John 1:29
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
We call the day that Jesus Christ came to this world 'Christmas'. Jesus took on flesh in order to take the sin of mankind.
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:6-8).
But every year at Christmas time there are so many people who do not know that God sent Jesus to this world nor why he sent him.
Man was living in sin under the domination of the devil, and was destined to go to hell after he died, but Jesus came to save man from his sin. This is why Jesus was born in the town of Nazareth and lived as the son of a carpenter, hiding his identity as the Son of God.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.
Mankind was not even aware of his own dire situation, and even if he knew, he had no way of escaping his fate of going to hell. But Jesus came as a prophet and proclaimed that people should repent of their sin.
“From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'” Mat 4:17
Jesus was the only righteous and innocent one, so he came as a priest, to give his life as the sacrificial lamb, according to the prophecies of the prophets (John 1:29).
Jesus came to this world to die for our sins, but the people misunderstood that Jesus would be an earthly king who would liberate Israel from the oppression of the Romans. They did not see Jesus as God, therefore they mocked and persecuted him, and finally they crucified him and killed him.
“But he continued, 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.'” John 8:23.
Those who deny God, and are arrogant and disobedient, will be judged by him and be sent to hell. But through Jesus we can be saved. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He died in the most excruciating pain, shedding his blood on Golgotha in order to save us. He suffered so much in order that we would not have to suffer in hell. He came to set us free from all curses.
We should clearly know the purpose of Christmas and glorify God for what he has done for us. We should have died and gone to hell because of our sin, but Jesus came and shed his blood to save us. He was whipped in order to heal our diseases, and took all of our pain. He did this because our heavenly Father loved us so much. Therefore we should experience Christmas in this way.
We have been set free from curses, diseases and the hands of demons. During Christmas we should only see the cross and the blood and the suffering of the Lamb who died for us.
2012.12.22
