Merry Christmas!
When you think of Jesus, what image comes to mind? Do you see the baby in the manger? The man on the cross? The healer and teacher?
I think so often, those are the images that come to mind. We see Jesus as a gentle and kind man who speaks of love and doesn’t stand up for His rights when falsely accused. We see Him as the friend of sinners, the man who stands up to the religious hypocrites.
While He is all of those things, I think we are prone to “keeping” Him there. We forget that He is coming again, not as a baby but as a warrior King!
In Revelation chapter 1, John – who was one of Jesus’ closest friends while He walked this earth – sees Jesus and is terrified!
Revelation 1:14-18 – “The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
So as you celebrate the baby in the manger, never forget that Jesus, like all of us, did not stay a baby. More than that, He is the King of kings and will one day rule in justice and peace.
Celebrate not only that He came once, but that He has promised He is coming again! Merry Christmas, my friends!
Candle Sutton 