My favorite version of the Christmas story isn't found where most people might look. It's not Matthew's or Luke's. They're excellent and I enjoy them immensely. It's not even John's, "In the beginning was the Word ... and the Word became flesh ..." (John 1:1-14) story, although that's closer to it. No ... mine is in Philippians.
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. (Php 2:5-8)The popular Christmas hymn, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, includes this line: "Mild He lays His glory by." That's the Philippians version. Jesus in the form of God did not cling to that glory, but ... emptied Himself. "Have this mind among yourselves." The Christmas story is a phenomenal story of a King who stepped down from His throne, the Greatest that became the least ... for you and me. The story (John 3:16) is of a Father who gave up His Son ... for you and me.
Lights and trees, snow and candles, even "good will" toward everyone ... these are all good things ... to varying degrees. But they pale in comparison to the Good Thing that Jesus did when He took off His glory and put on our flesh ... His ultimate cost for our ultimate salvation. He became sin for us that we could be His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). That story is so much bigger than tinsel and presents and even "Jolly Old Saint Nick."
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For our Christmas Eve service, our pastor taught on Romans 5, about the gift that was much more better. Like you, he said that all these nice things about the Christmas time are good, but they pale in comparison to the gift of the incarnation that led to His crucifixion for us. Now, not only are our sins paid for, but we also have His righteousness placed on us.
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