And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
— Luke 2:10
And the Scriptures agree, for it is written: There is no one who always does what is right, no, not even one! There is no one with true spiritual insight, and there is no one who seeks after God alone. All have deliberately wandered from God’s ways. All have become depraved and unfit. Kindness has disappeared from them all not even one is good.
— Romans 3:10–12
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
— 1 John 2:1–2
The moment sin entered this world, so did our need for redemption. We have all sinned, and we all need to be forgiven and made right with God. The best news ever is that God ushered in redemption for all people with the birth of Jesus. God’s ultimate gift of life through forgiveness and atonement of sin is Jesus, but we have to accept and receive him as our Savior. The saddest and most devastating news to me is that so many know who Jesus is, but they don’t actually know him.
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Savior, Jesus entered this world as an innocent baby boy and broke God’s silence. He changed everything. A way was made to our Father through his Son. This good news of great joy and hope for all humanity was born to set us free from the wages of sin and death. Every day of his life, Jesus lived to draw us closer to God, and then he died to set us free.
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s the joy of the season and seeing the best in people. It’s the scenery, the traditions, and the music. As I have been reflecting and writing, the words to a song keep running through my head.
He still came just for me. He still came.
Knowing all he would endure. He still came.
Disregarding every cost, from the manger to the cross.
He still came just for me. He still came.
— He Still Came by Donna Douglas & Pam Thum
It is amazing and humbling to take in the accounts of Jesus’s birth. Joseph and Mary, their journey, the stable, the manger, the shepherds, the wise men, the gifts, the angels — every single detail has significance and meaning. The birth of Jesus was just the beginning, and it set God’s plan in motion.
God’s plan, Jesus, was more than him being born to us. It included every aspect of his life: his dwelling among us, growing as a child under the care of amazing parents, teaching in the synagogue, being tempted but choosing not to sin, living and teaching the gospel, healing and interceding, performing miracles, walking intimately with the Father, doing life with people, being mocked, scorned and beaten, enduring an agonizing, torturesome, cruel death, being buried in a borrowed tomb guarded by soldiers, and breaking the chains of sin and death and rising from his lifeless grave. God’s plans are intricate, intimate, and intentional. He wastes nothing and spares no expense. Never has, never will.
Have you ever sacrificed great time, money, and heart for someone only to see the gift taken for granted or not used? Can you imagine how it makes God feel when we do that with our relationship with him? This thought gives me a lump in my throat as I reflect on the good news and gift of our wonderful, merciful Savior and our gracious and loving God. What am I doing with this life I have surrendered to him? I always need to remember and act on this. News is meant to be shared, and gifts are meant to be given. Am I sharing the good news and gift of Jesus?