WHO IS THIS CHILD

Devotional

Day 1: Run to See What God Has Done

The shepherds didn’t debate; they ran. Awe had startled them, but wonder propelled them forward to see if the promise was true. You are invited to step toward Jesus with the same urgency—bringing your honest questions and your open heart. Come and see the One who is the visible image of the invisible God, the child who meets you right where you are. Move with holy haste, and expect to find Him just as He said. [02:37]

Luke 2:15-17: After the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has shown us.” They hurried, found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a feeding place; seeing Him, they spread the news about what had been told concerning this child.

Reflection: Where do you sense a nudge to “go with haste” toward Jesus this week, and what specific action will you take in the next 48 hours to follow it?

Day 2: From Wondering to Pondering with Mary

Many only wondered at the shepherds’ news, but Mary treasured every detail and turned it over in her heart. Pondering is not passive; it is careful, prayerful attention to God’s fingerprints in your story. Begin to collect small evidences of His faithfulness—answered prayers, timely words, moments of peace—and let them mentor your doubts into trust. As you treasure these things, questions become pathways to deeper knowing. Give yourself space to ponder, and watch your heart settle. [05:54]

Luke 2:18-19: All who heard the story were amazed, but Mary gathered up these words like precious keepsakes and continued to reflect on them, considering what they might mean.

Reflection: What is one concrete moment of God’s faithfulness you can “treasure” this week, and when will you set aside ten quiet minutes to ponder it before the Lord?

Day 3: Behold the Image of the Invisible God

Jesus is not merely part of the story; He authors it. All things were made through Him and for Him, and in Him everything holds together—even the pieces of life that feel fragile. He is the head of the church, the first to rise, the One in whom all God’s fullness lives. Through His cross, He makes peace and brings us home. Let His preeminence reshape your priorities and His nearness steady your steps. [09:14]

Colossians 1:15-20: The Son shows us the unseen God and stands first over all creation. Everything in heaven and on earth—seen and unseen, every power and authority—came into being through Him and for Him. He existed before all things, and by His power everything holds together. He is head of the body, the church; the beginning and first to rise from the dead, so that He is first in every way. God was pleased for all His fullness to live in Him, and through Him to bring everything back to Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross.

Reflection: What part of your life feels like it’s coming apart, and how could you practically entrust that specific area to the One who “holds all things together” today?

Day 4: Emmanuel: God With Us in Our Mess

God is not far off; He draws near to your real life, not the edited version. He knows your fears, your failures, and the longings you barely admit, and He offers peace that quiets anxiety and hope that outlasts disappointment. Emmanuel means you are not alone in the cave-like places where life feels cramped and dark. Invite Him into that exact space and listen for His steadying presence. He is with you, and He is enough. [15:54]

Matthew 1:23: “They will call Him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us”—God stepping into our world to dwell among us.

Reflection: What is one messy, specific situation where you will welcome Jesus’ presence this week, and what simple prayer will you breathe when anxiety rises?

Day 5: Receive, Believe, and Confess: A New Beginning

There comes a moment to move from wondering to believing, and from believing to confessing. Admit your need, trust that Jesus lived perfectly and died for your sins, and confess Him as Lord over your whole life. This is not about earning but receiving the gift He offers—peace with God and a new start. Consider sharing your decision with a trusted believer and taking a public step of faith when the time is right. Let today mark a quiet yes that changes your tomorrow. [21:27]

Romans 10:9-10: If you speak with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart we trust and are made right with God, and with the mouth we openly acknowledge Him and are saved.

Reflection: If you sense readiness, what would confessing Jesus as Lord practically look like this week—and if you’re not ready, what honest question do you need to voice to a mature believer you trust?

Sermon Summary

I wanted us to sit with the question: Who is this Child? In Luke 2 the veil between heaven and earth is pulled back—angels light up a dark hillside, terrified shepherds hear good news, and a choir roars glory over a forgotten field. Those shepherds sprint to Bethlehem, find the baby exactly as promised, and start telling anyone who will listen. Some people wondered; Mary treasured and pondered. That contrast matters. Wondering keeps truth at arm’s length. Pondering welcomes it in, turns it over, stitches it into the fabric of a real life.

Then we let Colossians 1 answer our question. This Child is the image of the invisible God—the Creator through whom and for whom all things were made, the One who holds all things together, the head of the church, the fullness of God in flesh, the Redeemer who makes peace by the blood of His cross. The manger is not cute sentiment; it is the scandal of a God who refuses to stay distant. Emmanuel means God in our mess—near to our fears, aware of our failures, present in our longings.

So I asked you what I had to ask myself: Is He a seasonal soundtrack, a cultural joke, a distant deity—or the Lord of your life? Will you stay in the crowd that wonders, or will you do what Mary did—treasure and ponder until trust takes root? The shepherds model another way: move with haste toward what God has revealed, and then open your mouth. Some of us need to take that next step—from vague admiration to real belief, from belief to a bold confession. Admit you can’t fix yourself. Believe what God has declared about His Son. Confess Jesus as Lord—not just the baby in a manger, but the Redeemer who bled for you. He is not far off. He is with us, and knowing Him changes everything.

