“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
December 20, 2024
Yes, it challenges our thinking but makes us open our eyes and ears to God’s infinite wisdom. The baby in Mary’s womb was God the Son, our Savior, Israel’s Messiah, and Lord. Let this flood into our thoughts, prayers of praise, and worship. The cure for sin is a valiant work of deliverance accomplished by Jesus Christ, as Savior. The world has its pagan deities, Zeus and deified Roman emperors. In our day it is Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, and Sigmund Freud, among others. In light of all the world’s idol worship, we acknowledge that “the fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith” (John Stott). Because Jesus is Savior He can make the evil of suffering bring glory to God (Psa. 11:71; 1 Pet. 1:7). How does Jesus do this? The cross and the resurrection of Christ completely change the experience of the evil of suffering for the Christian. Pain and suffering can be redeemed (not saying redemptive, suffering in and of itself cannot make us fit for God’s heaven). Death does not need to haunt those who are in Christ. It is swallowed up in victory. Where sin has been pardoned, death has no sting. The glowing, shimmering delightful prospect of future glory is way more than enough to carry us joyfully through whatever Satan can throw at us. A joyous hope because of Jesus Christ is the message of the star over Bethlehem.
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“Sin is so damaging that only the death of God’s Son can take it away” (Jn.1:29). Charles Ryrie