What Child Is This?
The most well known and most celebrated birth occurred in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. That’s right. I am referring to Jesus Christ - the most famous baby of them all. People tend to get all misty eyed when they consider the One who was born there and placed in the manger by His mother. Many Christians know that December 25th is likely not the exact day of His birth. A time set aside to honor His birth is a good thing, even if the day isn’t exactly right.
I always think about Mary at Christmas. I know she loved her little boy as much as any mother ever loved a child, but she knew her child was more than her baby even before He was born. She knew He had no earthly father. Mary didn’t know everything about her Son and His future. I wonder what she thought of the three gifts given by wise men from the east? Gold spends like money, so there was no doubt Mary and Joseph were happy to get that. It symbolizes royalty, so the new parents were probably doubly pleased to get gold. Frankincense is a gum or resin that is used for perfume and religious ceremonies. It symbolizes the royal priesthood of Christ. That would have been a good gift as well under any circumstances. Myrrh, also a gum, is used as for embalming the dead. What did Mary and Joseph understand about that gift? (What would you think if someone gave your baby a lovely gift of embalming fluid?)
Mary and Joseph lived with Jesus and gained a better understanding of who He is as He grew from a baby to an adult. Joseph didn’t live to see Jesus grown, but Mary lived to watch her first born son grow to be a man, be followed by many, die on a cross, rise up again, and ascend to heaven. She lived to hear the promise that the same Jesus would come again. As Mary lived through all these events, she must have gained a better understanding of who her Son REALLY was.
A new Christian usually begins his or her Christian life sort or like Mary. They have a little understanding of Jesus. They know Him as the savior who is able to save to the uttermost those who call upon His name. They know He was born in Bethlehem, and they know He is their ticket to heaven. Like Mary, Christians who are willing to learn, will learn more about who Jesus is as they go through their own lives.
Exactly who is Jesus? Of course I am referring to Jesus, the Christ, who was born of a virgin, did miracles even to raising of the dead, promised salvation to all who believe, was crucified, raised Himself from the dead in three days, walked among men again, ascended to heaven, and promised to return. Who is THIS Jesus?
Matthey 1:1 tells us, ‘The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.’ Jesus Christ is a direct descendant of Abraham and David.
John 1:9-10 tells us, ‘That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and world knew him not.’ The Child of Bethlehem made the world, and He is the Light of the world. Those truly seeking ‘enlightenment’ are seeking Jesus Christ.
Matthew 3:11 says, ‘And Lo, a voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.’
Jesus is the beloved Son of God. Mark 1:1 says, ‘the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ Mary already knew this because the Holy Spirit told her so. Luke 1:35b says, the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.’
Jesus Christ is the Word. John 1:1 says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
Jesus Christ is a minister, or I should say He is THE Minister. Mark 10:45 says For the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ I suppose you could say Jesus Christ is the Big Man with the big bucks. He alone has the means to pay the ransom of sin for many. No mortal could even pay the ransom for his or her own soul - much less the ransom for many.
Jesus Christ is our willing sacrifice. Galatians 1:4 says, ‘Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father.’
He is the lamb of God. John 1:29 says, ‘The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.’
He is also the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Revelation 17:14a says, ‘These shall make war with the Lamb - and the Lamb shall overcome them: For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.’
Revelation 19:16 again says, ‘and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’
Jesus is the Messiah foretold in Daniel 9:26. ‘And After threescore and two weeks shall messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.’
Bethlehem’s Child is our mediator between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 says, ‘For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’
Not only is Jesus our mediator, He is our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 says, ‘Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ First Jesus made a way for us to get to God, and then stands there and intercedes on our behalf. This is a good place to stop a minute and just say, ‘Thank you Jesus, for all You do for me.’
He is our advocate as well. He speaks in our favor.
The Child of Bethlehem is also the King of Israel. John 1:49 says, ‘Nathaniel answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.’ Israel may not have recognized Him, but Jesus is still the King.
He is the King Eternal. I Timothy 1:17 says, ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever, Amen.’
