John 1:12-14 CJB
But to as many as did receive Him, to those who put their trust in His person and power, He gave the right to become children of God, not because of bloodline, physical impulse or human intention, but because of God.
The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw His Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
This week, as the Christmas lights shine around you and you engage in gatherings with family and friends, exchanging gifts, laughter, and fun, remember the true reason for the season. Remember Jesus, the Word of God who became flesh, and the power that God gave Him to save anyone who believes in Him. Remember that the gift does not depend on your “bloodline, physical impulse, or human intention, but because of God.” Remember that although salvation began with the Jews, they are no longer the sole focus, though some still believe them to be the chosen nation. God, through Jesus’ blood, has made all people the focus of salvation.
In 1 Peter 2:4–10, we are reminded that everyone who has accepted the message of the cross is chosen and being built into a spiritual house, and we are no longer in darkness but have the opportunity to become a people of God through Jesus Christ, who has made mercy available to all humankind. Therefore, “In Jesus there is neither Jew, nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah, you are all one. Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26–29 [CJB]). Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well provides a glimpse of what His death and resurrection would bring to all of us who choose to make Him Lord of our lives. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21–24).
To continue focusing on one nation as the prime possession of God is to disqualify and deny the power in Jesus’ blood that reconciles us back to the original plan of God before the great flood that destroyed the Earth (Genesis 6:1–8, 9–22). Instead of destroying humankind again, God sent Jesus as an atonement for our sins with the goal of reconciling those who believe His message of truth, grace, and eternal salvation (1 Peter 3:20–22, Colossians 1:19–23, Ephesians 2:13, Romans 5:8, Luke 17:26–27, Matthew 24:37–39, 2 Peter 2:5). “This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it” (Colossians 1:21–23). During this Christmas season and every day that you wake up with breath to speak, let us remind everyone that the gift is available to any human soul who chooses to open it before it’s too late. The hour is coming; our Lord Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch, because we do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24: 42).
