Christmas message from Pastor Steve Leppert: In the beginning

Just like the creation of the world, the final plan for redemption had a beginning. No one, especially Israel, was expecting a king who would be born in such a humble way. Mary was told that this child would be the, “Son of the Most High God, and His Kingdom would have no end.” (Luke 1) Mary and Joseph most certainly faced social disgrace. Who would believe Mary’s claim of purity?

Christmas naturally brings up memories. It has many familiar sights and sounds. The little child wrapped up in a manger was not threatening; at least to the populace. King Herod, afraid of the completion for kingship that the Wise Men warned him about, absolutely felt threatened. He took no chances and had all male children two years of age and under eliminated. Fast forward 12 years, and we find the now young man Jesus in Jerusalem with the family. Now once again we jump forward some 20 plus years. Jesus is no longer just a “Carpenter’s son.” He was going to begin to threaten many things. He would be introduced by John the Baptist with the message of the need for repentance. He would challenge the ways in which the true Nature and Character of God had been skewed. He would also challenge the many different views of the path taken if someone wanted to know His heavenly Father.

Had Jesus’ story ended after the precious picture we enjoy when we look at the nativity, it would have changed history. As it is, the story continued and changed history forever. Act one was the cradle and act two was the cross. Again, if the story ended there, history would have changed. Act three, the crown, is the culmination of the Christmas Story. The Christian sees the child but also sees the one Crowned King of Kings. I believe that this Child who would be King is in the business of changing people’s history.

In God’s Love,

—Pastor Steve Leppert

Church of the Nazarene

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Christmas service

We have our Christmas Service at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 23.

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