Big Baby Jesus

DEC 25  / Sunday | “Which Jesus?” Message Series – Read Luke 2:1-20

Overview: He may have been born cute and cuddly–and possibly even big at 8lb 6oz, 21 inches (guesstimate)–but Christmas really only matters because of Easter.

26 / Mon – Sweet little baby boy  |  Read Luke 2:1-20

Who doesn’t love a baby? Holding a precious little one can soften even the hardest heart. It might have been unexpected to discover the Messiah had come as a baby instead of a conquering king, but the shepherds were overwhelmed with joy and awe when they saw him. It is a beautiful story which touches us anew each year. You are a follower of Jesus Christ. How could you continue the conversation, about why he came, once the Christmas season is over?

27 / Tue – Before he was born  |  Read John 1:1-5, 14

Looking for a great after-Christmas conversation starter? Try this one. Did you know that Jesus existed long before he was born in Bethlehem? It’s true, as John puts so eloquently, God did put on flesh to become one of us. Do you know of any other religion whose deity would so self-sacrifice? What kind of love prompts this astounding action? How does this truth impact you, knowing now that Jesus was and is…Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23)?

28 / Wed – The way he lived  |  Read Colossians 2:9-10

Jesus did not come as a baby to stay that way. His purpose was to redeem humankind. Along the way, his life showed in concrete reality what kind of person God was. The way Jesus spoke, how he treated people, his attitudes, the things he left unsaid that many of us would not have. The way he listened, the things he noticed, the attention he gave to individuals whom society dismissed as of no value. Why not take another look at the gospels and write down God’s qualities he displayed?

29 / Thu – Bookends  |  Read Romans 5:10 / John 14:3

If there are bookends to Jesus’ life on earth, they would be the incredible story of his birth at one end and the amazing story of his death & resurrection at the other. Except the story doesn’t really end. When Jesus physically left the earth, he made a promise to be with us always AND to come back to take us to live with him forever. His death reconciled us to God. It is his resurrection that gives us new life and purpose. How can these truths undergird your everyday actions?

30 / Fri – BC/AD  |  Read Colossians 2:13-14 / 1 Peter 1:3-9, 18-19

It is possible to be walking around and yet be dead inside. This is how Paul described the human condition, before Christ (BC), to the Colossian believers. How did he say God makes us alive? Then Peter contrasts life after Christ came (AD) with the BC life. He highlights the great cost to purchase that transformation. Describe what ‘an empty life’ might look like. Compare that to the life Jesus offers. What is your BC/AD story? Have you had a chance to share it recently?

31 / Sat – “Let me speak to a representative”  |  Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

What is an ambassador and what do they do? According to the dictionary, an ambassador is an authorized representative or messenger, sent from one government to another. Paul describes to the Corinthian believers the duties of an ambassador for Christ and what the message is. As you move into a new year, would this be a good time to ask the Lord to help you know him better and represent him more accurately in the days to come? You know, he will help you!