Key Takeaways

1. Move from wondering to pondering Wondering keeps truth hypothetical; pondering lets it reshape you. Mary doesn’t dismiss what she can’t explain—she treasures it, turns it over, lets it work on her imagination and her obedience. Faith often grows not by getting all the answers, but by carrying what God has already said until it becomes conviction. Choose the slower, deeper path that leads from curiosity to trust. [18:44]
2. The manger shows God’s nearness God chose a feeding trough and a cave, not a palace, to make a statement about where He intends to be found. Emmanuel means the Holy One steps into real places and real pain, not sanitized versions of our lives. He knows your fears and failures and meets you there with peace that does not depend on circumstances. Nearness is His strategy; presence is His gift. [15:54]
3. Jesus is the visible God If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus—Creator, Sustainer, Head of the church, the One in whom the fullness of God dwells. That lifts Christmas from nostalgia to worship: the Child is the King. When He holds all things together, you don’t have to. Yielding to His preeminence is not loss; it is alignment with reality. [12:09]
4. Respond with shepherd-like haste Revelation invites movement. The shepherds didn’t debate the probability; they ran to behold and then they spoke to anyone who would listen. Urgency honors what God has made clear, and witness flows from what we have truly seen. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—go, see, and tell. [02:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Big idea: Who is this Child?
[01:20] - Angels interrupt the ordinary night
[02:37] - A baby in a manger sign
[03:35] - Shepherds hurry and start sharing
[05:54] - Mary treasures and ponders
[07:45] - From awe to everyday obedience
[09:14] - Christ’s supremacy in Colossians 1
[12:09] - Fullness of God dwelling in Jesus
[14:30] - Is He sentimental or Lord?
[15:54] - Emmanuel: God with us in our mess
[18:44] - Wondering or pondering: your choice
[21:27] - A-B-C of responding to Jesus
[23:10] - Invitation: serve and be baptized
[24:20] - Prayer and send-off

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Luke 2:15–20
- Colossians 1:15–20
- Matthew 1:23

Observation questions

In Luke 2:15–20, trace the movement of the shepherds. What did they do first, second, and third? What did “all who heard” do, and what did Mary do differently?
What identifying sign did the angels give for recognizing the Savior, and why would that sign have been so specific? ([02:37])
From Colossians 1:15–20, list every title or role given to Jesus. Which of these titles are about who He is, and which are about what He does?
Luke notes that “all who heard it wondered,” but “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them.” What contrasts do you see between wondering and pondering in that scene? ([05:54])

Interpretation questions

What might be the heart-level difference between “wondering” about Jesus and “pondering” Him like Mary? How could pondering move a person from curiosity to trust? ([05:54])
If Jesus “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col 1:17), what does that say about the load a person is trying to carry alone? What would it mean to align with His preeminence instead of trying to be in control?
“Emmanuel” means “God with us.” If God chooses a manger and a cave instead of a palace, what does that say about where He intends to meet people? How does His nearness speak to fears, failures, and longings? ([15:54])
The shepherds “went with haste” after hearing clear revelation. What does urgency look like today without being reckless? How can urgency honor what God has already made clear? ([02:37])

Application questions

Where are you right now with Jesus: still wondering, beginning to ponder, or ready to trust? What would one small step deeper look like this week (journal a prayer, memorize Luke 2:19, sit quietly with Him)? ([18:44])
Name one messy place in your life (fear, failure, longing) where you need “God with us.” What is one honest way you can invite His presence there this week—prayer, confession to a friend, asking for help, or changing a habit? ([15:54])
If Jesus holds all things together (Col 1:17), what is one area where you’re trying to hold it all together yourself? What would surrender look like in that specific area over the next seven days?
What is one clear thing you already know God wants you to do—make a call, forgive, serve, reconcile, rest, share? What would “going with haste” look like practically, and by when will you do it? ([02:37])
The shepherds “made known” what they had seen. Who is one person you can tell—simply and humbly—what Jesus has done for you? How will you bring it up naturally (a text, coffee, a short note), and when? ([02:37])
Consider the A-B-C response: Admit, Believe, Confess. Which letter is hardest for you right now, and why? If “C” is your next step, what would confession look like this week—telling a trusted friend, signing up for baptism, or praying out loud with someone? ([21:27])
Mary “treasured and pondered.” What is one practice you will try for the next two weeks to help you ponder: a daily 10-minute quiet, a gratitude/“treasure” list, or memorizing Colossians 1:15–20? Who will check in with you about it? ([05:54])

Sermon Clips

when they got there they found mary and joseph and the baby lying in a manger just the way the angels had described it and when they saw it when they saw what the angels had said had happened they may know the saying that had been told to them concerning this child what does that mean they told everybody everybody that they saw in bethlehem they told them abouthey these angels they told us that the savior was born that he would be uh here in bethlehem that he would be in a manger and we came here and we saw back there behind bartholomew's house in the stable in the manger the baby now you know here's what it says and all who heard it how many all all who heard it wondered they wondered were the shepherds drinking they wondered were the shepherds uh makingthis up they wondered was what that the shepherds had just told them real [00:04:14] (69 seconds) #ShepherdsSpreadWord

and so the question i leave you at today i started with who is this child and i i leave you with this question what are you going to do what are you going to do about jesus christ and and really we only have two choices we can wonder like all those who heard the story from the shepherds we can wonder is he reallyreal is god who he says he is does the bible really mean everything that it says is it true [00:17:05] (31 seconds) #DecideAboutJesus

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