Merry Christmas to you and your family! I hope you have a wonderful day.
I am thankful that Jesus, the Son of God became the Son of Man. Jesus became one of us and he shared in our joy and pain. He understands what it feels like to be tired, rejected, shamed, beaten, and unjustly accused. Every time Jesus was sinned against was an opportunity for him to respond in a sinful way, but he never sinned. When Jesus was tempted with the wealth, pleasure, and power of the world he did not give in. Jesus also shared our joys; he loved his friends, the apostles, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus . Jesus loved his work; once he compared doing his ministry to the nourishment of eating food (John 4). Like most of us, when it came time for Jesus to die, he wasn’t ready to go. Three times Jesus prayed that he could pass on the cruel death that he was facing (Matthew 26), yet he submitted to the will of his Father God and laid down his life.
Even though we fail in our attempts to live without sinning, Jesus does not look down on us. Instead he sympathizes with us, because he knows what it is like to face temptation. Jesus is able to help us to resist temptation. Listen to what the Hebrews writers says about the one who is in our corner.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. NASU
How could anyone not want to follow a man like this? We all need him. As you celebrate Christmas, draw near to Jesus and commit yourself to learning his ways, honoring him, and living in a way that makes the Son of Man proud.