What does Jesus teach us about His coming?

"Behold, your King is coming to you!" (Zechariah 9:9)

What a noteworthy statement! When a monarch wants to visit a city, announcements of his arrival are made long before that day. His visit causes a great deal of excitement. The streets are decorated, people come together, music is played, and flags go up in his honor!

With Jesus, it was different. He made His entrance quietly, hidden, and in the form of a poor, helpless baby. Nevertheless, it was said, “Behold!” and this admonishes us to, “Open your eyes!” For this King we must have open eyes of spiritual understanding, eyes with which to see divine things! Although He came poor and simple, He is the King of all Kings, and He came personally to you!

Therefore, it is necessary to adopt an appropriate, reverent attitude. If this King wants to personally come to you and me, He also wants to change something in us. May God give us open eyes for His grace and glory and for His divine benevolence!

So many things capture our attention during the Christmas season! The bright colors, the beautiful lights, the many things to buy, the festive events to attend, the loud noise, all this captures our attention and threatens to distract us from the King of the world and from His great glory. That is why a song says: “Lord, give me eyes to see, touch my eyes. Not being able to see when it is day is a terrible plague!” “Behold!” is therefore just as important and decisive today as it was then, for until His return, it remains Jesus’ way to encounter an individual simply and covertly.

One day, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This man had his eyes wide open and immediately grasped who Jesus really was. John probably had seen “Jesus of Nazareth” before, but the way he saw Him now had not occurred before. Twice, he confesses, “I did not know Him” (verse 31), but now he saw the deeper realities of Christ and said, “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God” (verse 34).

The way Jesus came into the world and the way He personally approaches us should impress us on a deep level. Not only as a Person but also His coming teaches us valuable things. It also teaches us how to come to Him.

Jesus teaches us to refrain from elevating ourselves     Paul writes to the church at Philippi that He “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7). This could mean a voluntary resignation or the voluntary leaving of a position. Jesus was willing to leave the glory of heaven and come into this cold, hostile, dark world. He wanted to be considered for a time as less than the angels, who were otherwise subject to Him. It teaches us that we also should be willing to give up the illusory glories of this world and even give up certain positions in order to come to Him and establish a covenant of peace with Him.

Jesus’ coming teaches us humility

Jesus proved His humility by His absolute obedience. Paul says: “He was obedient to the point of death on the cross!” His path led Him from the glory of heaven to the small town of Bethlehem and into a manger. From the heavenly splendor of light, He entered into human servitude, from the prosperous Father’s house into the homelessness of this world! Every human being, even the poorest, can find access to Him!  Humility, is that also possible for us? Can we show humility, take a lower position? Whoever can do that will not find it difficult to find his way to Jesus. This is how He came to us, and that is how we can come to Him!

Jesus’ coming teaches deprivation 

Deprivation means a lack. “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere not to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus chose this for Himself because He wanted to become like us. He wanted to voluntarily enter into our deepest impoverishment and become the means to our freedom and salvation! A disciple has to share this aspect with his master. Many Christians suffer deprivation in this world! Are we ready to suffer for Christ’s sake, just as He was willing to suffer for us?

Jesus’ coming teaches us selflessness 

With His coming, Jesus showed us His sense of sacrifice, His self-renunciation! Such selflessness is the fruit of love and a characteristic of contentment. This was the condition for His coming, for the beginnings of His mission, for His tireless ministry, doing good, and for His sacrifice on the cross!

“Behold, this is the Lamb of God and the Son of God!” This is the unspeakable gift of God for the world. Jesus came to us as Savior and Helper, and now we can come to Him! May we all recognize this anew, and may God give us a blessed Christmas! 

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