Luke 2
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 NIV
The Savior of the world came to earth in an extremely humble way. He could have entered the world with a stunning display of His mighty power and ultimate sovereignty. Instead, He showed up as a dependent, vulnerable baby. He did not come to earth to glorify Himself: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Living out the Christian life means that we should strive to follow and emulate Jesus. Putting the needs of others ahead of our own is a crucial step in following the will of God. Make this your prayer of servitude: “Father, Allow me to serve others with a joyful heart; Never keeping score; Always giving; Never expecting to receive. Allow me to give of myself; To give of my talents and of my goods, To give of my time and of my energy, To give of my heart and of my soul. Help me understand the needs of others; Never criticizing, Never demeaning, Never scolding, Never condemning. You have been so gracious to me, Always Loving, Always forgiving, Always restoring; Never gloating over my defeats, Even when I have been so wrong. Father, keep a condemning spirit far from my heart and further from my lips. Allow me to serve others as You serve, With gentleness, compassion, and tenderness, Never diminishing the worth of another, Choosing to extend mercy to the brokenhearted, Like You have repeatedly shown it to me.” (Jack Watts)
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10 NIV
The key word in this verse is “all.” Jesus came to save all people. Some people look at Christianity and denounce it as too narrow-minded and exclusive because Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Many refuse to believe that there can be only one way to God. In reality, Christianity is only exclusive in that all believers must accept the free gifts of forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Besides that, it is actually very inclusive because salvation is not dependent on your sex, race, nationality, political beliefs, social status, or even what sins you have committed in the past. As Paul clearly states in Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, Luke 2:34 NIV
Why do people hate Jesus? Jesus Himself said: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify that its works are evil” (John 7:7). No one likes to confront the fact that they are a sinner, and that they should stop living a sinful life. In general, people do not want to be held accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions. Many want to live their lives their own way, and want to stay far away from the so-called “restrictive” life that Jesus offers. It is unfortunate that unbelievers do not understand the freedom that comes from doing life God’s way.
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. Luke 2:35 NIV
Being a follower of Jesus is not always easy. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” Christians throughout the centuries have experienced rejection, isolation, oppression, and mistreatment because of their faith. In addition to external conflicts with non-believers, there is also a significant, life-long struggle that occurs within someone once he/she accepts Christ. We all have a sinful nature, and are constantly wrestling to keep it under control. Once we become believers in Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and is there to guide us away from our sin nature and towards righteous living. Even with the help of the Holy Spirit, this struggle towards righteousness can be very difficult, and we are often unsuccessful. “But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:23-25). So how is a Christian supposed to fight this constant battle against sin? God equips us with the tools needed to combat these struggles every day: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…” (Ephesians 6:13). Despite the hardship that can accompany the Christian life, remember that God will always be here for us and will never leave us stranded. Besides, the hardship will never outweigh the immense blessings that are given to us all because of our faith in Him! Praise God!