Thursday - "Sacrifice"

Luke 22:41-44 (TNIV) 41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus knew this day was coming. The time had come to begin the process of crucifixion and He was ready...or at least He was after the action in today's passage of scripture. As the time drew near, Christ Himself knelt and prayed....asking His Father if there was any other way this could all be done. The part I love of today's passage is when Jesus says "...yet not my will, but yours be done."

He understood who was in control.

It wasn't easy though...look back at the scripture...an ANGEL was sent to comfort Him and He still was stressing to the point where His sweat became blood. Jesus was in anguish. He hurt inside. He knew what was coming to the flesh that He put on for our behalf. Christ was headed for crucifixion without doing anything wrong.

And it all started with a baby. Little Jesus...asleep on the hay. Cooing and making sweet baby sounds that first Christmas night. God knew that when this scene unfolded in Bethlehem it would one day end up on a cross at Calvary. The soft straw of the manger replaced with the splintery, rough surface of two pieces of wood nailed together. The cooing with crying out in pain. The soft skin... striped by whips of torture.

God knew these things....and He sent His Son anyway. Why?

For you.

Don't ever doubt your worth. Don't ever wonder if you have value. Don't ever look at yourself as less than anybody else. Jesus came at Christmas to do His Father's will....and that will was to climb up on the most horrible execution method ever devised by mankind...and die.

Only to rise again. For us.

God did indeed give you His Best this Christmas. This morning, thank Him for that.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Brian