God

Seven hundred years before Jesus brought eternal joy, the prophet Isaiah told us that the Messiah was on the way. These titles describe the Messiah’s character.

For the joy set before him, Jesus took on the cross for us (Hebrews 12:1-2). Christ the Lord is the One, the only One, who delivers true joy to the deepest part of our hearts. 

Why did God become flesh? Why did God humble himself to become a man? The writer of the Hebrews tells us that it was for the joy of providing man the way to God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In a world seeking identity, satisfaction, and security, only Jesus delivers true joy. The joy Jesus gives is not the momentary heartfelt happiness of opening a thoughtful Christmas present or, much better, watching our children and grandchildren open their gifts.

The virgin birth certainly defines history. If Jesus was simply the product of a man and a woman, his life and death were no more significant than yours and mine. We could not even call him a good teacher.

Seven hundred years before Jesus came, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed the promise. A virgin would conceive. God’s Son would be born, and his name would be called “Immanuel (which means God with us)” (Matt 1:23). God would come to live among us, and he would never leave us. Immanuel is our great hope. 

The law does not contradict God’s promises but moves us to God’s promises. The law is the road to hope. And our hope is in Jesus alone. Paul explains that “the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24 NKJV). 

Hope doesn’t just happen. It is brought about by spiritual discipline and growth. When your children speak at your funeral, I bet they won’t mention the expensive Christmas gifts. Let’s aspire for their focus to be on the gift of Jesus that you allowed them to see in you up close and personal. 

The new covenant came with a great price. God didn’t ignore sin or sweep it under the rug. He met sin head-on by sending his Son as our substitute to pay sin’s penalty (Isaiah 53:4-6). Jesus said that the new covenant would be instituted through the shedding of his blood on the cross (Matt. 26:27-28; Luke 22:20). In Jesus, there is forgiveness. He is our great Hope!