Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The First Christmas Hymn


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The First Christmas Hymn
Tuesday, January 6, 2014
Jeff Lampl



The great and astonishing thing that Christmas tells is that God, the Uncreated Greatest of all beings, comes into His creation as a “Son” and descends to the lowest, meekest, weakest, state we know, that of abused servant and finally death.   Once again we see how the Bible uses literary patterns to make the point so clearly.   In Philippians we have a hymn, or poem (actually a chiasm where first and last lines “match”, then second and next to last lines “match” etc. until there is a “summit” verse which becomes the point of the passage) that shows us not only the Christmas story but also the Easter story in only a few lines.   We have Creator, Son, Servant, Cross, death, resurrection and Jesus’ Lordship over all of creation in 5 verses.    


Spend some time reflecting, not on what this means for us, nor on what we should do, nor on what the implications of this passage might b for you, rather simply reflect on God.    Spend a little time allowing yourself to comprehend how totally and completely different the God of Christianity is to that which every other religion on earth offers.   All other religions have a founder who tells us how to find God. The God of Christianity leaves Heaven and seeks us out at not cost to us, but at incredible cost to Himself.

I am more blown away by this today than ever before.  And, the more I “get it”, the more I find myself growing deeply in love with God who has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ.  


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