Hi friends! I hope y'all have had a great break so far! Mine has been spent with family and losing in the board game Catan multiple times haha. What's something nice you've gotten to do over break? (Feel free to comment, but I think you need to make an account!) I've also been going through an Advent book my older sisters got me. I love it, because each day gives a reason for why Jesus came to earth. Each year it has been easy for me to look forward to Christmas, because I get a break from school and get presents, but I have to remember why we celebrate Christmas to begin with, and that's the birth of Jesus! This book has been a good reminder to me that celebrating the birth of Jesus is so important, because He gave us so much by coming to earth, living a perfect life, and dying for our sins before being resurrected to be with God in heaven. There are four reasons of Jesus coming to earth that really encouraged me, so I'm going to share them with y'all!
Jesus came to earth to bring light to a dark world! Isaiah 60:20 says that the Lord will be our everlasting light and our days of mourning will end. This was in the Old Testament, so Isaiah was foreshadowing the days of Jesus, and what he said is true. No matter how bad a situation may feel, Jesus can be your light because he's already defeated evil, and we know that putting our faith in Jesus can lead to eternity in heaven with Him.
Jesus came to fulfill the law! This means that all the laws and rules in the Old Testament that we could never completely follow has been completed by Jesus. We are no longer judged by God for our actions, but by our faith in Jesus. Romans 8:1-2 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." What a relief that we don't have to be perfect, because we are now covered in the grace of God!
Jesus came to be our great high priest! In the Old Testament, high priests were the only people who could reconcile the people to God by making sacrifices. They had to do this once a year, until Jesus came and made the ultimate sacrifice, so believing in Him could be the gateway to heaven. Hebrews 4:15-16 explains that Jesus is a great high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, because he was tempted in all the same ways we are. Verse 16 says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." I love this verse, because even though Jesus was perfect in every way we are not, he understands our imperfection and is there to help us. He is both our high priest who we need to have faith in to be with God, and our friend to show us that we can approach God even when we feel like we can't.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost! This reason was my favorite to read about, because I wanted this blog to help people when they feel like God's love isn't for them. In Matthew 9, there's a story of Jesus seated with his disciples, tax collectors, and sinners. This story contrasted Jesus and the disciples to tax collectors, who were seen as sinners because they were known for stealing money, and other sinners. The Pharisees, known for being hypocritical, saw this and asked why Jesus would sit with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus's response was, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." This shows Jesus's heart for coming to earth. He didn't come to judge the outcasts, sinners, or anyone. He came to save them! Therefore, when you feel like God couldn't possibly love you anymore, remember that He sent Jesus to help you, not judge you!
If I could summarize all the reasons why Jesus came to earth, I would say He came for you. He came to save you and help you. This is true every Christmas, every day, and for every person. I hope y'all have a wonderful Christmas and find time to thank Jesus for coming to earth!