No Life Before Christ

Dec 1, 2024    Ron Barnard

There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:8-11 KJV


The Messiah stepped into our mess and made hope and healing accessible to all. 


Rebellion is a personal choice and always leads to brokenness and separation.! 


I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 ESV 


Long before Christ came, God knew He would be needed and had pre-made the decision that He would come. 


Life before / without Christ is a difficult kind of life and it isn’t the kind of life God created us to live. 


Time was reset!


At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:1-7 NLT

 

Looking for God as an object in His creation is like looking for Shakespeare in Hamlet or Macbeth. You find him there not as a character, but as the playwright. C.S. Lewis 


Jesus wrote Himself into His story!


The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 ESV


God’s nature and character are evident from the story, but it was by entering the story, that He has reveled His love for us!