Today, we're concluding the Christmas story. We discussed the fall of man, in which Adam and Eve committed the first sins, and a sin nature became a part of all of their descendants. Then Jesus, God's son, was born, and was referred to as a savior and messiah. In fact, Christmas is about celebrating his birth. But how is the fall of man connected to the Christmas story?
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, there was no separation between God and humanity. In fact, Genesis 3 indicates that God once walked in the Garden of Eden with them. When they disobeyed God, it created a separation between God and people. The book of Romans says that as sinners, we fall short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death.
Throughout the ages, there were many prophecies of a savior. The book of Isaiah, for example, makes many references to the birth and life of the messiah. The angels told Mary and Joseph that Jesus would save people from their sins. During Jesus's life, he also alluded to this.
Many of you have probably heard about Jesus dying on the cross. Quite like today, there were people who were for Jesus, and people who were against him. Some didn't like the things he had to say. Others thought he would gain political power, and those who currently held that power were intimidated by this prospect. Many didn't believe he was the Son of God.
A group of people got together and plotted to kill Jesus. He was later arrested, given an unfair trial, and convicted of crimes he was not guilty of. He was sentenced to death by crucifixion. Throughout this ordeal, Jesus did not complain, nor did he fight or try to run away from his captors. Isaiah 53:7 says, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth."
Jesus hadn't done anything wrong; in fact, he never sinned. He didn't deserve the treatment he received, and as the Son of God, he was capable of escaping, or avoiding arrest altogether. Yet, he went through a great deal of suffering, and did nothing to prevent it from occurring.
This was for a reason. Jesus came to the world to teach people, and to save them from their sins. When he was nailed to a cross to die, he took the punishment for our sin, offered himself as a sacrifice. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isa. 53:5)
In doing this, Jesus bridged the separation between God and people. Our sin makes us impure, but Jesus took those sins upon himself, and in doing so cleansed us of our impurity. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 6:23) All one needs to be forgiven of their sins is to trust in him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Christmas celebrates the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who saves us from our sins. It's time to be with friends and family, a time to count our blessings, a time to praise God for his love and mercy. And that, readers, is what Christmas means.
No comments:
Post a Comment