Pam and I love nativity scenes. Each year I love hiding baby Jesus from my and having Him appear back in the cradle Christmas morning!

My experience tells me, however, that many professing Christians have left Jesus in the cradle, on the cross, or somewhere in heaven. Our celebration on Christmas has more liberating implications than just that the Son of God is out there somewhere!

We may have confidence that the penalty for our sin has been paid on the Cross. But many of us forget a second aspect: each day, freedom and power is available to us in the living Christ! But how?

The Scriptures teach us that, by God’s goodness, Christ indwells us and lives the power of His life through us. Yes, Jesus living on earth was powerful, but imagine the power released in our world if believers experienced the reality of Jesus living in and through them! As we celebrate Christmas this year, let’s stay amazed at the truths reflected in these gospel verses:

• For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him…For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ (Colossians 1:19; 2:9,10).

• Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you (John 14:19,20).

• I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

• (speaking of the mystery of the gospel Paul says) … God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:17).

This Christmas let’s not leave Jesus in the cradle or relate to Him as if He lived at a distance! Join me in celebrating one of the great implications of Christ’s advent—we are people in whom the fullness of God lives and brings power in our lives. Amazing!