Hebrews 10:8-10 says, "Sacrifice an offering, burnt offerings and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them, then He said, 'behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.' He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Possibly within the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus we might overlook the primary reason why the Son of God needed to come physically to earth. As illustrated above, Jesus came to take away the first blood covenant and replaced it with a new and better blood covenant. Our Lord God did not take pleasure in burnt offerings of animals which did not take away sin. Only through the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ, once and for all, was forgiveness of sin and salvation made available to all of God's creation. We serve a loving, merciful and giving God! Hallelujah!
Following are some insights into the story of the birth of Jesus:
"After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." {Matthew 1:8} One of the first verses of the New Testament illustrates a miracle of God - Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
"Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly." {Matthew 1:19} Joseph, not understanding how Mary was with child, was an honorable man and desired not to humiliate her.
"But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of The Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.' Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of The Lord commanded him and took to him his wife and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus." {Matthew 1:20,24,25} Joseph, a God fearing man, knew the angel was from God obeyed and took Mary as his wife and named him Jesus.
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn." {Luke 2:7} Jesus, who came to become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, was born in the most humble of surroundings. This is an example for us to function always in humility and not in pride.
"And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them." {Luke 2:16,20} We should glorify and praise God in all surroundings and circumstances.
Have A Most Blessed Christmas!
Frank
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