Starry Night: Christmas Advent Daily Devotional (Beginning Dec. 1)

December 6

Hebrews 2:6-11 (ESV) 6 It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers.

     For the first 5 days of this month we focused mainly on the deity of Christ; the fact that He is fully God. This fact, which encompasses his presence with God in the beginning and His full participation in creation, is often forgotten in our study of His birth and life. Yet this fact is essential in understanding who He is, and I hope will be in the forefront of your mind as we shift focus to His humanity. The verses above so eloquently tie together His deity and humanity. There are the references to His glory and honor, everything being in subjection to Him, and all things existing through Him, then it adds that He calls "them" brothers.

     But who are these brothers? Hebrews 2:13-16 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold, I and the children God has given me." 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

     The passage below shows that you are adopted into the family of Abraham, the "commonwealth of Israel" (and thus Christ's brother or sister), if you believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:11-16 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

     Through Christ there is no longer Jew (the circumcision) and gentile (those who are not Jewish), but one man, the body of Christ!

     As we see in the Hebrews 2 scripture, the creator, who is above all things and has authority over all things, humbled Himself by placing all of His magnificence and glory into a finite body. A body that hungers, hurts, gets sick, and even tired. He placed Himself in the hands of those who would humiliate, torture, and eventually kill Him, even though in an instant He could strike down every person. He did all of that to make a way for us to be with Him in glory (Hebrews 2:10)

Philippians 2:5-11 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 To this (salvation) he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     Because of what God has done in Christ we not only are saved, but will receive glory! His grace is so much more than we can comprehend, and certainly so much more than we deserve! How will you honor Him today?

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