For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so
that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
A true story: The good-looking man in China met and
married a good-looking woman.
The good-looking couple had a baby girl, who was not so
good-looking. The good-looking man's name is Jian Feng, and the child he said
was plain, remains unnamed. We do know he insisted on a DNA test, a test which
showed he was the father.
So was he content? Did the family live happily ever
after?
No, they didn't.
Good-looking Mr. Feng took his good-looking wife to court
and sued her because he said she was totally responsible for their
not-so-beautiful daughter. The good-looking wife admitted to having had
extensive plastic surgery in South Korea, before they were married. Mr. Feng
said, "Ah-ha! You married me under false pretenses. I've been tricked. I
want a divorce and some cash to pay for this ugly deception."
Amazingly, the Chinese judge agreed. He ruled the
good-looking ex-wife had to pay her good-looking ex-husband $120,000 because
she had given him a not-so-good-looking child.
This takes us to the question: what does that have to do
with Christmas and the Savior?
Take a minute and read another story; this one also true.
Once upon a time a holy and perfect God created a holy and perfect world. When
He was done with His work, He said it was "very good." And it was.
But that perfection was destroyed when His children did a very ugly, a very disobedient
thing: they broke the one commandment their Maker had asked them to keep.
All that God had made perfect and holy was now blighted
by sin and no longer beautiful. The children, which had once been a most
special part of His creation, had disobeyed and disowned Him, had turned their
backs on Him.
Now this is the part where the stories diverge.
But rather than looking at us and avoiding having any
contact with his no-longer-beautiful children, God searched us out. In our
self-made ugliness He searched us out and said, "You've made a mess of
things, but I love you. I would rather save you than condemn you. To make that
happen, I'm going to take My still-perfect, still-holy Son and send Him to
earth to take your place. He will love the unlovable, touch the untouchable,
seek out the sick, and save the sinner."
He will live for you, and suffer for you, and carry your
sins.
And He will die for you.
And so it was. His Son came and His followers celebrated
His birthday. And now, after that celebration, we need to remember He is still
with us; He is still with His sinful brothers and sisters.
Why?
Because Jesus has come and given Himself, so we might be
forgiven and live happily ever after.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving us in spite of our sin,
for sending Your Son to save us when we didn't deserve it, we shall always be
grateful. Help us show our joy and gladness for that grace, not only this Christmas
but in all the days thereafter. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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