Jesus, Lord at they Birth

Read Psalm 96

Why are we reading psalms at Christmas?  How about something from Matthew or Luke?  Even John 1:14 would fit, but psalms?

We could do the reverse genealogy of Jesus from Luke’s third chapter, but psalms?

Consider the last five worlds of Silent Night!  Holy Night!  Can you recall them or do you have to sing all 3 verses to get there?

Jesus – Lord – at – thy – birth

We think of no room at the inn, a babe in a manger, the shepherds being scared when angels visit them with some very special news.  We think of the virgin birth and journey to the City of David, Bethlehem, to make sure this birth took place exactly where required by prophecy. We might think of a very pregnant Mary making this 70-90-mile journey.

I’m thinking of Joseph rolling his eyes saying to himself, “Are we really stopping again?”

But how often do we think, Jesus, Lord at thy birth?

This Babe in a manger is the King of kings.  Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. Who is in this manger?  The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.

He is the Lord of lords.  He reigns.  He can’t walk, talk, or feed himself but he reigns.  He is Lord at birth.  God the Father has put everything in his hands, including and especially our salvation.

God has also put everything in the hands of Mary and Joseph.  The care of the hope of the world is in the hands of this very young couple who only a year earlier probably didn’t have a care in the world.

This same Jesus who was very much central to the creation of the world has presented himself to that creation in the flesh as a newborn child.  He is Lord at birth and as helpless as any baby.

The King of kings and Lord of lords surrendered himself to the will of his Father and entered this world as a baby.  We sometimes like the undercover boss type shows where the top executive masquerades as a low-level employee for a day or two.  It’s good stuff to get a perspective from the bottom.

Jesus didn’t pop into this world and do a couple days as a kid then move on to adult ministry then back to his rightful place at the right hand of his Father.  He was born of a woman who had surrendered herself to the law and to the will of God, but Jesus would have to plug along day by day like any child.

He would drink his mother’s milk and soil a diaper—not the disposable type—just like any child, but this child was and is king. He was and is Lord.  He reigns!

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

What is our response?  It is to sing a new song, praise his name, and declare his glory.  Great is our Lord and he is worthy of our praise.  Turn your Bibles to the far right and hear a question asked in the throne room of heaven.  Who is worthy to open the scroll?

No one was found worthy anywhere in all of creation, save this Lamb of God that we now celebrate as a babe in the manger.

Turn back to Isaiah 9 and see what has come upon the world. 

The people walking in darkness

    have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

    a light has dawned.

Read on a little farther and we see:

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah looking forward and we looking back know that this story manifests itself in the birth of a child in the city of David.  Love came into the world in the flesh as a baby and as the King of kings.  Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

The gods of this world are made of wood and stone and of human hands.  The one true God came into this world in the flesh, born of a woman who followed God’s ways.

The gods of this world were given power by their creators—people who had deluded themselves into making something of their own creation to be their god.

The one true God came into this world as a child; yet he was Lord at his birth.  The Lord reigns.

Our response is to worship him.  O, come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Let all creation rejoice before him—before the Lord.  Joy to the world!  The Lord is come.

Jesus would walk the earth for just over 3 decades.  He lived the human life.  He endured pain and struggle as we do.   He lived a sinless life though Satan himself would do his best to tempt him.

We know of the babe born in a manger, a man of miracles, a suffering servant, and the one who had no sin who became sin for us. 

But this person that we know as Jesus was Lord at his birth.  One day we will see that clearly.  Today we take by faith that he was Lord at his birth and will come again as the King of kings and Lord or lords. 

We sing about Mary and wonder if she knew that one day her Son would rule the nations, that he is the Lord of all creation.

Today’s psalm wraps up with a promise.  He will come to judge the world in righteousness and the people in faithfulness.  Mary did you know?

We know that we will all stand before him one day and give account, but because the King of kings and Lord of lords first came as a baby and lived a human life and died on a cross to atone for our sins, we will stand before him joyfully.

For we know him not only as judge but as Savior, King, Counselor, mighty God, High Priest, and Lord.  He was Lord at his birth but because the one true God is a God of love, we did not receive him first as the Rider who comes to judge and wage war.

It is surely his right to judge his own creation at any time.  He is Lord and he is just but the babe that came into this world as God with us is also merciful.  There will come a time for judgment and for some this will be a terrible time.

But because God came as a child, lived as a man, and redeemed those who would receive him as Lord and Savior, we do not fear the days ahead.

We rejoice at the birth of our Lord, who was Lord at his birth and is the Lord of lords forever.

Because he came as a child, we know our God to be one of mercy and compassion and love.  For God desires none to perish.

He is not slow in coming a second time.  He is patient that we might receive the gift that he brought us at his first advent into this world. 

When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate not only God with us but God’s mercy, compassion, and love poured out upon us.

Jesus, Lord at thy birth, who is patient, compassionate, merciful, and full of love for us.  Let us celebrate Christmas and sing praises to the Lord of Lords. 

Jesus, Lord at thy birth!  Merry Christmas!

Amen.