The Unexpected Messiah

Jesus was a surprise.

·      Mary had no plan for a miraculous pregnancy.

·      Her parents were undoubtedly shocked.

·      Joseph certainly was caught off guard.

·      Herod was looking for a man, not a child.

·      The Jewish scholars and rabbis were amazed at how a twelve-year-old boy challenged them with insightful questions about the Scriptures and God.

·      When He burst onto the scene 20 years later, Jesus created quite a stir with His claims, miracles, and teaching.

·      The Jews were looking for a mighty conquering king, not a meek itinerate preacher.

·      The religious elite rejected Jesus in the face of overwhelming evidence that He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah, and they plotted to find a way to remain in control as the gatekeepers to God.

·      Initially, His followers didn’t quite know what to do with Him—even when faced with His reappearance after the sure death of a Roman cross.

Fast-forward 2,000 years. Jesus is not what many expect Him to be.

Sure, the world celebrates His birthday each year with much gusto and mirth. But what exactly is being celebrated?

·      A mythology constructed upon the foundation of traditions and fanciful pageantry?

·      The memory of a life coach who taught principles of kindness and treating others right?

·      The opportunity for pious activities for a few weeks before going back to life as usual?

·      A day or two holiday leave from work?

·      Family gatherings and parties?

·      Happy feelings?

·      A man in a red suit?

It all begs some very important questions for those who claim to know Jesus.

·      Would we recognize Jesus by how He acted or what He said if He sat next to us in our church, dressed in normal clothes like ours?

·      Do we act as if we truly believe that Jesus is God, or do we merely mouth such words while we do whatever we want?

·      Are we guilty of picking and choosing—of building our own custom Jesus based on what we want Him to be?

·      Do the red letters in our Bibles signify transformative meaning for our lives, or are they there for intellectual reference only?

·      Do we obey His commands or quickly skip over them, dismissing them as outdated or irrelevant to the modern life we want to live?

·      Who are we celebrating—the owner of every minute of our lives or a temporary crutch in times of trouble?

Jesus has defined Himself throughout the pages of Scripture—not only in the New Testament, but equally so in the Old Testament.

·      He claimed He was the God of sovereign control over past history, our present day, and the future to come (John 8:58).

·      He told us what He expected of us as pilgrims in the world and citizens of His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33).

·      He invited us to follow Him closely as full-time disciples (Luke 18:22).

·      He made it clear that our actions and not our words demonstrate whether we are for Him or against Him in every moment of every day (Matthew 6:24).

Many reject these basic facts. Instead:

·      They want a feel-good Jesus.

·      They desire a life of ease and luxury in lush pastures—one void of persecution, injustice, and want in the desert places of life.

·      They expect more action from Jesus in righting what they see as wrongs in this broken world.

·      They want a holy rubber stamp of approval on the lives they choose to live and the plans they have made for building God’s Kingdom.

It is not really possible to celebrate Christmas without Jesus. Afterall, by definition it’s His birthday and all about Him.

This year, take some time away from the hustle and bustle of activity and consider a closer walk with Jesus each day.

He might surprise you in a powerful way.

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(John 8:58) Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

(Matthew 6:33) “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

(Luke 18:22) When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

(Matthew 6:24) “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.