Jesus
Choosing a child’s name is no small task. But for Joseph, other decisions took precedence. When he found Mary was expecting a baby, he had to decide what to do. An angel of the Lord gave Joseph the answer. “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV) The name above all names, planned from the beginning—Jesus.
KIDTOWN Christmas
We find in Matthew 19:14 the following, “Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Jesus was responding to those who were wishing to keep the children from Him, to deny them His touch and prayers. Jesus embraced the children; He saw them as heirs to the kingdom. We should follow His lead; we should open our arms and our hearts, listen to their voices, make them feel welcome and a part of this world and one day heirs of the Kingdom.
Immanuel
Immanuel is a Hebrew word meaning “God with us” and expresses the wonder that God “became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” In the Old Testament God’s presence with His people was particularly evident in the temple, but the glory that filled the temple was surpassed by the personal presence of God the Son as He revealed the Father during His ministry on earth. Jesus’ presence in the world tore down the wall that separates us from the immediate presence of God. Jesus came to be a sacrifice for all of us and a mediator for us with God.
Peace on Earth
When announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, angels spoke of having peace on Earth. Yes, peace is a big deal! We don’t have to look very far to see people who cannot find that peace for themselves. The peace we need and seek can be found in Jesus and only in Him. Looking elsewhere is futile and a waste of time. We must pray to, read about and focus on Jesus every single day. Only then will we experience the peace of Christmas all year long, the peace that God intends us to have.