When Love Came Down

I usually just post a blurb for the articles I write for Proverbs and Wisdom, but because it's a Christmas message, I thought I'd post the whole article today.

As we approach Christmas this year, let’s not forget the reason for the season: not the angels, not the shepherds, not the wise men, not Mary and Joseph, not even the infant in the manger, but the reason why the story in Bethlehem ever happened at all:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Christmas is all about God’s love for us. 

He loved us enough to send Love down to be born of a virgin. He loved us enough to send Love down humbly in a manger.  He loved us enough to send Love down giving sight to the blind, sound to the deaf, and freedom to the captives.  He loved us enough to send Love down to be nailed to a tree and take the punishment we all rightly deserve.  He loved us enough to send Love down to be the first born of the resurrection.  He loved us enough to send Love down that Love may once again ascend, so we may be empowered by the Holy Spirit and learn to love as He loves.

God’s love is who we celebrate on Christmas. 

And God’s love isn’t a baby in a manger any more.  God’s love isn’t just a teacher or a healer.  God’s love isn’t a broken man on a cross.  God’s love isn’t still in the grave.  And God’s love isn’t staying in heaven forever.

God’s love is Jesus Christ, the king of kings, and He’s coming back to claim all that are His. He is the reason for the season. 

So, this Christmas when you look at the nativity scene in your living room, at your church, or in all the retail stores, don’t focus on the story, except in worship of the living King of Kings and His abounding love. 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19) 

Amen.

Featured Non Profit

This month a Christian non-profit that is worthy of support is being featured every post until Christmas.  The criteria for being featured are that they bring glory to God, they are financially accountable, and finally they must have a mission that includes one of the following: reach the lost, empower believers, or help those in need in the name of Jesus Christ.

Click here for a complete list.

Today's featured non profit is Wycliffe Ministries:

Today about 340 million people do not have any Scripture in their language. Wycliffe’s vision is to see the Bible accessible to all people in the language they understand best. To make this vision a reality, Wycliffe also focuses on community development, literacy development and church partnerships.

Wycliffe was founded in 1942 by William Cameron Townsend. A missionary to the Cakchiquel Indians of Guatemala, Townsend caught the vision for translation when Cakchiquel-speaking men expressed their concern that the Bible was not available to them in the language they understood clearly. As a result, Townsend resolved that every man, woman and child should be able to read God’s Word in their own language.

Since its inception, Wycliffe has made great progress in Bible translation all around the world. To date, they have played a part in completing more than 700 Scripture translations.

You can support Wycliffe by following this link.

View the video below to get a glimpse of the work Wycliffe does in the name of Jesus Christ: