Local Jesus

I'm not sure how your community celebrates Jesus.  Maybe your community doesn't do anything.  I hope it does something.   Here's a snapshot at how my town celebrates!

This caught my eye for a few reasons:

• Joseph is man enough to wear pink.  Way to go man!
• Jesus is depicted as being born next to a...pallet.  
• The Christmas scene is still accepted in my town.  Go North Branch. 

And why wouldn't a Nativity Scene include a pallet?  Jesus was likely born in a pretty simple and basic location anyway; although most assume there was little more coverage than a single pallet.  Probably a cave or barn of some sort.

To consider that God made himself know to us through his son Jesus is amazing.  Theologically this is called the Incarnation.  As a result of the incarnation, a love gift, humanity has been impacted on multiple dimensions.

  

What is so striking is that Jesus was come to earth to meet us on our turf.  Isaiah 66:1 says the heavens are God's throne and the earth is God's footstool.  So although God has always been connected to his creation in Jesus he showed how deeply connected he desires to be.  

Pallet, barn, cave.  Doesn't matter.  The reality is Jesus has come.  He has come full of grace and truth (John 1:14).  He has come for me and he has come for you.