Hi beloved ones of God, I hope you’re all fine by God’s grace. It looks like we’re getting closer and closer to Christmas. I don’t know about you but I feel so excited.
Why not dive into our subject matter of the day, week 5 of our Christmas series 2017? Today (as the other weeks) we’re going to learn more about Jesus.
For this study, we’ll look at Isaiah 53, and we’ll highlight a few things about Jesus.

1. He didn’t need to brag or show off

Isaiah 53:2 NLT

My servant grew up in the Lord ’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

When Jesus came to this earth, He didn’t choose a king’s palace to be born, He didn’t choose the most populated town, He didn’t make everyone come to Him to bow down. He remained discreet, He chose something so low and so simple as a manger. Probably an indicator of what He was ready to do, being unafraid to get into mud to bring his sheep back to Him.
Seriously, if you were God’s Son, The King of Kings, The One by whom and for who all things were made, how would you choose to make your first public appearance on earth? You probably would be tempted to make it great and not to go unnoticed right? I would. But, that’s not what Jesus did.
He knew who He was, and He had nothing to prove to us or to Himself, that’s why it didn’t matter to Him to go unnoticed to some. He didn’t come to be served but to serve.
Are you challenged by this? I am.

2. He was Selfless

Isaiah 53:4‭-‬6‭, ‬9 NLT

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

He cared more about our salvation, than He cared about what people would say about Him, what people would do to Him, what people would think of Him, how people would treat Him.
Wait, aren’t these the most important things to ME?

• What will people say or think about me? (my reputation)
• What will people do to me?
• How will people treat me?

How is it possible that these things matter so much to me, but Jesus was ready to throw all that away, to save me?
Did He care more about me that He cared about His reputation, or His own life?
Is this not the greatest degree of selflessness ever? Giving One’s life for His friends?
Then I am challenged, if Jesus is selfless, and that He put aside things which I thought mattered so much because He cared more about me, if I say I am a follower of Christ, then there’re probably steps I can take today towards Christ-like selflessness, towards being more like Jesus?

3. He had made up His mind

Isaiah 53:7 NLT

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

This part should be the moment where we’re most honest. How many of us admit that at times we take decisions, we even make promises, but when faced with the reality and difficulty of the thing we back down, we withdraw, we give up or even better we “change our mind”?
That’s not Jesus, when He said He would do it, He did it.
Despite the insults, the public humiliation, the beating, the harsh treatment, He remained silent, He did not open His mouth, because He had already made up His mind to die for you and me, to save us from our sins.
Jesus didn’t change His mind because it was difficult, He played His part till the end, He remained faithful to the promise.
This pushes me to realize, that If I want to be more like Jesus, I’ve got to learn to make up my mind in The Lord and to be ready to stand firm even in the pain if it’s to give glory to God.
It was hard and painful but Jesus didn’t give up, in the same way, I shouldn’t give up. If I have made up my mind to serve God, then I have to be ready to serve Him even in the midst of persecution.
Now that we’ve looked at those three things about Jesus, now that we feel challenged, it’s time to share with you a few things which made Jesus able to be so discreet, selfless and determined.

•  His knowledge of The Father’s love for Him: When you know who you are and your worth in God’s sight, you realize that you have nothing to prove and you don’t need people to see you as spectacular, if God does already then that’s enough.
• His love for and obedience to The Father: That’s what kept Him sticking to the plan even though it was hard. He put His loyalty and submission to God first.
• His love for you: No body can bear such a great pain and humiliation if it’s not for someone they really really love. Jesus really really loves you.

Thus, as we’re preparing to celebrate Christmas this year, let’s ask God to open our hearts and our minds on the aspects of our lives which need to be adjusted, so that we may behave more like Jesus.
Prayer
Father Lord God King of Glory, I thank You for Your Word today. Thank You for challenging through Jesus my understanding of royalty, humility, submission to God and standing firm for God. Thank You Lord Jesus for all You’ve done for me. Please Lord Help me to be more like You, in humility, love and determination to follow Your ways, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen
Thanks for reading.
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God bless you
Victoriaeyog