God and Sinners Reconciled

Read Romans 5:6-11

The pinnacle of the advent season has arrived. Today marks the day where, for centuries, the church has celebrated heaven breaking through time and space in a grand descension to earth.  God’s passionate pursuit of his people is made manifest in a lowly manger in Bethlehem.

Today is Christmas.

This is a time for rejoicing.  Christian, fully delight in the festivities and trappings this holy day affords. Eat your fill of delicious food, laugh in the presence of good company, and embrace the joy of giving and receiving. As you engage your senses and emotions in all that surrounds you, let every detail remind you of this resounding truth: God is good. Let your heart and soul be ushered back to that fateful night when the angels transformed a pasture into a sanctuary and filled the skies with the sound of rejoicing and the proclamation of the King's arrival.

And yet in the midst of the exclamatory praise from the heavenly hosts this reality remains: the Bethlehem manger lies in the ominous shadow of a Roman cross. "...For while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 

But we do not dwell on the foretold suffering of the man of sorrows today. No, for we know the rest of the story, and the subsequent joy that was set before him as he endured that scornful tree. “…We rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” So for today, and forever, we join with the angelic choir in proclaiming, “Gloria in excelsis Deo…Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill to men on whom his favor rests.”

The Messiah has indeed arrived, and he comes bearing the gift of reconciliation with God.

Starter prayer:

Father,

You are good. Your love on display in your passionate pursuit of your people is overwhelming. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to receive the truth of your goodness in everything I do today. Flood my soul with the joy of your salvation found in your son, Jesus Christ, alone, and may his name be forever glorified and treasured in my life. 

Amen.

The Great Condescension

Read Philippians 2:5-11

Humility.

It is a concept that is often lost in a world where the pursuit of self-promotion and esteem reigns supreme. Our culture feasts on the lifestyles of the rich and the famous— actors, athletes, and musicians who spend the bulk of their energy ensuring their reservations in the limelight. In the end, we're all striving for the same, for pride and self-exaltation are in our DNA. We desperately want to be noticed.

In stark contrast, Christmas is a celebration of the greatest display of humility in the history of the universe: God becoming a human.

There are few passages in the scriptures that capture the reality of what transpired at advent better than Philippians 2:5-11. The chasm between God’s throne and that lowly manger in Bethlehem was infinite. Only a God of infinite power and wisdom possessed the ability to bridge a gap so expansive. Everything about that first Christmas night asserted his humility. His poor parents, a filthy stable, a feeding trough, shepherd visitors, the town of Bethlehem—all served as a testimony to his self-ascribed meekness. And his personification of humility would not end at the manger scene; rather, this was merely the preface to a grand story of modesty.

While fully maintaining his divinity, he set aside all of the rights to which he was entitled. He became human, but not just any human—a lowly servant. He would spend his days ministering to the poor, the sick, the outcasts...the sinners. His servitude would reach a pinnacle as he willingly scorned the shame of a criminal's cross— one ultimately reserved for the very people responsible for nailing him there. On that forsaken tree, his righteousness would be exchanged for all of the wretchedness of mankind, subjecting himself to the appropriate wrath of the Father.

From his preincarnate glory on his heavenly throne to a meek baby lying in a wooden manger to a stripped and beaten criminal hanging on an executioner’s cross...

...this was the great condescension of God.

Starter Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank you for your powerful demonstration of humility. Thank you for condescending to live among us, to love us, to serve us, and ultimately to die for us. Empower me to live a life that models your servitude and humility.
Amen.

The Herod in All of Us

Read Matthew 2:13-23

Buried in the beauty and grace of the nativity story is a scene of terror. When a godless king becomes aware of a potential threat to his throne, he foolishly devises a plan to use the wise men as pawns to lead him to the child in need of elimination. But as the Psalmist notes, “The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; He thwarts the plans of the peoples, (Psalm 33:10)” and through a warning to the wise men, God leads Joseph and his young family to safety in Egypt. When the proud king becomes aware of the deception, his response is rash and swift, resulting in a massacre in the town of Bethlehem and the neighboring communities.

It is impossible to imagine the terror and agony that pervaded the village that day at the hand of a ruthless Herod. Yet in the midst of this horrific narrative, this profound message resounds: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. This is precisely the kind of depravity that the advent of God was set to address. Most of us will assess this infanticide with a sense of astonishment at how someone could be so vile—so wicked. The reality is, however, we all possess an inherent despicability. When our sin, regardless of how trivially we view it, is exposed in the light of the holiness of God, we stand no more advantageously before God than a deplorable Herod.

We, like all of the Herod’s throughout history, are in desperate need of a savior to rescue us from the grave consequences of our depravity. By sparing his son as an infant, God would prepare a savior, and by refusing to spare his son as a man, God would provide a savior.

Starter Prayer:
Father,
I know there is much wickedness in my heart. It has been there from the moment I was conceived, and I know that apart from your grace in my life, my sin would rule me. Thank you for providing a savior to forgive me for and free me from my depravity. Thank you for not sparing your son, but offering him up for us all.
Amen.

Wisdom Hunters

Read Matthew 2:1-12

It is a peculiar story. Pagan astrologers from the east journeying to Israel; compelled by a star in the night sky they claimed belonged to the newly born king of the Jews. What concern would these gentiles have for a Jewish monarch, leading them to traverse hundreds of miles through foreign countryside?

They were in search of wisdom. 

