December 24, 2017 FOR UNTO US IS BORN
Luke 2:10-14: “And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased.’”
This news proclaimed by the angel is the greatest news man has ever, or will ever hear! Even the angels were excited about the news that was announced to the shepherds-and to all of mankind. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, fellowship with God was broken mankind became alienated from God. In the times before the birth of Jesus, man lived under the law-the old covenant-and the only way to be forgiven for his sin was by offering a designated animal as a blood sacrifice. Even though life under the old covenant was burdensome, God was using the law, the old covenant, to show that man could not keep the laws of God. From the very beginning, God had a new and better covenant in mind, and this new covenant was inaugurated with the birth of Jesus. This Jesus was God incarnate! God, through His Son Jesus, humbled Himself and became a man and was born in a manger, not in a palace. This baby, wrapped in cloths, was destined to be the sacrifice for the sins of all the people-this baby was Christ the Lord! On a certain day in time, at a certain hour and at a certain place, the Savior of man was born. No longer would blood sacrifices be needed for the forgiveness of sin. No longer would man be separated from God. No longer would sin have dominion over man. (Our sins are forgiven, but scripture teaches that when we sin, we are to confess our sin and turn from our sin. As believers, we are to live free from the dominion of sin, as sin breaks our fellowship with God-sin is not to be taken lightly.) This baby grew and became a man who was without sin, and at age approximately thirty three, He was crucified as the sacrifice for our sins. Through the death of Jesus, the penalty for sin was paid-no longer would sin separate man from God. Jesus died for the sins of all, but some reject Jesus and thus remain in their lost state, separated from God. But those who receive Jesus as Savior, are born into the family of God, and by receiving Jesus as Savior, one is made new with a new heart, a new nature, and a new mind, and sin no longer has dominion over him. To be freed from the power of sin is no small issue because man is born with a sin nature; only by the work of God in us do we have dominion over sin. In Christ, not only do we have forgiveness of sin, we also have uninterrupted fellowship with God and we have God as our Father! In Christ, old things have passed away and new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17. The more we learn about our salvation, the more we understand why the angels rejoiced and the heavenly host praised God at the birth of Jesus. I’m sure that Joseph and Mary, and others, did not understand the magnitude of the birth of this baby, who was conceived by the Spirit of God, being born that night in Bethlehem in a manger. But God understood, and the angles understood what the birth of Jesus would mean for mankind. As we celebrate this Christmas season, may our celebrations be centered on the fact that unto us, a Savior was born. No matter our status in life, no matter our present circumstances, no matter about our past, you and I can rejoice in the birth of our Savior-we can receive Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Hebrews 2:14-15 “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
Blessings, and Merry Christmas!
Buddy
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