For Unto Us a Child is Born!

Christ Carrying the Cross - Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Raphael), ca 1514–16

Join us as we read through the Gospel of Luke during this Advent Season...
By Cecilia Gibbs, Assistant Principal Rock Solid Christian Academy

Luke 23: 1-56

Today we are reading from Luke 24: 1-56. This chapter records the trial of our Lord before Pontius Pilate, His meeting with Herod Antipas, and describes the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ.
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Christmas is meant to be a time of joy. I love listening to Christmas music, being with my family, exchanging gifts, and participating in all the other festivities that come with the season. Although it’s the time of year when we traditionally focus on the birth of Christ, we must not ignore the reason He was born. Jesus was born to die for us. Without Christ’s crucifixion and death, there would be no eternal life for us. As agonizing as it is to read through the events of this chapter, we need to be reminded of the price Jesus paid for our sins.

“We have here the blessed Jesus, the Lamb of God, led as a lamb to the slaughter, to the sacrifice. Many reproached and reviled Him, and some pitied Him. But the death of Christ was His victory and triumph over His enemies: it was our deliverance, the purchase of eternal life for us. Therefore weep not for Him, but let us weep for our own sins, and the sins of our children, which caused His death; and weep for fear of the miseries we shall bring upon ourselves, if we slight His love, and reject His grace…”  (Matthew Henry, https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=42&c=23)

It’s incomprehensible to me that Christ loved us so much He was willing to offer Himself as a living sacrifice for our sins. My prayer for today is that we would seek to glorify God with hearts of gratitude and repentance. May we be in awe of Jesus Christ and His love for us. May we be determined to know Him better through His Word, and to love Him more. May we strive to share Christ’s love without reservation.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. -  (John 15: 9-17 NIV)