Christus Natus is not technically one of the traditional canticles of Christmas. But for the purpose of our devotional this year, we wanted to include a week of study just on the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the Messiah! We asked the Eastbrook Academy junior Latin class to translate “Christ is Born” into Latin, and they returned with “Christus natus.” This week, let us sing our own songs of joy as we celebrate the birth of Christ!
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
Of all Isaiah’s prophecies most associated with Christmas there is none closer than Isaiah 7:14 about the Immanuel child. This is in large part thanks to Matthew’s Gospel. After telling us about Mary’s miracle child, an angel visits Joseph to tell him the miracle baby Mary carried was from God. And Matthew says:
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
That name Jesus, Matthew tells us earlier, means “he will save his people from their sins” (1:21). The name Jesus is basically the same as “Joshua,” which, like “Isaiah,” is a derivative of the word for salvation. The name Jesus and Joshua have the same basic meaning as Isaiah: Yahweh God is salvation.
With these notes from Matthew, Isaiah’s old prophecy feels like it’s shaped into something new. Originally a word of judgment upon King Ahaz of Judah—the kingdom is ending and your reign will fall—now has a different tone—the kingdom has arrived with forgiveness of sin— through the Jesus story.
There’s a day unlike any other day coming…and the sign will be Immanuel. Yahweh God is still mighty and present to accomplish His purposes amidst the nations and our lives.
Today we celebrate the birth of that Messiah who brings a new song to humanity—a song of salvation, a song of joy, a song of peace, a song of God’s new beginning for us. So, let’s join the melody of God’s marvelous song today and every day.
For Reflection:
- What song can you sing this morning that will remind you and lead you to celebrate the meaning of today for your faith? Consider Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, Amazing Grace or something else. Each have a different message tied to the promises God brought us in the birth of Christ. Listen to and/or sing that song in particular throughout your Christmas Day celebrations to help remind you and those you are with of God’s great gift and new kingdom He has ushered in!
Nativity Building Activity: Place the shepherds near the stable. The angel told them that the Savior had been born! They believed, and they were the first to see Jesus and to tell others about Him!
by Matt Erickson
Week 5 Family Talk
Do you ever like to read Bible stories and put yourself in the place of the Bible people? Come along with me, as we spend the evening with the shepherds . . .
For them, this was just one more night out in the fields. Can you feel the middle-of-the-night chill in the air? Do you hear the swish of tall grasses all around you? Do you feel the oil on your hands after rubbing an injured lamb and cuddling it in your arms?
You lay on your back and look up at the stars. It’s like someone spilled sugar over the dark sky—tiny specks of light everywhere! You’re just beginning to doze off when, suddenly, the light grows brighter and brighter! You blink open your eyes and look up—so do the other shepherds! And so do the sheep! They start bleating and bawling!
A tall, powerful figure appears in the light and says, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news! Tonight, the promised Savior has been born in Bethlehem! And this is how you’ll know it’s God – He’s wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger!”
Wait—what? A manger—that’s what animals eat out of! That’s no place for a baby, and it’s certainly no place for the promised Savior of the world!
You look up again – and there in the sky, the stars have been replaced with more dazzling light—angels—as far as the eye can see! They are worshiping, loud and strong!
Suddenly, you’re not tired anymore—you roll up your blanket and gather up your staff, your water, your food. “Let’s go to Bethlehem!” you say to the others.
The sky is dark again, except for a big, bright star over the town. Your sandals kick up clouds of dust as you run out of the fields and onto the streets. You start searching, from home to home, stable to stable. Then, your shepherd-friend calls out, “They’re here! I’ve found them!”
There, in the straw, among the animals, a young mom and dad are hovering over a manger. And there, in the manger, a tiny baby sleeps!
A baby that looks just like any other baby, but one who is like no other baby—ever! This baby is the One promised for hundreds of years! And this is the baby that would grow up to save us all. You can’t take it all in—there are no words. You kneel in worship. One by one, the other shepherds do the same.
But then—a poke in your ribs! Your shepherd-friend says, “We’ve gotta tell people!” And though you don’t want to leave, your friend is right. This news is too good to be kept secret—this baby changes everything!
“After the shepherds had seen him, they told everyone. They reported what the angel had said about this child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” (Luke 2:17-18 NIrV)
by Laure Herlinger
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