The pursuit of knowledge and understanding was their mission in life, and from the western sky they sensed its beckoning call. Characteristic of those who possess wisdom is a continual pursuit of the great virtue, for they know it to be “better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it” (Proverbs 8:11). These wise men were in search of the crown jewel of wisdom found not in teachings, instruction, proverbs, or philosophies. Rather, these men were in search of wisdom…the person.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 

and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

Their journey would lead the men to the very one who authored wisdom and fully personified it. Upon their arrival, like the shepherds before them, the wise men responded most appropriately by kneeling in worship and joyfully laying their offerings at his feet. Simeon’s song of praise to the Lord prophesied the messiah to be “…a light for revelation to the Gentiles...,” words that would find their first fulfillment in a group of wisdom hunters from the east, demonstrating that the gospel’s reach was far beyond Israel’s borders.

Starter Prayer:
Father,
Living in awe of you is truly the beginning of wisdom. Help my life to be characterized by a continual pursuit of knowing you and your word. Keep me far from the temptation of foolishness, and when I find my way to that wicked path, bring swift correction.
Amen.

A Dying Wish Fulfilled

Read Luke 2:25-35

How long had it been? A few days? A month? Years? Perhaps decades? Just how long did Simeon await the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit’s promise to him? He was confident he would not taste death until he laid eyes on the Messiah, but when exactly that would happen was a mystery to Simeon. Given his overwhelming excitement toward seeing the Christ child combined with his apparent eagerness to peacefully go to his final resting place, Simeon must have been waiting for quite some time—perhaps even a lifetime. Throughout the wait, however, Simeon was a man filled with hope.

The text describes him as “righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation.” Simeon lived an entire lifetime of devotion to the Lord, waiting expectantly for Israel’s great comforter to arrive. He knew that God would be faithful to his promises, and his confidence in the Lord led him to a life of obedience to his Lord.

Then, finally, it happened. A young couple, carrying a baby boy, walks into the temple complex and Simeon bursts into praise. He was now free to die in peace for he had seen the hope of the world. Salvation was coming to all people— Jew and Gentile alike. The Holy Spirit was faithful to his promise and through a little baby named Jesus, an old man's dying wish was finally fulfilled.

Accompanying this scene of great joy, however, is a stark warning. This child would not only usher in deliverance, but also judgment. He would stand in bold opposition to the arrogant, bringing imminent judgment to those who rejected his offer of salvation. And for the young mother who gently cuddled this baby, a sword of agony would pierce her very soul as one day she would witness what her child would have to endure to make this salvation possible.

Starter Prayer:
Father,
As I await your return, give me a holy anticipation like Simeon's. Help me to look forward to that day with great excitement and an appropriate longing to see Jesus face to face. May the hope of that day fuel me to live righteously and devoutly in the meantime. Thank you for the hope of your salvation, found solely in your son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Dedication of a Lamb

Read Luke 2:21-24

Generations of Israelite sons had been brought before the priests in dedication to the Lord. However, the presentation of this particular son is unique. The ceremony represents a family reunion of sorts as God the Son is offered before God the Father as one truly set apart. Consider the joy that must have welled up in the Heavenly Father as he looked upon his boy and considered the delight they had experienced together from eternity past. Perhaps his joy was met with sorrow at the thought of what this baby would ultimately be called upon to endure.

Hebrew law required a sacrifice be made for Mary’s purification following her childbirth. She was to offer a sacrificial lamb at the temple whereby a priest would carry out the act, making atonement for her sins and providing for her cleansing. An exception was made, however, for those individuals unable to afford a lamb. A pair of turtledoves or pigeons would serve as the substitute for the more expensive lamb (see Leviticus 12:1-8). Mary and Joseph’s meager circumstances dictated they make use of this clause for the poor.

What the priest was ignorant of, however, was that Mary and Joseph possessed a sacrificial lamb far greater than any he had ever laid hands on. The very child being dedicated in the temple on this day would be the lamb whose sacrifice would usher in a new covenant. Through him the sacrificial system would be finally and forever fulfilled. This solitary baby boy would bear the full weight of the sins of the entire world for all time.

Starter Prayer:
Father,
I can’t imagine the range of emotions you must have felt as your son was dedicated in your holy temple. You were well aware of what his future held and for what purpose he was ultimately being set apart. At any moment you could have withdrawn this gift of grace being offered. You would have been perfectly justified in doing so. Yet you didn’t. Instead you willingly traded your son’s life for mine. Help me to live every day in response to your overwhelming generosity toward me.
Amen.

A Lofty Message for a Lowly Audience

Read Luke 2:8-20

When God bursts through time and space to become a human being, a grand birth announcement is in order. One would expect a far-reaching broadcast of this earth-shaping news to be blasted across the airwaves; to rulers far and wide— among the most influential with an appeal to spread this blessed news! Yet once again, in most peculiar fashion, God operates contrary to human instinct and delivers the first report of this sacred birth to an unlikely and lowly audience—a band of shepherds.

Shepherds were not exactly at the top of the socioeconomic hierarchy, and religiously speaking were considered ceremonially unclean. These men were often regarded as outcasts, spending theirs days— and nights— in the fields with livestock, only to visit town with carousing on their minds and a stench on their bodies. To God, however, these were the perfect individuals to declare the message of his glory come down to earth.

“Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born...

For You...

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!”

The gospel isn’t reserved for an elite few, but rather it transcends social, economic, and cultural barriers. It captures the hearts and affections of the lowly, the outcast, the rejects. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, exemplified in a ragtag bunch of nobody shepherds, whom in a moment had their lives forever transformed. What likely began as a typical evening under the night sky with the Creator of the universe far from their minds, concluded with the shepherds “glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard.”

May our encounter with the person and work of Jesus Christ prompt the same response.

Starter Prayer:
Father,
I praise you for having the power to save anyone. Thank you for revealing yourself to the shepherds 2,000 years ago, and thank you for loving an unlikely person like me today. I don’t deserve your grace, but I gladly and gratefully welcome it. Help me to respond the way the shepherds so appropriately responded by “glorifying and praising” you.
Amen.