Today, a Savior has been born to us!  This is what the birth of Jesus means to the people of God:

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”  (Isaiah 40:1-2)

“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (Isaiah 40:11)

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good thingsbut has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”  (Luke 1:50–55)

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear.” (Luke 1:68-74)

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:15-17)

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

Oh, what a salvation!

Three days after Jesus was crucified, Luke tells us that two disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus. Confused and disappointed,  the two men conversed about the recent turn of events. “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him.”  (Luke 24:14-15)   When the stranger wanted to know what they were talking about, they told him how disillusioned they felt. “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”  And on and on they went. They were baffled. They were disheartened.  They were disillusioned.  They probably even felt deceived.

“How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and enter his glory?”  the stranger told them.  But, it was only until later that their “eyes were opened and they recognized him.”

I don’t know about you, but I can relate to the disciples on the road. In the aftermath of a life storm, I’ve pleaded out loud,  “But I thought.” If that is you today, cheer up.  God has not abandoned you.  It may be that you, like the disciples, are on the road to Emmaus.  And,  in the fullness of time, God will open your eyes and you will recognize that Jesus was with you all along.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

The Bible confirms that there is a kind of suffering that is the result of sin. In 2 Samuel 13:2, King David’s son Amnon was so consumed with lust for the forbidden that he made himself physically sick.  “Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.”

Sinful desires are nothing new to God.  The good news is that faithful Jesus promises mercy at the hour of our need.  Sadly, Amnon did not know God like his father David did. If he did, he would have cried out and received mercy.  He would have found grace.

The lesson for us:  Before the passion turns to flame, call upon the name of the Lord.  He is Jesus, the Son of God, our Great High Priest!

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:15-16)