Bible Reading: Matthew 2:1-7
According to the prophets, the Messiah would come from the family of King David. Knowing that, people assumed that the Messiah would be a powerful, wealthy political
and military leader who would save them from Roman rule.
However, as the Bible and “The Christmas Creed” tell us, Jesus Christ, the Messiah wasn’t what people expected. Luke 2:6 & 7 describe Jesus’ humble beginnings like this: “While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. She gave birth to her first son. She wrapped him up well and laid him in a box where cattle are fed. She put him there because the guest room was full.” “The Christmas Creed” says it this way: “I believe in the one whose cradle was a mother’s arms, whose modest home in Nazareth…”
Jesus could trace his ancestry to King David but Jesus was not born into a wealthy, powerful family. He lived his first days in a stable. He slept in an animal feedbox. He wasn’t rocked in a custom-built cradle. He was rocked in his mother’s arms. Jesus spent His growing up years in a simply house in the town of Nazareth and did the common work of a carpenter.
People expected one kind of Messiah but they got a better Messiah than they could ever dream of! Jesus, the Messiah, was handpicked by our Heavenly Father. Jesus chose to leave all of the riches of heaven and be born as a poor, helpless baby. Jesus came to earth not to rescue a few people from political oppression, but to rescue all people from sin’s oppression.
“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that he gave up his heavenly riches for you. He gave up everything so that you could be richly blessed.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for not sending just a great political or military leader to save us. You sent Jesus, The Messiah. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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