This week we will be celebrating Christmas, while we all remember Luke's account of the birth of the Messiah I have found a different word picture from this account.
Luke 2: 8-14
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
You see in the last line of the above passage we see that this new babe that was born would bring peace on earth and good will toward man. The babe that was born was the Messiah, Emmanuel; God with us.
In reading this passage today it occurred to me it was not only goodwill toward men but was God's will toward men. God sent down his son to live among us to make atonement for the sins of the world. Our pastor pointed out today that this would be the first time since the fall in the garden that we would truly have peace on earth, not among men, but between man and God.
Christ was sent to make final atonement for our sins so we would not have to make a sacrifice every year to have our sins covered but would have them forever wiped away by this baby that was born in Bethlehem.
That is why the Christmas season is so special!
Have a blessed week!
Luke 2: 8-14
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
You see in the last line of the above passage we see that this new babe that was born would bring peace on earth and good will toward man. The babe that was born was the Messiah, Emmanuel; God with us.
In reading this passage today it occurred to me it was not only goodwill toward men but was God's will toward men. God sent down his son to live among us to make atonement for the sins of the world. Our pastor pointed out today that this would be the first time since the fall in the garden that we would truly have peace on earth, not among men, but between man and God.
Christ was sent to make final atonement for our sins so we would not have to make a sacrifice every year to have our sins covered but would have them forever wiped away by this baby that was born in Bethlehem.
That is why the Christmas season is so special!
Have a blessed week!
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