This Is My Body Which is Broken for You
This is the season when the city is bedecked with star lanterns, tinsel buntings on Yule trees and boughs of holly, and a billion twinkling lights. Buyers and sellers are engaged in a paroxysm of purchases and sales of Christmas gifts for friends and family. Little if any room is prepared for Christ in the hearts of believers who are commemorating His birthday Рexcept perhaps for cr̬ches that are dusted by some from storage to be displayed is some innocuous corner for a few weeks.
As silently calm, bright, even joyful as these Nativity scenes are, they conceal the underlying bitter sweetness of the time: the strenuous forced trip to Bethlehem caused by an oppressive tax census by an occupying foreign power, the tarnished reputation of Mary of Nazareth for her unwed pregnancy [though the Child was divinely conceived], and the difficult [but fully human] delivery in a filthy stable with no one to midwife except the devoted and loving husband Joseph. Forty days later, when Jesus was presented at the Jerusalem temple to be consecrated to the Lord as Mary’s firstborn, an old prophet, Simeon, prophesied, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." [Luke 2:34-35] Some two years later, the slaughter of the innocent male infants in Bethlehem two years or younger was ordered by King Herod the Great in an attempt destroy God’s promised Anointed King. It was a very bitter sweet time.
As silently calm, bright, even joyful as these Nativity scenes are, they conceal the underlying bitter sweetness of the time: the strenuous forced trip to Bethlehem caused by an oppressive tax census by an occupying foreign power, the tarnished reputation of Mary of Nazareth for her unwed pregnancy [though the Child was divinely conceived], and the difficult [but fully human] delivery in a filthy stable with no one to midwife except the devoted and loving husband Joseph. Forty days later, when Jesus was presented at the Jerusalem temple to be consecrated to the Lord as Mary’s firstborn, an old prophet, Simeon, prophesied, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." [Luke 2:34-35] Some two years later, the slaughter of the innocent male infants in Bethlehem two years or younger was ordered by King Herod the Great in an attempt destroy God’s promised Anointed King. It was a very bitter sweet time.
Inconceivable but true. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Jesus, always fully God, became fully Man from zygote to embryo to fetus to His glorious birth. Then, “He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [Luke 2:52, John 1:14]We delight in celebrating birthdays of family and friends, saved or unsaved, because they enrich and gladden our lives. The birth of our True Brother and Faithful Friend is much, much more than that. Full of grace and truth, He teaches us a better, righteous way of living; He restores broken hearts, forgives sins, heals diseases, casts out demons, and redeems us from darkness and death by making possible our rebirth in the Holy Spirit. He fully reveals to us the living, loving and luminous image of God [John 14:9, Colossians 2:9]
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” [Isaiah 9:2] “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” [John 1:4] That is the eternal life. “…so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” [John 3:13-15]
When Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;” …. "Then He said, 'Here I am, I have come to do Your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [Hebrews 10:5, 9-10] “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” [Philippians 2:6-8]
His tortured death on the cross is the penalty He took on our behalf for our sins, once for all. “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by HIM, and afflicted. 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. 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.” [Isaiah 53:4-6]So, that body, born one bitter sweet night in Bethlehem was lifted up on the cross on a hill in Jerusalem, died for our sins, was buried and rose to life again, exactly as God promised. Jesus commands us to constantly remember His body, broken in our behalf and His blood poured out for us. [Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26]
Because we shall behold that Body again. "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. [Revelation 22:20]
- End-
Jonseb, Tuesday 18 November 2008.
Mark Lowery sings
'Mary, Did You Know'
Courtesy of YouTube
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