“Word of the Father now in flesh appearing”
The reason we adore the Christ child on Christmas morning is centered around the babe in the hay, God in the flesh, fully divine, fully human, who has chosen to be with us. John Francis Wade, the original author of the beloved “Come Let Us Adore Him” hymn, gives us five reasons to adore Jesus: he is the King of angels, Christ the Lord, begotten not created, incarnate God, and Word of the Father.
Jesus’ authority as the King of angels calls us to remember the spiritual reality in which we live, and that Jesus came to live in it with us. We are in a spiritual war against the enemy, and Jesus’ incarnation fulfilled the prophecy the Father made over the serpent in the beginning: “he shall bruise your head, and shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Jesus being the King of the angels reminds of the power and victory in Christ.
Jesus’ authority as Christ the Lord is witnessed in the nativity scene as the Wise Men and shepherds come to kneel before him. They lavish him with their gifts of adoration as they recognize that their Messiah, the Christ, has come. In 30ish years, this baby will ask these same people for their total and complete allegiance to his lordship (Matthew 16:24-26). Will they respond to him with adoration?
Taking time to reflect on the reality that the child born of Mary is eternal, begotten, not created makes the incarnation of God even more thrilling. Jesus is begotten, not created, which means that he has existed (and will exist) eternally and was chosen by the Father to be the Son. The one who was born Christmas morning is the same one who “formed my inward parts” and “knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). He is the same one who was there when the “Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). And he is the same one before whom the elders cast their crowns before and declare “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11). The baby that was born directly into the mess of our world is the one who created our world.
When John sees Jesus in Revelation 19, he is described as “Faithful and True… His eyes are like a flame of fire…He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Revelation 19: 11-14). When we adore the baby Jesus, it would be a grave mistake to miss the picture of Jesus given in Revelation 19. When we adore the infant in the hay, we must also adore him as the all-powerful Word of God, as they are one and the same. This Christmas, see Jesus for all that he is. He isn’t just a baby in a nativity scene…he is our King, Lord, eternal God… our Messiah. As I go about my work at Impact 360, I should remind myself to consider if I am actively adoring Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our admiration! Will you and I, like the shepherds and wise men, take time to step away to adore the Christ child?
Reflection Questions:
- Why do you adore Jesus? Have you told him why you adore him today?
- Does Jesus truly have your heart’s affection and your mind’s attention?
- When you look at Jesus in the manger… do you see all of whom Jesus is, was, and will be?
Ann Hollis Jobe
Impact 360 Institute
Student Discipleship Resident