A Savior is Born

Humans face two unsolvable problems. Death and sin.

Think about it.

Everyone dies. Advanced medical treatments, new drugs, improved nutrition, better living situations and education about health issues may lengthen a person’s lifespan, but eventually every life ends. No one can figure out how to beat death.

And everyone sins. Utopian dreams, humanitarian efforts, political movements, religious fervour and intellectual pursuits all fail to free us from evil because sin dwells in every heart. No one is completely good.

Only when we face the reality of these truths will we finally admit that we cannot save ourselves. We need a Savior.

And God, Himself, sent one.

Throughout the Old Testament, God promised to send a Redeemer, one who would do for humans what they could not do for themselves. This perfect lamb would be sacrificed once, for all time and for all people.

In fulfillment of these prophesies, on a dark night over two thousand years ago, angels proclaimed, “A Savior is born.”

Jesus came into this world, a helpless baby. He revealed God and lived, completely human, among us. Jesus triumphed over sin when He died on the cross, because He never sinned. His death paid the penalty for our sin. Then, Jesus defeated death by rising from the grave. Neither sin nor death had any power over Jesus.

So, Jesus solved our humanly unsolvable problems. His very name, given by God through an angel (Matthew 1:21), means the Lord saves.

Great and merciful God, thank you for saving me! Only you could defeat sin and death. I acknowledge that I desperately need a Savior. I cling to you as my holy hope.

Go Deeper — Spend some time thinking about the reality of the human existence. Ask others what they think the human dilemma is. Share the joy you’ve discovered when you understood that Jesus is the solution to the human dilemma.