And I thank God for the salvation that Jesus, the Babe in the manger at Christmas Who was to destined to serve as the Sacrificial Lamb on the cross at Easter, has now brought to all who believe on His holy name!
STORY SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in various versions. See, for instance: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05/marlo-thomas-laugh-of-the-day-picturing-god_n_1745538.html.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com.
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew pictures. Occasionally, she would walk around the room to see each child’s work.
“What are you drawing?” she asked one little girl who was working diligently at her desk.
The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.”
The teacher paused and said, “But no one knows what God looks like.”
The little girl replied, “They will in just a minute!”
I share this story today because it so beautifully serves to illustrate the essence of Christmas. On that first Christmas morning so long ago, a little child was born. But that child was unlike any other person ever born, either before or since; for that child was destined to change both history and eternity!
As that child grew into a man, He showed us more of what God is like than we had ever known. For the Apostle Paul (in the Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21) testifies that that child alone was to live His whole life without ever committing a sin! He lived such a perfect life that He was able to state (John 14:9):
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
But more than just reflect the Heavenly Father, He literally revealed the Father to us in human form. As the Apostle John’s New Testament Gospel says:
“1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness…”
Then, as if to be absolutely clear, John states:
“14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Little wonder, then, that this child, Jesus Christ, when grown to be a man would also state (John 10:30):
“I and the Father are one."
You see, my friend, as God’s One and Only Son, not only did Jesus Christ show what the Father in Heaven was like, He actually manifested the Divine Presence of God here in our very midst! He was literally God incarnate - God in the flesh!
It was for this reason that the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 7, verse 14) had foreseen His birth and referred to Him in this manner:
“14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 1, verse 23) informs us that Immanuel translates into “God with us”!
And it was for this same reason that Joseph and Mary were told to call him Jesus. In Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 1, verses 20 and 21), the angel said to them:
20 …“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Thus, John’s Gospel account of the incarnation of Jesus includes these amazing words:
12 … “to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Two chapters later, John was led to pen the words to some of the world’s most beloved Bible verses, John 3:16-18:
“16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned…”
Needless to say, John's earlier satements imbue these famous verses with tremendous meaning!
And for this reason, I thank God for Christmas! I thank God for Immanuel! I thank God for Jesus! And I thank God for the salvation that Jesus, the Babe in the manger at Christmas Who was to destined to serve as the Sacrificial Lamb on the cross at Easter, has now brought to all who believe on His holy name!
STORY SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in various versions. See, for instance: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05/marlo-thomas-laugh-of-the-day-picturing-god_n_1745538.html.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com.