Pastor's Corner

God is With Us
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

Forget the presents. Ignore all the food. Enjoy friends and family, but don’t let your joy stop there. During this time of year, there is only one reason to have true, lasting joy – God has taken on human flesh, forever. God has taken on “flesh” in many ways throughout time. God walked in Eden (Gen. 3:8). He came to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3:6). He led the people of Israel out of Egypt as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). He literally sat on top of the ark of the covenant between the two cherubim (1 Sam. 4:4). God has been taking on various forms of “flesh” ever since Eden, but they all pale in comparison to what Christ has done for you at Christmas. He took on YOUR flesh.

He took on our flesh with all its weaknesses, our flesh with all its temptations, our flesh with its many limitations, our flesh that is subject to pain, and hunger, and tiredness. God took on all these limitations willingly. But it was not enough for Jesus just to take on human flesh. He did this for a very good reason. Jesus took on human flesh so He could suffer, die, and rise from the dead. In Christ’s incarnation, we have truly been given the greatest gift of all time. His death and His resurrection have now become our death to sin and our resurrection to eternal life.

You truly have so much to be thankful for at Christmas, but make sure you look past the lights, the trees, the gifts and the food. Take joy in what Christ has done for you by coming in your flesh to save you from all sins and even save you from death itself.

– Pastor Grimenstein