The Promise of Glory

“Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14).

G. K. Chesterton said, “Whatever else is or is not true, this one thing is certain—man is not what he was meant to be.”

We were made for glory, but our glory faded a long time ago. First we disobeyed, then we died on the inside, then we started dying on the outside, then we turned to our own devices, and finally we said, “God, we don’t need you at all. Leave us alone!” And we wonder why the world is the way it is. Look in the mirror. “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

So God came to visit us.

He came as a baby, and when he grew up, we killed him. Murdered him. Hung him on a cross. That’s the thanks we gave to God for visiting our planet. But we were wrong about everything. After we killed him, he came back from the dead—proving he was right all along and we were wrong—dead wrong about everything—and still God loved us and came from heaven to earth on the greatest rescue mission in history.

He came because we blew it so badly.
He came, and we killed him.
He died and became our Savior.

No one but God could have done something like that. What a story! What a Christ! C.S. Lewis said, “The son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.” God has done it all. That’s the good news of Christmas: God has done it all. The only thing left to you and me is to believe. God wrapped his Son in swaddling clothes and said to the whole world, “This is my Christmas gift to you.”

Jesus came to reverse the curse we brought upon ourselves. Now in heaven he is crowned with glory and honor. One day those who believe in Jesus will share that glory with him.

Christmas matters because truth matters. And the heart of the truth is that God did not leave us alone, but he came to visit us one dark night 2,000 years ago.

The glory of God shines forth from the manger in Bethlehem.
His glory still shines today.
One day his glory will fill the earth.

For those who believe in Jesus, the best is yet to come.

O Holy Child, let your light shine in us and fill this dark world with your glory. Amen.

Musical bonus: BarlowGirl sings a medley of Carol of the Bells and Sing We Now of Christmas.

Click here to sign up for the free email sermons.