Savior

When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, she was greatly troubled. Imagine her shock and dismay as the angel suddenly appeared and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). Mary’s fear was visibly evident as Gabriel continued,

Have you ever considered God to be as distant as the stars he created? Have you ever felt God to be a stern disciplinarian ready to punish you when you say something you shouldn’t say or do something you shouldn’t do? If you believe God is out of reach, then reconsider the Person named Jesus.

Isaiah had never seen anything like it. Before him was the Lord seated in all majesty and might, surrounded by angels who had to cover their faces (they could not look directly at God’s glory) and feet (acknowledging their lowliness) as they hovered around the throne. Here’s what Isaiah saw.

In 1 Peter 2:4-8, the apostle Peter uses the example of a building to help us understand the eternal importance of our relationship with Christ. He describes Jesus as “the living stone,” “a cornerstone,” and the “cornerstone chosen and precious.” In 1 Peter 2:7, the apostle warned those who did not believe. In today’s verse, he followed with a second warning. Sometimes Jesus becomes a “stone of stumbling.”

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Before Jesus comes again, the world will experience chaos like never before. The Bible describes this time as the great tribulation, and this will be the beginning of the end. Those living in that terrible time will need a Deliverer.

As we enter a new year, remember that Jesus is our Savior. Let’s keep our focus on him. 

Jesus is our great Hope. That is the Christmas story in a nutshell. In Jesus, we have significance, security, acceptance, and forgiveness. In Jesus, we are empowered by his Spirit to show the world how the glory of the Lord shines through our lives. 

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!