mood of revereiict that lot Wit

mood of revereiict that lot Wit

and the season evoke? Our deep

need is to worship he baby Jesus with the faith that comes from serving the grown-up Jesus, the Man Jesus Christ, a faith that has a cross in it. There is no saving power in the kind of faith that remains at the cradle.

The story of (the first Christmas ’

reads like a sentimental fairy tale

unless we see it through die eyes of faith. Before we can affirm that this baby is God in the flesh, who has come to dwell among men, we must first feel the impact of the life of the Man Jesus. We must know our sins have been forgiven, we must know the power of a transformed life and the life-giving strength that comes frim faith in a risen, living Savior. The first disciples did not know the baby Jesus. He confronted them for the firs time as a Man, who by the power of his personality^could asy, “Come, follow me,” and strong virle laborers left ther work to become learners in the school of Christ. Men hearing Him were astonished, for never had they heard a man speak as (Hte -spoke.

The tiny feet that kicked the air had become the feet of the Galilan carpenter who trod the dusty paths of Palestine preaching that the Kingdom of Clod had come. He taught them of God, the Father, who cares for every man, woman, boy and girl. He spoke of judgment on the unrighteousness, who rejected the gift of God’s >ovc and forgiveness. Delicate, clutching hands become the firm hands of the Son of Man that held little children and stretched out to heal diseases and broken bodies. The same hands were pierced with the nails of man’s sin. The curved mouth which had gurgled contentment at Mary’s breast, now spoke words that shattered the shell of complacency as he confronted men with the hard demands of the gospel and the claims of God upon