Daily Devotion for December 16

INTRO

Jesus is not important just because of the setting of His birth. Jesus is important not because his parents were Mary and Joseph. Jesus is not important because people came to see Him.

QUESTION

Then why is the birth of Jesus so important?

SCRIPTURE

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

SAVIOR

Jesus was sent for us.

SCRIPTURE

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it.

QUESTION

Who or what is this “Word”?

SCRIPTURE

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

ANSWER

Jesus is the word who was with God and was God and then came and dwelt among us as He became flesh.

Question

What else do we know about the Word (Jesus) prior to taking on flesh and becoming one of us?

SCRIPTURE

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

NOTES

This “psalm/hymn” is perhaps the oldest verse in the New Testament. This passage was recited in the early church. When Paul placed this passage in his letter to Philippi it would be analogous to writing a letter and placing within the letter a familiar song. This familiar song is a clear statement of the Incarnation of Christ. The Incarnation (a theological word meaning taking on flesh or becoming flesh) is a “cornerstone” in ancient (early) Christianity, as seen in the Nicene Creed.

POINT

This is why the news of the angel is so good, it is God with us (Emmanuel)

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son,

John 3:16

QUESTION TO PONDER

How did God give us His “one and only Son”?