The Babe who slept in a manger in Bethlehem is the Lord of the dead and the living. Romans 14:9 says, ‘For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”
The most well known and most celebrated birth occurred in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. That’s right. I am referring to Jesus Christ - the most famous baby of them all. People tend to get all misty eyed when they consider the One who was born there and placed in the manger by His mother. Many Christians know that December 25th is likely not the exact day of His birth. A time set aside to honor His birth is a good thing, even if the day isn’t exactly right.
I always think about Mary at Christmas. I know she loved her little boy as much as any mother ever loved a child, but she knew her child was more than her baby even before He was born. She knew He had no earthly father. Mary didn’t know everything about her Son and His future. I wonder what she thought of the three gifts given by wise men from the east? Gold spends like money, so there was no doubt Mary and Joseph were happy to get that. It symbolizes royalty, so the new parents were probably doubly pleased to get gold. Frankincense is a gum or resin that is used for perfume and religious ceremonies. It symbolizes the royal priesthood of Christ. That would have been a good gift as well under any circumstances. Myrrh, also a gum, is used as for embalming the dead. What did Mary and Joseph understand about that gift? (What would you think if someone gave your baby a lovely gift of embalming fluid?)
Mary and Joseph lived with Jesus and gained a better understanding of who He is as He grew from a baby to an adult. Joseph didn’t live to see Jesus grown, but Mary lived to watch her first born son grow to be a man, be followed by many, die on a cross, rise up again, and ascend to heaven. She lived to hear the promise that the same Jesus would come again. As Mary lived through all these events, she must have gained a better understanding of who her Son REALLY was.
A new Christian usually begins his or her Christian life sort or like Mary. They have a little understanding of Jesus. They know Him as the savior who is able to save to the uttermost those who call upon His name. They know He was born in Bethlehem, and they know He is their ticket to heaven. Like Mary, Christians who are willing to learn, will learn more about who Jesus is as they go through their own lives.
Exactly who is Jesus? Of course I am referring to Jesus, the Christ, who was born of a virgin, did miracles even to raising of the dead, promised salvation to all who believe, was crucified, raised Himself from the dead in three days, walked among men again, ascended to heaven, and promised to return. Who is THIS Jesus?
Matthey 1:1 tells us, ‘The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.’ Jesus Christ is a direct descendant of Abraham and David.
John 1:9-10 tells us, ‘That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and world knew him not.’ The Child of Bethlehem made the world, and He is the Light of the world. Those truly seeking ‘enlightenment’ are seeking Jesus Christ.
Matthew 3:11 says, ‘And Lo, a voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.’
Jesus is the beloved Son of God. Mark 1:1 says, ‘the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ Mary already knew this because the Holy Spirit told her so. Luke 1:35b says, the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.’
Jesus Christ is the Word. John 1:1 says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
Jesus Christ is a minister, or I should say He is THE Minister. Mark 10:45 says For the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ I suppose you could say Jesus Christ is the Big Man with the big bucks. He alone has the means to pay the ransom of sin for many. No mortal could even pay the ransom for his or her own soul - much less the ransom for many.
Jesus Christ is our willing sacrifice. Galatians 1:4 says, ‘Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father.’
He is the lamb of God. John 1:29 says, ‘The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.’
He is also the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Revelation 17:14a says, ‘These shall make war with the Lamb - and the Lamb shall overcome them: For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.’
Revelation 19:16 again says, ‘and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’
Jesus is the Messiah foretold in Daniel 9:26. ‘And After threescore and two weeks shall messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.’
Bethlehem’s Child is our mediator between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 says, ‘For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’
Not only is Jesus our mediator, He is our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 says, ‘Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ First Jesus made a way for us to get to God, and then stands there and intercedes on our behalf. This is a good place to stop a minute and just say, ‘Thank you Jesus, for all You do for me.’
He is our advocate as well. He speaks in our favor.
The Child of Bethlehem is also the King of Israel. John 1:49 says, ‘Nathaniel answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.’ Israel may not have recognized Him, but Jesus is still the King.
He is the King Eternal. I Timothy 1:17 says, ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever, Amen.’
The Babe who slept in a manger in Bethlehem is the Lord of the dead and the living. Romans 14:9 says, ‘For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”
