Diary of a Christian Girl

Not I, but Christ

The Text: Galatians 2:19-20 "For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christand I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

The message: As Christmas approaches, I am constantly reminded of my need for a savior. Through sins, big and small, I remember my failure to measure up to God's standard of perfection. Because God is Holy, anyone who comes to Him must be holy as well. But what is holy? To be holy is to be blameless and pure, without sin. But because of our sinful nature, we are unable to be holy on our own. This realization illuminates our desperate need for a savior. Someone perfect and blameless to take away our sins and bridge the chasm formed by our sins between us and God. Christmas is a reminder of the entrance of the needed savior into the world. Philippians 2:8 says, "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!" Christmas is a time when we remember the day God sent His own Son down to earth in order to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. In the Old Testiment, in order to be forgiven of sins, a perfect and spotless passover lamb was sacrificed. However, this sacrifice is no longer necessary because Jesus became our perfect sacrfice, our passover lamb, and through His blood washes away our sins. Through His death, He took all of our sins upon Him and paid the price with His life. He then conquered death by rising from the dead. As Christmas is finally here, and the familiar sights, smells, and traditions are pulled into our vision, this humble sacrifice is buried in the noise of what seems jolly and cheerful. Jesus, the tiny baby, and God's only son who was sent to earth to take away our sins is the reason for the season. This savior, known throughout all generations, is the only man in all of history to so radically change the world by his one life. And through His life, we are radically changed from the inside to impact the world for the kingdom of God.