Each year during the holiday season we witness nativity scenes dotted around our cities and towns. Perhaps because of the familiarity of the depiction of the birth of the Savior we fail to focus on just what an impact it had on the lives of all mankind. To many people, it is simply a story, a reason to gather with family, the depiction of a baby lying in a manger. To know the real Jesus, our minds must take Him out of the manger and see Him as a man, yet deity; a King who came to show us how to live; a Savior who came to seek and save the lost.
Jesus was God come to earth. He came as a baby, and grew to be a man, one with power and authority. He came with a gentle, loving, and forgiving heart. Because of this, our culture has created a Jesus who is a "love only" Jesus. This "fantasy" Jesus overlooks all sin and never condemns. Yes, Jesus is gentle and loving — so loving that He calls us to Him and condemns sin to bring joy into our lives. Sin, with all its promise of glitter and glamour, ultimately brings misery as we yield ourselves to it. The story of Jesus is more than just a story of a baby born long ago in a faraway place, to bring the offer of forgiveness. It is the story of a Jesus who longs to be your Lord. He offers grace and mercy. He demands loyalty in return.
This same Jesus who was born long ago to bring salvation to those who seek Him and follow His leading still lives today. He has the power to transform your life.
Are you seeking to know the "real" Jesus? Do you long for the transformation in your life that comes by following Him? I'd like to hear from you, write to me at ktalley@heraldoftruth.org or leave a comment on our blog on www.hopeforlife.org.
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