Let’s pause, remember, and be glad.

Steve Brown:
Let’s pause, remember, and be glad, on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
Being adopted into the family of God is not about doing more or trying harder. It’s about being welcomed by God because of His radical grace, free from the penalties of sin and never alone in your suffering, that grace is what Key Life is all about.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew, and Merry Christmas. If you’re listening, it probably means that your Christmas day is almost over, or that you stopped in the middle of all the Christmas Day and the festivities, and you turned on the radio just to be still for a while. Or maybe you just accidentally were flipping through the dial, and you discovered this program. Generally, it’s a teaching program, teaching the Bible. But today, instead of doing that, because it’s Christmas Day, I’m going to take some time to simply read the Scripture. And as I read it, I’ll think about it. And as you listen to me read it, you think about it, too. The first place I would read is in Hebrews, and it’s not a traditional Christmas text, but it’s an important one. In the first chapter of Hebrews, this is what the writer says.

In many and various ways, God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by the word of his power. When he has made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

It’s good to remember that that is what happened. Started with a baby in a stable, but that’s what happened. The God of the universe entered time and space. Now, I could go to a number of different texts. Maybe in Matthew, maybe we’ll go to John. But let’s go to the gospel according to Luke, and his record, Dr. Luke’s record, of the first Christmas. And this is what he writes in the second chapter of Luke.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and the lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in that region there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will come to all the people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and they found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. When they saw it, they made known the saying which had been told them concerning the child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

One of the great things about the Gospels is that you get more details by reading them all. Now, Mark doesn’t mention hardly anything about the Christmas story. But you’ll find that in Luke, and I just read that passage to you, there are some details you don’t find in Matthew. And in Matthew, some details you don’t find in Luke. And then in John, there’s a theological explanation of all that you read in Matthew and Luke. So, let’s look at Matthew, and I’m going to start at the 18th verse of the 1st chapter and read well down into the 2nd chapter of Matthew, where Matthew writes as follows.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had born a son. And called his name Jesus. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all of the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where this Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for as it is written by the prophet: “‘O you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'” then Herod summoned and the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” when they had heard the king, they went their way. And lo, the star which they had seen in the east went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Now, let me give you one more text, which is from the Gospel of John, and it’s the theological truth. This is from the first chapter of John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything that was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

And then, listen, verse 14.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. And we have beheld his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

So, that’s Christmas. That’s what this is really about. It’s when God entered our world for no other reason except that he loved. So, from all of us here at Key Life, to all of you who are listening to this broadcast. Have a Merry, Merry Christmas. You think about that. Amen.