What we think about God defines how we understand Christmas.

Does what I know about God define how I understand and celebrate Christmas?”

“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.”

Every song has a singer and the singer of this song was Mary.
Every song has a story behind its creation.
Every song has a message.

“Before the manger of Christ, before God in lowliness, the powerful come to nothing; they have no right, no hope; they are judged…” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Mary understood God was beyond her but near her. (Luke 1:47-49)

“Think of it like this: he cannot be exhausted by our ideas about him, but he is everywhere suggested. He cannot be comprehended, but he can be touched. His coming in the flesh—this Mystery we prepare to glimpse again — confirms that he is to be touched.” Scott Cairns

Mary understood God is all-powerful but cares for the humble.
(Luke 1: 48,51-52)

Mary understood God was just but merciful. (Luke 1:50-55)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Mary understood God was holy but human.
(Luke 1: 30,35, 49; Luke 2:6-7)

“The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus…”

“…the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
(Luke 2:6-7)

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
(John 1:14)

“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…20 glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen...”
(Luke 2:17-18, 20)

“treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
(Luke 2:19)

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
(Ephesians 2:6-7)

· Beyond but Near
· Mighty but Humble
· Just but Merciful
· Holy but Human

What we think about God defines how we understand Christmas.

“…he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
(Phil.2:8)

What we think about God defines how we understand Christmas.