Celebrate the Joy of Christmas!
Why do we need Jesus?
What did He do?
How did He do it?
What does it mean for us?
Several months ago, at the Senior living center where my mom lives, we began answering these four questions in our monthly Bible study. We based our answers on a passage in the Bible in the book of Titus. Think! How would you answer the questions above? Do you agree that you need Jesus or are you unsure? Are you able to say what He did or how, or why it was necessary? How does the understanding of these answers change your life?
Let’s do a quick recap. Why we need Jesus – because we are sinful, imperfect, hating what is good, and disobedient to the Truth. We want our own way, we seek our own gratification, we think we are better than others, and we look down on all those who oppose our way of thinking. This is very clearly stated in verse three of our studied scripture.
The second question we answered is, What did Jesus do. When we consider what Jesus did, we need to think of the true meaning of God’s kindness. God’s very character is kind. He is perfect in providing exactly what we need even though we do not deserve His blessings. Because of God’s loving-kindness towards us, He sent His Son to save us. Jesus willingly laid aside His deity and became man in order to take upon Himself the penalty of death we owe for our sin. The reality is, we do not deserve His blessings.
Jesus paid the price for mankind’s sin – How did He do this? By willingly being born on the earth as a baby for the purpose of saving us. God sent His only Son to suffer and die for the sin of the world. Man is undeserving of this perfect sacrifice, yet because of God’s mercy, those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior are washed clean of their sin.
Now, let’s consider the last question – What does this mean for us? – which fits beautifully into this time of year as we celebrate Christmas. In our culture, the holidays are all about Santa Claus and presents. As a Christian, this season is about remembering the birth of Jesus, the greatest gift ever given to mankind.
Read Titus 3:3-7, then let’s concentrate on the last verse of this passage.
Titus 3:3-7 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Jesus was 100% God and man at the same time, choosing to live as man to fulfill being the perfect sacrifice. Without God’s kindness working in our heart to understand Him and recognize our need for a Savior, we would be eternally lost, without any real hope now and without hope for the future.
Those who believe are justified by His grace. Being justified means we have been freed from the penalty of our sin. Where sin once controlled us, now we are free from its power. Because of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, we are declared righteous in Him. This is not because we deserve God’s blessing but only because of God’s grace. God’s grace alone allows us the benefit of His favor; we receive His blessings because of Jesus’ work on the cross. God’s grace allows a sinner’s heart to accept Jesus’ sacrifice and receive eternal life. Salvation is a gift given freely and must be accepted freely. There is nothing we can do to earn it and we certainly do not deserve it.
Romans 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Because of Jesus, we have been made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. When you are an heir, you share in something given by another. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior makes you a child of God and an heir of Heaven.
Galatians 4:6-7 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
The section of scripture in Titus 3:3-7, is the Gospel. Five important truths to consider:
The meaning of GRACE – undeserved blessings from God
Who MAN is – a sinner who cannot save himself.
Who GOD is – perfect and holy yet choosing to extend mercy towards sinful men.
Who CHRIST is and what He did for us – Jesus Christ is 100% God; He was born to the earth in human form. He willingly suffered for men in order to save them from eternal separation from God; Jesus died to save men from the penalty of sin and arose from the dead claiming victory over the power of sin.
What FAITH is – believing without seeing; fully trusting in God’s plan of redemption and accepting His gift of forgiveness through His only Son Jesus. Saving faith is trusting in Jesus alone for salvation.
What does the truth of our redemption through Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, mean for us? Forgiveness for sins, hope for the future, and joy inexpressible.
John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
1Peter 1:8-9 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Luke 2:7-11 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
We need Jesus’ perfect sacrifice to redeem our souls to righteousness. When we accept the gift of His undeserved favor towards us, we stand as His children, holy and acceptable to God the Father. Then we have the promise of everlasting life with our Savior in Heaven. Thank you God for the most precious gift of Your only Son; all because You love us beyond measure.
