King And Saviour
Philippians 2:6-11 (NIV)
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Recently, a few of my close friends have become parents, and it’s beautiful to meet and look at these little babies and imagine what life has in store for them. What will they be like when they grow up? What careers will they end up in? Will they follow Jesus? Where will God lead them?
At the beginning of the week, we read of the birth of baby Jesus into the world. We've seen him grow in wisdom and stature and, after being baptised, begin his public ministry. He is tempted, he performs miracles, he heals and delivers, and finally, we see revealed that he is the One who stepped down from co-equality with God to save us by offering himself to death on the Cross, defeating death and sin and then, three days later, being restored to resurrection life. What an amazing history-changing, life-changing, me-changing story!
I’m always in awe that God came down to this earth, his creation, humbled himself, lived and died among us, winning for us with inexpressible love, eternal life and freedom. Then he graciously and insistently draws us into building his new everlasting kingdom with him on earth.
The only way to experience that eternal life and all its undeserved blessings is to recognise that the little baby in the manger we celebrate at Christmas is the exact same person who bought us, at the cost of his life, freedom from the consequences of sin. Jesus changes everything, and as we celebrate Christmas with loved ones, may we be reminded of the greatest Rescuer of all time and eternity, our only Saviour, and may we place him at the centre, not the periphery of our lives.
Prayer - Lord, as we celebrate your coming to earth as a baby, remind us of the bigger Rescue Plan. Thank you, Jesus, for coming and rescuing us!
This Christmas - Jesus be the centre!