One of my favorite things to do each Christmas season is to listen to Handel’s Messiah. I love the whole thing, from beginning to end. My favorite piece contains the words “For Unto Us a Child is Born”. The emphasis in that phrase is on the word “us”. The child in a manger was born for us. It was part of an amazing plan that God thought up to bring Him to “us”. We were undeserving, but He thought we were. We weren’t worthy, but He thought we were! We weren’t significant, but He thought we were. When I think of the word “us” it encompasses the whole earth, and that is who Jesus came for. For God so loved the world – “us”- that He gave or sent His only son to the earth. If ever we have a moment when we feel insignificant, or unworthy, or undeserving, all we have to do is remember that the God of the universe has a totally different opinion. When God brought Jesus to the earth, his journey began in a manger, and then culminated on the cross. When the work on the cross was finished, it says in II Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus, the one who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that in HIM, we might become the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God supersedes, or trumps any feelings that we might have of insignificance or unworthiness. God calls us righteous, so we are! Once we understand what God did for us, it should propel us to share that great message of Christmas with those who haven’t heard it yet. Make it a goal this season, share the message of God’s love with someone today. John 3:16 is why we have Christmas. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son…
Advent Activity: Create an “us” feeling, by inviting someone who is alone, or lonely to church with you this weekend. Sometimes they will come at Christmas time, when they wouldn’t come any other time.
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