How Many Kings Would Do This?

Christmas time... a great time of year, yet the most misunderstood time of year.. We Christians rail about the secular takeover of Christmas, but aren't we just as guilty of that? So many "things" take our attention away from the fact that God became Man   ... Christ came into the world to save sinners 

(1 Timothy 1:15)  ... Are you one of the sinners He has saved? If you are, we need God to call us back to the real meaning of this day. The birth of Jesus Christ, our sin - bearer. We died that we might live! Make sure.. really sure, that you celebrate Christmas everyday by remembering that God emptied out Heaven to come and rescue you. Some key passages to meditate on are:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

                                                                                              (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-10 ESV)

          The Christmas song, "How Many Kings?" illustrates these verses so well:                                                                                              

 How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for  me?                                                                         

Let's see another King do that? ....  Have a blessed Christmas!

"Nunc Dimittis" Luke 2: 22-35

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
  “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
  And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”  (Luke 2:22-35 ESV)

What a day that had to be for faithful Simeon... He got to see and hold (and behold!) the LORD'S salvation: Jesus Christ... God promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the One who would bring (consolation) salvation for His people. Isaiah 40 speaks of the comfort the Messiah would bring. Simeon knew the passage well, but imagine the impact as he actually HOLDS the One Isaiah spoke of hundreds of years before! Simeon bursts into song - in the Latin it is called the "Nunc Dimittis" because it is a song of dismissal. Simeon could now die knowing that God keeps His promises.
Believe it or not, it works the same way with us; We BEHOLD our salvation when we see and receive the Lord's salvation... Jesus Christ. We can now die in peace... Knowing our salvation is here! The comfort, consolation, and salvation that God promises is right there before you... His name is Jesus. Turn to Him and be saved.