Let's Talk About our Savior

Life is not easy.  We are all sinners and face the effects of the curse every day.  This year, our family has felt the effects of sin through unmet goals, disappointment, conflict, sickness, hospitalizations, and surgery.  We have had car trouble, home maintenance issues, and many DIY projects put to the side to pay for more pressing maintenance issues.  We had to fight weeds, too much rain, not enough rain, hot temperatures, and cold temperatures.  I know this is not unique to us.  I have had many conversations with other moms trying to cut back their grocery costs and still have enough to feed their families.  I have heard others ask for prayer as they lost babies, struggled with health issues, or had major unexpected expenses.  Pain, sickness, and difficulty are all part of being human.  Why?  Because, in Adam, we all sinned.  Romans 5:12-14 tells us, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.”

It is a sad condition into which we are born.  However, we are not without hope.  The hope was foretold in the Garden when the serpent was cursed, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)  Again we see foreshadows again and again in Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, and more!  Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 tells us, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”  We celebrate the coming of this promised Savior each Christmas!  John 1:1-5, 14 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

While Christmas is a celebration of Jesus coming to earth, it is also a time to stop and remember all Christ has done.  Jesus understands the human condition.  Even though He lived a sinless life, He still met with pain, sadness, hunger, and temptation.  He was fully human and completely understands anything that we are experiencing.  I find great comfort in Hebrews 4:14-16 which tells us, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  I can trust that my Savior understands me, my pain, and all of my struggles.  Philippians 2:5-11 clearly explains just how much Jesus gave up when He came to earth when it says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  

Jesus didn’t stay a baby.  He came to earth for a specific purpose.  All of the Old Testament is pointing us to Christ.  God wasn’t surprised when Adam and Eve sinned.  He not only knew this would happen, but He already had a plan.  God is sovereign over all and He has been in control for all of eternity.  When sin entered the world there was already a plan.  God already had a people that He would call out and separate, and, by no merit of their own, save by His grace alone.  

Christmas is a time to remember.  As we remember Christmases gone by, let us look back to the first Christmas and the reason we celebrate.  Let us remember all that Christ has done through His birth, perfect life, death, and resurrection, and let us look forward with hope to that day when He comes again to make all things new.  May your family be focused on Christ throughout Chrsitmas and into the new year.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14)