Unprecedented: “never done or known before”
As we approach Christmas, let us remember that when the angel came to Mary, and told her she would give birth to a son and she was a virgin, and the son she was carrying would save the world...this was unprecedented!
Luke 1:26-56
2020’s tag words aren’t new!
Social distancing - The wise men took the long way out of town Matthew 2:12
Pandemic - Too many to count ... Look at the Israelites and their journey out of Egypt!
Social Unrest / discrimination - The Israelites and then everyone else
Quarantine (Alone Together) - Mary and Joseph alone in the stable and Jesus lying in the manger Luke 2:16
Trying Times - Mary and Joseph took a long journey (90 miles by donkey) while she was very pregnant Luke 2:1-5
Shortages - No room in the Inn
Essential - Jesus being born Acts 4:12
Elections - King Herod was on the throne and didn’t want a new king in town Matthew 2:3
Census - This is what brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem Luke 2
Something that was never done before, was Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us was born with the sole purpose of dying for our sins.
“Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15 MSG
Something that was never known before, is His love for us!
“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” Romans 8:31-39 MSG
As we finish this unprecedented year, let us hold tight to our unprecedented Jesus! “For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.”
Hebrews 13:8 MSG
My prayer for you is that wherever this finds you today, that you would see and believe the hope that is in Jesus! He never fails! He is ...
