For as the lightening comes from the east and shines as far as the west,

so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:27

When Christmas time rolls around each year, we find ourselves looking down – into a manger. For us as believers, that tiny baby wrapped in swaddling cloths is the Savior of the world, the hope of the nations. Even more so, He is OUR Savior; He is OUR hope. God the Father kept His promise to send His Son to save His people (Matt 1:21), and the Son kept His promise to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). When we look down into the manger, we see salvation.

This Christmas, as we study through Matthew 24 together on Sunday mornings, we also look up – to the heavens! Yes, salvation came down from heaven to earth in Jesus Christ, but we still live in a corrupt, fallen world. We still wrestle with sin and feel the effects of sin around us. The world still groans under the weight of lawlessness. The light has shone, but the world remains in darkness…until…until He comes again!

He first came to inaugurate His Kingdom; He’s coming again to consummate His kingdom! We’ve been celebrating His first coming over 2000 years; we will celebrate His second coming forever! Most of the world missed His first coming; no one will miss His second coming! He first came to bring salvation; He’s coming again to complete salvation!

As we look down in the manger this Christmas, let’s remember to look up! What He began in His first coming, He will finish when He returns. Faith will be sight. Sin and Satan will be defeated. Darkness will vanish. Hope will be realized. And the joy that Christmas announced will be full forevermore!