“Here we have it again. Jesus’ first visitors were not ambassadors, dignitaries, or wealthy landowners. The first to pay homage were simple shepherds, minimum-wage workers in the ancient agrarian economy. They had little to no status in the world. They were the humble and the poor whom God was now raising up to recieve heavenly messages and an audience with the great King.” – In reference to the shepherds visiting Jesus in Luke 2.
“These were exceptionally good gifts, for gold is what you give a king, and Jesus is the King of kings; incense is what you give a priest, and Jesus is the High Priest of all high priests; myrrh ointment is used to heal, and Jesus is a healer. But myrrh is also used to emalm- and Jesus was born to die.” In reference to the gifts from the magi in Matthew 2.
Both of those quotes are out of “the voice new testment” translation that was my Christmas present. I like it a lot.
More importantly. I love Christmas. I love it because we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus the Liberating King. Jesus. When I think about his birth, I am foreced to recall his death. The reason for it. For me and you. For our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to, so that we could spend eternity with our creator.
He was born to die. He was visited by people who knew his life would be important before he even did anything. God told them, and showed them, because he wanted them to pay the appropriate respects to his son. And they did. I want to too. I don’t have any of those things to give, but I do have my life to give as an offering of worship. I try to do this day in and day out, but I know I fail regularly.
Thank you Jesus for the gift of salvation through your death.
