FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN!!!
Merry Christmas Day my wonderful friends and family! Today I will be continuing on with the Christmas Advent devotionals by John Piper over at desiringgod.com, I thought this post to be so uplifting & encouraging, causing our hearts to dive deeper in the love of Christ as we go throughout this day of remembrance and celebration. Christmas is such a wonderful time for the pondering & meditation of the reason WHY Jesus came to earth. The incarnation, Christ taking on the form of a tiny baby, is staggering to the human heart and I hope that you find this advent devotional as deeply moving as I did.
GOD BECAME A MAN!
Simply to be with you and me..
Remember Him today. Think upon what God did to bring peace on earth and goodwill towards men. God put on flesh so that you and I would forever be with Him.
He is love and love is your greatest portion. Let Him show you the majesty of Himself.
WHY JESUS CAME
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. —Hebrews 2:14–15
Hebrews 2:14–15 is worth more than two minutes in an Advent devotional. These verses connect the beginning and the end of Jesus’s earthly life. They make clear why he came. They would be great to use with an unbelieving friend or family member to take them step by step through your Christian view of Christmas. It might go something like this…
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood…”The term “children” is taken from the previous verse and refers to the spiritual offspring of Christ, the Messiah (see Isaiah 8:18; 53:10). These are also the “children of God.”
In other words, in sending Christ, God has the salvation of his “children” specially in view. It is true that “God so loved the world, that he sent [Jesus] (John 3:16).” But it is also true that God was especially “gathering the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:52). God’s design was to offer Christ to the world, and to effect the salvation of his “children” (see 1 Timothy 4:10). You may experience adoption by receiving Christ (John 1:12).“…he himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood]…”
Christ existed before the incarnation. He was spirit. He was the eternal Word. He was with God and was God (John 1:1; Colossians 2:9). But he took on flesh and blood and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man and remained fully God. It is a great mystery in many ways. But it is at the heart of our faith and is what the Bible teaches. “…that through death…”
The reason Jesus became man was to die. As God, he could not die for sinners. But as man he could. His aim was to die. Therefore he had to be born human. He was born to die. Good Friday is the reason for Christmas. This is what needs to be said today about the meaning of Christmas.
“…he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…”
In dying, Christ de-fanged the devil. How? By covering all our sin. This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33).
On what grounds does he justify? Through the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9).
Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon of the devil is taken out of his hand. He cannot make a case for our death penalty, because the Judge has acquitted us by the death of his Son!
“…and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
So we are free from the fear of death. God has justified us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. He means for the happy ending to take away the slavery and fear of the now. If we do not need to fear our last and greatest enemy, death, then we do not need to fear anything. We can be free: free for joy, free for others.
What a great Christmas present from God to us! And from us to the world!
I pray that the LOVE of God would reign in your hearts today. I would be so grateful if you would share this post on your social media sites so that someone who may not know the reason God sent His one and only Son could be encouraged today. Let the love of Christ dwell richly in your hearts and may you have an amazing time celebrating with your dearly loved ones!
Love to you all,
