Sunday 25 Dec 2016

December 25: Luke 2:1-7

Key Verse: Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Devotion:
The time had now come, over two thousand years ago, when God would send forth His only begotten Son, born as a human baby into the law. God's perfect plan had begun, and nobody was there to see it. Where was the splendour for a Kings birth? Where was the herald singing forth the good news? Where were the other dignitaries to celebrate the wonderful birth? Not there at the stable…

Christ's birth at this particular time was no accident. The Roman empire was probably at its biggest. It had been prophesied (Daniel 2:44) that a kingdom would be set up which would never be destroyed. Every kingdom in existence then has been brought down except for the new King who was born on that day, Christ. Judea was now under Roman rule. Every person within the land was to be taxed. Every person was to bow to Roman rule, even the “lawgiver”, Christ, should be under the same rule (Genesis 49:10).

Micah 5:2 gives us the place where Christ was to be born. Bethlehem, the house of bread, was to be the birthplace of The Bread of Life; our Bread that came down from Heaven. Bethlehem was the city of David where our Saviour was to be born. David, born in Bethlehem, to be proven as a shepherd before becoming King. Jesus, born in Bethlehem, to be proven as a Perfect Servant before being crowned King of the Jews.

Any mother nowadays, being so great in child, would not want to make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Mary did, because that is what God wanted. For His promises to be fulfilled, Jesus must needs be born in Bethlehem, wrapped in rags and laid in a feeding trough, a manger. That is exactly what happened – Praise God!

Points to Ponder:
Praise God for His promises! Praise God for His Son!

A very HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all!