“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:11 (KJV).
The Christmas holiday season is the most observed, most significant period on most families’ calendars. For weeks we prepare, many times in all-consuming ways. While there is nothing wrong with devoting so much time and energy to remembering and celebrating Jesus’ birth, it is easy to assign undue significance to the event. Of all the events that reveal Jesus as the Messiah, His birth may be the least significant!
In fact, there would be nothing about His birth to celebrate, were it not for three other events that truly define Jesus’ Messianic nature. Let’s devote some time to understanding
these events.
Event #1: Jesus’ Conception:
The Bible tells us that Jesus was born to a woman who was a virgin. Jesus was not conceived through natural means, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, by God Himself (Luke 1:31-35). Thus, Jesus was conceived with a divine nature and a human nature, getting His divine nature from His heavenly Father,
God, and His human nature from His human mother Mary.
Only a Savior conceived in this manner could have the dual nature required to provide salvation. If either Jesus’ human or divine component was missing, salvation would be impossible.
Were it not for God’s direct involvement in Jesus’ conception, His birth would have been meaningless. We’ll explore why this is so.
Event #2: Jesus’ Life:
The Bible tells us that Jesus led a life without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is a significant truth about His life on earth, yet it usually takes a back seat to His teaching, healing of the sick, calming of storms, walking on water, and bringing the dead back to life. While all these acts revealed that Jesus possessed divine power, even one sin in Jesus’ life would have made them meaningless. Only Jesus, because He was conceived with both divine and human natures, could accomplish a sinless human life. Since we have not been so conceived, sin is an inevitable part of our life.
Event #3 Jesus’ Death on the Cross:
The Bible tells us that the penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). There’s no way out. Because we sin, we will die. Because Jesus did not sin, death was not part of His future. But, He chose to die anyway. He paid a penalty that was not due. He then offered His excess payment for each of us (1 Peter 3:18)!
Because Jesus suffered a human death, He can offer His payment in place of ours!
Because Jesus was conceived as He was, lived as He lived, and died as He died, we truly have something to celebrate each Christmas! That’s the truth.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit for you, so He could live a sinless life for you, so He could pay a penalty of death not required of Him, so that He could offer His death payment to you. This Savior is Christ
the Lord. He has done this all for you!
Excerpted from YouTruth – A Collection of “Go Deeper” Devotionals available here.
You can even order a signed copy. Click here.
©2010 Dan Buckhout
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reseved.
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