Another Side to the Story.

We’re a mere four days away from the Day when, as His faithful Followers, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our King.  The Scriptural account reads like this: “And the angel said to” the shepherds in the field, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you Good News of great joy which will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” {Lk. 2:10-11}.  This single sentence defines for us the Mission and Ministry of the Messiah: the Greek Soter = ‘Savior,’ Christos = Anointed One {fully man}, and Kurios = Sovereign Lord and Master {entirely God}, all wrapped up in one.  He is the “Savior” of man and Anointed One of God, the long-awaited Messiah of Israel.  He also happens to be very God of very God: undeniable Deity and sinless humanity welded as One forevermore.  What incredible news that is, wonderful, soul-saving— and to the nations of this Earth— kingdom-crushing News.

But there is another side to the Story.  The birth of Jesus was so much more than just a picturesque event in a quaint little town, witnessed and watched by a motley assortment of Temple animals, faithful shepherds, and magi from afar.  That much you already know.  What you may not know is what unfolded according to Revelation 12:1-7: this was the moment of the Great Invasion, of Eternity into Time, of Creator into the realm of Creation, our God choosing to take upon Himself the mantle of human weakness {a physical body} and defeat Satan on his own turf.  As author Phillip Yancey has said, it was “a daring raid by the Ruler of the forces of good into the Universe’s seat of evil.”  This is no ‘silent night’ for the enemies of God; this is D-Day times infinite.

The angels appearing this night were the angelic Armies {the ‘Hosts of Heaven’} passing in review as their King, Creator, and Commander lay crying in the fodder— Luke 2:13-14.  The apostle John tells us, “the Son of God appeared for this purpose [‘this’ sole and solitary ‘purpose’]: to destroy the works of the devil” {1 Jn. 3:8b}.  I.e., to go to War for those He loved {4:19}, to battle for the hearts of men {Isa. 61:1} and to offer us the Gift of Life— both eternal and abundant {1 Jn. 3:1-2}.

My prayer, as the shepherd of a flock I deeply, deeply love, is that this be ever present in our minds as we live out our days in a World long at War.  One half of our lives is the physical, the temporal, and the visible; the other half, which the Word enjoins us to accept as the real half, the weighty half, the most crucial component of reality, is the spiritual, the Eternal, the invisible.  We must choose to live every moment with one foot in each, simultaneously in both the temporal and the eternal, with the latter dominating the former.  And we must rivet the eyes of our hearts on the glorious Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  For the Mission He came to accomplish, my Brothers-in-Arms, is a done deal: “It is finished” forevermore! {Jn. 19:10}.  The Battle has been won and the Ultimate Victory {His Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension} already achieved.  Don’t ever forget this.  We are what He is— Victorious!  If you will choose to ‘wage war’ from that position, neither you nor your life will ever be the same.

May the blessing of His grace, the peace of His presence, and the power of His Life rest upon you, your family, and your ministry to a fallen world full of broken people.  The year which lies before us is full of promise and of hope for those who live in the Light of Jesus’ Love.  May we embrace it, and all its opportunity, like we embrace our Lord …with the passion and hunger of a long-awaited Lover.  Amen and amen. 

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296 | hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – where the Word and the Spirit are one.