Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. - Hebrews 2:14-17

A baby born in Bethlehem.  It may have seemed pretty ordinary; mothers had babies all the time.  The parents were certainly ordinary enough, a carpenter's family from Nazareth.  And the humble environment was probably not so unusual for many people of that day.  But Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tells of that birth with such majesty and beauty that it has captured the hearts of millions of people because this really was a birth like none other.  Heavenly angels couldn’t keep the news to themselves; they told shepherds in the field who run to worship him.  And then they can't keep it to themselves. 

What made the ordinary so extraordinary?  God became one of us to rescue all of us.  To provide the perfect human life that was demanded to pay the punishment for sin, it required a perfect human being.  "For this reason,” the Bible explains, “Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

No wonder that the angels and the shepherds were so excited.  This special baby, sent from heaven by God, came to "free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."  This baby has changed who we are.  We used to be mortal, subject to death.  But by dying for us and rising from the dead, Jesus gives us immortality.  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 14:25-26).

His was no ordinary birth; it was the most extraordinary birth of all time.  God's Son became a human being to rescue human beings.  In him we are immortal.  We will live forever with God!  The angels were excited.  The shepherds were excited.  And so are we. 

Prayer: 
Lord, we thank you for becoming one of us and changing us by giving us immortality.  Help us live our lives with the confidence that in you we are living forever.  Amen. 

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