What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? For me, it's Jesus. You may have heard the expression, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."
Indeed He is, but we're celebrating much more than a child in a manger!
We're celebrating who He is and what He did!
Jesus—the Messenger of God
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38 NKJV)
Messengers, mediators, and servants can play valuable roles, except when things don't work out well. Then, even those who've done well before, can pay a heavy price.
No doubt you've heard the expression, “Don't shoot the messenger!”
This is played out in many ways.
A person asks a counselor or doctor to “tell me the truth,” but reacts with anger when it's told. A politician who tells the truth has a short political life, compared to the one who adjusts his message according to opinion polls. Sad, but true.
When negotiations break down, the mediator is blamed, not the unyielding parties at odds with one another. Servants at various levels are relied upon for many things, even as nursemaids for babies, yet are often treated with scorn.
Jesus fulfilled all three of these roles—messenger, mediator, and servant—and yet, is still scorned by many.
Jesus—the Message of God
Jesus was the personal messenger of His Father, God. In fact, He was the Message—the Word.
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness [grace] and truth. (John 1:1 , 14 GW)
He was the mediator of a new covenant relationship between God and man based on God's kindness and grace.
His title, Christ or Messiah, declared His importance with God to all humanity.
Israel, God's chosen people, waited for their messiah for centuries. Yet when He came, He was not recognized or received. He was rejected because He wasn't what they expected, and they didn't want to hear His message (John 1:9-11).
Jesus—the Servant of God
Though Jesus is God in nature and came as God in human form, He was a servant.
He told His followers that He came to serve, not be served (Matthew 20:28). Jesus was humble in nature though He is the Creator of all.
His first priority was to do the will of His Father, the One who sent Him. His greatest service was to lay His life down for all humanity upon the cross, and to raise it up again.
How can the world He created scorn this faithful servant, mediator, and messenger?
How do we?
When we choose our own will over His, we scorn Him—He who gave us life, became a bridge back to the Father—One who speaks words of truth and life.
Don't shoot the Messenger—hear Him, love Him, serve Him!
Need a fresh reminder of who Jesus is?
Read through the gospels to see how Jesus fulfilled these three roles for our benefit, and in obedience to His Father.
How has God called you to serve Him and be a bridge to God for others, and share His good news with others?
Seek out ways you can live out the roles of messenger, mediator, and servant, as God guides you, so you can be a blessing to others, as a representative of Jesus on earth.