“And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.”
Katherine Hankey,    “I Love to Tell the Story.” 1866

For centuries before Jesus was born, folks had believed that the world just kept revolving in a life to death cycle. They believed that not much ever changed and the purpose of people was to be born, grow to adulthood and produce children, then finish up and die. Life had relatively little purpose. Some Jews were coming to believe in life after death but the debate was raging and the details were unclear.

“And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.”
Katherine Hankey,    “I Love to Tell the Story.” 1866

For centuries before Jesus was born, folks had believed that the world just kept revolving in a life to death cycle. They believed that not much ever changed and the purpose of people was to be born, grow to adulthood and produce children, then finish up and die. Life had relatively little purpose. Some Jews were coming to believe in life after death but the debate was raging and the details were unclear.

Then Jesus was born, showing us that God is involved in our lives. But more than that, God loves you and me so much that He became one of us to show us He knows us. And in knowing us, God knows our struggles and sorrows as well as our longings and triumphs. God knows us better even than we know ourselves.

What, then, is the reason for the birth of a baby Messiah? Here is my list, you add your own items.
         • God cares about you and me, a lot.
         • God has a real personality and character and wants us to know Him.
         • The breach between human folks and God has been bridged, we can know Him.
         • There is a reason we’re alive, each of us is unique, talented, valuable and loved.
         • We’re not in this alone: we’re in it with God and other believers.
         • There’s a spiritual world just beyond our vision, this scene is not everything.
         • This life down here is not the end, when we die we live on with God.
         • There is always hope. We may not see the options but God sure does.
         • God the Holy Spirit will teach us how to live and love, we’re in His school.
         • You really matter as part of the Kingdom of God!

There’s my partial list, help me complete it. With Jesus’ birth God re-set the clock of human history. If your clock needs to be re-wound or re-set, rejoice in the baby’s birth. Rejoice and let’s do so together. I love you and I’m pretty incomplete, just imagine how much God loves you!