Christmas Eve, December 24
JESUS
Luke 2:1-7; John 6
When Jesus
was born, it was one of the most joyous events that took place in the Bible. We
know this because the shepherds and the angels both praised and glorified
God. Joseph and Mary looked all over
town for Mary to give birth to Jesus, because there was no room for him in the
inn. This is a picture, even as He is
not yet born, that the world does not want Jesus, the Son of God. There was no room for Him in the inn. To the world He was a nobody. Is there room
for Him in your life?
Joseph and
Mary laid baby Jesus, wrapped with strips of cloth, on the hay in a
manger. What a humble place to be in
when you are the King of kings, since a manger is a feeding trough for
animals. Right from the beginning, Jesus
was humble. Jesus said He was the bread of life. We see this in John 6:33,35—“For the bread of God is He which cometh down
from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me
shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Many disciples turned away because they did
not want to submit their whole lives to Jesus—there was no room in their lives
for Him. The only way to be nourished by
the life of Jesus is through repentance and humility—nothing of ourselves and
all of God.
Jesus
lived His life in humility. He said in
John 6:38, "For I came down from
heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me." Jesus humbly laid aside His glory in
heaven. He submitted His life to
Almighty God in order for the Father to work our redemption through Him. "And being found in fashion as a man,
He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross." Jesus was born to die
and to rise again. "And this is the will of Him that sent
Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth
on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last
day." (John 6:40) When Jesus
died, it, too, was one of the most joyous events that took place in the Bible,
for with His life, He purchased life for those who would humble themselves,
become nothing, and believe on Him.
Dear Lord,
I pray that we would humble ourselves before you this Christmas season, and
there would be room for Jesus in our lives.
Amen.
~ Anthony Parrotta