Recently we welcomed into our family a new grandson. It is always an extremely exciting time when a new baby is born. We think about what that little one might be when he grows up and pray he has a long and happy life.
But, when God sent baby Jesus into this world He had other thoughts on His mind. Jesus was actually born to die. Yes, that’s right. He was born to die! That was God’s plan from the start. That doesn’t sound too loving does it? But wait let’s think about his for a minute.
If God had not sent Jesus into this world to die for our sins then we would not have a wonderful future laid out before us. We would be eternally damned to hell. He came to die so that we might have life. Everlasting life that is. That is the most unselfish, loving, kind and gracious thing God could do for us.
Because we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God we cannot come into God’s presence.
(Romans 3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
God cannot look on sin because He is holy. There is a great gap between us and God because of sin. Therefore, God sent His beloved Son Jesus to come to us in the form of a little baby to bridge that gap. Jesus grew up and when the time came He obediently suffered on the cross the total payment each of us owed God for our sins. For God had said, the wages of sin is death.
(Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When we hear the Christmas story each year we marvel at the little babe in the manger. We celebrate his birth but don’t usually think about his death.
Jesus didn’t live a long life by today’s standards. He lived for about 30 years. God sent him to pay the price. He bought us with His own precious blood. That is God’s most extraordinary Christmas gift to us and its also free.
He was born to die!
“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity–hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory–because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that 30 years later He might hang on a cross.” J. I Packer
hatchcreek.com Bible blog 
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