REASON #9 Why Christmas Should Take Your Breath Away: Jesus’ Meekness and Might Meet in an Awesome Way at Bethlehem

About 250 years ago, the pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards said, “There is a conjunction of such excellencies in Christ as, in our manner of conceiving, are very diverse one from another.” What he means by this is that in the diamond of the person of Christ, we do not only see one beam of brilliance, but we see many different edges that defract Christ’s glory into a spectrum of brilliance. We do not only see might, but we also see lowliness. We see glory and we see plainness. We see eternality and we see frailty. We see authority and we see submission.

And these things do not contradict each other. Nor do they make Christ appear less glorious. Instead, they together magnify a multi-faceted glow that makes Jesus appear incredibly great. Let’s see this by looking briefly at the Christmas story.

One perspective of Christ’s coming is clearly his humility. He was born in an inn next to braying donkeys and manure after being rejected at the inn (Lk. 2:7). His first audience was nothing more than commoners (Elizabeth, Shepherds, Simeon, Anna). As a baby, he was completed dependent on Mary and Joseph to survive, even though it was he who created them (and sustained them!). No wonder Paul says that Jesus’ incarnation was an example of him making himself ‘nothing’ (Phil. 2:7).

But this is not the only facet we see. Conjoined with this do we also see the power of Christ brilliantly on display. He is born as one above all humans, Immanuel, God with us (Mt. 1:23). He is worshipped by the wise men as the king of the Jews, honored with the precious gift of gold (Mt. 2:2,11). His might is clearly seen as he forms (as the Creator of all things) a brilliant star to trumpet his arrival (Mt. 2:2). Thousands (maybe millions) of angels proclaim his birth (Lk. 2:13). His relative calls him ‘Lord’ (God!) while he is still unborn (Lk. 1:43)! Indeed, John says that this child is the very invisible glory of God made visible (John 1:14).

So, this Christmas, keep turning this diamond. Don’t just look at one angle. Be astonished at how low he made himself and soar with how mighty he still was!

Come, let us adore this humble and powerful child!