Messiah: a new beginning, a new birth
GARY DAMRON
We just celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. In past articles, we’ve discussed the Messiah - the Promised One - who brings hope for change, justice, peace, and healing. We’ve seen how the contributions of Greek culture, language and philosophy - as well a world ruled by the Roman essentials of communication, transportation, and order - provided the perfect time for the Messiah to come.
Jewish religion provided the background and basic understanding of one true living God, who calls people serve and follow Him. The old Law followed by the Jews also revealed an obvious failure under the priesthood and kings. They knew, just as each of us should realize, that a Savior is needed to deliver from sin.
The Messiah’s mission is one of revealing God, redeeming humans, and reigning as king, and His story can be traced back to the Old Testament. Genesis 5:1 reads, “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the beginning of time when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.” But this verse marked the beginning of the fallen race of Adam, after sin in the Garden of Eden.
In the New Testament, Matthew began his gospel, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The life of Jesus the Messiah marks a new beginning for humanity. God coming to earth in flesh is called the incarnation, and there are several purposes in this miracle. He was fully human and fully divine, showing us how our own life can be transformed.
According to the Apostle John, the baby Jesus is “the Word” [Logos of God] who “become flesh that dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The Logos is the expression of God’s will. During the creation account, God spoke nine times to express His will (Genesis chapters 1 and 2), and each time, something came into existence. As John explained, the Word Jesus was in the beginning (He was eternal), He was with God, and in fact is God (John 1:1). If we want to know God, we should get acquainted with the person Jesus.
Just a few months before Jesus was born, Zacharias the priest prophesied over his own newborn son (Luke 1:67-79). This baby, John the Baptist, would grow up and announce the coming of “the Most High” and prepared the way for the Lord. “The Sunrise from on high shall visit us”, penetrating the “darkness and shadow of death” and showing us “the way of peace”. Later an aged man in the temple named Simeon echoed the theme: Mary’s child that he held in his arms would be “’a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel’” (Luke 2:32).
An angel came to Joseph in Nazareth with a message from God. “’And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.’” Matthew went on to explain, “Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:21-23).
The coming of God as a baby removed the barrier between God’s eternal, infinite being - and man’s brokenness and finiteness. Jesus became human so He could fulfill our responsibility in a representative way. It is important for us to see our salvation (Luke 2:30), but more importantly, to know that it comes from God to us.
Jesus came not only to reveal God and to save us, but to serve with authority. The angel Gabriel proclaimed to Mary, “’He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end’” (Luke 1:32-33). The Magi in Matthew 2:2 came to find a newborn king and worship. Jesus came not just with a mission, but also with the mastery to carry out a redemptive work.
Jesus told the disciples, “’All things been handed over to Me by my Father; and no one knows the son, except the Father’”. He then called on them to, “’Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest’” (Matthew 11:27-28). He later comforted the disciples with the proclamation, “’I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me’” (Luke 14:6). What the listeners did not realize at the time was that Jesus’ reign and crown would be earned by means of a cross.
Jesus told Nicodemus, “’Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’” and later in the discussion spoke the famous verse, “’For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life’” (John 3:16). His birth can bring about our new birth.
The Babe in the manger, the Divine Son of God, comes to reveal God who loves us and is ready to deliver His creation. Jesus crosses the divide between the eternal, holy God and provides deliverance for all of us who are fallen. He offers new life in a spiritual kingdom, where we are ruled by the power, authority, and love of God.
