So...Jesus Grew Up

“And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.”--Luke 2:40
 
“Jesus is the Reason for the Season”…“Jesus is the true Meaning of Christmas”…“Keep Christ in Christmas”…
 
These are phrases that Christians plaster all over social media and on yard signs leading up to the annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus. And let me say up front, Jesus’ birth is a thing to celebrate. It is, perhaps, the third greatest day of all time (the first and second being a tie between the crucifixion and resurrection). And, it was cause for celebration when it happened. Angels revealed His birth to shepherds—“a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased’” (Luke 2:14). The shepherds ran hastily to the manger where Jesus was lying. Having seen Him, they “returned, praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them” (Luke 2:20)
 
Later in the Temple, Joseph and Mary met Simeon—a man “waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:25-26).  This man praised God for the birth of the Messiah, the King.  Anna as well gave “thanks to God and [spoke] of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). These people had long been awaiting the coming Savior—the Messiah. So, His birth was viewed by those believing Jews as something to celebrate.  Even the “wise men from the east” (Greek, magi) sought Jesus to worship Him. They asked Herod, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2).  Yes, Jesus’ birth was celebrated—by angels and shepherds and Mary and Elizabeth and Joseph and Zechariah and Simeon and Anna and Gentile wise men and “all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
 
Today, much of the human population gives lip service to the same joyous celebration every December 25. And without question, true believers do truly thank God for the birth of the Savior at this time. However, many of those that proclaim “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” think far too little of the Christ of Scripture the rest of the year. There was a time that Chreasters flooded churches on Christmas and Easter (thus the name). However, even that practice seems to have passed. In our day, the common way to “Keep Christ in Christmas” is to post about it on social media and, perhaps, have a manger scene in the front yard (which can be a good testimony, of course—so long as a person truly thanks God for the birth of His Son and it’s more than hypocritical religiosity). 
 
Look, it’s easy to like a baby—most of us do. But, let us consider this question—“What will you do with the Jesus that grew up?” Jesus didn’t remain a baby, you know. Like any normal human child, He grew. Unlike every human child, He came to this earth on a mission. Before His birth, the angel told Joseph, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). His mission didn’t end in a manger in Bethlehem. No, it began there (so far as the incarnation is concerned)--“… 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 2:7-8). 
 
This Jesus—the one whose birth we just celebrated—this Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). “No one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46). He was “tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He died to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit…” (1 Peter 3:18). He “was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Hebrews 1:3-4). “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)—And let all mankind know it!
 
Listen, I don’t want to harp on anybody for celebrating the birth of our King—it is cause for celebration. However, I want to offer a word of caution. Do not be so intent on keeping Jesus in a manger. I join you in thanking God that He was born. However, we must thank God that He grew up as well. Do not be one who feels that externally acknowledging the “Christ of Christmas” is sufficiently religious enough to please the Father. It absolutely is not. We must—as humans that fell in Adam (Romans 5:12)—trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. We must believe “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Do you plan to worship Jesus today, on December 26th? Do you plan to pray to Him…to read His Word…to witness of Him…to follow Him in baptism…to congregate with His children? This same Jesus whose birth we just commemorated declared, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Can you say with confidence that you love Him? Or, can you only tolerate “loving” Him twice a year?  It is an important question to consider—the most important! I pray God will lead us all to not only believe Him, but to honor Him in all we do.