More than Just a Baby

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

Proverbs 30:29–31

When the wise men came to Jerusalem looking for Jesus, they said something that would not normally be correct according to human reckoning. They asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him”(Matthew 2:2). When a baby boy is born into a royal family, he is called a prince, not a king. Yet from the very moment of his human birth, Jesus was not just a man, but also the King of kings who had come to be the Saviour of the world.

I love thinking about Jesus lying in the manager while Mary and Joseph watched over Him. But though that is a wonderful part of the Christmas story, it is only a tiny part of it. Jesus was always much more than just a baby. He came into this world on purpose, with every detail of His birth arranged and planned by God. Paul wrote, “But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4–5).

Though Jesus was “tender and mild” as the carol “Silent Night” puts it, when He returns, it will be as the conqueror against whom no power will stand. In preparation for that day we should live today acknowledging and obeying His right to rule and reign over our lives. Let us remember that Jesus not only came to save, but that He will come again as King.

As you prepare for Christmas, don’t lose sight of the power, majesty, and glory of Jesus Christ.

Written by: Paul Chappel