Christmas - That We Might Have LifeSýnishorn

DAY 3, DEVOTION 3

The Gift of Christmas, the Power of Sacrifice

G.K. Chesterton once said something like, “God forbid the day ever comes when men do not commit murder simply because it is against the law.”

The king of righteousness, the king of peace, is celebrated as coming in the flesh during the Christmas season. The purpose of that coming was to enact a "better covenant" (Hebrews 8:6) where the actions of people were not constrained by the outside force of law, which is in perpetual conflict with a person’s nature, which is to live purely for themselves. Rather, that new deal between God and man made possible through the revelation of the indestructible life of Jesus celebrated at Christmas, causes the law of the life of God to become our new nature. Indeed, it causes our good and right actions to be in true integrity with who we really are in Christ.

When we live according to this new deal, this "better covenant," we don’t do wrong because we intuitively know certain things are simply morally wrong. We know this because those who follow Christ have willfully laid down what they hold most dear, like so much gold, frankincense, and myrrh; their very selves, their old nature, placing it at the feet of Christ in exchange for His nature, reflecting His desires, freely.

And so, it is only natural that those dedicated to Christ live in an upright fashion, freely, effortlessly acting out the desire of God to exercise mercy and justice, to act toward others as He presently acts toward those who seek Him.

To be clear, being upright and acting upright can be two very different things. Being upright means you are free to act in accordance with who you really are and reflect the nature of God. Acting upright simply means you try really, really hard to be good as you perceive it. The first is done in the power of God, and the second is done in our own power. The first lasts forever because our actions naturally come from the indestructible, indescribable eternal life of Jesus, while the second is lost and forgotten because it comes from something less.

The freedom we have in Christ allows us to be free from care related to material wealth so that we are free to use our actions for the sake of mercy and justice. By God’s grace and strength, we leverage our worldly goods, including what power and influence we have, on behalf of those facing personal trials, like a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and the baby she is carrying, even when it calls for the personal sacrifice of time, talents, and treasure.

In the spirit of the wise men, the Christmas season is an appropriate time for generous gifts as an act of reflection on the power God has given you through Christ to freely change the world. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).

Questions for Reflection

What is the difference between acting good under our own power vs. a life dedicated to Christ, reflecting the nature of God in our actions?

The “New Covenant” reference in Hebrews 8 concludes with the phrase, “For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, and their sins I will no longer remember” (Hebrews 8:12). Why is this significant in light of the nativity?

The wise men gave gifts to Jesus. Years later, Jesus spoke these words in Luke 12:34: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” What is one way you might connect these two ideas together this Christmas?

Lord God,

Thank You for the gift of Christmas. Thank You for the life we have because of Jesus. Let us honor His sacrifice and gift of eternal life through our own sacrifices of time and talent, and treasure gifts for others during this season.

Amen.