December 11, 2023

Dear Friend,

Jesus was sent from heaven to earth. He was miraculously conceived by Mary when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and placed the seed of God within her.

God announced that His Son had come to several people in several ways. He sent Gabriel to Mary to foretell the coming of Christ. Later, God sent another angel messenger to speak to Joseph in a dream. He carefully placed the beautiful and unusual star in the east. The Father sent angelic messengers to simple shepherds on a hillside.

All of heaven was excited to announce the birth of the king, but most of the people on earth paid little attention to the shepherds’ story. Most ignored the huge and unusual star above Bethlehem, and the infant baby who had no cradle or crib in which to lay his head on the night he was born.

Jesus did not grow up and announce Himself as God. He did not put on a crown and robe, and begin to rule. Instead, Jesus presented himself as a servant sent from God—a servant who looked like a man. Even though He was God’s Son, He did not try to achieve the same reputation he had while in heaven. And we are challenged as God’s children to have the same mind as Jesus!

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal
with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)

Notice that verse five challenges us to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus!

As the body of Christ, we are to follow the head of the body—Jesus. Our attitudes are to be humble, our posture like that of a servant, and our obedience complete.

May God grant us the mind of Christ this Christmas!

Pastor Jo