Luke 2:11 " In the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

The festival of Jesus' birth causes us to pause at the manger from where the sun of God's grace shines and beckons us to draw near. Let us forget all our cares and look toward Bethlehem: We behold the King of kings. "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High... and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and His kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1:22,23). This little baby is the everlasting King, whom no one can remove from His throne. His kingdom is one of joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. We therefore behold the greatest miracle. The eternal Son of God has become a human being, lowered Himself and hidden His power.

But perhaps you say: "May I come to behold Him: I, the lowly one, to behold the Highest, the sinner to behold the Holy One, the child of darkness to behold the True Light, the prisoner of death to behold Eternal Life? Will He not turn me away from His presence?" You may come, friend, for He has not come to condemn you, but has rather come so that you through Him might be saved. He is your SAVIOR.

"When the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Gal. 4:4,5). We had broken God's Law, it's true, but Jesus fulfilled it for us and suffered the punishment that the Law demanded. Already when He was still in the manger, the shadow of the cross loomed over Him, so that it might cover your sins, and the Father's love could shine through from the face of the Savior.

You can approach His manger with confidence. He will, with His grace, also illumine your dark heart, so that you may believe in Him and no longer doubt and be afraid, but rather be certain that your sins have been forgiven for Jesus' sake. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him" (John 3:17).

The earthly life of the Christ?Child, from the very beginning, was a constant battle against the temptor, and the battle ended in victory for Jesus. In the company of the Christ?Child you also will be victorious. We are still engaged in battle. Sin still lives in us and temptations confront us, but our redemption is already an accomplished fact. Go to the manger to behold your Redeemer and to follow His banner of victory. Then you will have the right kind of Christmas.