The Contrast of Christmas

Numbers 24:17 (NIV) 

".... A star will come out of Jacob; 

a scepter will rise out of Israel....."

Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT) 

1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” 

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 

4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” 

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” 

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. 

Father what a contrast between the joyous hope of the Wisemen who sought to worship the newborn King and the jealous hatred of wicked Herod who sought to destroy the true King of the Jews. Yet Father, in your love, you sent your son filled with grace and truth, to bring the light of love and hope to a world totally shrouded in the deepest darkness of hostility and division. As the Scriptures so compassionately reminds us: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."  John 3:17 (ESV) 

Father what a contrast Christmas exposes between light and darkness, love and hate, hope and fear, faith and unbelief, reception and rejection, life and death. 

Thank you, Father, for the contrast of Christmas which reveals the grace of your love and the mercy of your forgiveness to all who believe in your beloved Son, Jesus our Savior and King.  Amen.

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