BORN TO DIE
Whether you know it or not, we are in the midst of a raging war, and whether you like it or not we are, every one of us, combatants. There is no neutral ground; we are either, for or against; the only choice that we have is who we will serve. To those who join the winning side, victory is assured because of the babe who was born to die.
This is a war that began before the earth was formed. Desiring worship due only to God, who created the universe, Lucifer, an angel, with the coveted title, "covering cherub", aspired to the throne of the Most High God and there was war in heaven. Jesus and his angels fought Lucifer and his angels. Simply put, Jesus won and there was no more room for Lucifer or his angels in heaven; they were cast out.
Now homeless, the diabolical fiends, seeking to establish a government, choose earth for a home. "If not the universe; at least planet earth," they mused. The infernal monsters would have succeeded, had it not been for the babe who was born to die.
Lucifer, now called Satan, or adversary, masquerading as a snake enticed Eve and then Adam to sin. They sinned and became infected with the frightful disease---sin,. Horizontally and vertically transmitted, it consumes the whole being of anyone it infects. It is terminal, and would be incurable; were it not for the babe who was born to die.
Eons before this emergency materialized, the heavenly council of peace, foreseeing man's plight, voted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem to die so that man might have the ability to chose eternal life. For God so loved this world that he gave his Son, Jesus, to die so that we might have life. The wonderful thing is that He did not send His Son into the world to condemn; he was born to die so that we might live.
And so it was that in the fullness of time, Jesus was born. Shepherds watching their flocks by night, heard the amazing announcement delivered by none other than an angel of the Lord ,"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:8-12
Meanwhile, wise men studying prophecy in distant Persia came to the conclusion that it was almost time for this babe to be born. Gazing into the eastern sky they saw a bright star, and intuitively followed it, knowing that this was His star. They left family, business and friends, all that they had, and held dear and went to find Him and worship Him. They journeyed almost a thousand miles following the lead of that star and came to the impoverished home of the babe who had been born to die.
Centuries before His birth, the Jewish prophet, Isaiah looking through time's dark veil had seen this babe: despised, rejected, abandoned, afflicted, oppressed. Bearing the burden of your sins and mine, cut down from the land of the living. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him and because of His stripes we are healed of the appalling malady sin. And so He was willing to die to afford us a cure from that which is otherwise incurable. And the story does not end with His death, you see, death could not hold Him prey this babe who was born to die. Up from the grave He arose, and now He stands at the right hand of the Majesty of heaven, our heavenly advocate, interceding for you and for me. Because He has suffered temptation, He is able to help us who are tempted to sin.
Very soon now He will come back. The heavens will roll back like a scroll. The Lord will descend, not now as the tiny babe of Bethlehem, but as the mighty King of the universe coming to take us His children home. And so we worship and adore this mighty king, this tiny babe who was born to die so that we might live. Born to die for you and born to die for me.