12/29/2017 — The setting for Jesus's birth is one we would assign to a baby born to a family of extraordinarily low social standing. It's better understood as a metaphor for the sinful world to which God chose to send His only Son.

Christmas cures the abhorrent condition mankind and this world are in. Jesus brings and is the cure for our sins! Accepting Him is our great command and privilege in this holy season, and every other season.

EDUCATION

Luke 2:1–7
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the entire inhabited earth should be taxed. This taxation was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own city to be taxed.

“So Joseph also departed from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to the City of David which is called Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So while they were there, the day came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in strips of cloth, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (MEV).

APPLICATION

• We have glamorized the setting into which Jesus was born to the point of distorting important truths. He was born to 14–year–old Mary, whose pregnancy caused a scandal because she was engaged to Joseph and would not be married to him for seven years.
• They traveled to Bethlehem, a poor community, where Jesus was born in a stable — a filthy place where animals stayed. He was wrapped in strips of cloth that in any other situation would never have been used for clothing.
• Jesus came to seek, save, serve and surrender. He came to this broken world because He had and was the cure for it.
• Sin — everything painful and ravaging in this life, every blight known to mankind — is why Jesus came. He needs nothing from us, so “to serve Him“ is something of a misnomer. We serve God by serving others.

IMPARTATION

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to us that first Christmas! You put Him into the humblest of situations so we could see what sin had done to us, and so we could see that He was the answer to our sin.

Order my steps today, so that like Jesus I can seek, save, serve and surrender to the people in my circles of influence who need you most. Show me those who need You most, so that I may love them toward a relationship with You.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ — Jehovah Joshua Messiah — I pray. Amen!






WHC FAMILY PRAYER REQUESTS

In Matthew 18, Jesus said “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Let’s stand in agreement with the following members of our church family who have requested prayer:
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Send in your prayer request on this online form so we can agree with you in prayer!

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