Today’s Reading: Luke 2:1-20, John 1:1-18
Optional Readings: Matthew Ch 1-2, Luke 1
The Birth of Jesus
We have such beautiful examples of sacrifice in these passages.
Mary-
When the angel told Mary that she would be carrying the Son of God, surely the earthly implications went through her mind. Any ideas she had for her life would all at once be changed. She likely realized that the public would not understand. She knew that since she and Joseph were betrothed but not yet in marriage covenant, a pregnancy out-of-wedlock would mean she could be stoned to death.
And yet she gave her body and her future to the purposes of God. She took the risk of public shame in order to be used by God. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
Joseph-
Many of these same things can be said of Joseph. He sacrificed his reputation. He sacrificed his ideas of what his life would look like. But consider this also: he was willing to put his sense of justice aside for the sake of Mary’s protection, and this was before he knew why she was pregnant! Matthew 1:18-21 would imply that he “did not want to expose her to public disgrace” before he knew that the baby was from God. For all he knew, she had cheated on him, defiled herself, and transgressed the Law. Yet, he still put her needs before his own. It makes my eyes well up.
John the Baptist-
John the Baptist was born for the sole purpose of exalting Christ and preparing the way for Him. His identity, his days in the literal sun, his afflictions, and eventually his death would all be for the purposes of God. He is the one who said, “He must become greater; I must become less.” His entire SELF was given to God. And of him, Jesus said, “among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11).
Jesus-
Our greatest example of giving up who He was, at least in terms of position, is Jesus. In John 1 we see that He had always been with God and that He was God. All things were made through Him and FOR Him (Col 1:16). He is the second member of the Triune God! He did not need anything. Yet He chose to step down from His position in the heavenly realm to put on our painful flesh and walk amongst the very people who offend Him and hurt his heart with their sin and disbelief. He did that for us. He wasn’t recognized, accepted, lauded, or embraced for who He really was. Recall yesterday’s reading in Philippians:
Jesus “who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!”
So have you come to the point where you are willing to give up who you are in order to be who God is calling you to be? I’m talking about your very self. It might mean your plans for the future. It could be your purpose and identity. It could mean sacrificing the praise of men.
And here’s the good part:
We can trust Him with our life. He is a good Father who gives us good things, even if we don’t understand them as “good” while it’s happening. While surrendering myself to the Lordship of Jesus– or in other terms, letting someone else be the “boss of me”– may seem scary at first, He knows what is best for us. He’s a better boss of me than I ever could be.
Jesus, if there is any part of me that I haven’t given to You, show me. I want to surrender my whole self to You. Amen.