Heaven to Earth.
Jesus came from heaven to earth. The distance that He crossed was simply unimaginable. He came to provide us with salvation and peace.
The Distance From Heaven to Earth
God made the universe. It is so big that if we could travel at the speed of light – 185,000 miles per second we could not travel across it in 50 years. It would take . . . 50 billion years!
How many stars did God splash across the heavens? Google tells me that I can just multiply the number of stars in a typical galaxy (100 billion) by the number of galaxies in the universe (2 trillion). Let me grab my calculator …the answer is …. a whole lot! About 200 billion trillion stars in the universe.
He Came From Heaven to Earth
The God who made that universe came to one small planet. He came as a human embryo about as big
as the head of a pin. He came as a real, flesh and blood human being. Why did Jesus come to earth?
Let’s ask some people who were around when he was just a baby.
Jesus’ mother, Mary, said,
“He who is mighty has done great things for me … he has filled the hungry with
(Luke 1: 48, 53 – ESV)
good things.”
The angels saw something huge for heaven and earth: They shouted or sang,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”
(Luke 2:14)
Zechariah announced,
“The sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)
An old man named Simeon prayed,
“My eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the
(Luke
presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
2:31-32)
When the Bethlehem baby grew up to be a man, he insisted on visiting the home of Zacchaeus saying
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
(Lk 19:10)
The Bible says it was all perfectly timed:
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
(Gal 4:4)
That was then. This is now. Can we, today, recognize what God is doing in Jesus, for all the world?
The poet Madeline L’Engle has written this:
Great and good things for people.
Glory to God and peace for those who please God.
Sunrise for our darkness and light against the shadow of death.
Salvation and the chance to be the adopted child of God.
He did not wait till the world was ready, till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the heavens were unsteady, and prisoners cried out for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time. He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime, turned water into wine.
He did not wait till hearts were pure. In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame he came, and his Light would not go out.
We cannot wait till the world is sane to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain, He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
How have the words, “do not fear” helped you? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio
Brian Stapley
Brian Stapley is the husband of Margaret and “Christian-proud” father of Tabitha, Ben, Jeremy and Joel. He has been director of the Boys JIM Club of America since 1981 and a “JIM Clubber” since 1958, the year he became a Christian. The mission statement of the JIM Club is, “Discipling boys to love Jesus deeply and express him vividly.”
He has been an educator since 1970, primarily as a high school English Teacher. (Don’t dangle your participles.) He has been in fellowship at Scottlea Gospel Chapel, St. Catharines, since 1976 and travels to preach about three dozen times a year, in Ontario and New York State. He is a ventriloquist, in company with Casey, Theodore, Dodo, Grumpa, and a menagerie of others. Also, a bit of a magician.
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