I asked Jesus, "How much do you love me?"
"This much," he replied, and he stretched out His arms and died.
Let this Christmas mean so much more than a little baby born in a stable. This baby was born as a humble servant, to take your sin and die for you, for we have all fallen short. Yet he took all our shame and sin and guilt and every wrong thought we have ever thought, and took it upon himself, who had never once sinned, and died for you. This baby was born a great king. He became human, yet us humans did not recognise him for who he truly was. We accused him of blasphemy and put him to death. But this was all part of God's great plan. "The word became flesh..." (see John 1) and the birth of this little boy is so much more than just the commercialised Christmas the world celebrates. For he is not of the world. He is Creator but became 'created'. Can you imagine how frustrating that would be? And he died to obey his Father's great plan. You are not praising a baby, you are praising a holy, powerful, perfect, amazing saviour king who has saved you and me and calls you friend. God gave up His only Son so we can live free from sin and judgement, and come into His arms forever. He died so we could go home.
