Thursday, December 12, 2013

Christmas - It's All About Jesus


'How did God choose to enter the story He was writing? God overcame the world and its evil forces by setting aside His omnipotence, and becoming a helpless baby. The Incarnate One now had pitiful limbs, had tiny arms and legs, but even they were bound up tight in the swaddling clothes that Mary had remembered to bring with her.



'God was taking on what Martin Luther once called "left-handed power," the authority that arises naturally from a certain kind of willed helplessness. We are not talking about the helplessness that is simply impotence fueled by cowardice. Rather, we are recognizing how to overcome evil with good, how a strong man turns the other cheek, how the One who could have called for legions of angels to rescue Him from the cross declined to do so. The One who humbled Himself to the point of death was given a name above every name.'



'St. John tells us that God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son. That giving began at Bethlehem, was continued in His perfect sinless life as the new Israel, and culminated at the cross where He died for our sins.



'He entered into His joy (and our justification) at His resurrection, and He now sits at the right hand of God the Father, where there is a torrent of pleasure forever.



'He is that cascading torrent of pleasure. He is that endless waterfall of joy, which is hard for us to visualize because there is no top, and no bottom, and no sides. But there is an endless motion of delight just the same, and because we are in Christ, we are right in the middle of it.' - This passage excerpted from God Rest Ye Merry, by Douglas Wilson




'All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel" 
which means, God with us.'
- Matthew 1:22-23






As the angels said to the shepherds:

Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” - Luke 2:10-12 



'And suddenly there was with the angel 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 2:13-14 




'In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.'  - Galatians 4:3-6

***

Years ago, my cousin Bobby gave us the first several pieces of this Fontanini Nativity set, to which we've added pieces year after year. It is my favorite Christmas 'decoration,' a reminder of what Christmas is all about.

So whether we say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (Holy day), we are proclaiming this to be the event that changed the world - the birth of Christ our Savior.


Photobucket

This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Adorned From Above and   Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and  Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and  Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Saturday Nite Special

26 comments:

podso said...

A wonderful post and so beautifully illustrated!

Parsley said...

Beautiful!! Love how you shared the Christmas story with your beautiful nativity scene. God bless us...every one.

Life Happens said...

What a beautiful nativity. The birth of the savior is the reason for this season. :)

Terri D said...

Your Nativity is just beautiful, and tells the 'greatest story ever told' in such a lovely way. It IS the reason for the season. Love.

MadSnapper said...

that nativity set is absolutely stunning, each piece a work of art. and i love the passage, and have not read that before. beautiful post and Amen to it all.

Terri @ A Creative Princess said...

What a beautiful post and beautiful Nativity set! Merry Christmas!

Susie said...

I love that Nativity. I have never seen one so elaborate. So many figurines. Blessings and Merry Christmas, xoxo,Susie

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

It's so beautiful! You took such excellent photos. Mine is a Fontinini too; my mother gave me a piece every year for years except the year she gave me the holy family. I added two pieces.

Suzan said...

Judy, You have a lovely nativity scene! And yes - we each need to remember why we celebrate Christmas and be sure we keep Christ in the word Christmas!!

Vee said...

What a meaningful post! I love your Nativity set. The characters are beautifully portrayed. Merry Christmas!

TexWisGirl said...

it is beautiful. a joyous depiction.

Karen said...

What a great post, with the scripture and the passage you quoted, and the wonderful pictures of the nativity. Thank you.

Balisha said...

Thankyou for telling the Christmas story with pictures from your wonderful Creche.
Balisha

Ruth Kelly said...

Well said and true. We are blessed to have the spirit of Christ. Your nativity set is wonderful.

Olive said...

I concur my friend. In the century the song was written (?16th) merry meant mighty. So God rest you mighty gentlemen would be a translation. I do love the classic music of Christmas. Merry Christmas, Olive

Pamela Gordon said...

This is a beautiful Nativity set and I love the words you shared on the birth of our Saviour. Blessings, Pamela

Heide at ApronHistory said...

Beautiful nativity! I love that there is so many pieces.

Donna said...

Beautiful set and beautiful post! We have a set by that company too and I recognize many of the pieces. Though ours isn't nearly as extensive as yours!

genie said...

such a pretty nativity set...nice captures...

EG CameraGirl said...

What a gorgeous Nativity Set!

Jan n Jer said...

Jesus is the reason for the season! Very pretty nativity scene. Nice post!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful post! I love the way you illustrated the Christmas story with close-up detail shots of your lovely nativity scene.

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

I love your nativity. My grand father use to have one in the hall of his house every Christmas when I was a child. Wonderful memory.

Marianne (Mare) Baker Ball said...

Love your nativity set. Ours is the focus of our decorating too. We stopped getting a three 3 years ago, and I don't miss it. I love setting up the nativity with lives evergreen and lights. Better than any tree!

Kathy said...

Yes it is! Absolutely wonderful Nativity set! Love it! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
kathy

J_on_tour said...

Wow, that must be the most awesome nativity set I have ever seen. It is outside our comprehension how the the God of heaven could come to earth in the form of a baby to fulfil the master plan of redemption.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails