It’s Christmas Eve. Today completes my journey through the book of Luke in Luke 24. In this chapter I’m reminded that Jesus was born to rise.
In this chapter two ladies who followed Jesus went to the tomb where Jesus was laid upon his death. When they arrived they were astonished to discover that the stone at the entrance of the tomb had been rolled away. They were puzzled at this point. Then an angel appeared to them and told them all that had happened, and that Jesus was alive. The two women ran back to the disciples and told them the news. The disciples did not believe them. That was until Jesus appeared to them all in an upper room. They were frightened. They thought they were seeing a ghost. A spirit. But Jesus told them he was very much alive. He told them to touch him and see that he was flesh and blood. Jesus even ate a piece of boiled fish as proof that he was not a spirit. From there Jesus opened their mind to the Scriptures, told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and ascended into heaven.
The point of Luke 24 is to prove to us today that Jesus is not dead, but alive. He is risen! A funny thing to be talking about on Christmas Eve. But this is the purpose for which Jesus was born. Jesus was miraculously born by way of the virgin Mary so that he could miraculously rise from the dead.
Why did these events need to happen? So that the works of Satan could be destroyed. So that death could be defeated. So that the power of sin could be overcome.
Christmas is about the birth of humanities Savior being born to save mankind from the consequences of sin. That Savior’s name is Jesus. He was born in order to die. He died so that he could rise from the dead. And he rose from the dead so that the sins of those who placed their faith in him would be forgiven. Jesus was born to rise.
My friends, God promises in His word to grant salvation to whoever repents of their sin, confesses Jesus as Lord, and believes that Jesus is the Son of God who God raised from the dead. The wages of sin is death. But God has a free gift to give you – eternal life. God gives that free gift to those who turn from sin and puts their faith in the only Son of God, Jesus Christ.