He was
and is
and is to come
Always God,
never began
Infinitely wise
He,
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
– One together –
chose us
before the beginning of the world
And He knew of the sacrifice
before He even made us
The selfless
and the painful
sacrifice
for we would need rescuing
before all was said and done
And, God,
in relationship with Himself
gave us His Son
and told us He would be called Jesus
for He would be the Salvation
everyone would need
He would save us all
from our sins
And we would not hold Him
in high esteem
nor love Him like we should
He would be introduced into this world
in the humblest way
for that is His nature,
humble of spirit
And the angels who have always known Him
marveled that He would
do this thing
for those such as us
The angels would praise
and glorify
and announce the King who was a child!
And prepare those closest
to this infant
so they would know the gravity
of the appearance of God
But non could have fathomed
the greatness
and boundless love
of this One and only God
made flesh
Before time, His was the earth
as His footstool
His was heaven beautiful
and pure
His was the universe
and everything in it
and yet…
He became nothing,
poured out for all
And so,
He is Jesus
The greatest of The Cast
in this true story
Tiny baby human
completely Divine
But, hear this!
The next cast member
is you!
for you are part of this story as well
the story of humanity in time
seen by an infinite God
What will you do with this Savior
of all mankind?
There is no neutral,
for He came for all
You must choose to accept
or your choice is already made
Choose Jesus’ love,
dear friend
Choose the One
who came for you
– Susie Stewart
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.
– Luke 2:1-21 (NIV)
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
– Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)
For to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of His government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over His kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
– Isaiah 9:6,7 (NIV)
For 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.
– John 3:16 (NIV)
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
rather, He made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
and gave Him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
– Philippians 2:6-11 (NIV)
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.
– Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)
Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.
– Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
Susie Stewart 