The True Gift of the Season

As Christmas approaches and we all try to get some last minute Christmas shopping in and on the side wonder what we are getting, I ask that we remember the greatest miracle in the history of the world, Jesus’ birth. While miraculous in itself, one thing we tend to forget is how amazing it is that Jesus came down here to earth, it’s like the Cubs winning the World Series times 1,000,000 (sorry Cubs fans). It used to be that people would go up to the temple and make sacrifices to get rid of their sins, and there was also a strict separation between God and man with the high priest being the only one allowed in the presence of God. But when Jesus came and died on the cross that was all redone, God calls it His “New Covenant” (the first one was with Moses). The author of Hebrews writes about this in an interesting way, he writes “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not manmade, that is to say, not a part of this creation…. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:11, 13-14. Wow is all I can say, if the blood of mere animals can cleanse us, how much more can Christ, wow, it’s a cool thing to think about, and while getting presents on Christmas is great, this is the gift that we really need, the gift that will last in the long run.