For a few years I had the honor of putting together Christmas Praise Nights, filled with Scripture readings, special music, and congregational singing. I started preparing in August (to be ready before school started back up again), and I loved spending time delving into scripture and music that would help the congregation prepare their hearts for Christmas. One of my favorite services (from 2019) was titled “Jesus Is”. And so thus begins a 5-post series exploring who Jesus is in light of the upcoming Christmas season.
Why start now? To prepare. I don’t know about you, but I used to feel like Christmas surprised me every year: it came it with a thud and was over before I was able to dwell in what the “reason for the season” really was. So, join me as we prepare now, and may we have a holiday season grounded in who Jesus is.
For some reason whenever I think of the birth of Christ and what it means for me all this time later, I’m overwhelmed by the goodness of God, so much so that my writing will never do it justice. So, these posts are my way of sharing Scripture and songs with you, praying that you reflect on who Jesus is in your life and find something new or refreshing in Him this Christmas.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8 ESV
The word “savior” means “deliverer”. Jesus came to earth to die and deliver us from sin, so that we might believe and live eternally in Heaven. Jesus is our Savior.
Listen: “We Have A Savior”
Listen: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” Isaiah 7:14-17 ESV
The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us”. (Bonus fact: “Emmanuel” and “Immanuel” both mean “God with us”. “Emmanuel” is translated from Greek, and “Immanuel” is translated from Hebrew.) Pause here and reflect on this meaning of this name of Jesus: God with us. Not somewhere close to us, maybe relatively nearby, but with us. The Jewish people had waited 400 years to hear from God. They were expecting a savior, and God sent Jesus to dwell among them. Jesus is Emmanuel.
Listen: “O Come O Come Emmanuel”
Listen: “God is With Us”
In what ways do you see Jesus as Savior and Emmanuel?
