Where's the Baby?

“Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” Romans 8:32 (NLT)

Let that verse sink in. I know you have heard it before, but marinate in that Good News once more on the eve of the Christmas season. Breathe deeply. Say it over and over again. That is Gospel Good News!

This Sunday we begin our Advent sermon series titled, "Searching for Christmas." A lot of work and preparation has gone into this series and I am sensing that God is going to do a mighty work in the life of our church.

For that to happen, though, we have to keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and even our mouths fixed on the baby Jesus. In fact, I plan to talk about just how we do that this Sunday in worship. If possible, please try and come to the first or third Worship Celebration as the second is way beyond slammed.

Ravi Zacharias, in "Questions I Would Like to Ask God," writes:

"I have often referenced the quote by the talk show host Larry King, in his response to a particular question: "If you could select any one person across all of history to interview, who would it be?" Mr. King’s answer was that he would like to interview Jesus Christ. When the questioner followed with, "And what would you like to ask him?" King replied, "I would like to ask him if he was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me."

Ravi Zacharias then writes that when he requested permission through a common friend to quote Larry King, King sent word saying, "And tell him I was not being facetious."

Here is that verse again:

“Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” Romans 8:32 (NLT)

After 20 years of bowing at the baby Jesus during this sacred season, that divine reality still blows my mind! There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to Himself, to appease His justice, to demonstrate His sovereignty. But one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because He is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while…. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. And when you think about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem, there is no denying that God is crazy in love with YOU!

One story and I am done. Evangelist Luis Palau tells of a wealthy European family that decided to have their newborn baby baptized in their enormous mansion. Dozens of guests were invited to the elaborate affair, and they all arrived dressed to the nines. After depositing their elegant wraps on a bed in an upstairs room, the guests were entertained royally.

Soon the time came for the main purpose of their gathering, namely the infant’s baptismal ceremony. But where was the baby? No one seemed to know. The child’s governess ran upstairs and returned with a desperate look on her face. Everyone searched frantically for the baby. Then someone recalled having seen him asleep on one of the beds. The baby was on a bed all right—buried beneath a pile of coats, jackets, and furs. The object of that day’s celebration had been forgotten, neglected, and nearly smothered.

The baby whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas is easily hidden beneath the piles of traditions and cultural observances, and business of the season. In other words, we need to enter every Advent season asking, "Where’s the baby?" In fact, as you come into church this Sunday, why not come asking that one question, "Where is that Baby?"