Saturday, December 04, 2010

Journey To Bethlehem - The Suffering Savior

Jesus knew that he would suffer and yet he came to our world.


Isaiah 53:1-6  Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Christmas is such a beautiful time of the year, we have decorated the season with ornaments and lights, and we have associated the best of snow covered scenery with sleigh rides and ice skating. It wasn't like that when Christmas started out, the first Christmas was not a pretty one, it took centuries for the holiday to become so pretty.

We are celebrating the birth of our Savior but we shouldn't forget that his birth was the beginning of his journey to the cruel ugly cross. Humbly taking all of the torture that the people used back in that day for the most hardened criminal without a word of protest, not a word was spoken to try to keep himself off of the cross.

John 12:27-28 "Now My soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to Your name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to My name, and I will do so again."

As I celebrate Christmas it is smart to remember the reason for the season and to remember that Jesus came to earth to give us the best gift ever. (Ephesians 2:4-8)

Lord, I praise You for all You did for me on the cross and want to live each day for you.