Here comes Baby Jesus, here comes Baby Jesus, down to earth that day
Mary and Joseph and all the shepherds worshipped Him and prayed
Bells were ringing, children singing, all was merry and bright
So Happy Birthday, say your prayers, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night

Here comes Baby Jesus, here comes Baby Jesus, down to earth that day
He has The Way that’s filled with joy for boys and girls today
Hear the angels sing His praises, oh, what a beautiful sight
So jump in bed and snuggle your head, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night

Here comes Baby Jesus, here comes Baby Jesus, down to earth that day
We celebrate when chimes ring out that it’s Christmastime hooray!
Peace on earth will come to all if we just follow The Light
So let’s give thanks to the Lord above, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night.

Here comes Baby Jesus, here comes Baby Jesus, down to earth that day
Mary and Joseph and all the shepherds worshipped Him and prayed
Bells were ringing, children singing, all was merry and bright
So Happy Birthday, n’ say your prayers, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night

He is a miracle come to all if we just follow The Light
So let’s give thanks to the Lord above, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night.
So let’s give thanks to the Lord above, ’cause Baby Jesus came that night.

Jesus came as a humble baby, an absolute miracle. The greatest ever known. Never happened before, never to be repeated. Immaculate conception. Jesus. The Savior of the ENTIRE WORLD. He came that night. Not Santa.

Jesus was placed in a feeding trough. He wasn’t placed in a golden crib, not born with doctors, midwives, it was exactly opposite that. He was a king, but not an earthly king. He is king of Heaven AND earth. The creator of all he was born into. He was there from the beginning as Alpha, and created himself – there – as a baby – from heavenly form to human form. An absolute miracle. He didn’t show up floating down a chimney in a red leisure suit with white fur trim.

Jesus’ arrival shook the entire world and heaven. The heavens rejoiced so greatly that the angels were not contained in glory – God allowed them to actually appear in the night sky. THEY SANG the most beautiful songs ever heard. “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” They didn’t sing, “Here comes Santa Claus”.

Jesus received gifts from wise and wonderful friends who worshipped Him from before He was born. They studied about Him, watched for Him in the stars, and travelled very far to see Him and and bow down to Him. We celebrate today by giving gifts to others, because we are celebrating like the wise men. We give. We don’t focus on receiving, we don’t anticipate Santa’s bag of goodies, we anticipate the gift of giving.

Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all. Hope. He gave us hope in the most perfect form. In perfect surrender, He gave us the greatest GIFT of all – HIS LOVE. He loved us so much that he humbled himself, was born in a lowly stable, to humble parents, in a not so popular town, and all because He loved us that much. He lived a perfect life, died a tragic death, defeated all temptation, taught perfect lessons, and continues to offer us a chance, a choice to receive the best gift of all. Him. All we must do is “Just believe.”

Just believe? believe in flying reindeer? Elves? Santa? Or believe and celebrate the TRUE MEANING of Christmas. Jesus.

Stop celebrating utter blasphemy against our Savior. Stop distracting your children from HIS MIRACLE. HIS STORY. Stop teaching them to worship pagan idols. You don’t see it? It’s innocent? Isn’t that EXACTLY what the Bible tells us will happen? The enemy will come like a thief in the night and take all that is precious?

Isn’t that what Santa is? A thief? He stole Jesus from Christmas. He took away that miracle and replaced it with all of his-story. Well, I can promise you this, my children are not in awe and wonder about a fat imaginary dude, they are in awe and wonder of a Supernatural Miracle – God in a man! This man is REAL – he, who performed awesome and mind blowing acts of love and healing that REALLY HAPPENED. And that is wonderful enough for my champions because the Holy Spirit provides real joy for those who really believe. Joy overflowing.

JOY to the world, the LORD has come, Let earth RECEIVE their KING.
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature singJoy to the world!
Joy to the world! OhJoy to the world! The Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joyJoy to the world then we sing
Let the earth receive her King!
Joy to the world then we sing
Let the angel voices ringJoy to the world then we sing
Let the men their songs employ
Joy to the world then we sing
And repeat the sounding joyHe rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove (And makes the nations prove)
And glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His loveJoy to the world then we sing
Let the earth receive her King!
Joy to the world then we sing
Let the angel voices ring

^{Luke 2} Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed ^[a]wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a ^[b]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And ^[c]behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a ^[d]manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill^[e] toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made ^[f]widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus

²¹ And when eight days were completed ^[g]for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹ “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

^33 [h]And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵ (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

³⁶ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow ^[i]of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. ³⁸ And coming in that instant she gave thanks to ^[j]the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

The Family Returns to Nazareth

³⁹ So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the Child grew and became strong ^[k]in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars

⁴¹ His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. ⁴³ When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And ^[l]Joseph and His mother did not know it; ⁴⁴ but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶ Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. ⁴⁸ So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor

⁵¹ Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was ^[m]subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.